News Journalism (MA)
- Duration: 1 year
- Mode: Full time
Conversion course
This is a conversion course. No prior knowledge or degree in the subject is required.
Open day
Find out more about studying here as a postgraduate at our next Open Day.
Why study this course
This course is aimed at those wishing to pursue a career as a news journalist, whether at a hyperlocal, regional, or national level.
Excellent job prospects
We teach practical skills to make you a better journalist who stands out to news media - something our employability record demonstrates.
Top performing course
We are the NCTJ's top performing postgraduate course for 2019 and 2020, a reflection of our commitment to the highest standards of journalism training.
Get accredited
We are accredited by the National Council for the Training of Journalists (NCTJ) - giving you a professional qualification.
Industry placements
Putting into practice what you have learned builds self-confidence, prepares you for your first job and grows your network of contacts.
Join the press pack
Our location in the city centre means you’re located next to Cardiff’s local and national media companies such as the BBC and Wales Online.
Never miss an interview
You’ll be connected to the entire city with Cardiff’s main train station Cardiff Central just 100 metres away.
News Journalism offers a comprehensive professional introduction to the theory, ethics, application and promotion of quality journalism.
The course offers an industry accredited skill-set enabling you to work across a range of modern journalistic roles.
You’ll learn the basics of how to find, produce, and publish a story using the most effective – and relevant – tools available.
You’ll be taught how to write news, features, and opinion, how to research stories, build up contacts, and work a news patch that you are allocated.
In addition, you’ll learn how to shoot short videos and stills on mobile for online reporting on our own public-facing news site and how to maximise the use of social media to share and promote your stories.
Accreditations
Where you'll study
School of Journalism, Media and Culture
We provide a scholarly environment to help you acquire both the knowledge and skills needed to enter your chosen area of the media.
Admissions criteria
This is a conversion course. Conversion courses allow you to study a subject unrelated to your undergraduate degree or current career, and support you with a change of career path. No prior knowledge or degree in the subject is required.
Academic requirements:
Typically, you will need to have either:
- a 2:2 honours degree, or an equivalent international degree
- a university-recognised equivalent academic qualification
- or relevant alternative qualifications.
English Language requirements:
IELTS with an overall score of 7.5 with 5.5 in all subskills, or an accepted equivalent.
Other essential requirements:
You will also need to provide two references, one of which should be academic.
Application deadline:
We allocate places on a first-come, first-served basis, so we recommend you apply as early as possible.
Selection process:
If you meet the entry requirements, we will invite you to a panel interview. Interviews normally take place in December and April each year. Offers are made based on the outcome of the interview.
Find out more about English language requirements.
Applicants who require a Student visa to study in the UK must present an acceptable English language qualification in order to meet UKVI (UK Visas and Immigration) requirements.
Criminal convictions
You are not required to complete a DBS (Disclosure Barring Service) check or provide a Certificate of Good Conduct to study this course.
If you are currently subject to any licence condition or monitoring restriction that could affect your ability to successfully complete your studies, you will be required to disclose your criminal record. Conditions include, but are not limited to:
- access to computers or devices that can store images
- use of internet and communication tools/devices
- curfews
- freedom of movement
- contact with people related to Cardiff University.
Course structure
You will spend an intense nine months learning the fundamentals of the business - how to write, report, and interview for newspapers and online channels, the technical and production skills needed to project stories effectively and, importantly, the attitudes, news sense, judgement, and discipline the profession demands.
After a few weeks, you will be learning most of this, not in a classroom, but by fulfilling realistic briefs which require you to find, research, and write a variety of stories for online and, later, also in print. You are expected to find stories on your own initiative from contacts you develop during the course. Practical work includes the coverage of press conferences, public meetings, court, councils, politics, sports events, and entertainment.
In addition, you will also choose one of six specialist elective journalism subjects to study before progressing after nine months to the dissertation stage.
Course Structure
Teaching is through a programme of lectures and exercises. Assessment of course work is by written examination and continuous assessment. News Journalism features an attachment in April with a local/national news outlet for typically three weeks.
The modules shown are an example of the typical curriculum and will be reviewed prior to the 2022/23 academic year. The final modules will be published by September 2022.
| Module title | Module code | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Major Project | MCT561 | 30 credits |
| Public Administration | MCT508 | 10 credits |
| Reporters and the Reported | MCT509 | 10 credits |
| News Reporting and Production | MCT549 | 40 credits |
| Media Law and Ethics | MCT553 | 20 credits |
| Data Journalism | MCT559 | 10 credits |
| Professional Development | MCT560 | 10 credits |
| News Journalism | MCT600 | 40 credits |
| Module title | Module code | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Lifestyle and Consumer Journalism | MCT556 | 10 credits |
| Political Reporting | MCT557 | 10 credits |
| Sports Journalism | MCT558 | 10 credits |
| Investigative Journalism | MCT570 | 10 credits |
| Environmental and Scientific Journalism | MCT597 | 10 credits |
The University is committed to providing a wide range of module options where possible, but please be aware that whilst every effort is made to offer choice this may be limited in certain circumstances. This is due to the fact that some modules have limited numbers of places available, which are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis, while others have minimum student numbers required before they will run, to ensure that an appropriate quality of education can be delivered; some modules require students to have already taken particular subjects, and others are core or required on the programme you are taking. Modules may also be limited due to timetable clashes, and although the University works to minimise disruption to choice, we advise you to seek advice from the relevant School on the module choices available.
Learning and assessment
How will I be taught?
You will be taught through a variety of practical workshops and productions days which replicate an industry environment as well as lecture series to support the more academic elements of the course.
How will I be assessed?
You will be assessed through a wide range of formative and summative assessments throughout the course. These range from practical class room activities to academic essays and examinations.
How will I be supported?
You will be allocated a Personal Tutor, for help and support with academic and pastoral needs, who is available when needed to discuss progress, provide advice and guidance.
You will be supported by the Student Support services in the school and through wider university resources.
You will have regular tutorials with programme directors/personal tutors as well as the opportunity to meet with module co-ordinators on request.
Feedback
Feedback is provided at each assessment point for summative assessments, formative feedback is provided in practical sessions and throughout teaching.
What skills will I practise and develop?
On completion of the course you will be able to:
- take a shorthand note to 100 wpm
- construct a narrative
- be precise with grammar and sentence construction
- understand social media
- take and edit video for social media.
You will also be able to understand news and current affairs developments.
Tuition fees for 2022 entry
Students from the UK
| Year | Tuition fee | Deposit |
|---|---|---|
| Year one | £11,700 | None |
Students from the EU, EEA and Switzerland
If you are an EU/EEA/Swiss national, unless you qualify for UK fee status, tuition fees will be in line with the fees charged for international students. UKCISA have provided information about Brexit and tuition fees.
Students from the rest of the world (international)
| Year | Tuition fee | Deposit |
|---|---|---|
| Year one | £21,450 | £1,000 |
More information about tuition fees and deposits, including for part-time and continuing students.
Financial support
Financial support may be available to individuals who meet certain criteria. For more information visit our funding section. Please note that these sources of financial support are limited and therefore not everyone who meets the criteria are guaranteed to receive the support.
Additional costs
Living costs
We’re based in one of the UK’s most affordable cities. Find out more about living costs in Cardiff.
Careers and placements
The range of careers open to those who succeed on this course includes reporting for online providers, from the BBC to local start-ups, and various news organisations with print and online operations in Britain and abroad.
Graduates typically work for local and national organisations, news websites, blogs, news agencies and PR agencies.
Placements
Funding
Next steps
Open Day visits
Register for information about our 2021 dates.Make an enquiry
Contact us for more information about this course.International
Learn more about our truly global university.Discover more
Related searches: Journalism, Media, News, Online, Digital
HESA data: Copyright Higher Education Statistics Agency Limited 2020. The Higher Education Statistics Agency Limited cannot accept responsibility for any inferences or conclusions derived by third parties from its data. Data is from the latest Graduate Outcomes Survey 2017/18, published by HESA in June 2020.
