CENTRE FORJOURNALISM

Medway

The UK’s European university

Graduatestudy

issues ranging from global warmingto share prices and football tofashion, the amateur ethos isinadequate. The modern mediamarket is fast-moving and ultra-competitive. Responsible reportingrequires professional multimediajournalists equipped with cutting-edge academic, vocational andethical skills. Kent’s innovativeprogrammes train and nurturethe journalists of the future.

“Many of the most talentedpeople want to be multimediajournalists. They have drive,ambition, intellectual curiosityand creativity that can’t besatisfied in any otherprofession.”

Tim Luckhurst Professor of Journalism

www.kent.ac.uk/journalism

There is no longer a single publicsphere. Sport, celebrity and the artsclaim places alongside politics,economics and diplomacy as topicsdeserving coverage.

In the past, few successful Britishjournalists were formally qualified.To become a doctor or lawyerrequired rigorous academic andprofessional training, but manyreporters simply muddled through,exercising power without reflectionor responsibility.

Now, to serve the public properly,top reporters, correspondentsand columnists need excellentvocational skills and highly trainedminds.

In a world hungry for accurateinformation and analysis about

Journalism is more thanan exciting and glamorousoccupation. At its best, byinforming what millionsbelieve, holding power toaccount and challenginginjustice, it reinforces themost cherished values ofdemocratic societies. Atits worst, it distorts andmanipulates, so erodingtrust and fosteringprejudice. To survive inthis challenging industry,journalists need to haveprofessional multimediaskills as well as a solidacademic and ethicalbackground.

As new technology offers citizensunprecedented access toinformation, journalism confrontsintriguing new challenges.Traditional media power is facingcompetition from citizen journalismand the anarchic democracy ofthe internet. New skills are at apremium as news migrates tomobile telephones and tablets,video and podcasts proliferate,and blogging expands to do battlewith conventional commentary.

The news industry is in a periodof revolutionary change. Seriousjournalism about public affairsmust compete for attention with anexpanding supply of infotainment.Distinctions between broadcastingand printing are disappearing.

STATE-OF-THE-ART:TODAY’S MEDIA INDUSTRY

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CENTRE FOR JOURNALISM AT KENT

The Centre for Journalismat Kent is leading thedevelopment of journalismas an academic disciplinerooted in professionalnewsroom practice. Ourpostgraduate programmesoffer you the opportunityto research and learnin an environment thatcombines excellence inthe practice of convergent,multimedia journalismwith intellectualleadership in the history,ethics and the futureof the news industry.

Comprehensive teachingOur Master’s programme inMultimedia Journalism embracesconvergent multimedia skills fromthe beginning. Through lectures,seminars and newsroom tutorials,you learn about the history ofjournalism, its love-hate relationshipwith political power and its abilityto influence and reflect popularculture. You also study the ethicsof journalism and specialisttechniques, including investigativereporting, feature writing, livebroadcasting and writing forthe web.

Practical applicationThe taught MA places greatemphasis on the practical reality ofjournalism. You have opportunitiesto put your vocational and academiclearning to use in regular newsroomexercises and work placements inthe news industry. There is also a

campus newspaper to whichstudents contribute and KMTV,the television news company forKent, is based in the Centre.

Expert tuitionStudying in a live newsroomenvironment, complete withdedicated radio and televisionstudios, your tutors are workingreporters and columnists, includingformer editors of nationalnewspapers, foreign correspondentsand web publishers. Theirprofessional expertise iscomplemented throughout byexcellent academic teaching anddebate led by leading historians,political scientists and lawyers.

Professional accreditationWe are proud to be accredited bythe National Council for the Trainingof Journalists (NCTJ), the charitythat works to ensure excellencein the education of journalists. Itis a nationally recognised trainingbody for professional journalists andits qualifications are respectedby employers throughout the UK.The NCTJ describes the MAin Multimedia Journalism asan ambitious course, taught by‘excellent staff members who arecommitted to high standards ofprofessional multimedia journalism’.

Wide-ranging supervisionThe range of research andprofessional interests within theCentre for Journalism meanswe can offer a wide scope forsupervision of research projectsleading to degrees of MA, MPhil

and PhD. The Centre is based withinthe University’s Faculty of SocialSciences and enjoys strong linkswith other academic departments,including the School of History,Kent Law School and the School ofPolitics and International Relations.This encourages collaborative andinterdisciplinary research and jointsupervision.

Perfect news beatThe Centre for Journalism is based at the University’s Medwaycampus. Located next to TheHistoric Dockyard, Chatham, thisdevelopment blends historiccharacter with modern teachingfacilities and information technology.It is also close to central London:a high-speed service connectsChatham to London via Ebbsfleet.

Using the Medway towns as yourlaboratory, you carry out real-timenews assignments around locationsincluding a medieval cathedral,historic warships and 21st-centurydockside developments. The newsbeat is alive with new enterprisesand communities, and connectionsto continental Europe via theChannel Tunnel are fast andconvenient. Medway offerscountless opportunities to practisethe convergent skills of broadcast,print and online reporting.

Excellent facilitiesThe Centre is based in state-of-the-art multimedia newsroomsequipped with the latest audio andvideo-editing technology, two radiostudios and broadcast-quality

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these areas and the Library housesa café, a social learning zoneand four techno booths. The Libraryalso runs a netbook and laptopcomputer loan scheme.

Industry linksCentre staff maintain excellentconnections with local, national andinternational media organisations.Students on the MA in MultimediaJournalism have regular accessto working journalists and canundertake work placements withemployers such as the KM Group,BBC and Associated Newspapers.

Through social events, seminarsand masterclasses, there arefrequent opportunities to questionvisiting professional journalists andto hear their views on editorial andethical controversies. Recent visitorshave included: Allan Little, BBCcorrespondent; Sarah Ivens,formerly of OK! Magazine; GavinEsler, writer and presenter; JonSnow, presenter of Channel 4 News;and Mark Thompson, formerDirector General of the BBC.

Dynamic publishingcultureStaff regularly contribute to books,journals, newspapers andmagazines. These have included:This is Today – A Biography of theToday Programme; Afghanistan,War and the Media; Face the Future:Tools for the Modern Media Age;Mirage in the Desert? Reporting the‘Arab Spring’; Contemporary BritishHistory; Journalism Studies; EthicalSpace; British Journalism Review;Parliamentary Affairs; The Guardian;Media History; The PoliticalQuarterly; The Daily Telegraph;The Independent; The Times;The Sunday Telegraph; The Globeand Mail (Canada); Los AngelesTimes; The New Republic andThe Word.

FundingThe Daily Mail Scholarshipoffers one student per year onthe MA in Multimedia Journalism£5,000 and a work placementat the Daily Mail. Details areavailable at www.kent.ac.uk/journalism/Funding.html

The University of Kent hasestablished a generous fundto support research students.The Vice-Chancellor’s ResearchScholarships are offered at thestandard UK Research Councils’rate and administered under theGraduate Teaching AssistantScheme. For details seewww.kent.ac.uk/scholarships/postgraduate/gta.html

television facilities. There is adedicated postgraduate newsroomopened in September 2010. SuperbApple iMac workstations in ournewsrooms offer a wide range ofsoftware for teaching and researchsupport. Students have access toPress Association news wires, SkyNews Radio and Reuters WorldTelevision news feeds.

The Centre is also home to KMTV,the local television news service forthe county of Kent. KMTV combinesthe University’s expertise andfacilities with the KM Group’sextensive experience in multimediabroadcasting and offers workexperience opportunities tostudents in the Centre.

Our dedicated multimedia website,www.centreforjournalism.co.ukoffers live publishing facilities intext, audio and video. The site isa forum for debate about issues injournalism and the news industryinvolving students and practitionersin Britain and abroad.

Academic resourcesKent’s Medway campus is basedaround listed buildings dating backto 1903 and now combined withstriking modern architecture andinteriors. Academic facilities includethe Grade II-listed Drill Hall Library,which is well-stocked with books,journals and a range of electronicinformation. You have access toa range of support services suchas IT support, library support, andpublic PCs and printers. There iswireless internet access throughout

www.kent.ac.uk/journalism

DID YOU KNOW?The Centre for Journalism’swebsite is central to thedepartment’s culture,providing a publishing platformfor students, a teachingresource and a discussionforum for the industry.

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STAFF PROFILES

Professor Tim Luckhurst:Professor of Journalism;Head of the Centre forJournalism A former editor of The Scotsmanand former BBC News and CurrentAffairs editor, Tim’s researchinterests include the history ofjournalism and the reporting ofconflict from the Spanish Civil Warto the present day. He is the authorof This is Today – A Biography ofthe Today Programme andResponsibility without Power – LordJustice Leveson’s ConstitutionalDilemma, and of essays including:‘War Correspondents 1914-1918 inthe International Encyclopaedia ofthe First World War’; ‘Compromisingthe First Draft?’; ‘Dr Hack,I presume? Liberal Journalism inthe Multimedia Age’; ‘Excellent butGullible People: The Press and thePeople’s Convention’; ‘Online andon death row: Historicising thenewspapers in crisis’; and ‘Anunworkable policy whichencourages the enemy to fight tothe last gasp: The depiction inBritish and American newspapersof the Allied policy of unconditionalsurrender for Germany 1943-1945.’He has written for publicationsranging from Contemporary BritishHistory to the Daily Mail. A graduatein History from the University ofCambridge, Tim’s academic workhas appeared in journals includingJournalism Studies, ContemporaryBritish History and Ethical Space,newspapers and other publications.He is a director of KMTV, thetelevision service for Kent, basedat the Centre for Journalism.

Dr Ben Cocking: Directorof ResearchBen joined the Centre in 2015 asSenior Lecturer and Director ofResearch. His recent publicationsinclude: a chapter on British traveljournalism in Travel Journalism:Exploring Production, Impact andCulture (Palgrave) and articlesin academic journals, such asJournalism Studies (Taylor andFrancis) and Studies in TravelWriting (Routledge). He completedhis undergraduate and Master’sdegrees at Kent and his PhD, onBritish travel writing on the MiddleEast during the 1930s and 1940s.Before joining Kent, he was PrincipalLecturer in Journalism and Mediaand Culture at the University ofRoehampton. At Kent, he leads theCentre for Journalism’s researchstrategy and is responsible for theteaching of politics and politicalcommunications to students on theBA in Journalism and the MA inMultimedia Journalism. He is alsoinvolved in PhD supervision. His

research interests include: traveljournalism, news media and politicalcommunications, travel writing,cultural theory and postcolonialtheory.

Ian Reeves: Director ofLearning and TeachingA former editor of Press Gazette,Ian was responsible for developingthe Student Journalism Awards,the Magazine Design andJournalism Awards, and theinnovative Press Cadets project. Hewas Weekly Business Writer of theYear in the Periodical PublishersAssociation (now the ProfessionalPublishers Association) awards2003. He writes about business andmedia issues for The Guardian andhas written for The Independent andhas a particular interest in digitalmedia publishing. He designed andbuilt the Centre for Journalism’s livepublishing website atwww.centreforjournalism.co.uk andthe Centre’s unique iPad app,available from the App Store. He is

Centre for Journalism

Tim Luckhurst reporting for the Today programme at the end of the Gulf War

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an agency specialising in warreportage. His area of research isconflict reporting. A fluent Russianspeaker, he filed stories from all overthe former Soviet Union, includingChechnya. Richard directed adocumentary for Al Jazeera’s Peopleand Power strand, about a FTSE-250mining company behind a publichealth scandal in Kazakhstan. Hehas also reported and written for the journal Ethical Space onnewsgathering in Syria and Iraq andwrote the essay ‘Reporter Power:News organisations, duty of careand the use of locally-hired newsgatherers in Syria’.

Lee KennyLee is an NCTJ-trained journalistwho has worked on newspapersand magazines in the UK andoverseas. He reported for The Pressin New Zealand on internationalstories, including the Pitcairn Islandsexual assault trials, which madeglobal headlines in 2004. In Jinan,China, he worked as a magazinefeature writer, reporting on thepreparations for the 2008 BeijingOlympics. Before joining the Centre,he was course leader for journalismdegrees at the University ofWolverhampton. He has a Master’sin Contemporary Media andan MA in Film Studies. His researchfocuses on documentary filmand he is researching a PhD oncontemporary British documentary.

David Acheson: Lecturerin Media LawA graduate in Law, David studiedfor an LLM in Media Law at theUniversity of East Anglia, where he

was included in the Dean’s List forAcademic Performance. His PhDdeals with the defamation ofcompanies and considers theEnglish law of defamation as itapplies to corporate claimants.David joined the Centre in thesummer of 2016 to advance theacademic provision of law withinthe Centre. David teaches on bothundergraduate and postgraduateprogrammes. His article: ‘TheDefamation Act 2013: What exactlyis a “body that trades for profit?”‘appeared in the journalCommunications Law.

Rob Bailey: Lecturer inReporting and WritingRob Bailey is a former news editorand chief reporter of the KentMessenger in Maidstone, thecountry’s biggest-selling weeklyweekday newspaper, and a formerKM Group reporter of the year. Hejoined the KM as editorial assistantin 1999 and his first reporting jobwas on the first UK paper foundedin the new millennium, the SwanleyMessenger. He was also seniorpress officer at Kent County Council.In 2015 Rob published an analysisof the first Bloggers’ Bench to beformally recognised by a UK localauthority in the peer-reviewedjournal Ethical Space, ‘CitizenJournalist or Citizen Agitator?Establishing Twitter in Medway’sPublic Sphere’. His researchinterests include the relationshipbetween citizen journalists andthe regional press. A Kent alumnus,he graduated with a BA in Englishand Philosophy in 1999.

lead author of the 5th editionof The Newspapers Handbook(Routledge 2014), co-editor of ‘WhatDo We Mean By Local? GrassrootsJournalism – Its Death and Rebirth’published by Abramis. He is adirector of KMTV, the local televisionservice for Kent, which is based instudios at the Centre for Journalism.

Keith Somerville:Honorary Professorof JournalismKeith Somerville teaches modules in Communication andHumanitarianism and Propaganda –Media, Manipulation and Persuasion.A former BBC World Servicejournalist, he spent three decadesreporting, presenting and editingBBC news progammes. He coveredthe first post-apartheid elections inSouth Africa and the attemptedcoup against Soviet PresidentMikhail Gorbachev. Keith is anexpert in African affairs and theauthor of books including: Africa’sLong Road Since Independenceand Radio Propaganda and theBroadcasting of Hatred. He is thefounder and editor of the websiteAfrica, News and Analysis. He hasextensive experience of teachingjournalism skills in the BBC Collegeof Journalism.

Richard Pendry: Lecturerin Broadcast and OnlineJournalismRichard is a BAFTA award-winningtelevision producer with 20 years’experience as a freelancer, workingin documentaries, news and currentaffairs. In the 1990s, he was amember of Frontline News Television,

www.kent.ac.uk/journalism

Centre for Journalism8

the kit so you can go and do thatoutside of the University.

How will your studies affectyour employment prospects?Since coming here, I have beenon work experience at the KentMessenger newspaper, on BBCSouth East and BBC Radio Kent.I’ve secured a two-week internshipwith Sky News. That’s a directconsequence of being able toshow that I’m not just dedicatedto journalism but that I amtechnically competent and thatI know the law, but also becauseeditors and senior broadcastjournalists from those institutions are coming here, meeting students,and you have a chance to connectwith them.

What are you planningto do next?I’m particularly interested inbroadcast journalism. Mybackground is in politics andeconomics so I would love to beworking in political journalism.

What advice can you offerpotential students of thiscourse?Be ready to work hard. If you wantto be a journalist, this course isgreat. You will be very busy butknow that you will have all thesupport to be ready to apply forjobs. If you work hard you will reallyenjoy it.

Since we spoke, Kishan has beenappointed to the production team at ITN’s Peston on Sunday.

Kishan Koria is studyingfor a taught MA inMultimedia Journalism.

What attracted you to thiscourse?The fact that it is NCTJ accreditedand has the rigour of an MA behindit. I also loved the fact we would betrained in different media platforms:print, television, radio and online.A lot of courses only focus on one.

Why did you choose to study atKent?I came in to have a chat and Tim[Luckhurst] and Gerardo [Calia]showed me around. They were veryfriendly and even let me read off the autocue. The staff all seemedquite hands-on and dedicated tospending time with their students.

What are you particularlyenjoying?I’m really enjoying the technicalside, like how to set up a camerashot and shorthand’s fun! I also likenews days… you listen to the newson the radio and by 5 o’clockyou have produced either a radioor television programme or anewspaper based on that day’snews. You really feel you’veachieved something. There willalways be a place for qualityjournalism. We are bombarded withinformation from all sides. What areally good journalist can do,someone like Faisal Islam, [politicaleditor Sky News] who gave thisyear’s Bob Friend Memorial lecture,is say: ‘This is what happened, thisis what matters to you…’

How do you find the teaching?There’s a good balance. Somepeople have local news experience,which is relevant to what we’redoing now. Some have workednationally and internationally, whichlots of us aspire to do. Someteaching is focused on our NCTJexams. You are balancing academicwork with practical journalism.

What about your fellowstudents?We’re a diverse bunch, about 50%of us are international students. Itgives you a different perspective onwhat you’re studying. Every daystarts with conference, you start the day as if you are a journalist. Itmakes for some lively discussions.

How have you found thefacilities?They are very good. We have topof the range Macs and if I wantedto make a radio piece for a podcastI am working on, they will sort out

STUDENT PROFILES

9www.kent.ac.uk/journalism

look at things the same way which is good when it comes todiscussing news. Different pointsof view make it so interesting.

How do you feel the degree will help your employmentprospects?The degree prepares you for whenyou graduate; you know how toproduce a television or radiopackage, how to write for print. Youhave contacts and know how to goand talk to people. You get so muchout of the year, a lot of us had neverdone radio before, many of us hadnever written for the press, thenyou get to the end of term and knowyou can do all of these things.It’s not a lot of time to get so manyskills and it gives you confidence.

What’s next for you?I would like to be a foreigncorrespondent for a nationalnewspaper. I am looking at workingin Canada; I speak French andEnglish and I think they are lookingfor people who can speak bothlanguages.

What advice can you offerpotential students of thiscourse?Go for it. Don’t be afraid, it’s anenjoyable experience. You meet alot of people and do a lot of things.I didn’t realise I would get so muchout of it. You learn how to use acamera properly, make a radio tapeand now it all seems natural.

Chloe Perceval is studyingfor a taught MA inMultimedia Journalism.

Why did you choose to studymultimedia journalism at Kent?I did my undergraduate degree,Politics and International Relations,at Canterbury as part of mybi-diplôme. I decided to come herebecause I knew the University andI was happy with my experienceas an undergraduate at Kent. Also,the Centre for Journalism has goodresults.

How are you finding thecourse?It’s interesting and diverse. We havepractical sessions on how to use thetelevision and radio kit, how to writea news piece and going out todo our own reports, interviewpeople and make contacts.

What have you particularlyenjoyed so far?I really enjoyed the teaching aboutradio journalism, using the radio kitwas fun. We had sessions on howto write for different kinds of media.I enjoyed learning how to write fordifferent markets: features, newsstories and online. I enjoy newsdays the most. For example, you may have to make a radioprogramme. Everyone hassomething different to do:interviewing, editing, soundrecording or reading the news.At 5pm, all the stories we have beenworking on are introduced by twopresenters – the packages we’vebeen recording, editing or aperhaps a live interview we’ve done

in the studio. We do the samefor print and produce a newspaperfor that day with news, internationalstories and entertainment news.It’s exciting.

How have you been supportedin your studies?The teachers are really helpful. They are always open to us goingto ask them for help or with workopportunities or internships. If youwant to contact someone but don’tknow how to approach a mediaorganisation they will help. The lecturers have differentbackgrounds; some have workedin local news, others havespecialised in international matters.

What about your fellowstudents?We have a lot of internationalstudents. You learn a lot being withpeople who come from all over theworld like Uganda, Germany orSwitzerland. We don’t view the samethings as being important, we don’t

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IMPRESSIVE CAREER PROSPECTS

Kent has an excellentrecord for postgraduateemployment: over 96% ofour postgraduate studentswho graduated in 2015found a job or furtherstudy opportunity withinsix months.

A postgraduate qualification injournalism from Kent opens up awealth of career opportunities byproviding an impressive portfolioof skills, practical experience andspecialist knowledge.

Exciting career options The proliferation of digital televisionand radio channels, websites andnewspapers means Britain hasnever had more news providersthan it has today. From the BBC tolocal free newspapers, journalistsare working round the clock tosupply important, vigorous andentertaining stories.

Awareness of media powerhas created numerous newopportunities for journalists incampaign and pressure groups,online information providers andcorporate business. At the sametime, rapid technological changehas forced journalists to up theirgame, learning new techniques,mastering new skills and producingwork faster than ever before.

Journalism has always been ahighly competitive profession. Thebest and most exciting jobs attracthighly qualified applicants withexcellent vocational and academic

qualifications. The Centre forJournalism aims to producegraduates with the skills, ambitionand confidence to compete at thehighest level.

Transferable skills trainingA degree from Kent’s Centre forJournalism prepares you to workacross broadcast, print and onlinemedia. The skills you acquireinclude working under pressure tostrict deadlines, writing accurate,balanced reports and analysingcomplex material. You learn tocommunicate with non-specialisedaudiences and to present youropinion coherently and with passion.These skills are highly sought afterby employers in many fields.

In addition to the skills andknowledge you gain through yourstudies, work placements andnetworking opportunities, Kentprovides a comprehensive packageof skills training opportunities to helpenhance your career prospects.The University’s Graduate Schoolco-ordinates the Researcher

Development Programme forresearch students, providing accessto a wide range of lectures andworkshops on training, personaldevelopment planning and careerdevelopment skills. The GraduateSchool also delivers the Global SkillsAward programme for studentsfollowing taught programmes ofstudy, which is specifically designedto consolidate your awareness ofcurrent global issues and improveyour employment prospects.

Careers adviceOur award-winning Careers andEmployability Service can help youto plan for your future by providingone-to-one advice at any stage inyour postgraduate studies. It alsooffers online advice on employabilityskills, career choices, andapplications and interview skills.

Further informationFor more information on the careershelp we provide at Kent, visitour Employability web page atwww.kent.ac.uk/employability

Centre for Journalism

11www.kent.ac.uk/journalism

great because I’m given the chanceto do a lot of things you just couldn’tdo at a bigger broadcaster withoutyears of experience. It’s great fun.

How did Kent help you into acareer?First, by showing me the basics inhow to write and find stories, andgiving me the resources necessaryto pass the NCTJ Diploma – a mustfor anyone wanting to get their firstjob in journalism. But also byproviding work experienceopportunities. Towards the end ofmy course the whole year was givena placement at the Kent Messenger,which was influential in me gettingmy first job at the newspaper’sGravesend office. The lecturerswere always available to offeradvice about careers and workexperience, which I found infinitelyhelpful.

How do you see your careerprogressing?I’m hoping the experience I’mgaining at KMTV will eventuallyenable me to become an on-screenjournalist for a major broadcaster.

Ben Kennedy graduatedfrom Kent in 2014 withaMaster’s degree inMultimedia Journalism.He now works as a full-time video journalist atKMTV – an online videonewsroom based at theUniversity of Kent inpartnership with the KMMedia Group.

Can you describe your time atKent?In a word, intense. Not that this wasa bad thing – it was exactly whatI was looking for in a course. Overthe year, I learnt the fundamentalpractical skills it takes to be ajournalist, such as how to write newsstories, media law, shorthand andso on, while given time to exploreand discuss the broader issuessurrounding the trade. I was luckyto be with a lovely group of peoplewho came to study at Kent fromacross the world; we really clickedas a group and spent a lot of timetogether socially. Overall, it wasa tough year but hugely enjoyableand, in my case, the key to gettingmy foot in the door in journalism.

What was good about it?The fact you can study for an MAand an NCTJ Diploma at the sametime. The MA was great for wideningmy knowledge about broader issuesin the media: journalism law, ethics,and so on, but the NCTJ Diplomagave me the core skills necessary to

report the news properly. Everymorning we had a news conferenceled by one of our lecturers, wherewe discussed that morning’s stories,how they were covered in the press,and how we would cover themas journalists. It was great to haveaccess to such state-of-the-artfacilities, too, better than a lot ofnewsrooms I’ve been in.

Did the course live up to yourexpectations?Yes. It was an intense yearof complete immersion in the worldof the journalist, which put me ina position to apply for jobs beforeI’d even graduated.

What are you doing now?After a year’s work as a reporterfor the Gravesend Messenger andthe Dartford Messenger, I’mnow a video journalist for KMTV –the online video department ofthe Kent Messenger in partnershipwith the University of Kent.

Can you describe a typical day?There isn’t one! I’m usually chasingthe biggest stories in Kent providingvideo to go with the online story onKentOnline. This could be anythingfrom a major incident involvingemergency services, to meeting theworld’s smallest sheep (which livesin Dartford). Most days, I’m drivingacross the county to capture storieson film, presenting stories to cameraas well as shooting them myself andediting them. Every evening we havea daily bulletin, for which I’m usuallyeither the presenter or director. It’s

GRADUATE PROFILE

IMPRESSIVECAREERPROSPECTSThe Centre for Journalismhas a reputation for producingbrilliant graduates. Ourstudents are now working asjournalists at Sky News,The Daily Mail, The JeremyVine Show on BBC Radio Twoand The Sun tablet edition.

Centre for Journalism

You also take two modules chosenfrom the following:• Advanced Multimedia Storytelling• Communication andHumanitarianism

• History of Journalism 1500-2000• Political Reporting• Reporting Conflict• Sports Journalism• Propaganda – Media,Manipulation and Persuasion

or• Dissertation.

practise journalism in the UK.Students on this course do notstudy for the National Council for theTraining of Journalists’ Diploma andhave to take the Dissertation asmandatory. Full details are availableat www.kent.ac.uk/journalism

Please note, modules are not fixedas new modules are always indevelopment. Please seewww.kent.ac.uk/pg for the mostup-to-date-information.

Course contentYou take the following compulsorymodules:• British Public Affairs• Journalism Law, Ethics andRegulation

• Practical Multimedia Journalism• Reporting

Multimedia JournalismThe Multimedia Journalism MA is an intensive one-year programme.It is designed to recruit candidateswith an excellent first degree in arelevant subject (such as history,politics, law or English literature),an unambiguous commitment tojournalism and a demonstrable

aptitude for the profession.

The programme teaches multimediajournalism to postgraduate studentsaspiring to build careers in national and international newsorganisations, magazines andregional media. You learn to reportfor newspapers, websites, radioand television in a live newsroomenvironment. Using state-of-the-arttechnology and working to realdeadlines, you upload your workto the internet. Every day beginswith an editorial conference and theprogramme balances intense focuson journalism as practical realitywith intense academic study.

Students can follow one of twopathways:• Multimedia Journalism MA – taught

• Multimedia Journalism MA – with dissertation.

International MultimediaJournalism MAThe International MultimediaJournalism MA, which is taughtalongside the MultimediaJournalism MA, is a one-yearprogramme designed for overseasgraduates who do not wish to

TAUGHT PROGRAMMES

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LOOKING FORFUNDING?Kent has a scholarshipfund of £11.4m to support itspostgraduates. For the latestinformation, please visitwww.kent.ac.uk/scholarships/postgraduate

CONTINUED OVERLEAF

www.kent.ac.uk/journalism

Teaching and assessmentJournalism is demanding as well asfun and your progress is assessedthroughout the Master’s programmeby methods including newsroomexercises, tests and observation of your technical and teamworkingskills. Theoretical and academicanalysis is taught through traditionallectures and seminars. Practicalteaching takes place in thenewsroom. You sit a combination of academic and vocational exams,submit essays and portfolios ofjournalism, and make seminarpresentations. The option tocomplete a 10,000-worddissertation permits you to advanceyour skills in academic research.

NCTJ Diploma inJournalism examinationsYou will also receive intensive,compulsory tuition in TeelineShorthand and prepare for theNCTJ Diploma in Journalismexaminations in Essential MediaLaw, Essential Public Affairs,Multimedia Portfolio, Reportingand Shorthand.

Dissertation Students following the dissertationpathway write a 10,000-word,research-based dissertation insteadof taking taught elective modules.The dissertation counts for a thirdof the final grade.

in the UK. It assesses the key issuesfacing democratic government andinstitutions within the UK, analysingthe role of Europe, the challengesposed by devolution and recentparliamentary changes. There issome discussion of contemporarypolitical behaviour, in particularthe issue of political participation.

Communication andHumanitarianismYou study the changing patterns offoreign news coverage in the periodsince 1945, with particular referenceto the developing world. Casestudies of foreign disasters andmedia interpretation include Biafra,Ethiopia, Rwanda and the Asiantsunami. You consider the role ofcitizen journalism in the coverageof faraway disasters and the mediaunderstandings of aid efforts andhumanitarian intervention. You alsolearn about the emergence andgrowth of NGOs, their use ofmarketing and communicationtechniques, and the role of themedia in raising awareness forcharitable fundraising, including 24-hour news and the CNN effect.

Work placementAll students have access to workplacements in multimedianewsrooms where they put to use inthe workplace the professional andacademic competencies acquiredon the course. Placements arenormally scheduled between Juneand September and are organisedby the Centre for Journalism througha unique partnership with the KentMessenger Group or otheremployers.

Taught modulesAdvanced MultimediaStorytellingBuilding on skills acquired in thecompulsory modules, you learnadvanced professional skills in theuse of cameras, editing softwareand radio and television studioproduction facilities. You workon digital multimedia journalismprojects with support from staff.You study advanced use ofmultimedia authoring software,image manipulation software andprint production facilities. You alsostudy the cultural and professionalimpact of online technologieson planning, reporting, producingand disseminating news.

British Public AffairsThe module provides acomprehensive grounding incontemporary British politics,focusing on recent constitutionalchanges and politicaldevelopments. It also gives anunderstanding and analysis ofthe way that democracy has evolvedin the period of universal suffrage

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“I was attracted to the coursebecause of the impressive listof teaching staff. The lecturersare all practising journalists– they have knowledge andexpertise in journalismthat goes far beyond all thetext books.”

Laura Garcia-Rodriguez BlaMA Multimedia Journalism graduate

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to publish your work in print andonline, or broadcast it as video oraudio. You learn all of these thingswhile working on real stories, usingstate-of-the-art HD cameras, digitalaudio recorders, editing softwareand studio facilities.

Propaganda – Media,Manipulation and PersuasionThis module examines the roleof propaganda as a meansof communication and persuasion.It assesses how the propagandistsseek to convince their audienceof the justice of a cause and howthey seek to change behaviourby inciting hatred and violenceor by encouraging passiveacceptance of their policies. Youstudy and critically assess the roleof propaganda in the two WorldWars, the Cold War, apartheid SouthAfrica, Rwanda and contemporaryconflicts and politics.

ReportingThis module covers the followingareas: different forms of journalismand their structure; distinguishingbetween comment, conjecture andfact; investigative reporting; thereporter’s sources; rewriting a newsstory for another medium, addingsound, pictures, links and interactivecomments; working with usergenerated content; following a crime story/court trial throughpress, online and TV to see how it iscovered; turning contents of officialreports into various forms ofjournalism; textual analysis of thewriting styles of groundbreakingjournalists; study of commonjournalism transgressions.

Reporting ConflictYou study the developmentof conflict reporting from thenewspaper, radio, photographicand newsreel journalism of the1930s to the digital multimediareporting of the 21st century.Through case studies of conflictsin Northern Ireland, Chechnya,the Arab-Israeli conflict and theSpanish Civil War, you considerchallenges facing war reportersincluding patriotism, propagandaand self-censorship. You investigatewar as a severe test of journalisticintegrity, from the role of the BBCin the Second World War to 24-hournews in the era of spin, rebuttal andblack operations.

Sports JournalismYou study the development of sportsjournalism from the beginning of the20th century and learn to producedetailed match reports withinminutes of the final whistle. Theskills taught include how to produceinstant minute-by-minute updatesof live sporting events.

History of Journalism 1500-2000Studying the development of masscommunications from the inventionof the printing press to the age ofYouTube, you learn about therelationship between journalismand political power. You exploreways in which government hassought to censor and repress freereporting and discover the ideasand technologies that set it free.The module involves close studyof journalism during the First WorldWar, in the era of the dictators andits role in the era of broadcast andonline news.

Journalism Law, Ethics andRegulationTopics covered include: conceptsof press freedom; defamation –components and defences; privacy,copyright, breach of confidence;regulation and self-regulationof media; contempt of court;censorship.

Political ReportingYou learn how governmentscommunicate and aboutparliamentary reporting practices.You explore how social mediaand the 24-hour news cycle aretransforming political journalism andassess the merits and shortcomingsof such technological and economicchanges in the production of qualityjournalism.

Practical Multimedia JournalismIn this module, you enhance yourdeveloping reporting skills withthe essential production techniques

Centre for Journalism

TAUGHT PROGRAMMES(CONT)

“This is a great course. It putsyou out into the field fromthe very beginning and helpsyou learn the skills you needto become a professionalmultimedia journalist. Thelecturers are very supportiveand the facilities are excellent.”

Simon Jayawardena,MA Multimedia Journalism

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RESEARCH DEGREES

The Centre for Journalismprovides a particularlyrich and stimulatingenvironment in whichto conduct postgraduateresearch – the range ofresearch and professionalinterests of our staffmeans we can offer a widescope for the supervisionof research degreeprojects.

Our research programmesThe Centre for Journalism offersthe following research degreeprogrammes:• Journalism MA, MPhil, PhD.

The research programmes are bestsuited to those who have a clearand original idea of a topic that theywould like to investigate in detail.The MA by Research can be takenon a one-year full-time basis or overtwo years part-time, and entailsproducing a 40,000-word thesis.

The MPhil is a two-year full-timeor three-year part-time programme.The PhD is available as either athree-year full-time or five-yearpart-time programme. Both theMPhil and PhD programmesdemand a high level of researchand analysis resulting in thesesof 50,000 words (MPhil) or 80,000words (PhD).

SupervisionThe Centre is able to offersupervision on a wide range oftopics and subject areas. For someguidelines as to who might be bestsuited for supervision, please referto the Centre staff profile informationon p6.

Research trainingAll first-year research studentsattend a Methodologies andResearch Skills seminar. Throughthe Faculty of Social Sciences, theCentre provides training in methodsof using sources and can assist infunding applications. In addition,

research students benefit fromthe skills training offered by theUniversity’s Graduate School,see www.kent.ac.uk/graduateschoolfor details.

Research resourcesThe resources for journalismresearch at Kent are led by the DrillHall Library at Medway. The Libraryis well stocked with printed booksand journals and provides accessto a range of electronic information.The journalism collection includesa comprehensive range of texts onthe history, principles and practiceof journalism. Specialist resourcesinclude a complete microfichearchive of popular newspapersof the Second World War. Studentscan access online full-text journalsplus extensive online newspaperresources. The Centre subscribesto all relevant UK journals. Researchstudents can also access theSociety of College, National andUniversity Libraries (SCONUL)scheme to visit and borrow fromother UK libraries.

www.kent.ac.uk/journalism

WORLD-LEADINGRESEARCHKent is judged to haveworld-leading researchin all subjects submittedin the Research ExcellenceFramework (REF) 2014.Kent is ranked 17th* in theUK for research intensityand 97% of our research isof international quality.

*of 122 universities not includingspecialist institutions

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APPLYING TO KENT

Entry requirements Multimedia Journalism MAYou must hold a minimum of a 2.1honours degree or equivalent ina relevant academic subject (eg,politics, history, English, internationalrelations) and have a demonstrableinterest in and aptitude forjournalism. Suitably qualifiedapplicants will be invited to attenda compulsory 30-minute interviewand will be required to sit a two-hourentrance test covering English,news writing and current affairsknowledge. Native-standardEnglish is required. In certaincircumstances, the Centre willconsider candidates who have notfollowed a conventional educationpath. These cases are assessedindividually by the Head of Centreand/or the Director of Learning andTeaching.

International MultimediaJournalism MAYou must hold a minimum of a 2.1honours degree or equivalent in arelevant academic subject (politics,history, English, internationalrelations) and have a demonstrableinterest in and aptitude forjournalism. Suitably qualifiedapplicants will be invited to attenda compulsory 30-minute interview(this can be undertaken remotely).In certain circumstances, the Centrewill consider candidates who havenot followed a conventionaleducation path. These cases areassessed individually by the Headof Centre and/or the Director ofLearning and Teaching.

Journalism MA, MPhil, PhDYou must hold a minimum of a2.1 honours degree or equivalentin a relevant academic subject. Incertain circumstances, the Centrewill consider candidates whohave not followed a conventionaleducation path, for example,working or former journalists whohave acquired a minimum of threeyears’ professional experience inthe news industry. These casesare considered individually.

For more information onrequirements for internationalqualifications, visit www.kent.ac.uk/internationalstudent/country

English languageThe University requires all non-native speakers of English to reacha minimum standard of proficiencyin written and spoken English beforebeginning a postgraduate degree.

For postgraduate programmes inthe Centre for Journalism, youshould provide us with an IELTScertificate with a minimum score of7.5 overall, including 7.0 in reading,writing, listening and speaking, oran acceptable equivalent for the MAin Multimedia Journalism and ascore of 7.0 overall including 7.0 inwriting and 6.5 in reading, listeningand speaking for the MA inInternational Multimedia Journalism.

Only English language tests takenup to a maximum of two years priorto the date of registration will beaccepted for admission to theUniversity. Please note that ifyour university studies have beencompleted entirely in English, youmay be exempt from providing anEnglish test certificate. Pleasecontact International Developmentfor clarification (www.kent.ac.uk/internationalstudent)

Centre for Journalism

17

Come and visit usCome along to our Medway campusto see what it’s like to be a studentat the Centre for Journalism. Wehold Selection Days for those whohave already applied to Kent and weare pleased to welcome individualvisitors by appointment.

Journalism Selection DaysJournalism interviews and testsare held on postgraduate SelectionDays during which you tour thecampus and the newsroom, meetstudents and staff of the Centrefor Journalism, and have ampleopportunity to ask questions aboutyour intended programme of studyand life at the University. SelectionDays are normally held in June.They are attended by those whohave their first degree result andwho have already applied to theCentre for Journalism.

Contacts If you have an enquiry in relation toa specific programme, or would liketo know more about the teachingand research facilities available inthe Centre for Journalism, pleasecontact:Professor Tim Luckhurst,Head of the Centre for JournalismT: +44 (0)1634 202913E: t.luckhurst@kent.ac.uk

Ian Reeves,Director of Learning and TeachingT: +44 (0)1634 888970E: i.reeves@kent.ac.uk

Centre for Journalism,University of Kent, Gillingham Building,Chatham Maritime,Kent ME4 4AG, UKE: journalism@kent.ac.uk

Admissions enquiriesT: +44 (0)1227 827272www.kent.ac.uk/pg

Making an application You can apply for a Kent higherdegree electronically via ourwebsite at www.kent.ac.uk/courses/postgrad/apply

If you do not have access to theweb, please contact the Recruitmentand Admissions Office at theaddress on p18 for a papercopy of the application form.

If you are applying for a researchdegree, it is strongly recommendedthat you contact the Centre forJournalism in the first instanceso that you have an opportunityto discuss your study plans withthe programme director.

Tuition feesFor the most up-to-date informationon tuition fees, visit www.kent.ac.uk/finance-student/fees

www.kent.ac.uk/journalism

ONLINERESOURCESTo watch masterclassesby leading editors andcorrespondents, and toview examples of ourstudents’ work in audio,video and text, please visitwww.centreforjournalism.com

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GENERAL INFORMATION

European connectionsKent is known as the UK’s Europeanuniversity. Our two main UKcampuses, Canterbury andMedway, are located in the south-east of England, close to London,and we also have study locations inBrussels, Paris, Athens and Rome.

We have a diverse, cosmopolitanpopulation with 148 nationalitiesrepresented. We also have stronglinks with universities in Europe, andfrom Kent, you are around two hoursaway from Paris and Brusselsby train.

World-leading researchA great deal of the University ofKent’s research has been rankedas world-leading in terms oforiginality, significance and rigour,according to the ResearchExcellence Framework (REF) 2014,Kent staff were found to beengaged in research of internationaland world-class standing.

Strong academiccommunityAt Kent, our postgraduate studentsare part of a thriving intellectualcommunity that includes staffand students from all our locations.In addition to lectures, seminarsand one-to-one supervisions, ourstudents benefit from a rich andstimulating research culture.

A global outlookKent has a great internationalreputation, attracting academic staffand students from around the world.

Our academic schools are engagedin collaborative research withuniversities worldwide and we offera range of opportunities to studyabroad and an approach that istruly global.

The Graduate SchoolAs a postgraduate student, you alsohave the support of the GraduateSchool, which promotes youracademic interests, co-ordinatesthe Researcher DevelopmentProgramme and the Global SkillsAward, and facilitates cross-disciplinary interaction andsocial networking.

FundingKent provides a variety offinancial support opportunitiesfor postgraduate students. Theserange from research studentships,location-specific funding, sport andmusic scholarships, and fundingspecifically for overseas fee-payingstudents. For further information,see www.kent.ac.uk/pgfunding

Enhanced careerprospectsAt Kent, we want you to be in agood position to face the demandsof a challenging economicenvironment. During your studies,you acquire a high level ofacademic knowledge and specialistpractical skills. We also help you todevelop key transferable skills thatare essential within the competitiveworld of work.

Further informationFor information about applyingto Kent, or to order a copy of theGraduate Prospectus, pleasecontact:The Recruitment and AdmissionsOffice, The Registry, University of Kent, Canterbury, Kent CT2 7NZ, UKT: +44 (0)1227 827272F: +44 (0)1227 827077www.kent.ac.uk/pg

The University also holds Open Days and postgraduaterecruitment events throughout the year. Please seewww.kent.ac.uk/opendays

Centre for Journalism

LocationMedway

FacultyFaculty of Social Sciences

Centre Centre for Journalism

ContactCentre for Journalism,University of Kent, Gillingham Building,Chatham Maritime,Kent ME4 4AG, UK

T: +44 (0)1634 202913E: journalism@kent.ac.uk

ApplicationsOnline at www.kent.ac.uk/courses/postgrad/apply

This brochure was produced in June 2016. The Universityof Kent makes every effort to ensure that the informationcontained in its publicity materials is fair and accurate andto provide educational services as described. However,the courses, services and other matters may be subjectto change. For the most up-to-date information, seewww.kent.ac.uk/pg and for full details of our terms andconditions, see www.kent.ac.uk/termsandconditions

For the University to operate efficiently, it needs to processinformation about you for administrative, academic and healthand safety reasons. Any offer we make to you is subject toyour consent to process such information and is arequirement in order for you to be registered as a student. All students must agree to abide by the University rules and regulations at: www.kent.ac.uk/regulations

19www.kent.ac.uk/journalism

COME ANDVISIT US

University of Kent, The Registry, Canterbury, Kent CT2 7NZ T: +44 (0)1227 764000 www.kent.ac.uk/pg

To find out more about visiting theUniversity, see our website:

www.kent.ac.uk/opendays

DPC 12141306/16PUB779