BA Multimedia Journalism

LT131 Practical Reporting, Interviewing and Production (single honours)

This module, compulsory for single honours students, introduces you to the basics of reporting and editing, core skills for all jobs in journalism. You will be given practical  assignments from an early stage. In addition, through the contemporary history series of lectures, you’ll learn about how events of recent years provide perspective and context to today’s news stories. Work experience is compulsory for this module and you will be assessed on your performance on your attachments. 30 credits

LT133 Media Law

This 30-credit module, compulsory for single honours students, provides you with a broad introduction to the law and how it affects the practice of all varieties of journalism. The module will enable you to sit the NCTJ Essential Media Law (early in your second year), which is an element of the NCTJ Diploma in Journalism. You will also be ready to sit the separate NCTJ exam in Media Law Court Reporting.

LT134 Reporting Politics

This module, compulsory for single honours students, provides an introduction to the workings of central and local government and social and political institutions at local, national and global levels, in the context of reporting the workings of government at all levels in an informed and engaging way. It also contributes to the NCTJ Diploma in Journalism. At the end of the module you will sit the NCTJ examination in Essential Public Affairs. 30 credits

LT230 Newspaper Production Project

This module, optional for single honours students, offers the opportunity to work collaboratively to conceive, create, design and publish a newspaper supplement which will be distributed with the Colchester Gazette. 15 credits

LT237 Advanced Media Law and Ethics

In this module, compulsory for single honours students, you will complete your studies in the principal areas of the law relating to journalism, and prepare for and sit the NCTJ examinations in Media Law and Court Reporting. You will also expand your exploration of media regulation, the Ofcom Broadcasting Code, the Editors’ Code of Practice, and other expressions of good, ethical practice. 15 credits

LT238 Research and Data Handling

This module, compulsory for single honours students, helps you develop your skills in research and investigation with particular reference to the new areas emerging on the web, through the Freedom of Information Act and through social media. It will also give you confidence in handling statistics-based stories, questioning methodology and assumptions and making your own judgements about data and statistics. 15 credits

LT312 Advanced Practical Journalism

This module, compulsory for all students, builds on everything you have learned so far about writing, reporting and production - with a particular emphasis on the broadcast media of radio and television.  30 credits

LT313 Newsroom Practice

The aim of this module, compulsory for all single honours students, is to prepare you to start work on your LT314 Multimedia Project, planning and mapping it, doing the essential background work and making approaches to those you may need to interview or from whose expertise you may seek to benefit. 15 credits

LT314 Multimedia Project

This module, compulsory for single honours students, represents your ‘capstone’ project. It is a piece of work that you have carried out on your own. It will demonstrate your command of much that you have learned and practised during your first two years in terms of defining a story, gathering information, conducting research, handling data and statistics, newsgathering by means of interviews, reading and other means, and presentation. 45 credits

LT315 Specialist Journalism

This module enables you, as a single honours student, to pursue a subject of interest to you in greater depth, with a possible view to putting the knowledge and experience to use in a journalism role at some stage in your career. It involves you identifying and working with a mentor who is a leading practitioner in the field, and who is prepared to help you with access and advice as you research and produce a number of stories related to your specialism, in any medium. 30 credits