Bachelor of Arts (Journalism)

Course Overview

If you are a budding reporter or are curious about the world around you and like to write, or have a passion for radio, television or social media, then this is an ideal programme for you. The BA Journalism is an exciting programme for University of Galway (reformed for 2019) which offers you an opportunity to gain highly coveted communication and media production skills while undertaking an Arts degree.

This four-year degree programme combines academic study with practically-focused modules that give you real world experience of what it is like to work as a journalist. You’ll be introduced to news and feature writing, reporting a ‘beat’; reading the news on radio and video editing to tight deadlines. You’ll have the opportunity to study abroad and undertake a work placement in a media company. You’ll also get an opportunity to expand your understanding of the media through challenging modules in critical media studies and communication.

The joint honours degree lets you choose a second Arts subject that interests you from a range of options, giving you a breath of knowledge and experience.

Key Facts

Entry Requirements

Additional Requirements

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)

Course Outline

The BA Journalism degree is designed to give you high-level digital skills in media production and editorial practice, and introduce you to key debates and ideas from the world of media and communication. You will gain skills across four years in news writing and reporting, writing for features and magazines, radio reporting, multimedia, social media and television. There are optional modules in data journalism and sports reporting. You’ll also be guided through modules in media and communication that examine key issues and debates in the media such as ethics, regulation, ownership, bias, privacy, and the role of the media in democratic society.

In your first year, you’ll take four modules in journalism, media and communication and you can choose to take two Arts subjects from English, History, Economics, Philosophy, Law, Politics and Sociology, Modern European languages (French, Italian or Spanish), Gaeilge or IT. At the end of first year you can choose to continue with one Arts subject along with journalism in a joint honours format to degree level.

In your third year you have the option to undertake an international study exchange and/or a work placement in a media company. Students taking a language will spend at least part of their year studying their language in a European country.

By the end of the four-year degree programme you’ll have an excellent understanding of the media and leave with in-demand communications skills that will set you up for careers in media production, journalism and the wider field of communication. You’ll also have strong interpersonal, critical thinking, judgement and decision making, and teamworking attributes, as well as understanding of innovation, making you ideally suited for employment. You’ll have the opportunity to pursue specialist training via Masters programmes on offer at University of Galway. 

Curriculum Information

Year one

Introduction to Media and Communication – 5 Credits
History of Media – 5 Credits
This is the News – 5 Credits
Radio Fundamentals – 5 Credits
Choose two Arts subjects (20 credits x 2) 

Year Two
Interviewing and Reporting – 5 credits
Power without responsibility – 5 credits
Social media: theory and practice – 5 credits
Broadcasting – 5 credits
MICEE - Media innovation, creativity, entrepreneurship and employability – 5 credits
Choose either Sports Journalism (5 credits) Or Feature writing and magazines (5 credits)
Continue with your chosen Arts major

Year three
Work internship or International study exchange: Full year
(or you can choose to do a split year, one semester internship and one semester of study abroad) 

Year Four
Multimedia newsdays (10 credits)
Global Political Economy of the Mass Media (5 credits)
The contemporary Irish media: Ethics, rules and regulation (5 credits)

Choose from:
Final project (documentary; investigative project; or long-form feature) (5 credits)
We need to talk about sex, gender and the media (5 credits)
Data journalism (5 credits)
The revolution will be televised (5 credits)
Social media audience development (5 credits)
Television journalism (10 credits)

Further Education

University of Galway offers a range of innovative and specialist professional postgraduate programmes including the MA Journalism, MA Sports Journalism and Communication, MA Broadcasting. The BA Journalism qualifies you to apply for a place on University of Galway.

MAs offered by the Discipline, as well as postgraduate study in other universities. University of Galway is well recognised internationally and graduates from this programme have successfully completed postgraduate study in the UK, EU and other top international universities. For more details of MA programmes on offer at University of Galway, see here.

MA Journalism, the MA Sports Journalism and Communication and the MA Broadcasting. The BA Journalism qualifies you to apply for a place on University of Galway MAs offered by the Discipline, as well as postgraduate study in other universities. University of Galway is well recognised internationally and graduates from this programme have successfully completed postgraduate study in the UK, EU and other top international universities. For more details of MA programmes on offer at University of Galway, see here.  

Why Choose This Course?

Career Opportunities

Who’s Suited to This Course

Learning Outcomes

Transferable Skills Employers Value

Work Placement

Study Abroad

Related Student Organisations

Course Fees

Fees: EU

Fees: Tuition

Fees: Student Contribution

Fees: Student levy

Fees: Non EU

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