Course description
The course, now in its eighth year, is run jointly between City University London and Queen Mary University of London. It is based on City’s practical journalism teaching and Queen Mary’s broad range of history modules. Students learn the full range of skills relevant to a career in journalism, including writing for and designing newspapers and magazines, editing and production for radio and TV and web journalism. They will also have a rigorous academic education in contemporary history, which is likely to be valuable in a career in journalism.
Course content
Year 1
Journalism:
Core modules:
* Journalism
* History of journalism
Optional module:
* A foreign language
* The British media
Contemporary history: students choose four units, mainly from broad introductory modules such as 'The American Century'; 'Europe Since 1890'; and 'The Road from 1945: Britain since the Second World War'. There is also the opportunity to take skills-based modules such as methods of history.
Year 2
Journalism:
Students take two modules in practical journalism:
* Reporting and Features
* Production (print and radio)
They also choose between five options:
* A foreign language
* British government
* International news
* Pitman Teeline shorthand
* British magazines
Contemporary history: Students progress to more specialised modules from a wide range of options available at Queen Mary. Many of these modules will develop knowledge gained during the introductory modules taken at level one (and often they will have a pre-requisite which indicates this). Students can also choose from a range of history modules offered at other colleges within the University of London (with the exception of SOAS and LSE).
Final year
Journalism:
All students take the following modules:
* Advanced practical journalism
* Media law and ethics
Students also choose between specialist journalism modules or a project. In advanced practical journalism, they have a choice between print and broadcast modules.
Contemporary history: Students take either a four-unit history research dissertation or a four-unit special subject (a module taught in a small group format and focusing on primary sources). A meeting is held for second year students in the Spring semester to explore these options well before the start of the final year. Students wishing to take a special subject can choose from a range offered both by Queen Mary and other history departments within the University of London.
UCAS codes
PV51 BA/JCH
Institution code name: QMUL
Institution code: Q50
(Note that applications through UCAS must be submitted to Queen Mary, University of London)
duration
3 years or 4 years with professional placement or study abroad
Home > Study at City > Courses > Journalism and Contemporary History BA
Journalism and Contemporary History BA
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Course overview
The course, now in its eighth year, is run jointly between City University London and Queen Mary University of London. It is based on City’s practical journalism teaching and Queen Mary’s broad range of history modules. Students learn the full range of skills relevant to a career in journalism, including writing for and designing newspapers and magazines, editing and production for radio and TV and web journalism. They will also have a rigorous academic education in contemporary history, which is likely to be valuable in a career in journalism. Students have the opportunity to spend a year abroad studying or working on placements.Details about the course, students’ work and alumni destinations can be seen at www.jchstudents.co.uk
Career prospects
Graduates of this unique course are working in national newspapers and magazines in Britain and abroad, including The Guardian, The Daily Mail and The Sun and for international agencies including Associated Press and Bloomberg, as well as in TV and radio.
Studying history at Queen Mary, University of London
Queen Mary’s Department of History is specially reputed in the teaching of contemporary history. It was described by The Scotsman as “possibly the best school of modern political history” in Britain. Many of the staff research and publish on subjects in recent history, particularly the politics, government economics and diplomacy of Britain, Europe and North America. The department also has specialisms in the cinema history of Britain and the USA. Several students a year already enter media and media management as careers after graduation.
Queen Mary has also taken full advantage of its location just to the east of the City, which is easily accessible from central London. The Department has nurtured links with former Cabinet ministers, senior civil servants and media professionals, who are able to discuss with students their own direct experience of the period of history which the students are studying.
Teaching and assessment
Journalism teaching has a practical emphasis. Students learn journalistic skills such as reporting a speech, presenting radio news, interviewing and designing pages. Some professional issues such as journalism law and ethics and the chosen history subjects are taught in lectures, seminars and tutorials. As professional work experience is the key to getting a job in journalism, all students are expected to arrange a variety of placements during their degree, and tutors help with setting this up.
The course is assessed by coursework and examinations. For the practical journalism subjects, assessment is split 60/40 between coursework and examinations.
Professional placement and study abroad
Students are encouraged to spend the third year either on one of the exchange programmes arranged by City to journalism schools abroad, or doing work placements or paid work in the journalism industry. To date students have studied abroad in Europe, at the University of Queensland in Brisbane, at various Canadian universities (in Ottawa, Toronto, Montreal) and in Hong Kong. Others have worked for TV companies, newspapers, publishing houses and websites in the UK and overseas.
