In this section

• Study here Home
• Undergraduate Home
• How to apply
• Tuition fees
• Financial support
• Accommodation
• Open Days
• Order a Prospectus
• What to expect
• International students
• Information for parents
• English Language Unit
• Schools liaison and widening participation

Overview

• As London is the heart of the UK’s media industry, Roehampton is ideally located for access to major journalism and media organisations, as well as a wealth of archive material.
• You have an opportunity to gain work experience, with help from a specialist placement officer. Past students have worked at the BBC, Sky, MTV, the Independent, the Daily Express, OK! and Vogue.
• As well as academic study, this programme includes opportunities for practical work and learning skills such as writing, interviewing and researching.
• Graduates of this degree enter the employment market with a very broad range of transferable skills that are recognised and sought by employers across the creative industries.

This programme offers you a unique chance to study and practise journalism in the context of the contemporary media, including the "quality" and tabloid newspapers, the internet, radio, television and photography. You will start to learn how to write like a journalist, before studying such genres as sports writing, features, investigative reporting, tabloid and international journalism.

News

Research Assessment Exercise 2008

100% of Roehampton University's submitted work in Communication, Cultural and Media Studies was recognised either internationally or nationally, with 40% of that work regarded as being either "world-leading" or "internationally excellent". More information.

In detail

For a complete description of this programme's aims, learning outcomes and the programme outline, see the full programme details.

For a complete list of this programme's modules and a detailed description of each of them, see the full module details.

Year-by-year summary

First year

You practise writing journalism and discuss the journalist’s function. You examine the role of media ownership and regulation, biased reporting, tabloid and celebrity journalism. You also consider the skills required to produce journalistic content. 

Second year

You extend your research and practical news-writing skills. You explore web journalism and examine key theoretical debates surrounding the history and practice of reporting. This will provide a basis to consider such areas as sports journalism, what it takes to be an ethical reporter and how power and politics are reported.

Third year

You build upon and consolidate your knowledge of the journalism and media industries with opportunities to specialise in areas of particular interest. You are also able to undertake an extensive piece of independent research and writing with one-to-one tutorial support.

Sample modules

• Producing and Debating Journalism
• Writing Sport
• Investigative Journalism
• East and West: Terror, Power and New Journalism
• North and South: Reporting Africa

Teaching methods

• Lectures by journalists and other media practitioners
• Workshops
• Group work
• Seminars
• Supported independent study
• Visits to journalism and media organisations

At Roehampton we are committed to making teaching a two-way process that stimulates questions and the exchange of ideas in a supportive environment.  

Assessment methods

• Essays
• Projects
• Portfolios
• Presentations
• Dissertation work

Recommended reading 

• Burns, L. (2003) Understanding Journalism, 2nd ed., London: Sage
• Frost, C. (2002) Reporting for Journalists, London: Routledge 
• Wilson, J. (1996) Understanding Journalism: A Guide to Issues, London: Routledge
• Campbell, V. (2004) Information Age Journalism: Journalism in an International Context, London: Arnold
• Randall, D. (2007) The Universal Journalist, London: Pluto
• Allan, S. (2004) News Culture, 2nd ed., Maidenhead: Open University Press  
• Keeble, R. (2001) The Newspapers Handbook, 3rd ed., London: Routledge  
• McKay, J. (2000) The Magazines Handbook, London: Routledge

Student perspectives

Quote from current student

"My journalism lectures are lively and the programme itself is really hands-on. Practical assignments, including work placements, mean we get real-world experience before graduating."

Adeyemi Akinyemi, third-year Journalism and News Media/History student from Hackney, London

Work placements

You have an opportunity to gain work experience, with help from a specialist placement officer. Past students have worked at:

• BBC
• Sky
• MTV
• the Independent
• the Daily Express
• Vogue
• Now
• OK!
• FourFourTwo.

Career prospects

Students who successfully complete the degree in combination with another complementary programme will be well equipped to seek a career in established and emergent media and cultural industries. Careers can include:

• journalism
• copy writing
• events management
• public relations
• research.

Further study prospects

Students can progress to postrgraduate programmes, such as those offered by Roehampton University:

Postgraduate

• Media, Culture and Identity
• Creative and Professional Writing

Research degree

• Media and Cultural Studies 

Subject area

• School of Arts website

Related programmes

Undergraduate

• Media and Culture

Postgraduate

• Media, Culture and Identity
• Creative and Professional Writing

Research degree

• Media and Cultural Studies 

Staff

• Dr Anita Biressi, Reader in Media Cultures
• Dr Ben Cocking, Senior Lecturer (Cultural and Media Studies) 
• Prof Rosalind Coward, Professor of Journalism
• John Doyle, Lecturer (Journalism and News Media)
• Dr Heather Nunn, Reader in Media and Cultural Studies
• Dr Juan Perez-Gonzalez, Lecturer (Journalism and News Media)
• Carol Prior, Associate Lecturer
• Dr Paul Rixon, Principal Lecturer (Cultural and Media Studies) 
• Dr Sean Tunney, Principal Lecturer and Programme Convener (Journalism and News Media)
• Kate Wright, Senior Lecturer (Journalism and News Media)