MA Journalism & Media Communications
Why choose Herts?
- Employment Prospects: Graduates have gone onto work in a variety of media roles such as Press Officers, Social Media Analysts, and Journalists for organisations including BBC, Sharp, Subway and Euromonitor.
- Teaching Excellence: Learn from our industry-experts, award-winning lecturers who are all experienced in print, web design, journalism, and PR (see key staff section).
- Work Placement Opportunities: Graduates have taken placements at organisations including the BBC and The Sunday Times. This year three quarters of those who took a placement received a job offer within the media upon graduation.
Professional Accreditations
This course is partnered with the Public Relations and Communications Association (PRCA), giving you access to networking and tailored speaker sessions, as well accreditation upon graduation. The University is also an Academic Member of the British Society of Magazine Editors which provides expert speakers and information on the latest trends in this area
About the course
Our MA Journalism and Media Communications is a full-time taught programme with a great record of helping students achieve jobs in the industry. By joining this programme, you’ll extend your knowledge and skills in the media. You’ll meet students from around the world, forming close friendships and strengthening your international awareness.
You’ll benefit from our extensive links with the media industry including, membership of the Public Relations and Communications Association and educational membership of the British Society for Magazine Editors. Be inspired by our guest speakers. Previous talks have included the editor of Marie Claire, an investigative journalist from the BBC and head of a media agency. Plus, we’ll invite you to join our small ‘afternoon tea’ sessions with speakers twice a semester. You’ll be supported to find valuable work experience. Previous students have gained placements with the BBC, Sunday Times and a variety of PR agencies.
You’ll analyse contemporary intellectual theories of media and communications. You’ll cross-examine the synergies between social media, PR and journalism, interrogate current media practices and convergence. Every step of the way, there’ll be a strong focus on your future employability. You’ll be taught by lecturers with extensive professional experience of journalism, PR, web design, media production and media research. Whatever your background, this MA will enhance your career by equipping you to operate effectively in a professional media environment.
By joining this MA programme, you’ll benefit from a diverse and international student cohort within the School of Humanities postgraduate community.
This programme has three distinct pathways:
- MA Journalism & Media and Communications - one year
- MA Journalism and Media Communications (Sandwich) - two year
- MA Journalism and Media Communications (with Advanced Research) - two year
Whichever pathway you choose, you’ll gain valuable skills in practice and a theoretical understanding of journalism, media and communications management. Our programme is flexible. Students normally choose their pathway when they apply but there is some flexibility to change in the first semester and you can also swap from the two-year to one-year programme in the second semester.
Why choose this course?
- you want to gain a broad range of communication and digital media skills
- you want to feel inspired by expert lecturers widely experienced in the communications industry plus as a partner university with the prestigious Public Relations and Communications Association (PRCA)
- you’re excited to gain valuable networking skills and contacts. You’ll benefit from the experience of our expert speakers and gain current knowledge of the PR industry. Find out more about our speaker series, Media Matters
- you want to gain insights into emerging trends in the fast-changing digital media world. You want your skills to be valued by a wide range of media and related industries.
What will I study?
You’ll have weekly two-to-four-hour workshops for each module. Plus, there can be online activities too. You’ll be supported by regular one-to-one supervision by academics from the University’s Media Group.
On the one-year programme, you will study a range of modules covering journalism, corporate communications and media production. These are followed by either a one-month placement within the media industry or a dissertation.
Recent placements have included an influencer agency in Los Angeles, a PR company in London and BBC radio. Students who have written dissertations have explored wide ranging topics. These have included the use of particular body types to sell clothes on Instagram and the imagery of COVID-19 on news sites.
Modules may change from year to year but are likely to include Corporate Communication, PR and Advertising; International Journalism Trends; Writing for Magazines; Sports Journalism; and Media Production as well as modules on research methodology. You’ll have a range of options for your final project. This can be a dissertation on a media subject of your choice, a short work placement, a one-year placement or a larger media research project, depending on your chosen route.
For Media Production you’ll create multimedia – podcasts, designs and promotional strategies – for online magazines. You’ll pitch and measure a campaign and use social media to promote your work. Writing for Magazines will give you the practical skills to write articles for online and print audiences. You’ll produce webinars on the business model of magazines. Plus, you’ll learn how social media and blogging are enhancing the magazine experience.
Our module Sports Journalism will give you a key understanding in the exciting practices of sports journalism, from interviewing top stars to reporting on breaking sports stories. You’ll also create news bulletins and write news features.
Two modules on research methods and critical and theoretical debates will equip you with advanced research skills and transferable communications skills. These include interviewing, identifying a story and building connections; vital skills for PR and Corporate Communication roles.
The one-month placement will allow you to work in the creative industries and develop your professional skills. The University’s Careers and Placement Service will help you apply for this one-year work placement. Previous graduates have worked for Sunday Times Travel, Euromoney and Cosmopolitan magazine.
All students gaining 60 credits in the first semester and an additional 60 credits in the following semester will be eligible for a work placement but it cannot be guaranteed. The University’s Careers and Placement Service will help you apply for, and obtain, a work placement. For students with visa restrictions, the placement will need to be based in the UK. Students will typically need to secure a placement by the end of April in order to process the necessary paperwork.
Key staff
Dr Genevieve Bosah
Find out more about Dr Genevieve Bosah
Further course information
| Course fact sheets | |
|---|---|
| MA Journalism and Media Communications | Download |
| Programme specifications | |
|---|---|
| MA Journalism and Media Communications | Download |
| Additional information | |
|---|---|
Sandwich placement or study abroad year |
n/a |
Applications open to international and EU students |
Yes |
My new degree is already working in my favour, by the way, as I have been redeployed to edit our online/digital content, which is a big deal for me. Again, some head hunters are already contacting me through my LinkedIn page. It's amazing that the attention I craved for years are coming unsolicited because of the new additional skills that I acquired through my MA. I'm quite elated. It was nice learning under you while the programme lasted
Student experience
Due to the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic, examinations may be replaced by an alternative form of assessment during the academic year 2020/2021. Please refer to the Programme Specification on these pages for further details.
Please note that some of the images and videos on our course pages may have been taken before social distancing rules in the UK came into force.