Programme Overview:

The MA in Journalism is designed to provide in-depth and wide-ranging training and education for prospective entrants to the profession. It balances practical, theoretical, technical and analytical elements in a manner appropriate to the changing media environment and the new, and increasingly diverse, demands being made on entrants to journalism.

Programme Description:

This is an intensive, full-time programme that aims to provide a rounded understanding of journalism, as well as providing students with a core set of media practice skills. A media work placement is an integral part of the programme.

Scholarships:

Two scholarships are available for the MA in Journalism: the Veronica Guerin Memorial Scholarship (deadline April 14, 2009) and the John Thompson Marketing & Media Scholarships (deadline March 31, 2009).

Programme Structure:

The programme consists of taught courses for two semesters, with a project or dissertation and a trainee placement over the summer period. Thus, it runs for just less than a calendar year, from September to September. The project/dissertation is expected to be a major piece of academic media research or a major journalistic project.

All students receive training in both print and broadcast journalism. The organisation and number of the various modules for the programme, and the internal content of modules, may vary slightly from year to year.

All modules are marked, in part or in whole, by continuous assessment. This takes a range of forms, including simulated newsroom exercises, preparation of features and news stories for print, packages for radio, essays and seminar presentations. Examinations are set in some of the taught modules.

Each student is required to take part in the INTRA programme, which provides a placement with a media organisation during the summer period. The placement is not graded, but its satisfactory completion, including submission of a work report, is a prerequisite for the award of the degree.

View the subjects currently taught on this course (2009 - 2010)

Entry Requirements:

Up to 25 places are offered at each annual intake to the programme.  To be considered for admission, applicants must have, at minimum, a second class honours degree (or demonstrate, on the basis of results to date, a reasonable expectation of fulfilling this requirement before entry to the programme).  Places also may be made available for candidates who have relevant professional experience.

Application Process

Applicants are asked to submit to PAC, along with their other paper documentation, a hard copy of an article of c. 750 words of their own composition, written for a specific publication [published or unpublished]. If the article has been published, state when and in which publication. If the article is unpublished, indicate the newspaper or periodical for which you think your submission would be best suited.  Also required are original or certified copies of transcripts of examination results, including confirmation of English language competency where applicable, and a personal statement outlining the reasons why you want to study on this programme.

Send all documentation to PAC.  Do not send a sample portfolio.  Short-listed candidates may present further work samples at interview.

Assessment by Interview
Candidates should note that entry to the programme is competitive, and the selection process includes shortlisting of candidates for interview on dates designated by the University.  Shortlisted candidates book their interview date and time through the Postgraduate Applications Centre (PAC) website (www.pac.ie/dcu). Interview slots will be allocated on a first come, first served basis. It is not possible to accommodate other interview dates. Shortlisted candidates are expected to be available for interview on or around 29th May, 30th May 2010.  For those who cannot attend on those dates, because of special circumstances, a limited number of interviews will be conducted on or around 20th June 2010. 

International Applications
International candidates are expected to have educational qualifications of a standard equivalent to those outlined above. In addition, where such candidates are non-native speakers of the English language they must satisfy the university of their competency in the English language. For further information on international applications click here.

Dates for Submission of Applications 2010

EU Applicants
Apply online through the Postgraduate Applications Centre (http://www.pac.ie/dcu) by 30th April 2010.  No late applications can be considered.

Non-EU Applicants
Apply online through the Postgraduate Applications Centre (http://www.pac.ie/dcu) by  30th April 2010.  No late applications can be considered.  Applicants who require a study visa for the purposes of gaining entry into Ireland are advised to apply as early as possible.

Applying through the Postgraduate Applications Centre (http://www.pac.ie/dcu)
When applying for this programme use the PAC code DC600

Queries on completed applications should be emailed to registry.pac@dcu.ie

See what past graduates did

Additional Features:

Candidates should note that entry to the programme is competitive, and the selection process includes shortlisting of candidates for interview on dates designated by the University. Shortlisted candidates book their interview date and time through the Postgraduate Applications Centre (PAC) website (www.pac.ie).

Interview slots will be allocated on a first come, first served basis. It is not possible to accommodate other interview dates. Telephone interviews are conducted only in exceptional circumstances and at the discretion of the School of Communications.

In order to maintain the strict fairness of the process, canvassing is forbidden and will result in disqualification of the candidate.

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