Broadcast/ Television Journalism MA
Overview
The Broadcast/Television Journalism MA at City is one of the UK's leading courses in this field. Graduates of these BJTC-accredited courses include the BBC's Sophie Raworth and Gillian Joseph from Sky News.
Broadcast Journalism Training Council
Course Fees:
- Full-time EU: £9,000
- Full-time Non EU: £18,000
Start Date:
24 September 2012
Entry Requirements
Applicants should have at least a good second class degree in any subject. Consideration will also be given to mature applicants with substantial work experience in radio and/or television journalism. Students whose first language is not English are advised to apply for the International Journalism MA, which is designed specifically for students from outside the UK.
Pre-requisites
- You should have at least a good second class degree in any subject.
- Applicants for both courses must demonstrate a knowledge of TV and/or radio news and current affairs. We expect a high standard of general knowledge relating to politics, international news, sport and entertainment.
- Broadcast Journalism applicants should also have work experience in a local radio station.
- Television Journalism applicants should also have work experience with a TV company or student TV, but this is desirable rather than essential. You should be able to demonstrate an interest in visual media
- The Broadcast Journalism and Television Journalism courses are taught together for two-thirds of the syllabus. We urge applicants to look at both courses, but please only apply for one. We reserve the right to suggest you transfer your application between these courses if we feel you are better qualified for one or the other.
Other Suitable Qualifications
As well as new graduates, we also welcome applications from mature applicants with substantial work experience in radio and/or television journalism.
English Requirements
If your first language is not English, we advise you to apply for the International Journalism MA, which is designed specifically for students from outside the UK.
Visa Requirements
The way that you apply may vary depending on the length of your course at City, there are different rules for:
- Students on courses of more than 6 months
- Students on courses of less than 6 months
- Students on a pre-sessional English Language course
For more information see our main Visa page.
When and Where
- Start Date:
- 24 September 2012
- Duration:
- Full-time (10 months). There is a part time option available for a very small number of students on the Broadcast Journalism MA. Part-time students study on Monday and Tuesday in the first year and on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday in the second year. Part-time students also need to be prepared to take week- or fortnight-long holidays from other work in order to study some modules and to undertake work placements. Being a part-time student requires strong motivation and excellent personal organisation skills. Part-time places are awarded at the discretion of the pathway director.
Course Content
City University London has been training aspiring broadcast journalists since 1981, and our broadcast training courses are among the best-known and most highly-regarded in the UK today. Course alumni include Gillian Joseph (Sky News), Sophie Raworth (BBC News), Brigid Nzekwu and Keme Nzerem (Channel 4 News) and Barbara Serra (Al Jazeera).
These two MA courses prepare you for a first job in radio or television journalism. Both are accredited by the Broadcast Journalism Training Council (BJTC).
All students use state-of-the-art facilities opened in 2009, including a purpose-built digital television studio, two radio studios, and five newsrooms.
Which course is for you?
Broadcast Journalism: offers practical training in radio and television. Newswriting, television and radio journalism are taught through lectures, workshops and broadcast simulation
Television Journalism: this covers news, documentaries and lifestyle TV journalism. Please apply for this course if your interest is primarily in television journalism of any kind
If your first language is not English, you are advised to apply for the International Broadcast Journalism MA, which is designed specifically for students from outside the UK
Course Structure
Modules include
- Journalism practice
- Journalism and society 1
- Journalism and society 2
- Media law
- Entrepreneurial journalism
- Public administration
- Online journalism
- Editorial production for TV and radio
- Research for TV current affairs programmes (Television journalism only)
- TV and radio technique (Broadcast journalism only)
- MA Journalism project
- Television studio programme making
Teaching and Assessment
All MA Journalism courses at City are practical, hands-on courses designed for people that want to become journalists. As a result, much of your coursework will be journalistic assignments that you produce to deadline, as you would in a real news organisation.
Some courses are taught in lecture theatres, such as Journalism and Society 1 and Media Law, but most are small-group workshops that allow you to develop your journalistic skills and knowledge with the support of our expert academics.
We advise our students that they need to be available for classes and assignments from Mondays to Fridays during working hours, and occasionally outside those times.
Recommended Reading
Sample reading list for Journalism & Society 1
Belsley, Andrew, Chadwick, Ruth (eds) Ethical Issues in Journalism And the Media, Routledge, 1992
Hicks, Wynford, English for Journalists, Routledge,1998
Quinn, Frances, Law For Journalists, Pearson Education, 2007
Morrison, James, Public Affairs For Journalists, Oxford University Press, 2009
Fees
- Full-time EU: £9,000
- Full-time Non EU: £18,000
Funding
For up-to-date information about tuition fees, living costs and financial support, visit Undergraduate Fees and Finance or Postgraduate Fees and Finance.
A small number of bursaries are advertised and awarded by media organisations. Please visit our website for details.
Scholarships
AHRC Scholarships
We advise applicants about the availability of AHRC funding and the application process after you have received your offer of a place on the course. In recent years details about scholarships have not been confirmed by the AHRC until late spring / early summer.Bursaries
Some bursaries are advertised and awarded by media organisations. Please visit the Department of Journalism's bursaries page for more details.
Placements
Work placements are an integral part of both broadcasting MA courses, giving you the chance to put your learning into practice and, more importantly, make contacts in the industry.
Broadcast Journalism
Broadcast Journalism students do two work placements, one of which must be in radio.
Television Journalism
Television Journalism students have a weekly placement in the TV industry during term time. Organisations hosting Television Journalism students during the 2011/2 academic year include:
- ABC
- Al-Jazeera
- BBC Africa
- BBC Andrew Marr Show
- BBC Breakfast
- BBC Click
- BBC Current Affairs
- BBC HARDtalk
- BBC London
- BBC News
- BBC Newsnight
- BBC Sport
- BBC The One Show
- BBC Watchdog
- Blakeway Productions
- Blink
- CTVC
- Flame
- Hardcash Productions
- ITN
- ITN Sport (Olympics)
- NorthOne
- October Films
- OR Media
- Plum Films
- politics.com
- Reuters
- Sky Arts
- Sky Business
- Sky Channel 5 News
- Sky News (Planning)
- Sky News Sunrise
- Sky Sports
- Sky World News
- Talkback
Career Prospects
Prominent alumni
We have been running Journalism courses at City since 1976. In the 34 years since, over 4,000 students have graduated and are now working in the media in the UK and internationally.
Read alumni stories and see the full list of graduate destinations in the 25th anniversary issue of our alumni magazine XCity.
City University Journalism alumni occupy top positions in broadcast journalism in the UK and overseas. They include:
- Samira Ahmed, Channel 4 News presenter and journalist
- Richard Klein, Controller of BBC4
- Kirsty Lang, BBC presenter
- Dermot Murnaghan, Sky News presenter
- Sophie Raworth, BBC News presenter
See more leading City Journalism alumni in broadcasting.
See also where graduates of the 2009/10 MA class are working now.
Find out more about City University London
Application Deadline
12 March 2012
MA Broadcast Journalism / Television Journalism
You can apply either in hard copy by post or online. Please follow the instructions below carefully.
To apply for a course, please submit the following:
- One application form
- Two references. We prefer you to submit one academic reference, and one reference from a journalism-related work placement.
Please note that you are responsible for ensuring that your references reach us no later than 12 March 2012. - A copy of your degree transcript. We require one of the following: an original transcript; a copy certified by your university; or an electronic scan of your transcript. If you have not yet graduated, you will be required to submit your degree transcript as soon as it is available. You will not be able to register as a City student without having supplied your degree transcript.
- Details of your work experience in journalism. Applicants should be able to demonstrate commitment to journalism through relevant work experience.
Either include these on a separate sheet with your postal application, or copy and paste the details into the "Personal Statement" section of the online application form. - Two written critiques:
- write a critique of 200 words on a factual or news radio programme broadcast at any time in the last month
- write a critique of 200 words on a factual or news TV programme broadcast at any time in the last month
Either include these on a separate sheet with your postal application, or copy and paste the details into the "Personal Statement" section of the online application form.
Application forms
- Apply online for the Broadcast Journalism MA starting in September 2012
- Apply online for the Television Journalism MA starting in September 2012
- Download a PDF version of the application form (pdf)
- Download a PDF version of the reference form (pdf)
Selection process
Application deadline
- 12 March 2012 for submission of applications and all supporting documents (references, articles, etc.)
- It is your responsibility to submit a completed application, including references and articles specified above, by the application deadline. We do not accept applications submitted after the deadline
AHRC Scholarships
We advise applicants about the availability of AHRC funding and the application process after you have received your offer of a place on the course. In recent years details about scholarships have not been confirmed by the AHRC until late spring / early summer.Consideration of your application
Your application will only be read and considered after the deadline has passed.
Interviews
Interviews will take place in April 2012. Further details will be posted here as soon as they are available.
Offers
You should expect to hear whether or not you have been selected for a place on the course in early May 2012.
Return address
Please return your postal application form and/or supporting documents, marked "Postgraduate Applications 2012", to: Admissions, Graduate School of Journalism, City University London, Northampton Square, London EC1V 0HB, UK.
