Journalism
MA
Start dates: September 2024 / September 2025
Full time: MA: 12 months; PGDip: 8 months; PGCert: 4 months
Part time: MA: 24 months, PGDip: 3 semesters, PGCert: 2 semesters
Location: Headington
Department(s): School of Arts
Overview
Our MA Journalism will equip you with skills in multiplatform journalism and authorship of news and features to nonfiction and branded content that will future-proof your career. You’ll develop industry-standard expertise in digital and multiplatform news and features production, and you'll study evolving models of journalism including data analysis, crowdsourcing, and mobile journalism.
As part of the Oxford International Centre for Publishing (OICP), we enjoy great international standing and many of our graduates go on to work globally. We’re also supported by 2 industry advisory boards, made up of high-profile figures from the BBC, Substack, Condé Nast, Telegraph Media Group, Google, and more.
By the end of the course, you’ll have developed an exciting portfolio of journalism in different media formats to showcase your skills. And you’ll have built key contacts to help kick-start your career, as well as secure an NCTJ Diploma in Journalism alongside your master’s.
Why Oxford Brookes University?
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Top ranking
Oxford Brookes is ranked Number 1 in the UK for journalism in the Guardian league table 2024.
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Multimedia resources
You’ll be given an individual Adobe Creative cloud licence to help you create videos, podcasts and websites and print layouts. As well as access to a dedicated podcast recording studio and MAC suite, and a new, state of the art TV studio.
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Taught by journalists
Gain insights from our team who’ve all worked in the industry. And take part in our Live News Days where you’ll gain experience of a simulated newsroom environment.
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Stunning location
You’ll be studying in the beautiful city of Oxford, home to many media professionals, publishers and companies. A great opportunity to make contacts for the future.
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Practical experience
Get inside access by visiting newsrooms, media company HQs, and media summits. And get involved with our student magazine, Hybrid, to put your skills to work.
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Accreditation(s)
Accredited by the National Council for the Training of Journalists (NCTJ)
Course details
Course structure
There are 4 compulsory modules. You’ll look at the practice of journalism where you’ll cover topics such as finding news, conducting interviews and engaging your audience through multimedia. As well as the role of technology, you’ll cover law and ethics and the media in relation to power and propaganda.
The fourth compulsory module is a dissertation or major project. Both enable you to tackle a significant industry issue through in-depth research. Or you may develop an editorial concept and business proposal or media startup.
In our optional modules you can choose from subjects such as digital and data journalism, TV and radio broadcasting, and lifestyle journalism.
Study modules
Please note: As our courses are reviewed regularly as part of our quality assurance framework, the modules you can choose from may vary from those shown here. The structure of the course may also mean some modules are not available to you.
Research
Your study is grounded in up-to-date knowledge of the media, taught by experienced professionals, researchers, and scholars in their fields.
The curriculum develops from a foundation of theory and skills, from multimedia to media law, and towards a focus on strands of journalism and authorship.
The programme offers a local, national and international context for your studies, alongside an understanding of the cultural importance of the media.
Careers
- features writer
- video journalist
- broadcast journalist
- news editor
- producer.
While many of our graduates become journalists, others have gone on to successful careers in:
- public relations
- content marketing
- humanitarian journalism for charities or NGOs.
Student profiles
Our Staff
Alexandra Shakespeare
Working with retail brands and newsstand publications to create compelling content for a variety of audiences, Alexandra is expert at both crafting copy and strategising editorial concepts.
Read more about AlexandraEntry requirements
Specific entry requirements
Entrants to the programme should possess the following minimum qualifications:
- a second-class honours degree, or equivalent, in any subject; or
- an appropriate professional background and experience in the media. This should be evidenced by an appropriate CV which outlines your professional experience to date from either working directly in journalism and media or a related function.
Applicants should also demonstrate a commitment to work in the media industries. This attribute is usually evidenced through the application and personal statement. But also through work experience or voluntary work in the media or fulfilling a journalism-related function in a non-media organisation, or at interview.
Two references, these may be, for example, two academic references, or one academic reference and one from an employer.
All applicants who meet the entry criteria are interviewed as an entry requirement.
Please also see the University's general entry requirements.
English language requirements
If your first language is not English then we will require IELTS 6.5 overall with 6.0 in each component.
Please also see the University's standard English language requirements.
Terms and Conditions of Enrolment
When you accept our offer, you agree to the Terms and Conditions of Enrolment. You should therefore read those conditions before accepting the offer.
How to apply
Application process
Tuition fees
Questions about fees?
Contact Student Finance on:
Tuition fees
The full-time fees quoted are for the taught Year 1. Fees will be charged for the placement year in Year 2 and are available on request from finance-fees@brookes.ac.uk.
The following factors will be taken into account by the University when it is setting the annual fees: inflationary measures such as the retail price indices, projected increases in University costs, changes in the level of funding received from Government sources, admissions statistics and access considerations including the availability of student support.
How and when to pay
Tuition fee instalments for the semester are due by the Monday of week 1 of each semester. Students are not liable for full fees for that semester if they leave before week 4. If the leaving date is after week 4, full fees for the semester are payable.
- For information on payment methods please see our Make a Payment page.
- For information about refunds please visit our Refund policy page
Additional costs
Please be aware that some courses will involve some additional costs that are not covered by your fees. Specific additional costs for this course are detailed below.
Optional costs
| Additional costs | Amount (£) |
|---|---|
| Field trips to London and other local venues. | £30 |
It’s your responsibility to cover print / binding costs where coursework submission is required. Please note that a lot of the coursework is now submitted online. |
From £30 |
| You may choose to purchase books to support your studies. Many books on our reading lists are available via the Library, or can be purchased secondhand. | £20-60 per book |
Accommodation fees in Brookes Letting (most do not include bills) |
£94-265 per week |
Accommodation fees in university halls (bills included, excluding laundry costs) |
£122-180 per week |
Graduation costs include tickets, gowning and photography. Gowns are not compulsory but typically students do hire robes, starting at £41. |
Typically £0-200 |
Students are responsible for their own travel to and from university for classes. BrookesBus travel is subsidised for full-time undergraduate students that are on a course with a fee of £9,250 or more, or living in an Oxford Brookes hall of residence. There is an administration fee for the production of a BrookesKey. |
From £10 |
Funding your studies
Financial support and scholarships
Featured funding opportunities available for this course.
Applicants who hold an offer for this course can apply for the NCTJ Journalism Diversity Fund. Applications for the academic year 2023/24 are currently open and the deadline to apply is Wednesday 3 May 2023 at 5pm. To find out more about the bursary and eligibility, visit the NCTJ Journalism Diversity Fund website.
All financial support and scholarships
Programme changes:
On rare occasions we may need to make changes to our course programmes after they have been
published on the website. For more information, please visit our
changes to programmes page.