Level 4 – YEAR 1
JAM C01 Journalism: Research 1
Throughout your first year modules we will concentrate on developing not only your writing skills, but those all-important research and critical analysis skills. You will examine how the modern media in Britain works and learn to analyse how and why messages are constructed and conveyed.
JAM C06 Journalism: Law
A thorough understanding of media law is vital to pursue stories and this module covers the important NCTJ syllabus. Topics include areas such as contempt, defamation, privacy, disclosure of sources, copyright and more.
JAM CO3 Journalism: Reporting 1
This module will prepare you for the newsroom, not the classroom, as we cover gathering and writing news, developing sources, feature writing and equip you to deal with the most demanding of deadlines. You’ll learn key theoretical techniques for writing news, and be challenged to break them as you explore longer-length features.
JAM C04 Journalism: Live News Production
This will give you the opportunity to learn essential production skills – specifically selecting and writing news for a range of different audiences. We will introduce software and the basic elements of editing, such as picture selection and headline writing.
JAM C05 Journalism: Production
Journalists today must be comfortable not just working in words but in pictures. We will cover basic video equipment, editing software and focus on filming techniques such as sound and lighting. Your first year skills and experiences will culminate in producing a three-minute news video, as you tackle post-production skills.
JAM C07 Journalism: Public Affairs
Whether you’re a news hound or your interest lies more in fashion or sport, knowing how politics impacts on us all is vital. You’ll complete this module with an understanding of how government operates at a local, national and international level, as well as covering how elections work, the NHS and the European Union. This module will incorporate the vital NCTJ examination.
Level 5 – YEAR 2
JAM D01 Journalism: Research 2
An exciting planned guest lecture series will accompany this module, as you develop key research and study skills. We’ll step up your journalistic knowledge and look closely at the British media landscape as we analyse media ownership and how it shapes the news agenda.
JAM D07 Journalism: Shorthand
Taking notes accurately is a vital skill in the newsroom and is an essential element of the NCTJ qualification. Dictaphones are banned in court and the increase in online publications means the speed of copy is even more important. You’ll learn Teeline, which is the most accessible and popular form practised by journalists. We know that when it comes to applying for jobs, editors are looking for 100 words per minute shorthand on your CV.
JAM D03 Journalism: Reporting 2
In this module we’ll focus on writing longer articles, as well as keeping up the news writing practice and developing important interviewing techniques. We’ll start to weave in opportunities to develop your practical portfolio, such as focusing on elements such as court reporting and how you can appeal reporting restrictions.
JAM D04 WBL: Learn to Earn
To become a successful journalist, you need a strong portfolio, as well as developing relationships with industry contacts. As part of this module, we’ll help you organise a placement in the media where you can put theory into practice. You’ll also have the opportunity to practice your interview skills with someone from the industry, create a stand out CV and identify potential employers and job sites.
JAM D05 Journalism: Live News Production 2
This module will expand on the skills learnt in year one, and will focus on essential page design skills using industry software .We’ll also look at the specific needs of online editing, such as search engine optimisation, key words and tagging.
JAM D06 Journalism: Visual
Here you will outline your own news story, pitch the idea and then refine it, before shooting your own video article for your portfolio. We’ll also look at writing scripts for broadcast journalism as you spend time in front of the camera. More advanced technical and software skills will be developed in preparation for your third year video project.
Level 6 – Year 3
JAM HP1 Journalism: Honours Project
The final year will begin with an exciting major journalism project, which can be theoretical in the form of a dissertation or incorporate more creative skills.
JAM H01 Journalism: TV
Practical skills are the focus here as we prepare you for entering the job market. As well as looking at photography, we’ll explore mobile journalism – challenging you to produce video clips, audio scripts and interviews as you develop your broadcast journalism skills.
JAM H02 Journalism: Live News Production 3
This is the final showcase for your production skills. In groups, you’ll produce a newspaper or magazine from start to finish. You’ll gain vital news conference experience as you pitch your self-sourced stories to an Editor, before drawing on your writing, design and practical journalism skills to produce an industry-standard publication for your portfolio.
JAM H03 Journalism: Data Journalism
In this module you’ll look at the sources of data journalism and how we convert these to stories, such as freedom of information requests. You’ll explore the different tools you can use and expand on your production skills to visualise the data using infographics.
JAM H04 Journalism: Media Marketing
Understanding the impact of and utilising social networking as a marketing tool is vital for promoting your profile as a journalist. We’ll look at ways to engage readers with your articles, as well as how to produce sharable work across a number of platforms.