Key Facts

Entry Requirements

For 2011 entry please contact our course enquiries team for entry requirements as these may differ from 2010.

Entry requirements for postgraduate courses vary and you are advised to check for any specific requirements with Enquiry Management and on our website. Normally the following general entry requirements apply:

Postgraduate Diplomas, Certificates and Conversion Courses:
A recognised British first degree or its equivalent, or a BTEC Higher Diploma/Certificate.

Taught Masters Courses:
A recognised British honours degree to a good standard, or its equivalent. Applications from all candidates will be considered on their merits and in the light of the nature and scope of the programme or work proposed. Informal enquiries are welcomed and will normally be followed by an initial advisory interview.

You are expected to have an upper 2nd or 1st class honours degree from a British higher education institution, or equivalent overseas qualification.  The degree may be in any subject, but English, Politics or a language is preferred.  A very good standard of English is required, and a good speaking voice.  Mature students and candidates with non standard qualifications may also apply, if they have relevant experience.

International applicants should be aware that a very high standard of written and spoken English is required, demonstrated by an IELTS score of 8.0, or an equivalent.  The focus of the course is the UK broadcast industry, and includes UK law and public adminstration.

Course Content

This one-year vocational course equips postgraduate students with the essential skills and knowledge to pursue a career in radio and television journalism in the UK.The Masters degree builds on the strengths of the prestigious postgraduate diploma course and offers students the chance to produce a radio or television documentary or dissertation. The  course has a reputation for the quality of its students and their success in obtaining employment in the broadcast industry.The programme has been running since 1981 and is accredited by the Broadcast Journalism Training Council. 

Entry into the profession is competitive and most employers  recruit new journalists only if they have completed a recognised postgraduate course. The course provides training and support in an environment that enables students to reach the high standards of professional competence demanded by the industry.

Don't just take our word for it- listen to what our top Journalism graduates have to say: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SW11mkI9PF8

The journalism elements of the course are taught mainly in a practical way, with the emphasis on learning by doing.

Students work in a newsroom atmosphere and undertake real tasks involving live issues in the city and surrounding area. It is a challenging and enjoyable way to learn. In radio, students learn how to report and write  news stories for radio and the web; conduct interviews; produce news packages; present news programmes and live broadcasts; compile news bulletins; edit digital audio and use the professional studio equipment. In the television studio students produce news magazine programmes, learning all roles from presenting,  reporting, scripting and producing to digitally editing and transmitting programmes from the TV gallery.

In the third semester (May to September) you will choose either to produce a radio or television documentary, or  a 15,000 word dissertation on an important issue facing the broadcast  industry. You will also study  Law and Public Administration.

Course at a Glance

Assessment:

Most assessed work is in the form of practical assignments. For radio, students submit a portfolio of work, including a news bulletin, interview and news package. For television, students work on a variety of assignments.

For Law and Public Administration students must produce an essay and pass a final examination.

Learning Environment:

The course has five sound studios, each with professional mixing desks and computers, a large talks studio, and a television studio, with remote cameras, lighting, Autocue, control room and AVID digital editing suite.
The broadcast newsroom is equipped with telephones, digital editing workstations, ENPS and Burli news management systems, AVID iNews and news feeds from Independent Radio News and the Press Association.

The course enjoys excellent support from the broadcast industry. Students benefit from frequent guest lectures and excellent work placement opportunities. News editors and producers from radio and TV visit regularly to work with students.

The work placements in the Spring are an essential part of the course and students are expected to spend at least three weeks in a BBC or commercial radio newsroom and one week at a television programme or company.

Careers:

Graduates of this course have gone on to successful careers in local radio and regional TV, network TV and radio, and television research.  Tutors work closely with students to help prepare them for employment. This includes advice on writing CVs and preparing for interviews.

Money Matters

Most graduates of this University are entitled to a 20% reduction on tuition fees for our postgraduate courses, if self-funding.

Details of current fees are available from Enquiry Management,
University of Central Lancashire,
Preston,
PR1 2HE,
United Kingdom,
01772 892400.

Gilbertson Excellence Scholarships
These scholarships are awarded to UCLan undergraduates in their final year of study in 2009-10 who want to continue their studies at postgraduate level, either on a full time or part time taught programme eg MA or MSc, or on a research programme such as an MPhil in the 2010-11 academic year. These awards worth £3,390 towards tuition fees are available to Home/EU students achieving a first class honours degree at UCLan in 2009-10 and are subject to specific terms and conditions.

A small number of  competitive bursaries are available to help meet fees and expenses. Details of these will be provided to successful applicants.

All graduates of this University are entitled to a 20% fees reduction on postgraduate courses.

Details of current fees are available from Enquiry Management, University of Central Lancashire, Preston PR1 2HE, United Kingdom.