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MA Journalism & Media Communications

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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.

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.

We require at least 2:2 (or equivalent) degree in Humanities or a Business subject and a personal statement. Graduates with an Honours Degree in any discipline who have otherwise demonstrated potential to succeed at postgraduate level Journalism and Media Communications will also be considered. You'll also need to provide a work or academic reference.

All students from non-majority English speaking countries require proof of English language proficiency, equivalent to an overall IELTS score of 6.5 with a minimum of 6.5 in Writing and 6.0 in all other bands.

If you do not have the required IELTS or equivalent for direct entry on to your degree programme, our Pre-sessional English may help you to achieve this level.

More information about English language qualifications are available on our international pages.


Institution code	H36
School of study	School of Humanities
Course length	Full Time, 1 Years Part Time, 2 Years
Location	University of Hertfordshire, Hatfield

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Employability

Careers

Employability is central to everything we do. This MA opens up a wide range of opportunities, from PR, Corporate Communications, marketing and advertising to magazines and web publications. Your creative and critical thinking, as well as the analytical, research and communications skills gained through this course, are all highly valued in a wide range of industries. Recent graduates are working internationally on The Expat and Raffy magazines in Malaysia, as well as in Corporate Communications and UK local radio.

What job can I get?

Recent graduates are working internationally on The Expat and Raffy magazines in Malaysia, as well as in Corporate Communications and UK local radio.

Work placement

This module will give students the opportunity to work in a professional environment and put into practice the knowledge and skills developed over the year. Students will be typically be expected to have spent a minimum of 20-25 days on an internship or on a work experience placement. After completing the work placement, students will write a 3.500 word report and give a short presentation reflecting on his or her experience.

The MA Journalism and Media Communications (Sandwich) is a two-year programme which includes a 36-week, full-time work placement. By choosing this programme and taking up a work placement you will gain valuable professional practice and enhance your understanding of media theory.

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. Students who do not secure a placement by then will be transferred from the Sandwich programme to the two-year ‘with Advanced Research’ programme.

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

Study our MA in Journalism and Media Communications and gain the skills you’ll need for a successful, dynamic career in today’s complex global media industries.

This Masters course aims to prepare you in both practice and analysis of global journalism and media. You’ll benefit from our extensive links with the media industry, including the BBC and the Sunday Times, and gain a grounding in all its aspects, from fast-changing multimedia to magazines, advertising and the excitements of sports journalism.

You may have studied humanities subjects and be looking to deepen your research interests. Or you may have been working in areas such as business or healthcare and need communications skills. Whatever your background, taking this MA will enhance your career by equipping you to operate effectively in a professional media environment. Our business-facing approach means you’ll be taught by lecturers with extensive professional experience of print, web design, journalism and PR, giving this MA its strong focus on your future employability.

During the course you’ll explore the synergies between social media, PR and journalism, focusing on current media practice and the technologies of convergence. You’ll consider how to make communication more effective in professional settings by looking at journalism and its associated business models; learn how to interview and report on events; gain expertise in internal and external corporate communications; and analyse the impact of technology on the communications industries.

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 also 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, the one-year sandwich placement or a larger media research project, depending on your chosen route.

For Media Production you’ll create multimedia – podcasts, video and advertising – for online magazines, pitch and measure a campaign and use social media to promote your work. A strong practical element in Writing for Magazines will equip you to write for social media and understand how to create content and engage audiences.

Our module International Journalism Trends explores news ownership and media production on a global scale and provides deeper insight into the theoretical and cultural framework of media and journalism. Sports Journalism will give you a grounding in the exciting practices of sports journalism, from interviewing top stars to reporting on breaking sports stories.

Two modules on research methods and critical and theoretical debates will equip you with advanced research skills and the transferable communications skills - including interviewing, identifying a story and building connections - that are vital for roles in PR and Corporate Communications.

On the one-year programme students can take up a short work placement as a final module, giving you the opportunity to put into practice your knowledge and skills developed over the year. Typically, you will be expected to have spent a minimum of 20-25 days on an internship or work experience placement, after which you’ll write a 3,500-word report and give a short presentation reflecting on your experience.

Previous students have taken short work placements on national newspapers, the BBC, Hertfordshire Life magazine, Three Counties radio, social media, marketing or internal communications roles in local businesses and PR agencies such as Bell Pottinger.

Alternatively, consider taking the MA with a placement year or with advanced research:

MA Journalism and Media Communications (Sandwich)

MA Journalism and Media Communications (with Advanced Research)

Why choose this course?

We give you:

A broad range of media communications skills with a strong focus on digital media
Expert lecturers widely experienced in the communications industry plus as a partner university with the prestigious Public Relations and Communications Association (PRCA)
You'll gain valuable networking skills and contacts, listen to expert speakers and gain up to the minute knowledge of the PR industry. Find out more about our speaker series, Media Matters.
You'll have the opportunity to take a short work placement in a media-based environment or write a dissertation to improve your theoretical knowledge
Gain insights into emerging trends in the fast-changing digital media world giving you skills valued by a wide range of media and related industries.

What will I study?

Teaching on this course takes place mostly in weekly workshops per module, each lasting two-to-four hours, with additional online activities depending on the module. You’ll be supported by regular one-to-one supervision by academics from the University’s Media Group.

Studying our MA Journalism and Media Communications you’ll be part of a diverse and international student cohort within the School of Humanities postgraduate community. Taught by experts in Journalism and Media Communications, you’ll benefit from a supportive academic community and will in addition have opportunities to attend guest lectures which, among others, have previously been delivered by journalists from the ground-breaking digital magazine Gal-dem, as well as presenters from the BBC, Channel Four, and alumni such as Talha Ahad, the founder and CEO of Pakistan’s first digital news service Centrum Media.

Level 7

Module	Credits	Compulsory/optional
Corporate Communication, PR and Advertising	30 Credits	Compulsory
In the first part of the module, you are introduced to corporate communication and its historic development from traditional Public Relations to an integrated Corporate Communications approach. You will then look at the ways in which companies develop and maintain a positive reputation, how to design a strong corporate identity and what are the key elements of a good communications strategy. The second part will look at a range of specialist subjects such as internal communications, branding, celebrities, sponsorship and event management. We will also discuss aspects of PR ethics and the role this plays now and in the future with an increasing focus on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). Overall, the module aims to highlight the strong links between the corporate and journalistic aspects of media businesses, in particular magazines, and to equip you with a good range of professional communication tools.
Media Production	30 Credits	Compulsory
This module provides you with a detailed understanding of the contexts and practice of print based magazine publishing and web design for on-line publishing. The course will examine key questions regarding copyright and legal issues, internet technologies and the production process. In particular, it focuses on learning a range of technical skills including basic text formatting, editing and manipulation of images for print and web, content management systems, blogs, video/podcasts and social networks. These techniques and tools are located within the context of current debates on 'new media', communication and society.An indicative outline covers the following topics:- The fundamental principles of magazine design - Designing for the target audience- The production cycle and teamwork- Incorporating multimedia and the role of video in digital publications- Social networking
Research Methods 2: Advanced Research Skills	15 Credits	Compulsory
This module is designed to help you develop advanced skills necessary for postgraduate study. Topics covered may include the use of specialist search engines and databases, how to access and effectively research electronic journals and professional databases, planning and structuring longer pieces of work, writing abstracts, constructing literature reviews, presenting your work to an audience, and writing for publication. It will also equip students planning to undertake the work placement with valuable project planning skills and discuss the range of skills needed in the workplace. This module will equip you with the know-how to embark on your final MA project and allows you to develop a valuable portfolio of transferable skills relevant to a wide range of graduate careers.
Research Methods 1: Critical and Theoretical Debates	15 Credits	Compulsory
This module aims to develop your knowledge and understanding of some of the theoretical approaches and related critical methodologies which are influential in the scholarly analysis of media texts. Areas covered may include quantitative and qualitative research methods, such as content analysis and media sampling; interview and survey strategies and interpretation; audience research methods; focus groups and observation. Issues of technological convergence and the socio-cultural aspects of the contemporary media landscape. You will be invited to assess the strengths and limitations of different frameworks and learn to understand their application in media practice
Writing for Magazines	30 Credits	Optional
This module is designed to give you a thorough understanding of the processes relevant to magazine journalism including research, interview technique and writing news and features across a range of platforms. You will learn the skills that will enable you to compete for junior jobs in both journalism and related industries such as PR and marketing. You will learn about the challenges and opportunities posed by this rapidly changing sector of the journalism industry.
Media Dissertation	60 Credits	Optional
This module gives you the opportunity to investigate and write in depth about an area of individual interest related to the media industries. The emphasis is on independent thought, research and writing, but this will be supported in an agreed programme of supervision. The topic should be appropriate to postgraduate level, and chosen by you in consultation with your supervisor. The dissertation should be 14000 words in length, and aim to make a distinctive contribution to work in the relevant field.
Work Placement	60 Credits	Optional
This module will give you the opportunity to work in a professional environment and put into practice the knowledge and skills developed over the year. You will be expected to have spent a minimum of 22 days on an internship or on a work experience placement. You will then reflect upon your learning experience in a detailed placement analysis and presentation, in which you will be encouraged to draw connections between theory and practice.
Sports Journalism	30 Credits	Optional
This module will equip you with a range of skills, knowledge and practical experience through the production of multiplatform sports journalism. This includes researching and producing a variety of radio sports commentaries and audio packages; writing accurate cue material and sports bulletins for radio and print media; researching and interviewing relevant experts and guests.
Advanced Media Research	30 Credits	Optional
The aim of this module is to pick up on the research skills developed in Media Research Methods A and B and to advance these skills in a systematic way. This will help you to further expand your repertoire of media research skills and explore a wider range of theoretical and methodological approaches. We will explore how to develop advanced media research projects, how you can apply these skills in a professional environment, how to use technology efficiently and effectively to support your research and what ethical implications may need to be considered when designing and carrying out research.

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

Student experience

At the University of Hertfordshire, we want to make sure your time studying with us is as stress-free and rewarding as possible. We offer a range of support services including; student wellbeing, academic support, accommodation and childcare to ensure that you make the most of your time at Herts and can focus on studying and having fun.

Find out about how we support our students

You can also read our student blogs to find out about life at Herts.

Funding and fees
Other financial support

Find out more about other financial support available to UK and EU students

Living costs / accommodation

The University of Hertfordshire offers a great choice of student accommodation, on campus or nearby in the local area, to suit every student budget.

View detailed information about our accommodation

Fees 2021
UK Students

Full time
- £9450 for the 2021/2022 academic year
Part time
- £790 per 15 credits for the 2021/2022 academic year
EU Students

Full time
- £13950 for the 2021/2022 academic year
Part time
- £1160 per 15 credits for the 2021/2022 academic year
International Students

Full time
- £13950 for the 2021/2022 academic year
Part time
- £1160 per 15 credits for the 2021/2022 academic year
Please note that the fees displayed are the for 1-year programme. The fees for the Sandwich and Advanced Research routes (subject to validation) will differ.

*Tuition fees are charged annually. The fees quoted above are for the specified year(s) only. Fees may be higher in future years, for both new and continuing students. Please see the University's Fees and Finance Policy (and in particular the section headed "When tuition fees change"), for further information about when and by how much the University may increase its fees for future years.

View detailed information about tuition fees

Read more about additional fees in the course fact sheet

International/EU applicants without pre-settled status in the UK

Apply through our international/EU application portal

Home and EU applicants with pre-settled/settled status in the UK

Apply using the links below:

2021

Start Date	End Date	Link
24/09/2021	30/08/2022	Apply online (Full Time)
28/09/2021	20/05/2022	Apply online (Part Time)

2022

Start Date	End Date	Link
24/09/2022	30/08/2023	Apply online (Full Time)
28/09/2022	20/05/2023	Apply online (Part Time)

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.

MA Journalism & Media Communications

Why choose Herts?

Careers

What job can I get?

Work placement

Professional Accreditations

About the course

Why choose this course?

What will I study?

Key staff

Further course information

Student experience

Other financial support

Living costs / accommodation

Fees 2021

UK Students

Full time

Part time

EU Students

Full time

Part time

International Students

Full time

Part time

International/EU applicants without pre-settled status in the UK

Home and EU applicants with pre-settled/settled status in the UK

2021

2022