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Journalism is fascinating, rewarding and influential. In a world hungry for news about issues ranging from climate change to fashion and from armed conflict to football, the ultra-competitive modern media market needs versatile, multimedia journalists with cutting-edge academic and vocational skills and a highly developed awareness of ethics.
Overview
In this prestigious, professionally accredited programme, you study for an honours degree that includes history, politics and law while completing the National Council for the Training of Journalists’ (NCTJ) Diploma in Journalism*.
Tutors include working reporters and columnists, former editors of national newspapers, radio and television programmes and magazines, network broadcasters and web publishers. Their professional expertise is reinforced by excellent academic teaching by leading historians, political scientists and lawyers.
The course is based in state-of-the-art newsrooms complete with dedicated radio and television studios, editing and production facilities. From the outset, you learn to write and report in text, on air and for the internet. Students have regular access to work placements with the KM Group and other news organisations. The Centre for Journalism has its own dedicated website, www.centreforjournalism.co.uk.
*The NCTJ Diploma in Journalism is a professional qualification awarded by the NCTJ, not by the University of Kent. There is a fee for each of the examinations which students must pay in addition to their tuition fees, and pass in order to complete the Diploma. See the Journalism website for current NCTJ exam fees.
About the Centre for Journalism
The Centre for Journalism is leading the development of journalism as an academic discipline rooted in professional newsroom practice. It was established in 2008 to achieve top standards in teaching and research.
A lively and welcoming community spirit exists within the Centre. There are regular social events, seminars and masterclasses. Recent visitors have included:
- Allan Little - BBC correspondent
- Sarah Ivens - founding Editor-in-Chief of OK! Magazine USA
- Gavin Esler - former presenter of Newsnight
- Jon Snow - presenter of Channel 4 News
- Mark Thompson - former Director General of the BBC
- Alex Crawford - three times RTS TV journalist of the year
- Stephanie Flanders - former Economics Editor, BBC
- Stuart Ramsay -Sky News Chief Correspondent
- John Humphrys - presenter BBC Radio 4's Today programme
- Faisal Islam, Political Editor, Sky News.
Independent rankings
The BA in Journalism is ranked second in the UK and Ireland for the number of students achieving Gold Standard passes in the National Council for the Training of Journalists Diploma, the primary measure of professional success for student journalists.
In the National Student Survey 2016, Journalism at Kent was ranked 6th for the quality of its teaching and 9th for overall satisfaction.
Course structure
The following modules are indicative of those offered on this programme. This listing is based on the current curriculum and may change year to year in response to new curriculum developments and innovation.
On most programmes, you study a combination of compulsory and optional modules. You may also be able to take ‘wild’ modules from other programmes so you can customise your programme and explore other subjects that interest you.
Teaching and assessment
Each day in the Centre for Journalism begins with an editorial conference. Students and staff gather in the newsrooms to discuss the top stories on the local, national and international news agendas and to consider how they have been reported in newspapers, by broadcasters and online.
Teaching is by a variety of methods including masterclasses, lectures, seminars, films and small group discussions. Professional skills are taught in a live newsroom environment, which replicates the atmosphere of a working multimedia newsroom. You participate in regular Live News Days, during which you work to deadline to produce live radio and television bulletins and newspaper pages, and to update websites. There are frequent guest lectures and masterclasses by working journalists and editors, including network broadcasters and editors of national and regional newspapers and magazines.
Assessment includes coursework (such as academic essays, television, radio and online news reports and newspaper articles) and examinations. Students compile portfolios of reports. In your final year, you complete an extended project in journalism, which may take the form of a television or radio documentary, an extended newspaper or magazine article, or a web report.
There is a minimum of 21 hours contact time per week in your first and second year, in addition to which all students receive guaranteed one-to-one feedback on their assignments and have regular meetings with their personal academic adviser. You should expect to do a minimum of 15 additional hours personal study per week.
Students undergo assessment for the NCTJ Diploma in Journalism via examinations set by the NCTJ. There is a fee for each of these examinations which students must pay in addition to their tuition fees. See the Journalism website for current NCTJ exam fees.
Programme aims
The programme aims to:
- produce graduates with a courageous and principled vision of the purpose of journalism, who have an informed, critical and creative approach to its role in contemporary society
- enable students to acquire the skills and aptitudes to practise the convergent skills of print, broadcast and internet journalism in a supportive and responsive environment
- develop a detailed and systematic understanding of particular forms of journalism and their historic and contemporary role in the shaping of culture and society
- encourage students to think critically about the ethics and responsibilities of journalism and to relate academic study of the subject to questions of public concern
- describe and comment upon aspects of current research into the impact of new technologies on journalism
- provide a curriculum supported by scholarship and a research culture that promotes breadth and depth of intellectual debate and enquiry.
Learning outcomes
Knowledge and understanding
You gain knowledge and understanding of:
- key concepts, practices and methods used in the production of multimedia journalism
- the economic forces which frame the news industry and the role it plays in specific areas of contemporary political and cultural life
- the political, social and cultural histories from which modern journalism and its practices and structures emerged
- the possible future development of journalism in a national and international context
- the legal, ethical and regulatory frameworks which affect journalism
- the ways in which specific technologies enable different kinds of journalism
- the processes linking the production, circulation and consumption of news
- how news operations operate and are managed.
Intellectual skills
You develop intellectual skills in:
- the ability to gather, organise and deploy information, images and data from a variety of primary and secondary sources
- the ability to engage critically with major practitioners, debates and paradigms within the subject area and put them to productive use
- how to carry out various forms of research for essays, presentations, documentaries and dissertations involving sustained independent inquiry
- the ability to reflect upon the relevance of your own cultural commitment and positioning to the practice of journalism.
Subject-specific skills
You gain the ability to:
- understand the significance of journalism to political democracy, its powers, duties and responsibilities
- analyse closely, interpret and show the exercise of critical judgment in the understanding and evaluation of various forms of journalism
- consider and evaluate your own work with reference to professional issues, debates and conventions
- describe, evaluate and apply different approaches to presenting and analysing factual information as news
- produce work of publishable quality for regional, national and international newspapers, websites and broadcasters.
Transferable skills
You gain transferable skills in how to:
- gather, organise and deploy information in order to formulate arguments cogently and communicate them fluently in speech and writing
- work to deadlines in flexible and innovative ways showing self-direction and self-discipline
- work productively in a group or team showing the ability to contribute, lead and collaborate with others in the pursuit of common goals
- use information technology to perform a range of tasks ranging from basic word-processing to deployment of complex web-based multimedia technology
- identify and define problems, assess possible solutions and discriminate between them
- take accurate shorthand notes at a speed of at least 100 words per minute.
Careers
Possible careers include newspaper, broadcast and online reporting and other editorial roles in the news industry. Recent graduates work as journalists for employers including AOL, Associated Newspapers, BBC Radio, BBC Politics Show SE, ITN Peston on Sunday, Bedfordshire on Sunday, Cambridge News, KM Group, Kent on Sunday, Hinckley Times, Huffington Post, ITN, The Sun, Newsquest, Daily Star, Mail Online, Investment Week and Sky News. Other graduates secure positions in communications roles for charities, NGOs and campaign groups or political parties.
This degree prepares you to work across the broadcast, print and online media. The skills you acquire include working under pressure to strict deadlines, writing accurate, balanced reports and analysing complex material. You learn to communicate with non-specialised audiences and to present your opinion coherently and with passion. These skills are highly prized by employers in many fields.
Professional recognition
This degree is accredited by the National Council for the Training of Journalists and all students sit the NCTJ Diploma in Journalism exams. This valuable professional qualification is recognised as a key entry requirement to careers in newspaper and broadcast journalism.
Graduate profile
Kent graduate Victoria Polley explains how her Journalism degree from the Centre for Journalism helped her to get her dream job as a radio sports journalist.
Entry requirements
Home/EU students
The University will consider applications from students offering a wide range of qualifications. Students offering alternative qualifications should contact us for further advice.
It is not possible to offer places to all students who meet this typical offer/minimum requirement.
New GCSE grades
If you’ve taken exams under the new GCSE grading system, please see our conversion table to convert your GCSE grades.
| Qualification | Typical offer/minimum requirement |
|---|---|
| A level | ABB including at least two, preferably three, in traditional academic subjects such as English, Mathematics, History, Politics, Chemistry and modern languages plus admissions test and selective interview. |
| GCSE | Mathematics at grade C
|
| Access to HE Diploma | The University will not necessarily make conditional offers to all Access candidates but will continue to assess them on an individual basis. If we make you an offer, you will need to obtain/pass the overall Access to Higher Education Diploma and may also be required to obtain a proportion of the total level 3 credits and/or credits in particular subjects at merit grade or above |
| BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma (formerly BTEC National Diploma) | The University will consider applicants holding BTEC National Diploma and Extended National Diploma Qualifications (QCF; NQF; OCR) on a case-by-case basis. Please contact us for further advice on your individual circumstances. |
| International Baccalaureate | 34 points overall or 16 points at HL including Mathematics 4 at HL or SL plus admissions test and selective interview |
International students
The University welcomes applications from international students. Our international recruitment team can guide you on entry requirements. See our International Student website for further information about entry requirements for your country.
If you need to increase your level of qualification ready for undergraduate study, we offer a number of International Foundation Programmes.
Meet our staff in your country
For more advise about applying to Kent, you can meet our staff at a range of international events.
English Language Requirements
Please see our English language entry requirements web page.
Please note that if you are required to meet an English language condition, we offer a number of 'pre-sessional' courses in English for Academic Purposes. You attend these courses before starting your degree programme.
General entry requirements
Please also see our general entry requirements.
Fees
The 2017/18 tuition fees for this programme are:
| UK/EU | Overseas | |
|---|---|---|
| Full-time |
For details of when and how to pay fees and charges, please see our Student Finance Guide.
UK/EU fee paying students
The Government has announced changes to allow undergraduate tuition fees to rise in line with inflation from 2017/18.
In accordance with changes announced by the UK Government, we are increasing our 2017/18 regulated full-time tuition fees for new and returning UK/EU fee paying undergraduates from £9,000 to £9,250. The equivalent part-time fees for these courses will also rise from £4,500 to £4,625. This was subject to us satisfying the Government's Teaching Excellence Framework and the access regulator's requirements. This fee will ensure the continued provision of high-quality education.
For students continuing on this programme, fees will increase year on year by no more than RPI + 3% in each academic year of study except where regulated.*
The University will assess your fee status as part of the application process. If you are uncertain about your fee status you may wish to seek advice from UKCISA before applying.
Additional costs
Students undergo assessment for the NCTJ Diploma in Journalism via examinations set by the NCTJ. There is a fee for each of these examinations which students must pay in addition to their tuition fees. See the Journalism website for current NCTJ exam fees.
General additional costs
Find out more about accommodation and living costs, plus general additional costs that you may pay when studying at Kent.
Funding
University funding
Kent offers generous financial support schemes to assist eligible undergraduate students during their studies. See our funding page for more details.
Government funding
You may be eligible for government finance to help pay for the costs of studying. See the Government's student finance website.
The Government has confirmed that EU students applying for university places in the 2017 to 2018 academic year will still have access to student funding support for the duration of their course.
Scholarships
General scholarships
Scholarships are available for excellence in academic performance, sport and music and are awarded on merit. For further information on the range of awards available and to make an application see our scholarships website.
The Kent Scholarship for Academic Excellence
At Kent we recognise, encourage and reward excellence. We have created the Kent Scholarship for Academic Excellence. The scholarship will be awarded to any applicant who achieves a minimum of AAA over three A levels, or the equivalent qualifications (including BTEC and IB) as specified on our scholarships pages.
The scholarship is also extended to those who achieve AAB at A level (or specified equivalents) where one of the subjects is either Mathematics or a Modern Foreign Language. Please review the eligibility criteria.