Admission Criteria

Candidates must be able to satisfy the general admission requirements of the University of the West of Scotland as specified in Chapter 2 of the University Regulatory Framework together with the following programme requirements:

Appropriate Undergraduate Qualification

Other Required Qualifications/Experience

English language proficiency is also a requirement, with candidates expected to achieve IELTs average standard of 7.5 (accreditation requirements)

Admission based on Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) will comply with the University’s Regulatory Framework (Chapter 2), as well as University regulations on postgraduate study and guidance on RPL. Credit transferred into the programme through Accreditation of Prior Learning (APL) must have been subject to reliable and valid methods of assessment at a recognised HEI. Accredited Prior Experiential Learning (APEL) entry is also permitted. The amount of credit transferred though RPL (APL and APEL) will comply with the maxima set out in the Regulatory Framework. Candidates should note that transferred credit does not carry a grade, therefore, award with distinction cannot be granted for awards where credit is transferred in at level 11.

Further desirable skills pre-application

A demonstrable interest in journalism, news and current affairs and/or relevant previous work experience in journalism, broadcasting and media.

General Overview

Accredited by the industry training body, the Broadcast Journalism Training Council (BJTC), as a multi-media course, the Broadcast Journalism MA aims to equip students with the necessary skills, knowledge, understanding and other attributes expected of professional broadcast journalists at the start of their careers. It is also designed to encourage students to engage critically with, and make informed judgments on, current professional practices and ethical issues. Students will be expected to apply specialised techniques and plan and execute a significant project of original research, culminating in a documentary or broadcast portfolio. 

Your learning and teaching in Arts & Media aligns to principles set out in the UWS Curriculum Framework 2022. Module and programme design is therefore guided by a flexible, hybrid and student-centred approach. We design module assessments to be authentic both in terms of their academic rigour and relevance to the creative industries. The journey through your chosen programme of study is designed to be simple and coherent, developing a full range of academic, creative and conceptual skills required to develop exciting and sustainable careers in the creative industries. Your voice is important in helping us shape learning and teaching that is inclusive and contemporary, so we encourage you to engage with opportunities to feedback on your experiences.

In Term one full time students will take three modules: two core modules Journalism Law and Regulation; News Journalism and an option module from Level 10 or Level 11 modules in Arts and Media division. The ability to understand and apply legal constraints on journalists is essential therefore students will be introduced to key areas such as defamation, contempt of court, reporting restrictions on children and broadcasting codes.  Students will also study developing areas of the law – such as privacy and freedom of information and analyse accompanying ethical issues. Delivery of this module will include guest speakers from journalism and visits to criminal courts. In News Journalism students will be introduced to, and practice, professional reporting, editing and presenting techniques for radio, online and social media. This module will be delivered in broadcast newsroom and radio studios. Newsdays are a key part of this module, during which students simulate the work of practising journalists by compiling and presenting hourly radio bulletins and associated multi-media content. Professional voice training is also an important element of the News Journalism module (as well as being a requirement of BJTC accreditation).

In Term 2 students integrate with students on other postgraduate courses within the Arts and Media Division of the School of Business & Creative Industries in order to engage with a wider experience of creative environments in recognition of the evolving nature of professional journalism skills and demands.The students also undertake Television Journalism which is a core module and requires students to cover multi-platform news days, produce film packages, conduct live two-ways, put together out-of-vision sequences appropriate for television news programmes and carry out live presentation in the university’s television studios. In this module, the students film and edit their own material. Also in T2 is core module Journalism & Public Affairs and students will engage with research related to language use, public service broadcasting and national identity and journalism and democracy.  Staff teaching on the module have published in academic journals on relevant areas and the intention is to engage with activity in the hub related to new media and citizen journalism. Students will also have the opportunity to carry out practice as research by producing original journalism in the context of public affairs.   The Creative Industries Professional Practice module offers the students the opportunity to produce student-negotiated and  individualised programme of professional development  (during which students will go on 15 days of work placement). 

The  Creative Masters Project will give students the opportunity to complete a sustained piece of professional broadcast work such as a television or radio documentary and reflective, critical essay, again aligning with the work of the Culture and Creativity Research Hub.

Building on the School of Business and Creative Industry’s focus on research and practice-based research and successful REF submission, the programme is also informed by the AHRC’s models of practice-led research and other forms of media arts and creative industries focused research.

Graduate Attributes, Employability & Personal Development Planning

The programme is fully aligned with institutional priorities around the development of graduate attributes and with the institutional policy on personal development planning. The mapping of programme and module learning outcomes and employability-integrated assessment ensures the visibility of graduate attributes, employability and citizenship competencies. Personal development is embedded and explicitly signposted in the curriculum, with students provided with regular opportunities to capture and evaluate progression and development, stimulating reflection, self-regulation and a more constructive engagement with employability. It is recognised that personal development planning is an essential component of lifelong learning and continuing and professional development. To support this activity, all students are provided with access to personal development planning tools and enabled to develop a personal e-portfolio across the programme. 

Input from current professional practitioners is an important element of the course. During term one newsdays are supported by visiting news editors from both the commercial sector and the BBC. In addition students have the opportunity to visit  BBC Scotland, STV and a range of commercial radio stations and there is also a lively series of guest lectures and workshops from working journalists.

UWS has an excellent reputation within the industry and members of the programme team talk regularly with employers to ensure the curriculum meets their requirements. Our record of getting students into jobs is impressive.  Broadcast Journalism graduates from UWS have found work across Scotland and further afield in the BBC, STV, Bauer Media as well as the press office of organisations such as the Scottish Football Association and the RSPB. Non-traditional journalism employers such as Creative Skills have also employed graduates because of their multi-media and broadcast skills.  The accreditation by the BJTC, which is backed by the BBC and ITN, demonstrates the career-focussed nature of the course.      

Work Based Learning/Placement Details

The Creative Industries Professional Practice module as a core module at level 11 which features a significant component of employability focused CPD though intensive workshops and also offers the potential of additional Work Related Learning via placement (both on location and remote), existing employment or professional practice projects. The module takes into account the University policy on Work-Based Learning procedure (https://www.uws.ac.uk/media/4372/uws-workbased-learning-procedure.pdf) and the QAA quality code of practice 2018 https://www.qaa.ac.uk/quality-code/advice-and-guidance/work-based-learning.

All students  will undertake work related learning through the module Creative Industries Professional Practice with a professional media industry/broadcast journalism employer. This credit-bearing module offers the student several ways to achieve credit for the additional assessed portfolio element. For students on the MA Broadcast Journalism programme, this will involve appropriate industry placement(s).

Students will be encouraged to maintain a blog / e-Portfolio of the experience, including related production activity as appropriate and collect visual evidence and written testimony relating to their experiences and performance which can be used to enhance the professional portfolios and show  reels.

Engagement

In line with the Academic Engagement Procedure, Students are defined as academically engaged if they are regularly engaged with timetabled teaching sessions, course-related learning resources including those in the Library and on the relevant learning platform, and complete assessments and submit these on time.

Where a programme has Professional, Statutory or Regulatory Body requirements these will be listed here:

Students are required to attend all scheduled classes and participate with all delivered elements of the module as part of their engagement with their programme of study. Consideration will be given to students who have protection under the appropriate equality law. Please refer to UWS Regulations, Chapter 1, 1.64 – 1.67, available at the following link: http://www.uws.ac.uk/current-students/rights-and-regulations/regulatory-framework/

Equality and Diversity

The University's Equality, Diversity and Human Rights Procedure can be accessed at the following link: UWS Equality and Diversity Policy

In line with the Equality Act 2010, the curriculum and delivery of Business and Creative Industries programmes are designed to promote the general equality duty, namely to:

• Eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimisation and other conduct prohibited by the Act;
• Advance equality of opportunity between people who share a protected characteristic and those who do not; and
• Foster good relations between people who share a protected characteristic and those who do not.

The programme supports equality of opportunity for students from different backgrounds and with different learning needs. Using appropriate platforms, learning materials will be presented electronically in formats that allow flexible access and manipulation of content. The programme complies with University regulations and guidance on inclusive learning and teaching practice. Specialist assistive equipment, support provision and adjustment to assessment practice will be made in accordance with UWS policy and regulations. The School of Business and Creative Industries is committed to enabling all learners, respecting diversity, promoting equality and embedding inclusivity in all aspects of its work. It is fully cognisant of and compliant with relevant external and institutional policy in this area. The University’s Equality, Diversity and Human Rights Policy can be accessed at the following link: http://www.uws.ac.uk/equality/
UWS Equality and Diversity Policy
Students are also expected to consider their audience in terms of being inclusive and ensuring a representative audience and voices are included in all reporting and news gathering.

Knowledge and Understanding

Practice - Applied Knowledge and Understanding

Communication, ICT and Numeracy Skills

Generic Cognitive Skills - Problem Solving, Analysis, Evaluation

Autonomy, Accountability and Working With Others

Knowledge and Understanding

Practice - Applied Knowledge and Understanding

Communication, ICT and Numeracy Skills

Generic Cognitive Skills - Problem Solving, Analysis, Evaluation

Autonomy, Accountability and Working With Others

Knowledge and Understanding

Practice - Applied Knowledge and Understanding

Communication, ICT and Numeracy Skills

Generic Cognitive Skills - Problem Solving, Analysis, Evaluation

Autonomy, Accountability and Working With Others

Regulations of Assessment

Candidates will be bound by the general assessment regulations of the University as specified in the University Regulatory Framework.

An overview of the assessment details is provided in the Student Handbook and the assessment criteria for each module is provided in the module descriptor which forms part of the module pack issued to students. For further details on assessment please refer to Chapter 3 of the Regulatory Framework.

To qualify for an award of the University, students must complete all the programme requirements and must meet the credit minima detailed in Chapter 1 of the Regulatory Framework.

Combined Studies

There may be instances where a student has been unsuccessful in meeting the award criteria for the named award and for other more generic named awards existing within the School. Provided that they have met the credit requirements in line with the SCQF credit minima (please see Regulation 1.21), they will be eligible for an exit award of PgCert/ PgDip in Combined Studies.