Journalism

Year 1

You will develop skills in the basics of news writing and reporting for newspapers, digital platforms and in broadcasting. You will develop an awareness of legal and institutional frameworks within which journalists operate and you will also be introduced to a range of theoretical concepts relating to the media industries and visual culture.  

Year 2

You will build upon your news gathering, editing and production skills in the areas of audio journalism, feature writing and magazine journalism. You will develop a deeper theoretical understanding of media messages in Media Semiotics and Discourse, and you will be introduced to new practical skills in web design, public relations, and desktop-publishing.

Year 3

In Year 3 you will continue to develop your specialist knowledge and have the flexibility to tailor your own study. You may complete a six-week, 12-week, or year-long work experience placement; undertake an academic term at one of our partner institutions abroad; or choose a taught, on-campus route which includes a focus on freelancing and research-based skills.

Year 4

Your final year will focus on specialist modules including Celebrity Culture, Digital Journalism in Practice and Postmodern Culture. You will work with a supervisor to develop a research project on a topic of your choice, which will develop your research, analytical and journalistic skills. You may choose to follow a conventional or practice-based research route and you will also undertake a practical investigative journalism assignment.

Learning Methods

You will learn through a range of delivery modes including lectures, tutorials, workshops and practical-based activities. The nature of the course is interactive: you will apply theory to practice, and consider a range of problems, issues and case studies. Academic modules are typically delivered by a lecture followed by a seminar where you can discuss or apply the thinking to relevant tasks. This may involve analysing texts or giving oral presentations. The practical classes will involve sourcing and writing stories, conducting interviews, filming, editing and participating in news days. Modules, such as investigative journalism, may include input from a range of industry experts.

How long is a BA (Hons) Journalism course?

A Journalism degree can be successfully completed in 4 years, in which the opportunity to receive the necessary skills are obtained.

Activity Summary

• Lectures - 45-50 students per group, 4-5 hours per week
• Seminars - 15-25 students per group, 4-8 hour per week
• Project Supervision - 6-8 students per group, 1-2 hours per week
• Practical class or workshop - 15-25 students per group, 2 hours per week

Independent Study

In addition to lectures and tutorials, you will spend approximately 20-30 hours per week outside of the class working on your own. This involves undertaking prescribed reading, preparing for assignments, team meetings and researching and writing course assignments.

Staff Delivering on This Course

Academic staff who teach on this course have worked in a range of professional backgrounds within the creative and cultural industries including journalism, publishing, public relations, digital media, media production, and have links to the National Council for the Training of Journalists (NCTJ) which ensures our teaching is professionally relevant. 

Our staff have either achieved Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy/Senior Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy or are working towards this. In addition, many have featured in the annual Support and Teaching staff with Appreciation and Recognition (STAR) awards voted by the students and organised by RGU:Union.

Other staff members include industry guest lecturers, staff from the School of Law and Social Sciences, honorary doctoral professionals, and librarians.

Assessment

Typically students are assessed each year:

Year 1

• 3 written assignments, including essays
• 3 portfolios

Year 2

• 2 written assignments, including essays
• 4 portfolios

Year 3

• 3 written assignments, including essays
• 2 portfolios

Year 4

• 3 written assignments, including essays
• 1 dissertation
• 2 portfolios
• 1 project output

Feedback

We aim to provide you with feedback within 20 working days of hand-in for all written exams, coursework and practical exams.

Placements

In Year 3, you will have the opportunity to undertake a six-week, 12-week or year-long placement where you will be able to put your skills and knowledge to the test in an appropriate journalism or media-based environment, as well as form excellent links with potential future employers. Previous placements have included the Press and Journal, STV, Northsound 1, Press Association (Glasgow), Original 106FM, Scottish Field Magazine (Edinburgh) and Evening Express.

You can choose to source your own placement or access our Placement Office, who will support you in sourcing and applying to suitable opportunities.  

Study Abroad

In Year 3 you can study with partner institutions in Europe or worldwide as part of the Study Abroad programme. This is dependent on similar Journalism programmes being offered by partner institutions.

Job Prospects

Journalism is a powerful industry and a rewarding career choice. People are increasingly seeking information and inspiration from the media, which creates a demand for multimedia journalists who have critical knowledge and specialist theoretical, analytical and production skills.

Is Journalism a good career choice?

Possible careers range from press, radio, television and online as well as public relations and media management.

Previous  BA Journalism graduates of Robert Gordon University have gone on to pursue the following careers:

• Print and Online Journalism 
• Broadcast Journalism
• Publishing 

They work for organisations including:

• BBC Scotland
• STV North
• Original 106 
• The Press and Journal 
• Evening Express 

Students with degrees in Journalism are also entering Communications, Sales and Marketing roles.

What is needed for a BA (Hons) Journalism degree?

Standard Entry Requirements

• SQA Higher: BBBC to include English at grade B.
• GCE A Level: BCC to include English.
• Irish Leaving Certificate Higher: H2H3H3H3 to include English at H2.
• IB Diploma: 27 to include Higher Level English at grade 5.

Minimum Entry Requirements

The minimum entry requirements for widening access applicants are:

• SQA Higher: BBC/BCCC to include English at B

Applicants from Foundation Pathway Providers

Entry to year 1 or year 2 may be possible for students who have completed a Foundation Certificate or Foundation Undergraduate Pathway programme, from an approved UK provider, at 60% or above. For courses which require a specific subjects match, such as English or Maths, these would need to provided in addition to the Pathway Programme Certificate or result.

Advanced Entry

Applicants who are interested in applying for advanced entry will be considered on an individual basis.

English Language Requirements

Applicants whose first language is not English should have an IELTS of 6.0 overall, with no component lower than 5.5, or an equivalent.

We accept a variety of in-country and secure English language tests, find out more:

Please note, some courses may require a higher standard of English than stated in this page. Contact admissions@rgu.ac.uk for further information.

Additional Costs

• Shorthand tuition (external provider) - approx £155