PROGRAMME SPECIFICATION Bachelor of Arts with Honours in Journalism Awarding institution Teaching institution UCAS Code JACS Code Programme Duration Language of Programme Subject benchmark statement Programme accredited by Description of accreditation Validated target and alternative exit awards Liverpool John Moores University LIVERPOOL JOHN MOORES UNIVERSITY P500 P500 Full-Time: 3 Years All LJMU programmes are delivered and assessed in English Communication, media, film and cultural studies BJTC http://www.bjtc.org.uk/uploads//1/all_courses.pdf The Broadcast Journalism Training Council is made up of nearly all the main broadcasting employers in the UK as well as the National Union of Journalists and Journalism Schools. It is involved in setting training standards, creating guidelines for courses, visiting them and deciding if a course is accredited or not. The BJTC accreditation kitemark shows that accredited journalism programmes offer a good mix of theory and practice, which will generally include much practice-based training. Courses will all comprise modules covering the basic skills and knowledge required to become a broadcast journalist, together with a guaranteed period of work placement with one of our partner employers. Most recruitment of journalists into broadcast news or factual programming is now through a BJTC accredited course. Bachelor of Arts with Honours in Journalism Bachelor of Arts in Journalism Diploma of Higher Education in Journalism Certificate of Higher Education in Journalism Programme Leader Jacqueline Newton Educational aims of the programme The programme is vocational and aims to develop the learner's interest in UK journalism Develop their understanding and knowledge of its practice in the media of print, radio, TV and online with one of these being developed to professional levels. The course also aims to develop intellectual skills of effective communication through media technologies, research skills and the ability to situate the study of Journalism within the broader debates of media and cultural theory. Provide transferable skills of effective team working and self-sufficiency. To encourage students to fully engage with the World of Work programme, including the World of Work Skills Certificate and, as a first step towards this, to complete Bronze (Self Awareness) Statement. Alternative Exit/ Interim Award Learning Outcomes - Certificate of Higher Education Acquire transferable skills (including written and oral communication); Learn how to be an undergraduate student and prepare for higher levels of study. Understand through the study of core modules, the basic theoretical approaches to the study of journalism practices and institutions and to be able to situate these in historical contexts; Acquire basic technical skills to support your work as a journalist; Begin to develop an understanding of the professional environment;
Acquire transferable skills (including written and oral communication); Learn about the law and professional regulation that applies to journalism; and Develop sufficient proficiency at shorthand to be able to pass the NCTJ exam. Alternative Exit/ Interim Award Learning Outcomes - Diploma of Higher Education Understand, through core modules, the connection between journalism and the democratic state; Develop technical journalism skills in the area of print production, radio production, online production and television production; Develop understanding of the relationship between the journalists and others through an understanding of ethics, law and journalistic regulation; Become more independent and reflective learners by taking responsibility for their studies and developing an understanding of academic methods; Develop transferable skills in written and oral communication, IT and research; Develop sufficient knowledge and understanding of law and politics to be capable of passing the NCTJ diploma exam. Target award Learning Outcomes - Bachelor of Arts with Honours A student successfully completing the programme of study will have acquired subject knowledge and understanding as well as skills and other attributes. Knowledge and understanding A1. an awareness of the economic forces which frame the media and the role of such industries in specific areas of contemporary political and cultural life; A2. a comparative understanding of the roles that media play in different societies; A3. an understanding of particular media forms and genres and the way in which they organise understandings, meanings and affects; A4. an understanding of the role of technology in terms of media production, access and use; A5. an understanding of the development of media in a local, regional and national context; A6. an understanding of the social, cultural and political histories from which different media and communication practices have emerged; A7. an understanding of the history of communication and media technologies and a recognition of the different ways in which the history of and current developments in media and communication can be understood in relation to technological change; A8. an understanding of the processes linking production, circulation and consumption; A9. an understanding of key production processes and professional practices relevant to media and communicative industries, and of ways of conceptualising creativity and authorship; A10. an understanding of professional, technical and formal choices which realise, develop or challenge existing practices and traditions, and of the possibilities and constraints involved in production processes; A11. a knowledge of the legal, ethical and regulatory frameworks which affect media and cultural production, circulation, and consumption; A12. an understanding of how media, cultural and creative organisations operate and are managed; A13. an understanding of the student's own creative processes and practice through engagement in one or more production practices; A14. an understanding of the narrative processes and modes of representation at work in media and cultural texts; A15. an understanding of the ways in which specific media and their attendant technologies make possible different kinds of aesthetic effects and forms; A16. an understanding of the audio, visual and verbal conventions through which sounds, images and words make meaning; A17. an understanding of how disability, class, ethnicity, gender, nationality, sexuality, and other social divisions
play key roles in terms of both access to the media and modes of representation in media texts; A18. an insight into the different modes of global, international, national and local cultural experience and their interaction in particular instances. Teaching, learning and assessment methods used to enable outcomes to be achieved and Students are taught with a wide mix of teaching methods including lectures, demonstrations, screenings, seminars, workshops, work simulations; tutorials, group and individual project work, live projects, supervised independent learning, open and resource-based learning, multi-media and new media learning, production practice, work placements; large and small group and individual learning and teaching situations; tutor-led, student-led and independent learning sessions. Specialist IT resources and other studio-based resources play an important part in the delivery. Essays, reviews and reports; seen and unseen examinations; individual and group presentations (whether oral and/or technology-based); critical self- and peer-evaluation; role-analyses/evaluations; logbooks, diaries and autobiographical writing; individual or group portfolios of work (whether critical, creative, self-reflective, or the outcome of professional practice); group and individually produced artefacts, including productions in sound, audio-visual or other media; individual and group project reports; research exercises; tasks aimed at the assessment of specific skills (eg IT skills, production skills, research skills, skills of application); external placement or work-based learning reports. Skills and other attributes Intellectual Skills B1. engage critically with major thinkers, debates and intellectual paradigms within the field and put them to productive use; B2. analyse closely, interpret, and show the exercise of critical judgement in the understanding and, as appropriate, evaluation of communication and media; B3. develop substantive and detailed knowledge and understanding in the field of journalism; B4. consider and evaluate their own work in a reflexive manner, with reference to academic and/or professional issues, debates and conventions. B5. carry out various forms of research for essays, projects, creative productions or dissertations involving sustained independent enquiry; B6. formulate appropriate research questions and employ appropriate methods and resources for exploring those questions; B7. evaluate and draw upon the range of sources and the conceptual frameworks appropriate to research in the chosen area; B8. draw on the strengths and understand the limits of the major quantitative and/or qualitative research methods, and be able to apply this knowledge critically in their own work; B9. draw and reflect upon the relevance and impact of their own cultural commitments and positionings to the practice of research; B10. explore matters which may be new and emerging, drawing upon a variety of personal skills and upon a variety of academic and non-academic sources. Teaching, learning and assessment methods used to enable outcomes to be achieved and Students are taught with a wide mix of teaching methods including lectures, screenings, seminars; tutorials, group and individual project work; Reading and research. Essays; reviews and reports; seen and unseen examinations; individual and group presentations and research exercises. Professional practical skills C1. produce work which demonstrates the effective manipulation of sound, image and/or the written word with particular regard to writing news reports and features.
C2. utilise effectively relevant technical concepts and theories; C3. utilise a range of research skills, for example research into potential audiences, as a production tool; C4. produce work showing competence in operational aspects of media production technologies, systems, techniques and professional practices including shorthand and the use of sources; C5. Produce work in all journalistic media but show a high level of competence in one media discipline; C6. manage time, personnel and resources effectively, by drawing on planning and organisational skills; C7. produce work which is informed by, and contextualised within, relevant theoretical issues and debates; C8. initiate, develop and realise distinctive and creative work within various forms of writing or of aural, visual, audio-visual, sound or other electronic media; C9. experiment, as appropriate, with conventions, techniques and practices; C10. draw upon and bring together ideas from different sources of knowledge and from different academic disciplines; C11. be adaptable, creative and self-reflexive in producing output for a variety of audiences and in a variety of media forms. Teaching, learning and assessment methods used to enable outcomes to be achieved and Students are taught with a wide mix of teaching methods including lectures, demonstrations, screenings, seminars, workshops, work simulations; tutorials, group and individual project work, live projects, supervised independent learning, open and resource-based learning, multi-media and new media learning, production practice, work placements; large and small group and individual learning and teaching situations; tutor-led, student-led and independent learning sessions. Specialist IT resources and other studio-based resources play an important part in the delivery. Essays, reviews and reports; individual and group presentations (whether oral and/or technology-based); critical self- and peer-evaluation; role-analyses/evaluations; logbooks, diaries and autobiographical writing; individual or group portfolios of work (whether critical, creative, self-reflective, or the outcome of professional practice); group and individually produced artefacts, including productions in sound, audio-visual or other media; individual and group project reports; research exercises; tasks aimed at the assessment of specific skills (eg IT skills, production skills, research skills, skills of application); external placement or work-based learning reports. Transferable / key skills D1. critically appraise some of the widespread common sense understandings and misunderstandings of communications and media, and the debates and disagreements to which these give rise; D2. analyse the role which community and participatory media forms may play in contributing to cultural debate and contesting social power; D3. critically evaluate the contested nature of some objects of study within the fields of communication and media and the social and political implications of the judgements which are made; D4. show insight into the range of attitudes and values arising from the complexity and diversity of contemporary communications, media, culture and society, and an ability to consider and respond to these. D5. work in flexible, creative and independent ways, showing self-discipline, self-direction and reflexivity; D6. gather, organise and deploy ideas and information in order to formulate arguments cogently, and express them effectively in written, oral or in other forms; D7. retrieve and generate information, and evaluate sources, in carrying out independent research; D8. organise and manage supervised, self-directed projects; D9. communicate effectively in inter-personal settings, in writing and in a variety of media; D10. work productively in a group or team, showing abilities at different times to listen, contribute and lead effectively; D11. deliver work to a given length, format, brief and deadline, properly referencing sources and ideas and making use, as appropriate, of a problem-solving approach; D12. apply entrepreneurial skills in dealing with audiences, clients, consumers, markets, sources and/or users; D13. put to use a range of IT skills from basic competences such as data analysis and word processing to more complex skills using web-based technology or multimedia and develop, as appropriate, specific proficiencies in utilising a range of media technologies.
Teaching, learning and assessment methods used to enable outcomes to be achieved and Students are taught with a wide mix of teaching methods including lectures, screenings, seminars; tutorials, group and individual project work; Reading and research. Essays; reviews and reports; seen and unseen examinations; individual and group presentations and research exercises. Programme structure - programme rules and modules Programme rules Level 5 - It should be noted that the following programme rules apply (as detailed in the most recent programme review): a pass in the following modules must be achieved in order to progress to level 6. The following level 5 modules are pre-requisites and should not be compensated. All assessment elements in these modules must be passed: 5005JOURN UK MEDIA LAW AND ETHICS 5009JOURN REPORTING UK POLITICS Level 6 - It should be noted that both assessment elements in the following Level 6 module must be passed: 6022JOURN DISSERTATION The programme is taught within the Academic Framework. Modules are of two types; core and options. Modules can be of 12, 24, 36 or 48 credits as specified though within university defined limits (i.e a student may only study a maximum of one 12 credit modules at each level or two 12 credit modules where a single level is being delivered as a two self-contained elements in two locations.) There is one 48 credit module, Advanced Journalism Practice, at level 6 to accommodate the intensive nature of the delivery of the module and the interlinking components of the work that students undertake. Level 6 Potential Awards on completion Bachelor of Arts with Honours Core Option Award Requirements 6016JOURN JOURNALISM CAREERS (24 credits) 6021JOURN ADVANCED JOURNALISM PRACTICE (48 credits) 6022JOURN Dissertation (24 credits) Level 5 6018JOURN SPECIALIST JOURNALISM (24 credits) 6019JOURN SPORTS JOURNALISM (24 credits) 6023JOURN PUBLIC RELATIONS FOR JOURNALISTS (24 credits) Potential Awards on completion 96 core credits at level 6 24 option credits at level 6 Core Option Award Requirements 5005JOURN UK MEDIA LAW AND ETHICS (24 credits) 5009JOURN REPORTING UK POLITICS (24 credits) 5017JOURN Content Generation (24 credits) 5018JOURN INTRODUCTION TO BROADCAST JOURNALISM (24 credits) 5020JOURN INTRODUCTION TO PRINT AND ONLINE JOURNALISM (24 credits) Level 4 Potential Awards on completion 120 core credits at level 5 0 option credits at level 5 Core Option Award Requirements 4000JOURN UNDERSTANDING NEWS MEDIA (24 credits) 4006JOURN INTRODUCTION TO NEWS WRITING (24 credits) 4007JOURN INTRODUCTION TO REPORTING (24 credits) 120 core credits at level 4 0 option credits at level 4
4014JOURN STUDYING AS JOURNALISTS (24 credits) 4017JOURN UK NEWS REPORTING (24 credits) Information about assessment regulations All programmes leading to LJMU awards operate within the University's Academic Framework. https://www.ljmu.ac.uk/about-us/public-information/academic-quality-and-regulations/academic-framework Opportunities for work-related learning ( location and nature of activities) Work placement for four weeks as part of Journalism Careers in level six. Criteria for admission A/AS Level 280 UCAS Tariff points to include a relevant subject (minimum two A2s excluding General Studies) BTEC National Diploma 280 UCAS Tariff points from related subject. Irish Leaving Certificate 280 UCAS Tariff points including 5 subjects at Higher level Scottish Higher 280 UCAS Tariff points International Baccalaureate 29 points form IB Diploma Access Access to HE Diploma in a relevant subject. Of the level 3 units, at least half should be at Merit grade or above. Other Five GCSEs (Grade C or above) required, including English and Mathematics. All applicants are invited to attend interview before an offer is made. Mature entry Mature students (over 21) - Applicants will be considered on individual merit but will need to demonstrate that they have the relevant skills and/or qualifications for entry. Overseas qualifications We welcome overseas applicants who will be considered in line with normal entry requirements. IELTS Score Required Applicants whose first language is not English will be required to have IELTS 7.5 (7.5 in each component) or acceptable equivalent. External Quality Benchmarks All programmes leading to LJMU awards have been designed and approved in accordance with the UK Quality Code for Higher Education, including the Framework for Higher Education Qualifications in the UK (FHEQ) and subject benchmark statements where applicable. The University is subject to periodic review of its quality and standards by the Quality Assurance Agency (QAA) Published review reports are available on the QAA website at www.qaa.ac.uk Programmes which are professionally accredited are reviewed by professional, statutory and regulatory bodies (PSRBs) and such programmes must meet the competencies/standards of those PSRBs. Support for students and their learning The University aims to provide students with access to appropriate and timely information, support and guidance to ensure that they are able to benefit fully from their time at LJMU. All students are assigned a Personal Tutor to provide academic support and when necessary signpost students to the appropriate University support services.
Students are able to access a range of professional services including: Advice on practical aspects of study and how to use these opportunities to support and enhance their personal and academic development. This includes support for placements and careers guidance from the World of Work Careers Service. Student Advice and Wellbeing Services provide students with advice, support and information, particularly in the areas of: student funding and financial matters, disability, advice and support to international students, study support, accommodation, health, wellbeing and counselling. Methods for evaluating and improving the quality and standards of teaching and learning Student Feedback and Evaluation The University use the results of student feedback from internal and external student surveys (such as the National Student Survey), module evaluation questionnaires and meetings with student representatives to improve the quality of programmes. Staff development The quality of teaching is assured through staff review and staff development in learning, teaching and assessment. Internal Review All programmes are reviewed annually and periodically, informed by a range of data and feedback, to ensure quality and standards of programmes and to make improvements to programmes. External Examining External examiners are appointed to programmes to assess whether: the University is maintaining the threshold academic standards set for awards in accordance with the FHEQ and applicable subject benchmark statements the assessment process measures student achievement rigorously and fairly against the intended outcomes of the programme(s) and is conducted in line with University policies and regulations the academic standards are comparable with those in other UK higher education institutions of which external examiners have experience the achievement of students are comparable with those in other UK higher education institutions of which the external examiners have experience and to provide informative comment and recommendations on: good practice and innovation relating to learning, teaching and assessment observed by external examiners opportunities to enhance the quality of the learning opportunities provided to students Please note: This specification provides a concise summary of the main features of the programme and the learning outcomes that a typical student might reasonably be expected to achieve and demonstrate if he/she takes full advantage of the learning opportunities that are provided. More detailed information on the learning outcomes, content, teaching, learning and assessment methods of each module can be found in module and programme guides.