In common with all courses at the University of the Arts London, this course is credit rated. The course is 3 years, levels 4-6. Each year requires you to achieve 120 credit points.
To be awarded the BA (Hons) Magazine Journalism and Publishing qualification, you need to accumulate a total of 360 credits. All modules listed below are compulsory.
Year 1
In the first year of the course, you’ll be introduced to the core skills of journalism and production while gaining an overview of the magazine environment, including defining what magazines are today and their publishing processes and priorities.
Introduction to Magazine Journalism and Publishing (20 credits)
You’ll be introduced to the course, key approaches for the study of magazines, and skills required for independent and collaborative learning.
Exploring Magazines (20 credits)
This theoretical unit situates magazine publishing within a broader cultural and social context. You’ll begin to grasp the subtleties of how publishers have defined and responded to the needs of their audiences.
Essential Journalism Skills (20 credits)
You’ll develop the basic skills of producing magazine journalism for print and online, and focus on shaping your content to fit the editorial ethos and tone of voice of specific publications.
Multiplatform Journalism (20 credits)
You’ll be introduced to multiplatform content creation and the role of the editor in developing cross-platform editorial treatments. You’ll put forward a strategy to promote your work on social media.
Law and Ethics (20 credits)
This unit covers the legal and ethical boundaries within which journalists and publishers operate, including defamation, privacy, contempt and copyright.
Art, Design and Production (20 credits)
You’ll focus on the magazine production process and learn how to use industry-standard software for designing across print and digital platforms. In doing so, you’ll consider how visual aspects contribute to the personality and editorial tone of a publication.
Year 2
You’ll draw together learning gained on individual units in Year 1, and focus on collaboration and experimentation via individual and group projects. You’ll develop your professional skills through an industry placement or live industry brief, and in the Option Unit, you’ll have the opportunity to choose from a number of topics – giving you the flexibility to follow areas of particular interest.
The Business of Magazines (20 credits)
You’ll learn more about magazines as commercial entities, investigating the methods publishers employ to generate sustainability and growth.
Multiplatform Magazine Publishing (40 credits)
As part of a team, you’ll conceive, create and publish a multiplatform magazine. You will further develop your journalism, editing and production skills while also drawing on publishing business skills to develop the brand while growing your readership and community.
Option Unit (20 credits)
You'll choose to pursue academic or practice-based research in a specific area of journalism or publishing. Topics may include branded content, social justice journalism, or magazine design and branding.
Researching Magazines (20 credits)
You’ll explore a combination of theories for analysing magazine publishing activities alongside essential academic skills to prepare for Year 3’s Dissertation Unit, such as the use of sources, research methods and how to write a literature review.
Professional Practice (20 credits)
You’ll have a choice of either completing a period of work experience or collaborating on specific briefs provided by media industry partners.
Year 3
You’ll bring together all of your learning across the previous 2 years, giving you the opportunity to create work according to your areas of interest, and to demonstrate your ability to work independently with a high degree of professionalism.
Final Major Project (60 credits)
You’ll use a range of journalistic, editorial, organisational and business skills to create – and, if you wish, to launch - a new magazine publishing project of your choice.
Dissertation (40 credits)
You’ll write a dissertation on a magazine-related topic, carrying out relevant primary and secondary research under 1-to-1 supervision. This also offers great preparation for further study at MA level.
Entrepreneurial Practice (20 credits)
You’ll have the opportunity to focus on career options, preparing you for life post-graduation.
