Compute Scotland

A Scottish university has launched a postgraduate degree that, in being a mix of the traditional and modern, is designed to meet the demands of the fast-changing world of journalism. Sign of the times, options in sport, arts or fashion, but nothing about manufacturing, science and technology. Hang in there all B2B writers and educators, you are still really needed. This is all 'face.'

Glasgow Caledonian University’s new MA Multimedia Journalism will be based at the university’s city centre campus. Accredited by the National Council of Journalists, it will offer core NCTJ elements such as law and shorthand plus ensure all students are taught in digital audio and video newsgathering, editing,production and presentation in its broadcast studios. Other features of the course include options in sports, arts or fashion journalism.

Says programme leader, Ken Garner: “We’re confident this new kind of journalism masters for Scotland will produce the kind of multi-skilled new entrants the industry is looking for.” Any new or recent graduate with a 2:1 honours degree in any discipline who thinks journalism might be for them should find out more.

Glasgow Caledonian University has been teaching accredited journalism since 1991, and currently runs Scotland’s only NCTJ-accredited undergraduate journalism degree, the BA (Hons) Journalism – which also has accreditation pending from the Broadcast Journalism Training Council (BJTC), making it the only journalism programme at any level in Scotland with both such accolades.

Caledonian’s joint venture with Strathclyde University, the Scottish Centre for Journalism Studies (SCJS), which has run a postgraduate diploma and masters between both campuses, is closing this summer after 17 years.

The MA Multimedia Journalism is Caledonian’s independent new offering in response to the SCJS closure. As part of the development of the new masters course, Caledonian is also this year conducting a major upgrade of its TV studio facilities and recruiting two new teaching staff, a lecturer in broadcast and online journalism, and a lecturer in international and business journalism.

Source: http://www.gcal.ac.uk

Date/time:

Wednesday 18th June 2008, 11:33

Name:

Ken Garner

Comments:

only three typos. Not too bad for an email. Apologies - KG

Date/time:

Wednesday 18th June 2008, 11:24

Name:

Ken Garner

Comments:

Many thanks for the mention of the new programme to your network. Might I just add something to reassure those interested and concerned over scientific, technical and manufacturing writing standards and education? As the son of IBM Europe's former head of tehcnical documentation (retired), and therefore having grown up with issues of technical writing all around me, this is a subject close to my heart! In the press release we only chose to mention those options - which count for one quarter of the diploma element of the Masters - we have already written, which we think based on our experience in the area will be of most immediate interest to the modest class size of would-be journalists we anticipate recruiting for next session. But we have also written an option on Business Journalism (which I will lead as a former financial journalist myself), and indeed plan in phase two of our strategy to launch a second, specialist programme, an MA in International Business Journalism, in Sept 09. We also will be from 09 the only postrgaduate journalism programme in the UK as far as we know that will offer an option in Public Relations, which we already run in two other Masters programmes in our Business School. Beyond that, we are looking to develop further specialist optiions as we go along - to offer to both these programmes, and perhaps to non-journalism postgraduates in other schools as well - that would play to Glasgow Caledonian's strengths in running accredited qualifications for health, technical and medical occupations. I am in discussion with colleagues in our Life Sciences School about a possible option in Science and Forensics for Crime Journalism, for example. Longer term, we would love to develop options in topics such as Health Journalism (drawing on our university's expertise in dietetics, pharmaceuticals, physiotherapy, for example), and Computing & Technology. The key thing is, we have structured a programme that now for the first time enables all that to happen in a professional journalism programme, if we want. That's all for the future, but where there's a will....

thanks again

Ken Garner
Senior Lecturer in Journalism and Media
Glasgow Caledonian University
k.garner@gcal.ac.uk

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New Scottish University journalism degree