This module is not currently running in 2024 to 2025.
This module will give students an introduction to the skills and habits specialist journalists need in a digital age, as well as encouraging them to develop their own specialism in journalism. It will include studying and critically analysing the key issues and debates in a specific subject area, communicating complex ideas in a simple and engaging way to a general audience, building contacts and expertise, and a critical look at the jobs market for specialists.
Total contact hours: 24
Private study hours: 126
Total study hours: 150
MA Multimedia Journalism
MA in International Multimedia Journalism
Main assessment methods
Assessed by coursework portfolio (100%)
To include:
News feature (2,000 words): 30%
News stories (2 x 600 words): 15% each (30% overall)
Illustrated live two-way broadcast (4 minutes): 30%
Log-book, to include research methods, contact-building and list of employers of journalists in their chosen specialism – 10% (500 words)
Reassessment methods
Like for like
Marr, A. (2004), My Trade, Macmillan
Husain, M. (2018), The Skills, 4th Estate
Bull, A. (2010), Multimedia Journalism: A Practical Guide, Routledge
Gillmore, D. (2010), MediaActive: A User's Guide to Finding, Following and Creating the News, O'Reilly
Briggs, M. (2009), Journalism Next: A Practical Guide to Digital Reporting and Publishing, CQ Press
Turner, B. & Orange, R. (2013), Specialist Journalism, Routledge
See the library reading list for this module (Medway)
The intended subject specific learning outcomes.
On successfully completing the module students will be able to:
8.1 Demonstrate comprehensive knowledge and understanding of how journalists develop a specialism.
8.2 Show and use knowledge they have gathered (in a specialist field of journalism) in journalistic projects or assignments suitable for an international, national or regional audience.
8.3 Deploy some of the key intellectual and practical professional skills or capabilities used by specialist journalists working in the digital world.
8.4 Demonstrate analytical skills by exploring major issues, debates and commentators or major thinkers within their chosen specialism.
8.5 Demonstrate the ability to carry out various forms of independent research in a chosen field and to assess and evaluate key topics and events and their portrayal in different parts of the media.
8.6 Produce multi-media journalistic work to industry standards involving text, images, audio or video, involving sustained independent and critical enquiry.
The intended generic learning outcomes.
On successfully completing the module students will be able to:
9.1 Demonstrate comprehensive intellectual skills of research, analysis and synthesis in producing original journalism to professional standards.
9.2 Gather, organise and deploy ideas and sustain narrative, argument and analysis using written and digital techniques to professional standards.
9.3 Use complex multimedia hardware and software in an original and professional way with a specific audience in mind, whether national, international or regional.
9.4 Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the complexities and diversity of their chosen subject area through communicating complex ideas and material clearly to specialist and non-specialist audiences.
9.5 Work effectively as individuals and in a team environment, exercising initiative and personal responsibility.
9.6 Evaluate their work with reference to professional standards through critical analysis and reflection.
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