Journalism and a Social Science  BA (Hons)

Teaching and Assessment

Journalism teaching has a practical emphasis. You will spend much of your time in small workshops learning skills such as reporting a speech, presenting a radio news broadcast, interviewing and preparing page layouts on screen. You will produce news and feature stories regularly. As professional work experience is the key to getting a job in journalism, you are expected to arrange a variety of placements during your degree and we advise on setting this up.

Modules are taught through a combination of:

• lectures and seminars
• project work
• reporting assignments at outside bodies (such as courts, council meetings, press conferences, public meetings)
• timed assignments
• lectures by visiting speakers from various journalistic, political and campaigning backgrounds
• production of magazines/broadcast bulletins/websites
• independent study/research/library work
• work attachments (recorded and evaluated)
• freelance work
• production of portfolios of work
• presentations to seminars
• examinations and assignments under controlled conditions

How will I be assessed?
Assessment is weighted towards coursework, and coursework assignments are submitted weekly. Coursework is usually worth between 60 and 75 per cent of the overall module, and the examination worth 25 per cent, although this varies across modules. For the humanities courses such as politics and history, the assessment is split 50-50 between coursework and examination.

Study Abroad

You can take the third year out on one of the many exchange programmes arranged by City to journalism schools abroad. There are at present exchange programmes in Canada, Australia, the US, Hong Kong, France, Denmark, The Netherlands and Spain. It is also possible to spend a third year out doing work placements or paid work in the industry. Students who undertake the year out, thus completing a four year degree, find it extremely useful.