MA Journalism: Social Justice Journalism

at University of the Arts London

Multiplatform Journalism (20 credits) 

This unit will introduce you to the core practical journalism skills of research, interviewing, reporting and pitching, along with basic legal principles. You’ll also develop skills in idea generation and development, primary and secondary research, understanding audiences and their interests through data and analytics, narrative, editing, and promoting work on social media.  

Throughout this unit, you’ll produce a portfolio of journalistic work for submission. 

Critical Perspectives: Social Justice Journalism (20 credits) 

You’ll explore ethical, theoretical and contextual issues relating to Social Justice Journalism including the different ways in which journalists and media practitioners can effect social change. You’ll develop the critical skills necessary to identify societal conflict and inequalities, and also be able to place them in their contexts.

Topics discussed in this unit include humanitarian and peace journalism, journalism and environmental justice and journalism and sexual and racial equality. 

Short-form Video (20 credits) 

In this unit, you'll develop in-demand skills in mobile video journalism, learning how to shoot, edit and embed eye-catching short-form video for social media to build engagement with online audiences. 

Social Justice Journalism: Practice (20 credits) 

You’ll develop skills in a range of journalistic forms relating to your chosen pathway, focusing on primary and secondary research, building narratives and promoting your work on social media. This will include developing the techniques required to deliver journalism that supports social change and addresses societal inequalities.  

In addition to developing skills in profile writing and reported features for print and online, you’ll also have an opportunity to experiment with creative and non-traditional forms of journalism, such as solutions-focused or constructive storytelling.  

Specific consideration will be given to the ethical issues inherent in this genre, so you'll gain skills in how to work with vulnerable people and campaigning groups. 

Collaborative Unit (20 credits) 

This unit is designed to enable you to identify, form and develop collaborative working relationships with a range of potential partners. These could include other postgraduate students at LCC or UAL; postgraduate students at other Higher Education institutions; or external organisations such as cultural or community groups, NGOs, businesses or charities.  

The nature of this collaboration will involve working on a project with outcomes agreed by your tutors, and will take the form of group work that can happen within the College or digitally/remotely. 

Audience, Editing and Platform Management (20 credits) 

In this unit, you’ll develop skills in multimedia platform management through taught sessions from staff and industry professionals, and by working in one or more editorial roles on the Artefact multimedia brand which includes a print magazine, a regularly updated live website, and audio, video and social media channels.  

You’ll also have the opportunity to develop your chosen specialism through your practice. 

Final Major Project (60 credits) 

You’ll put  the skills and knowledge developed during the course into action.  

In the first part of the unit, you’ll develop ideas for your personal project and submit a written proposal for an individual journalistic product or portfolio in a medium or media of your choice that’s also relevant to your specialism. You’ll also produce a reflective report looking at your development as a journalist and the direction for your future career. 

In the second part of the unit, you’ll work with a supervisor to produce the project, which will be supported and evidenced by a reflective document. 

In order to be considered, you would have achieved an Honours degree (preferably a 2:1), or equivalent professional qualifications with a minimum of three years relevant professional experience.

APEL - Accreditation of Prior (Experiential) Learning

Applicants who do not meet these course entry requirements may still be considered in exceptional cases. The course team will consider each application that demonstrates additional strengths and alternative evidence. This might, for example, be demonstrated by:
 

• Related academic or work experience

• The quality of the personal statement

• A strong academic or other professional reference

• OR a combination of these factors

English language requirements

All classes are conducted in English. If English is not your first language, we strongly recommend you let us know your English language test score in your application. If you have booked a test or are awaiting your results, please indicate this in your application. When asked to upload a CV as part of your application, please include any information about your English test score.
 

• IELTS 7.0 (or equivalent) is required, with 6.0 in each of the four skills.

Home fee
£11,550

International fee
£23,610

Graduates of the course go on to work in a range of roles. Some become journalists across newspapers, broadcasters or online publications, while others take on roles in marketing and communications with NGOs, choose to set up their own publications, or work as freelance journalists across a range of different titles.