MA Visual Journalism

This Masters level course in journalism and communications practice has a strong visual theme, designed for both the journalism and wider communications sectors. The curriculum will allow you to focus on mastering a broad suite of technical and practical (and most often visual) communication skills, such as smartphone/mobile journalism and content creation, video, audio, stills, pages, graphics, news/feature writing and scripting, and media law. In addition, the PR element of the course includes topics such as the theory and practice of corporate and institutional reputation management, and the communications toolkit roles and elements such as lobbying, campaigns, content marketing, events, SEO and evaluation. Opportunities for work-based learning are integrated, and at the heart of the course, our students have the opportunity of working with industry partners.

The course recognises that content is king when it comes to communications and offers a practical and theoretical approach to understanding the way the digital age has impacted on the business of communications and journalism. It has the key Reithian principles of 'inform, educate and entertain' at its core. It encourages an understanding and practical application of the production and circulation of information in the digital era and seeks to build critical competencies while recognising that the way we live, work, and communicate has been reconfigured in recent years.

Assessment

Assessment will be via a series of practical assessments based around live briefs and production projects, combined with written reflections and critical analysis of students’ work.

Careers

The course team will help you find face-to-face or remote/online placements with employers in the journalism and communications industries in Wales and beyond. The team has excellent contacts and a track record of helping more than 100 undergraduate media students find placements each year. The campus hosts regular industry networking events putting you in touch with creative industries leaders.

The journalism and media subject area has existing placement arrangements with ITV, BBC and Global (for radio) plus informal connections with leading PR and communications organisations.

There’s also a focus on entrepreneurship and self-employment, with the help of our Cardiff campus’s Startup Stiwdio (Stiwdio Sefydlu), which is the first standalone university-based business incubator in Wales and provides a safe haven in which to test and develop enterprising ideas.

The skills you gain are sought after by employers in the journalism and communications industries but, beyond that, in every workplace that puts a premium on talking to its stakeholders. That means hiring people who can conceive, create and disseminate compelling and effective visually-led stories.

This Masters degree offers you the chance to distinguish yourself in a competitive field and fast track your way into roles, which demand mature thinkers who have mastered the communications toolkits and can demonstrate an enthusiasm for change and innovation.