Multiplatform and Mobile Journalism - MA
Our MA in Multiplatform and Mobile Journalism is a cutting edge course designed to give you the video, online, audio and social media skills needed to work within a growing number of jobs in the media and beyond.
Accredited by the Broadcast Journalism Training Council, you’ll study under internationally renowned course leaders in a city with a vibrant cultural sector. You’ll learn exciting new skills in online and broadcast journalism, interactivity and data journalism, social media storytelling, and multimedia production.
What's covered in the course?
Like journalism itself, this practical course is fast and dynamic, and you’ll be expected to work in a range of newsroom contexts within weeks of starting your course.
Under the guidance of award-winning journalists who have worked with organisations ranging from the BBC and The Bureau of Investigative Journalism to commercial radio and magazines, you’ll develop a keen eye for a story. You’ll also develop advanced newsgathering and data journalism techniques that help you establish the facts, experience how to work within a range of newsroom contexts and tell those stories across a range of online, broadcast and social media platforms.
You’ll have access to some of the industry’s most respected journalists who are working in the field now, learn about the legal, commercial and ethical contexts surrounding the future of journalism. During your study you’ll have the opportunity to work in a live newsroom context as you make a name for yourself in your chosen sector.
You’ll also have access to the facilities at the university’s new Parkside campus, including radio and TV studios, and audio and video editing suites. You’ll have access to video and still cameras, audio recording equipment and mobile journalism kits to get out and capture the story. You’ll be expected to find and report stories regularly, experimenting with new formats and platforms while exploring and testing the latest research into this exciting period in journalism’s development.
As the course progresses you will develop more specialist skills and connect with others already in the industry, building your reputation as you prepare to enter the industry.
“The course was an instrumental part in getting my first job in the industry. It enabled me to practice and improve my skills and the tutors challenged me throughout the course to fulfil my potential. BCU has close links to the top journalism organisations in Birmingham and teach in line with the most up-to-date industry thinking. The emphasis on mobile also sets the course apart from others in the country." Katie Brooks, Trends Reporter, Birmingham Live
Why Choose Us?
- Our unique partnership with HuffPost UK will give you the chance to receive tutorials and masterclasses from the HuffPost UK team, as well opportunities for placements and visits to their bureaus.
- You will be taught by a team of passionate professionals with vast industry experience with our staff having worked for the BBC, regional newspapers and radio stations as journalists, producers, reporters and more.
- Course director Paul Bradshaw is the author of a number of books in the field, including Mobile-First Journalism, the Online Journalism Handbook, and Snapchat for Journalists.
- You’ll have access to some of the best minds and practitioners in multiplatform journalism as the school regularly has visiting guest speakers and lecturers. Guest lecturers have included Twitter’s Joanna Geary, The Times’s Julian Burgess and Jonathan Richards, and Trinity Mirror’s Alison Gow.
- Graduates have gone on to occupy senior positions in the media as Group Digital Editor, Homes Editor, Associate Professor, Global Brand Manager, Media Executive and Consultant.
- You’ll have the chance to work on live projects to gain industry experience. Students have worked with The Mirror, Bureau of Investigative Journalism, Reuters, Centaur magazines, BBC and ITN.
- The BBC’s newly launched Data Unit in the city, as well as a Guerilla Unit that focuses on new interactive forms of storytelling, regularly work with students and the university.
- Employers including national broadcasters, newspapers, websites and magazines regularly contact Birmingham City University to promote new roles demanding the online skills you will learn on the course.
- You’ll be joining a course accredited by the BJCT.
Open Evening
Our next Postgraduate Open Evening will take place on Wednesday 29 January from 4.00pm - 7.00pm. Visit us to chat with staff and students, and get your questions answered on postgraduate finance and student support.
Book your place
This course is open to International students
Discover the Birmingham School of Media
Visit our School site for more student work and extra information.
This course is accredited by the Broadcast Journalism Training Council
Speak to an expert
If you’ve got any questions about the course, we’d love to hear from you. Please email the Course Director: Paul Bradshaw.
Alternatively, you can register for our next postgraduate open day.
Entry Requirements
Essential Requirements
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You should have a 2:1 or higher in a related discipline from any UK university. |
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Applicants must have proven experience in journalism or media production (for example, video, audio, web production or print). |
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Good spoken and written English are vital. IELTS level 6.5 or above. |
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You should have evidence of your passion for new forms of journalism, along with a strong and inquiring mind and a tendency not to take no for an answer! |
International Students
Don't meet our entry requirements? You could apply for courses at our International College.
- UK/EU students
- International students
Award: MA
Starting: Sep 2020
- Mode
- Duration
- Fees
- Full Time
- 1 year
- £7,400 per year
Award: MA
Starting: Sep 2020
- Mode
- Duration
- Fees
- Full Time
- 1 year
- £12,800 per year
If you're unable to use the online form for any reason, you can complete our PDF application form and equal opportunities PDF form instead. The University reserves the right to increase fees in line with inflation based on the Retail Prices Index or to reflect changes in Government funding policies or changes agreed by Parliament up to a maximum of five per cent.
Portfolio Guidance
Applicants should submit a portfolio of examples of their media production work. That might include examples of journalism online, in print or video or audio. The more varied this is, the better. If you have any other relevant work, such as photography, web or print design, film making, research, or running online communities, then please include that too.
Personal statement
Students are required to submit a personal statement as part of their application for this course.
Your postgraduate personal statement is going to shine a light on your personal experience, academic success, personal skills and any other factors that will support your application for further study.
Here are the key areas you’ll need to address:
Your passion and motivations
Studying a postgraduate course usually means you want to specialise in something. So what’s driving you?
Why this course?
Show that you’ve researched the course offering. What is it about this particular course that appeals to you? Is it the lecturers? The modules? Etc.
What makes you a good postgraduate candidate?
Tutors want to know that you can handle postgraduate study, so show them how your undergraduate experiences or work life has equipped you for a more advanced level of study. Key areas to address are research and group work but this can vary depending on your chosen course.
Relevant academic or work experience
Add anything relevant that relates back to your chosen course and shows how your skills will contribute towards your learning. What extra-curricular activities have you taken part in? What awards have you won? What employment or voluntary experience do you have that has helped you develop transferable skills? How do these specifically relate to the course you are applying for?
You should also mention your future plans and how a postgraduate qualification fits in. Try to look beyond your postgraduate study – do you plan to jump straight into a specific career or follow your studies with a research degree? Lastly, use plain, professional English and, where possible, utilise the language of your chosen industry.
Get more information on writing personal statements
.Additional costs
Our courses include activities such as performance, exhibitions, field trips and production of works or artefacts which may require you to purchase specific equipment, instruments, books, materials, hire of venues and accommodation, or other items. Many of these activities are essential and compulsory parts of your learning experience.
The link below gives you an estimate of the possible costs associated with key activities on your course. Please bear in mind that these are only estimates of costs based on past student experience and feedback. The actual costs could vary considerably (either greater or lower than these estimates) depending on your choices as you progress through the course.
All our students are provided with 100 free pages of printing each year to a maximum total value of £15.
The additional costs listed here are to be used for indicative purposes only and are based on the additional costs for the 2018/19 academic year. The additional costs for 2019/20 will be published as soon as possible.
Financial Support
We offer further information on possible postgraduate financial support. This includes the type of loans, grants and scholarships available both from the government and from Birmingham City University.
Did you know that you can apply for a postgraduate loan of up to £10,906 for some courses and options?
Modules
In order to complete this course you must successfully complete all the following CORE modules (totalling 140 credits): |
In order to complete this course you must successfully complete of one the following CORE modules (totalling 20 credits): |
In order to complete this course you must successfully complete at least 40 credits from the following indicative list of OPTIONAL modules. |
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Core modules are guaranteed to run. Optional modules will vary from year to year and the published list is indicative only.
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Course Structure
The course is completed full time across three semesters covering one year.
The first semester focuses on a broad range of skills. You will explore how to tell stories across different platforms using a range of media, including text, audio, video and visual journalism. You will also be building crucial research skills.
You’ll benefit from a blend of academic learning and practical application, exploring and applying the latest industry and academic research on cutting edge newsgathering, production and distribution techniques. Alongside this you will develop essential understanding of the legal and ethical contexts surrounding modern journalism.
In the second semester you have the opportunity to explore one or more aspects of production in more depth, as you pursue specialist reporting through data or multimedia.
The final semester sees you developing a project to build your reputation as a practitioner in your field. Previous examples have ranged from live working news websites and documentaries to e-books, investigations, broadcast packages and portfolios of work for clients.
Classroom activities and projects
As part of your study on the course you will experience:
- Live newsrooms within various contexts, from online-only to broadcast newsrooms with associated online presence.
- Data-driven investigations that put a human face and establish the facts on topical issues.
- Experimentation with new forms of storytelling, from virtual reality and bots to interactivity and new social media platforms.
Student stories
Léa Nakache
Final project displayed at the Birmingham Museum
"Within + Without: Body Image and the Self is a documentary I created during a freelance experience with Birmingham Museum whilst studying. I interviewed people in the street about how they constructed their own body image and whether they thought there was enough diversity in the media and originally this was just supposed to be part of the documentary, but the museum thought it would be a great addition to an exhibition and featured it as an "art piece" in itself. It truly feels amazing to exhibit my work at the museum and I still can't believe it! I’ve learnt skills ranging from sound to editing techniques and graphics, and seeing my own work in Birmingham's first museum is just incredible."
Professional links
The course has links with a range of media organisations, leading to students working with the BBC, ITN, Mirror, Health Service Journal, Period Living, and the Centre for Investigative Journalism among others.
Overseas opportunities
The final MA project can be completed from overseas. Previous students have, for example, run a hyperlocal news site based in Canada, published a travel website in Spain, and worked for a sports agency in Qatar.
Further Study
If you wish to continue your academic studies in the field of online journalism, you have the opportunity to undertake a research degree (MPhil and PhD). If this is something you wish to consider you can speak to your course tutor for advice.
Trips and Visits
Students on the course are given regular opportunities to attend industry events and newsrooms. These have included trips to the BBC, Guardian, Telegraph, FT, IPC magazines, the Centre for Investigative Journalism Summer School and the Nordic data journalism conference NODA in Helsinki.
Enhancing employability skills
Our MA Multiplatform and Mobile Journalism course focuses on developing graduates at the cutting edge of contemporary professional practice, with a critical knowledge of the field leading practical application.
In addition to specific technical skills, students will also develop highly employable qualities in adapting to new technologies, and work towards building their contacts and reputation in the field. Opportunities to work with industry clients often lead to employment or the establishing of new enterprises.
Placements
Students undertake 15 days of placement with one or more organisations as part of the course, of which 5 days must be continuous. Previous students have undertaken placements or projects with clients including the BBC, Centaur magazines, ITV News, the Birmingham Mail, Manchester Evening News, Birmingham City Council, Oxfam, arts and cultural organisations, and the Centre for Investigative Journalism.
OpportUNIty
OpportUNIty: Student Jobs on Campus ensures that our students are given a first opportunity to fill many part-time temporary positions within the University. This allows you to work while you study with us, fitting the job around your course commitments. By taking part in the scheme, you will gain valuable experiences and employability skills, enhancing your prospects in the job market.
It will also allow you to become more involved in University life by delivering, leading and supporting many aspects of the learning experience, from administration to research and mentoring roles.
Link to industry
The course has strong links across all aspects of the media industry, including online, broadcast, magazines, newspapers, NGOs and new media startups. The school of media hosts the annual industry event Rethink Media, while Paul Bradshaw organises the annual Data Journalism UK conference in the city and is regularly invited to speak at industry events all over the world.
The school’s global reputation in multiplatform journalism leads to frequent approaches from media organisations looking for cutting edge expertise or student input into new projects. Examples range from Al Jazeera involving students in the design of a ‘news game’ and The Telegraph recruiting students to liveblog news events, to Centaur magazines inviting students to improve their social media performance and the BBC testing out new Snapchat content in class.
Our Graduates
Katie Brooks
Trends Writer, Birmingham Live
"In my current role I write about anything people are talking about. The course prepared me for this because it allowed me to practice my writing skills for a year in a safe environment. It also built up my confidence so that I was able to walk into the Birmingham Live interview and know exactly what I was talking about!
My highlight of the course was actually the final project because it gave me the chance to focus on one of my interests and experiment with different techniques. I focused on engaging young people and wrote a series of articles about shoes - I even interviewed a ballerina from Birmingham Royal Ballet about pointe shoes, which was really exciting!”
Maria Crosas Batista
Chatbots Manager, Nestlé
"Throughout the year I had the chance to experiment with virtual reality and chatbots. Blog posts published on my blog and other websites, as well as interviewing professionals in the field, aroused the attention of digital journalists and businesses in Spain. Some days after submitting the final project I got a job offer regarding chatbots and innovation."
Graduate jobs
Graduate employability on the course is extremely high, with alumni working as:
- Digital editors
- Reporters
- Social media managers
- Data journalists
- Data designers
- Production assistants
- UGC reporters
- Journalism consultants and professors
- Media analysts
Birmingham City University is a vibrant and multicultural university in the heart of a modern and diverse city. We welcome many international students every year – there are currently students from more than 80 countries among our student community.
The University is conveniently placed, with Birmingham International Airport nearby and first-rate transport connections to London and the rest of the UK.
Our international pages contain a wealth of information for international students who are considering applying to study here, including:
- Explore some of the good reasons why you should study here.
- Find out how to improve your language skills before starting your studies.
- Find all the information relevant to applicants from your country.
- Learn where to find financial support for your studies.
Additional information
The course regularly attracts Spanish-speaking students and we have a strong network of contacts in the Spanish-speaking world. Previous students have undertaken projects based in Spain and some of the course material is also available in Spanish. Paul Bradshaw is even learning to speak the language!
We have a growing network of contacts in Nigeria. Two members of staff – Paul Bradshaw and Yemisi Akinbobola – won the prestigious CNN African Journalist of the Year award for an investigation published in Nigeria, and the pair plan to do more in the region.
Canadian students have done particularly well on the course and undertaking projects in Canada as part of their studies enabled them to build their reputation in that jobs market. One now teaches journalism in Canada.
Birmingham City University International College (BCUIC)
International students who have a serious interest in studying with us but who perhaps cannot meet the direct entry requirements, academic or English, or who have been out of education for some time, can enter Birmingham City University International College (BCUIC) and begin their degree studies.
BCUIC is part of the global Navitas Group, an internationally recognised education provider, and the partnership allows students to access the University’s facilities and services and move seamlessly through to achieving a Bachelor’s degree from Birmingham City University.
Student stories – Duarte Romero
My name is Duarte Romero and I am from Galicia in Spain. I am starting an MA in Online Journalism here at Birmingham City University, and would like to say that I've never learned so much in such a short period of time, so I'm very happy to be coming and studying here.
Obviously if you come from another country you have some inconvenience that a native student doesn’t have, basically related with language and an understanding of the native culture. For me those are the biggest challenges I had to face. First being able to write and speaking English, every day and with the highest level I could, and then learning to understand a completely different culture like Great Britain's. Particularly if you are studying journalism - it is really important to know how the politics, economy and society of the country works.
Our Facilities
When you join Birmingham City University, the first thing you will notice is the high standard of our campuses.
With an investment of £340 million across our buildings and facilities, we are committed to giving you the very best learning environment to help shape your experience.
State-of-the-art facilities
You will learn in our state-of-the-art facilities - including the £62m fully-digital Media Centre - located on the City Centre Campus. You will enjoy access to extensive studio and workshop space including four TV studios, six radio studios and broadcast-standard edit suites, as well as cutting-edge equipment and software.
Facilities include the largest TV floor of any university in the UK, a ‘green screen’ and the MILO motion control camera - we are one of just two universities in Europe to offer MILO technology.
Mobile journalism kit
On the MA in Multiplatform and Mobile Journalism you will be finding and reporting stories using the latest mobile technology. You will be able to book out mobile reporting kit including iPads with a range of mobile journalism apps pre-installed so you can live stream video, publish direct to social media and edit multimedia on the move, along with mobile-compatible microphones. We also provide frames which allow you to attach tablets to tripods, lights and lenses, as well as special 'gorillapods' for flexible positioning of mobile kit on the move. You can book out microphone adapters to connect broadcast quality microphones to your mobile phone or tablet, and portable audio recorders for podcasting on the move.
Our Staff
You will come in to contact with a team of passionate professionals with vast industry experience with our staff having worked for the BBC, regional newspapers and radio stations as journalists, producers, reporters and more.
Course leader Paul Bradshaw is an award-winning journalist with a global profile. He combines his teaching with a role in the BBC England data unit, and is on the advisory boards for the Bureau of Investigative Journalism’s data team and the European Journalism Centre’s datadrivenjournalism.net.
Paul Bradshaw
Course Leader (MA Multiplatform and Mobile Journalism)
Paul Bradshaw leads both the MA in Data Journalism and the MA in Multiplatform and Mobile Journalism at Birmingham City University, and works as a consultant data journalist in the BBC England data unit.
He is also the founder of the investigative journalism crowdsourcing site, Help Me Investigate, which was shortlisted in 2010 for Multimedia Publisher of the Year and won the Talk About Local Investigation of the Year award the same year. His other awards include the CNN MultiChoice African Journalist Awards 2016 for an investigation into Nigerian football agents, and the BBC England 2017 Data Journalism award for a story on discrimination in the housing sector.
Professor Diane Kemp
Professor of Broadcast Journalism
Diane worked for BBC radio and television as a broadcaster, reporter and producer and for a number of commercial radio stations before joining the University. She is course director of several postgraduate broadcast journalism courses and is deputy chair of the UK’s national accreditation organisation, the BJTC.
Bob Calver
Senior Lecturer
Bob has more than four decades of journalistic experience, including 18 years as a reporter, producer and editor with the BBC. He has worked in regional newspapers, for online news sites and for magazines. Alongside his role at the University, where he teaches broadcast journalism and media law to postgraduate students, he edits two magazines - one of which he also owns and publishes. This work forms the basis of his current PhD by practice research.