About
The MA in International Multimedia Journalism develops practical skills and critical thinking for journalists and storytellers so they can deliver both short-form and long-form projects on digital platforms.
The course is based in Beijing and is a collaboration between the Beijing Foreign Studies University and the University of Bolton in the UK, with the degree awarded by the University of Bolton. For each annual cohort, we aim to recruit 24 students. Our mixed cohort of international overseas and Chinese students offers a diverse classroom and students benefit from the broad knowledge and experience of peers from every corner of the globe.
The course is one year long, begins in September, and is divided into three terms.
In the first term, through workshops, seminars and short assignments students develop core multimedia skills needed to deliver short-form journalism stories on digital platforms. We teach technical proficiency without losing sight of fundamental newsgathering skills. We work on building essential competencies in Newswriting; Photography, Videography, and Data Visualisation, alongside a critical understanding of contemporary trends in the new media economy. At the end of the term, students complete a practical assignment to deliver a news story within 48 hours, using multiple media formats on a digital platform.
In the second term, students undertake two long-form multimedia journalism feature stories or projects that require both an in-depth understanding of new technologies and a willingness to apply them in the context of entrepreneurial journalism. Half of the term is given to researching and developing the project ideas, taking into account – methodology, audience engagement, and impact, ethics, risk assessment, as well as logistics before in-depth reporting. At the same time, students develop written project proposals that can be used for professional pitches and grant applications.
In the third term, aided by course staff, students individually develop one of their second term projects into a 15-week major assignment that is accompanied by a 5,000-word dissertation that reflects critically on the production and distribution of their story. We place value on channeling students in the directions they choose. This facilitates them to fine-tune skills and to produce a professional-grade journalism project or story that should serve as a portfolio to launch or elevate their chosen career path.
The teaching is delivered by two sets of instructors. Three of our four staff members are also practicing multimedia journalists or storytellers. Between them, they deliver the core training for all the practical skills and conceptual analysis in the course. Working alongside them are a number of highly regarded international journalists who are adjunct lecturers teaching specialized skills and discussing project ideas and editing decisions with the students.
Like most Masters degrees, our program involves completing a series of modules across two semesters alongside timetabled in-class sessions before undertaking an extended individual practical project and dissertation.
- The ‘practical’ component equals 120 credit points or 1,200 hours of study time. Some of this will involve in class-sessions composed of lectures, seminars, workshops and labs, further hours will be spent on individual and group practical assignments.
- The ‘theory’ component equals 60 credit points or 600 hours of study time. Much of this will be individual study time, involving required, recommended, and independent reading, as well as writing the papers and dissertation. It will include some direct tutorial supervision too.
*Our program offers approx 325 hours of scheduled in-class contact hours for the practical modules with a further 50 hours of scheduled in-class contact hours for theory modules.
Applications for 2020-21 are now open. For all inquiries, please email s.lovell@bolton.ac.uk. During holiday periods please email sharron(dot)lovell(at)gmail.com