Science Journalism  MA

Overview

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Join us on Wednesday 19 June (17.00-19.00) to find out more about the Science Journalism MA and talk to academics about the course and applying. Book your place now.

Overview

The MA in Science Journalism at City University London gives you a thorough grounding in the best practices in health, science and environmental journalism, whilst teaching you to be a critical consumer of scientific information.

Throughout the MA Science Journalism course you will benefit from:

  • Academic staff experienced in science and journalism | The course is led by award-winning ex-BBC science journalist Connie St. Louis, currently Chair of the Association of British Science Writers. Other course tutors include Ed Yong, Henry Scowcroft, Dr Toby Murcott, Prof Roy Greenslade, and Paul Bradshaw.
     
  • Enhanced job prospects | The first group of Science Journalism MA graduates completed their studies in 2010. They are now working at organisations including the BBC, CERN, ITV, National Geographic Green and the World Health Organisation
     
  • Multimedia education in reporting health, science, environment and technology | The MA gives you a range of opportunities to report on science, health, environment, technology and food. Throughout the course students produce a multimedia science website Elements, along with a Twitter feed and Facebook page.
     
  • London location | The course makes full use of its central London location by drawing on the capital's scientific, medical and journalistic institutions, helping you to forge links, build contact networks and giving unrivalled access to leading experts.

Course Fees:

  • Full-time EU: £9,000 (2013 entry)
  • Full-time Non EU: £18,000 (2013 entry)

Start Date:

23 September 2013

How to Apply

Entry Requirements

  • You should be able to show that you have some relevant work experience in journalism, which might include work on a university/college publication, or work experience in either science, environmental or medical journalism.
  • You should have at least a good second-class degree in any subject. Considerations will also be given to mature applicants with substantial work experience in science or medicine.

English Requirements

For students whose first language is not English, we will provide support in this area but an IELTS score of at least 7.0 is required (including at least 7.0 in the written test).

Visa Requirements

City University London retains Highly Trusted Status from UKBA, enabling us to sponsor international students to study in the UK.

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:
23 September 2013
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

The MA in Science Journalism course offers you a thorough grounding in the best practices in professional science, environmental and health journalism. It develops skills in science reporting, interviewing, science writing, research and broadcast, online and print production.

As well as enabling critical reflection on the legal ethical and societal responsibilities and to put those skills and that knowledge into practice.

The Science Journalism course takes advantage of its central London location by drawing on the rich heritage of the capital's scientific and medical institutions, helping you to forge links, build contact networks and enjoy unrivalled access to leading experts.

It offers a range of opportunities to report on science, health, environment, technology and food.

Throughout the year there will be regular distinguished guests to the campus to give public lectures and to work with students in small workshops.

Read the Science Journalism MA students' blog 'Elements' at www.elements-science.co.uk

Course Structure

Modules include:

Read the full programme specification.

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 for the Science Journalism MA 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.

Course tutors

Read the full programme specification.

Recommended Reading

Sample reading list for Journalism & Society 1

  • Belsley, Andrew , Chadwick, Ruth (Eds) Ethical Issues in Journalism and the Media, Routledge, 1992
  • Quinn, Frances, Law for Journalists, Pearson Education, 2007
  • Morrison, James, Public Affairs for Journalists, Oxford University Press, 2009
  • Wynford, Hicks, English for Journalists, Routledge, 1998

Fees

  • Full-time EU: £9,000 (2013 entry)
  • Full-time Non EU: £18,000 (2013 entry)

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

Wellcome Trust Studentships

Two Wellcome Trust Studentships offering financial support (tuition fees plus basic living expenses) are available for students taking City's MA Science Journalism course.
Please note: The applications deadline is 12.00 noon GMT on 31 May 2013.

Other bursaries

The following organisations have also supported students in the Department of Journalism in the past. This is not a guarantee of future sponsorship, and you are advised to check the websites of these organisations for details of future bursary and scholarship schemes. 

  • NUJ (George Viner Memorial Fund). See the George Viner website.
  • Postgrad Solutions. Two bursaries of £500 each, open to both international and UK students. See the Postgrad Solutions website for more information.
  • British Council: Chevening awards. Usually for non-UK/EU students. See the Chevening website for further information. Please note: the deadline for 2012/3 awards has passed.

Placements

Work placements (internships) give you the chance to put your learning into practice and, more importantly, make contacts in the journalism industry.

Students on the 2009/10 course did internships with the following organisations:

  • The Economist
  • The Guardian
  • BBC Radio
  • The Times
  • Science
  • Geoscientist
  • George Monbiot
  • Bad Science - Ben Goldacre
  • New Scientist
  • Institute for War and Peace Reporting
  • www.environmentalresearchweb.org
  • Financial Times

Career Prospects

Science Journalism: what next?

This journalism course is for those who want to train as professional science, environment, technology and medical journalists, and aims to prepare you for your first job in science journalism. It prepares you for a wide range of professional science journalism careers in print, broadcast and new media as well as, public relations and communication.

At the end of the MA in Science Journalism course you will be able to work in any form of science and health journalism both in specialised publications or general journalism outlets including newspapers, magazines online and the broadcast media.

Class of 2009/10: where are they now?

  • BBC Lab UK (researcher)
  • BBC Radio (trainee)
  • CERN
  • CERN (editor, ALICE Matters, ALICE Experiment)
  • ClimateWire, USA
  • Cranfield Institute of Technology (research fellow)
  • Euro RSCG Life Medicom (junior scientific writer)
  • Freelance
  • The Independent (production editor, business)
  • ITV (web content manager)
  • National Geographic Green
  • Nature (internship)
  • World Health Organisation

Journalism at City: graduate destinations

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.


Find out more about City University London

Application Deadline

There is no formal application deadline. However, places on the course are limited and we recommend that you apply as early as possible, as admission will close when the course is full.

MA Science Journalism

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

Please submit the following:

  1. One application form.
  2. Two references. We prefer you to submit one academic reference, and one reference from a journalism- or science-related work placement.
  3. A copy of your degree transcript. We require an original transcript or a copy certified by your university. If you have not yet graduated, you will be required to send us your degree transcript as soon as it is available. You will not be able to register as a City University student without having supplied your degree transcript.
  4. Details of your work experience in journalism. You 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.
  5. 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: a 250-word article or 3-minute broadcast suitable for a science, technology, medical or environmental publication (for any platform) based on an interview that you have conducted.

Selection process

  1. Application deadline
    We recommend that you apply as early as possible, as admission will close when the course is full.
  2. Interviews
    Interviews will take place in the spring and summer 2013. Overseas applicants may be interviewed by phone or Skype.
  3. Offers
    You should expect to hear whether or not you have been selected for a place on the course within a week or two of your interview.

Application forms

or

Return address

Please return all application material, marked "Postgraduate Applications 2013", to: Admissions, Graduate School of Journalism, City University, Northampton Square, London EC1V 0HB, UK.