MA/PgDip/PgCert International and Online Journalism

This course will be taught through lectures, presentations, seminars and workshops aimed at developing your understanding of the theory and practice of international and online journalism. There will be a number of visiting speakers and guest lecturers, and full use will be made of the growing links between our courses and the BBC and ITV through our base at MediaCityUK to facilitate joint projects and enable students to attend and participate in industry events.  

Student-led independent research, independent study, and project work such as newsdays, will be used alongside ‘problem-based’ and ‘task-based’ teaching, learning and assessment strategies. These will be integrated with an assessment strategy based on outcomes, students’ reflective self-assessments and learning plans. You will also undertake a period of work placement within the journalism community of practice, which will be supported by your module tutors. In certain cases, international students may be able to undertake this work placement in their home country.

Assessment

Assessment methods will include:

• production exercises and portfolios of work
• practical media projects
• peer reviewing
  
• essays
• oral presentations by students
• work-based learning diaries and reports
• a dissertation or major project supported by substantial self-reflection.

Staff Profile

Helen Wolfenden

Helen Wolfenden, Lecturer in Radio Journalism, is also an experienced broadcaster having worked for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) Local Radio as a presenter, producer and manager, and BBC Radio Scotland as a presenter and researcher.  Her research interests include radio presentation, on-air identity and public service broadcasting.  

Angela Birchall

Angela Birchall, Director of Journalism and Communications, teaches journalism theory and developing journalistic writing styles on the course. She is an experienced newspaper journalist, columnist and editor, and her research centres around the development of the creative use of language within the journalists’ discourse.  

Dr Carole O’Reilly

Dr Carole O’Reilly is a lecturer in Media and Cultural Studies having graduated from the National University of Ireland (Cork) and worked as a feature writer on various local and national newspapers and magazines. Her research interests include published work in the area of representation of Irish people on British television, women in popular music video, and newspaper history. She is also working on a history of newspaper journalists and journalism in Manchester with a specific emphasis on the reporting of municipal matters in the city.