Magazine Journalism MA

Overview
Content & Structure
Teaching & Assessment
Fees & Funding
Careers/Further Study

Overview

City's Magazine Journalism MA prepares you for a first job in magazine journalism. Course graduates are found everywhere from consumer glossies and newspaper supplements to specialist magazines.

The MA is highly regarded by industry professionals, and is accredited by the Periodicals Training Council.

The magazine industry has never been more exciting and challenging. This course prepares you for anything you might encounter - whether it's writing a feature for a glossy men's magazine, podcasting an interview, or researching and crafting a story for the newsdesk of a business-to-business publication.

You'll learn the essential skills of reporting, feature writing, subbing, interviewing, researching, and design and layout.

You'll produce print and online magazines, and build an impressive portfolio of features which you will be encouraged to freelance.

Accredited by the Periodicals Training Council (PTC)

Course Fees:

Full-time EU: £9,000
Full-time Non EU: £18,000

Start Date:

24 September 2012

How to Apply

Entry Requirements

You should have at least a good second-class degree in any subject.
You should also have had a minimum of four weeks' work experience in magazines or newspapers.
The MA in Magazine Journalism focuses primarily on journalism in the UK.

Applicants from outside the UK are encouraged to apply for the MA in International Journalism.

Other Suitable Qualifications

Consideration will be given to mature applicants who can demonstrate substantial work experience.

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). 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.

Course Content

From the moment you start the course you'll be encouraged to be proactive, both in terms of pitching your stories and fixing up work experience.

You'll learn the essential skills of reporting, feature writing, subbing, interviewing, researching, design and layout.

You'll produce print and online magazines, and build an impressive portfolio of features which you will be encouraged to sell as a freelancer.

Course Structure

Modules include:

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.

Barbara Rowlands | Course Director
Jason Bennetto | Senior Lecturer; Journalism Practice
Dan Synge | Journalism Practice
Malvin van Gelderen | Editorial Production
Joy Johnson | Public Administration
Prof. Roy Greenslade | Journalism and Society
Marcelle D'Argy Smith | Journalism Practice
Lindsay Nicholson | Visiting Professor
Paul Bradshaw | Online Journalism
John Battle | Media Law
John Booth | Editorial Production
Francine Lawrence | Editorial Production
Clive Raven | Online Journalism

Fees

Full-time EU: £9,000
Full-time Non EU: £18,000

Please note that, for part-time courses, the tuition fee is likely to increase by a small percentage in subsequent years.

Funding

For up-to-date information about tuition fees, living costs and financial support, visit Undergraduate Fees and Finance or Postgraduate Fees and Finance.

Bursaries

Some bursaries are advertised and awarded by media organisations. Please visit the Department of Journalism's bursaries page for more details.

Career Prospects

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.

Employment

City Journalism alumni occupy top positions in magazines and periodicals. They include:

Jane Bruton, Editor of Grazia
Celia Duncan, Associate Editor of Vogue UK
Phil Hebblethwaite, Editor of The Stool Pigeon
Anthony Thornton, Editorial Director of IPC Ignite!

See more leading City Journalism alumni in magazines and periodicals.

See also where graduates of the 2009/10 MA Journalism class are working now.

Find out more about City University London

Application Deadline

27 February 2012 for submission of postal applications and all supporting documents (references, articles, etc.)

MA Magazine Journalism

You can apply either in hard copy by post or online. Please follow the instructions below carefully.

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 27 February 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.
The following two articles. Either include these with your postal application, or copy and paste them into the "Personal Statement" section of the online application form.
* Article 1: explain in not more than 200 words why you want to come on our course and what you expect to gain from it. (This replaces the "Statement in Support of Application" requested in the application form.)
* Article 2: interview someone interesting in your local area. Based on this interview you should write a 250-word article.

Selection process

Application deadline
Monday 27 February 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.
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.

Application forms

Apply online for the Magazine Journalism MA starting in September 2012

Return address

Please return all application material, marked "Postgraduate Applications 2012", to: Admissions, Graduate School of Journalism, City University London, Northampton Square, London EC1V 0HB, UK.