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
Year 1 is a broad introduction to all aspects of conceiving, creating, producing and publishing magazines – both practically and contextually.
Introduction to Magazine Journalism and Publishing (20 credits)
Provides an introduction to core themes and practices that characterise the course and to the College and its learning environment. Students will have a series of inductions to college facilities such as book-binding, the print room and the photography studio.
Essential Journalism Skills (20 credits)
Students will learn the core skills of effective story telling, such as researching, news gathering and interviewing, to create engaging news and features for magazine markets.
Magazines and Culture (20 credits)
Provides a thorough introduction to the history and culture of the magazine from the 18th century to the present day. Students look at different magazine genres from lads mags to celebrity titles, women’s publications to digital artefacts, and draw on international perspectives.
Lifestyle Journalism (20 credits)
Develops core journalism skills to create a range of written lifestyle features for consumer and customer magazines.
Art, Design and Production (20 credits)
Introduces the techniques and tools involved in magazine design - namely typography, picture editing and page layout through the creation of digital and print zines.
The Magazine Industry (20 credits)
Outlines the commercial aspects of magazine publishing, drawing on case studies, histories and theoretical analysis to understand how magazines identify and maintain their market position.
Year 2
Year 2 offers opportunities for collaboration, experimentation and specialization via individual and group projects and real industry briefs. Students also deepen their understanding of the publishing business and examine current and future trends within the industry.
The Business of Magazines (20 credits)
Places an emphasis on the importance of the economic imperative of sustainability and growth for media products, the understanding of ‘audience’ and market segments and the managing of creativity.
The Business Plan (20 credits)
A hands-on exploration of the importance of establishing financial and commercial structures in the publishing industry, skills developed include: market analysis, assessing the competition and managing human resources.
Print Magazines Production (20 credits)
An editorial project based around the creation of a print magazine from initial idea to final product.
Researching Magazine Contexts (20 credits)
Drawing on media and cultural theory, this unit examines historical, current and evolving issues and trends within publishing and media industries.
Digital Magazine Production (20 credits)
Students conceive, design and build their own digital magazine. This project includes the production of text, audio, video and other forms of content alongside platform-reader interactivity.
Collaborative Project (20 credits)
Working for an external client this unit provides real-life commercial experience. Student teams, with specific roles and responsibilities, provide the research, analysis, concept generation, and communication towards a final publishing solution.
Year 3
Year 3 enables students to bring together all that they have learned – conceptually and practically - via an in-depth research project; to engage with professional practice through the creation of a high-quality client magazine (the ultimate live brief) and consider the relationship between publishing, management and the creative industries
Client Publishing Project (40 credits)
Working to a detailed brief, students will learn how to manage an editorial project, taking on roles in areas such as planning, commissioning or producing high-quality content across a number of genres and media. This will be fulfilled alongside broader publishing functions including promotion, advertising sales and distribution.
Media Management (20 credits)
In the era of multi-platform media, magazine publishers are now a myriad of entities, from large digital global media companies through to small creative enterprises, ‘independents’.
This unit examines this media industry diversity with a focus on the organisations involved, the processes underway and patterns of commercial success.
Final Major Project (60 credits)
Students have the opportunity to pursue an extended piece of work on a topic in which they have a special interest either through the creation of an original editorial artefact such as a print magazine or digital product or by researching a specific area relevant to the course via a formal dissertation.
