English and Journalism

Skills

Journalism and English combines aspects of BA English Literature and BA Journalism to create a contemporary blend of analytical skills.

Our priority is ensuring that you graduate with a professional skillset. This includes:

• Being a sophisticated reader of literary and journalistic texts and refining your professional reading, editing, and writing skills.
• Becoming adept at switching your style to suit different communicational and professional contexts.
• Developing skills in research and analysis of texts, problem solving, digital content creation, journalistic practice, and copywriting.
• Getting hands-on experience with our in-house publisher, Fincham Press, as well as getting involved with our literature, journalism, and creative writing society and wider school events.
• The option of developing creative non-fiction writing skills alongside your literary ones.

Learning

Experience a dynamic, contemporary curriculum working with leading experts.

You will evaluate literary texts and produce journalism through coursework made up of essays, presentations, creative options and digital portfolios of your choosing. Working in both small groups and individually, in your first year you’ll enjoy a mix of lectures and seminars as you work through progressive modules on topics such as:

• Visual Texts and Storytelling.
• The Journalist's Relationship to the Wider World.
• Practical Journalism.
• Creative Non-fiction and Professional Writing.
• The Role of Literature and Print in the Contemporary Media Landscape.

Throughout the course, you’ll be supported by a dedicated and passionate team of lecturers and sector professionals.

Assessment

Push yourself further with real-world assignments that get you ready for the world of work.

Throughout the course, you’ll experience a wide range of assessments that enhance your understanding, your critical and creative thinking, and your practical skills, while giving you a taste of professional practices within the workplace. These include:

• Digital portfolios.
• Research project presentations.
• Critical and reflective essays.
• Practical assessments involving research and data collection.
• Creative and journalism writing, including magazine writing, writing reviews and creating travel features.

Career

The programme is tailored to prepare you for the modern media industry.

From the basics of news reporting and the emergence of new media, to the production of magazines and multimedia packages, literary magazines, and publishing, our programme offers hands-on, practical modules that focus on the skills employers want.

Our graduates have gone on to work as:

• Journalists
• Copywriters
• Podcasters
• Librarians
• Editors
• Teachers
• Social media marketers
• Policy advocates
• Radio presenters
• Script editors