Course summary

Are you interested in the media, in how opinions are formed, how stories are told and in giving voice to those with no voice? If so you could be perfect for a career in journalism. Our Journalism degrees are taught by journalists and media practitioners, allowing you to learn about the industry from the industry. Lecturers from the BBC, ITV and The Guardian are just some of the contacts you will make while you study with us. This degree is accredited by the European Journalism Training Association. Our Journalism and Sports Journalism courses run side by side, with each team tackling their relevant subject areas. The teams learn from each other and the set-up replicates the experience and interests of a busy news room. You will produce articles for magazines, newspapers and online, as well as developing and presenting packages for TV and radio. The BA (Hons) Journalism focuses on general news and allows you to specialise and gain experience in your preferred subject areas and gain experience in all types of media. This degree will challenge you to think about different ways to think and communicate, to effectively analyse a situation and to get to the nub of a problem immediately. You will become a highly skilled “people person”; adept at understanding what people are interested in, how they might react and what their needs are; skills which will help you to stand out in any future role. You will also of course become an effective and versatile writer and communicator. In the classroom, you’ll study theoretical elements such as the legal issues affecting the industry, cross-platform publishing and court reporting. Through practical projects, you’ll be supported in putting this theory into practice to further enhance your employability. In addition to our second year placement module we also facilitate regular work experience for our students across the region, for example news reporting at the Plymouth Herald or live match reporting for the Plymouth Raiders. We encourage students to make great contacts through our guest lecture programme and work-based learning. Graduates have gained employment with Two Four, Channel 4, the BBC, The Herald and a variety of online platforms. Sports Journalism students have gone on to work in the media departments at professional sports clubs, newspapers, magazines, national radio stations and websites, as well as in the sports PR and marketing industry. Students have also gone on to work within associated careers such as production, editing, PR, communications and marketing, in particular social media and communications.