UDJFTSTU - BA (Hons) Journalism, Film and Television Studies

The BA Journalism, Film and Television Studies course focuses on developing critical inquiry and professional skills, both of which are essential to success in the field of journalism, as well as exploring film and television history and theory and practice/theory approaches. Writing is paramount in journalism, even in today’s convergent media world, so students learn a range of writing techniques, from academic essay to snappy tweet. Curiosity about and knowledge of a wide knowledge of social and historical contexts is also crucial in developing professional journalistic practice within today’s fast-changing industry. Students will also undertake both academic and practice-based learning in Film and Television Studies, exploring a wide variety of theories, approaches, national cinemas and television industries through critical analysis, and developing professional abilities in such fields as screenwriting, short film, artists’ film and video and documentary film-making.

Guest speakers and field trips stimulate engagement with the world of work, as does an optional work placement module. Connections with national student TV and media networks develop professional skills in and outside formal teaching.

Using a mixture of workshops, simulations, lectures, film screenings, seminar discussions and exposition, modules are taught by respected, experienced practitioners and active researchers. Sessions make use of blended learning, particularly via class blogs and the course website, and many modules are taught within the multimedia newsroom and digilab. Team working and collaboration, among other key social skills like the ability to gain interviews, present oneself successfully and sell ideas, is developed through class exercises, newsdays and practice-based group work. Students are expected to complement their in-class and blended learning opportunities with extensive guided independent study and to be actively engaged in their learning. Students are encouraged to reflect on their learning experience through developmental learning and both formative and summative assignments including logs, portfolios, essay and project planning and practice/theory reflective work that are embedded across the course.

Learning strategies on the course are designed to promote transferrable skills of communication, independent thinking, the ability to work effectively with others, work planning and independent responsibility. Student feedback and engagement with teaching and learning strategies are promoted via student representatives and course committees.

The main aims of the BA Journalism, Film and Television Studies are:

• To develop students’ writing skills so that they can write accurately and fluently in a variety of formats, including academic essays, news items, headlines, features, reviews, reports, commentaries, blogs, tweets, interviews, profiles, investigations, critiques, comments, columns, nibs, campaigns and any other formats chosen – to deadline and to length;
• To equip students with the newsgathering tools to research the background data and risk implications of any journalistic task they may have to do;

• To familiarise students with the history and ideas important to understanding the practice of journalism in the UK today, as well as globally, so that they have an analytical framework with which to grasp their role within the industry;

• To develop students’ understanding of film and television theories and histories;

• To enable students to critically analyse film and television in relation to a variety of cultural issues;

• To familiarise students with the history and ideas important to understanding the legal and political systems in the UK today, as well as globally, so that they have an analytical framework and practical knowledge with which to grasp and practice effectively their role within society;

• To develop students’ social skills so that they can interview primary sources face to face, over the phone, via email and social media and so that they can pitch ideas and presentations to possible employers;

• To develop their powers of argument, analysis, research, narrative and sequencing so that they can construct effective, substantiated content for different audiences and articulate academic arguments;

• To introduce and promote the technical skills essential for any career in convergent media – text, audio, video – and practice-based skills in screenwriting, digital film production, artists’ film and video and documentary filmmaking;

• To foster students’ independence as learners and practitioners, especially through individual projects;

• To foster collaboration as learners and practitioners, especially through group work and simulations;

• To offer the opportunity for monitored work placements, extension of knowledge skills (shorthand), and publication within and outside the course website;

• To develop students’ own understanding of their work so that they can produce it and target it to a range of media audiences, specialist and non-specialist;

To prepare students for more specialised accredited learning and further academic study, and for careers in a variety of fields including journalism and the film and television industries.

The following learning outcomes incorporate and depend on systematic understanding of the key aspects of the knowledge base of Journalism, Film and Television Studies, including a coherent and detailed knowledge of some specialist areas in depth.

On successful completion of this course students will be able to:

• deploy accurately established techniques of analysis and enquiry within Journalism, Film and Television Studies;

• devise and sustain arguments, and/or solve problems, using ideas and techniques, some of which are at the forefront of Journalism, Film and Television Studies;

• describe and comment upon particular aspects of current research, or equivalent advanced scholarship, in Journalism, Film and Television Studies, recognising the uncertainty, ambiguity and limits of knowledge;

• manage their own learning, and make use of scholarly reviews and primary sources (for example, refereed research articles and/or original materials appropriate to Journalism, Film and Television Studies);

• apply the methods and techniques that they have learned to review, consolidate, extend and apply their knowledge and understanding, and to initiate and carry out projects;

• critically evaluate arguments, assumptions, abstract concepts and data (that may be incomplete), to make judgements, and to frame appropriate questions to achieve a solution – or identify a range of solutions – to a problem;

• communicate information, ideas, problems and solutions to both specialist and non-specialist audiences;

• exercise initiative and personal responsibility, including decision-making in complex and unpredictable contexts;

• undertake appropriate further training of a professional or equivalent nature.

Please check the latest Course Handbook for further information

http://www.qaa.ac.uk/Publications/InformationAndGuidance/Documents/CMF08.pdf

http://www.qaa.ac.uk/Publications/InformationAndGuidance/Pages/Subject-benchmark-Statement-Communication-media-film-and-cultural-studies.aspx

The course provides a variety of assessment strategies designed to promote and evidence students’ engagement with learning. Assessments are both formative and summative to promote developmental learning, and include formal essays, timed tests, presentations, pop quizzes, portfolios, case studies, and practice-based assessments such as screenwriting, reviews and reports, investigation and magazines, short film-making and experimental film and video-making, some of which can be posted on the course website. Students will have the opportunity to submit draft material to tutors and receive individual tutorials and feedback during student development weeks when there is also the opportunity to take part in formative assessment whilst engaged on simulations, newsdays and activities. Students will be provided with both formative and summative feedback in a variety of forms including in-class, tutorials, on-line, peer critique and formal written feedback. Formative feedback provides an opportunity for students to reflect on their engagement with learning and develop their work towards their final summative assessments.

The course structure diagram below sets out the course structure for full-time students. This will vary for part-time students according to their programme of study.

A work placement of up to three working weeks can be moderated by academic staff to gain 15, as part of a 15-week module.

N/A

See Learning Outcomes/Module Cross Reference

This degree prepares you for a career as a journalist with specialist knowledge of the moving image or for work in factual television or film entertainment, or writing in a non-journalistic direction. Employability and transferable skills are an integral aspect of this degree which encourages the development of skills for use in both the journalism and media fields. Previous graduates have gone on to work in film and media journalism, PR and marketing, media consultancy, film and television broadcasting and production, and radio and digital journalism, as well as going on to postgraduate study.

In addition to the University's standard entry requirements, students should normally have:

• a minimum of grades BBC in three A levels or minimum grades BBC in at least two A levels in academic or business subjects (or a minimum of 112 UCAS points from an equivalent Level 3 qualification, eg Advanced Diploma)
• English Language GCSE at grade C (grade 4 from 2017) or above (or equivalent)

Applications are welcome from mature students who have passed appropriate Access or other preparatory courses or have appropriate work experience.

Mature students are also encouraged to apply.

All applicants must be able to demonstrate proficiency in the English language. Applicants who require a Tier 4 student visa may need to provide a Secure English Language Test (SELT) such as Academic IELTS. For more information about English qualifications please see our English language requirements.