Magazines today offer a wide range of possibilities for anyone looking to start a career in journalism. From glossy fashion monthlies and quirky independent quarterlies to weekly titles for business people, customer magazines for retailers and brands, purely digital magazines, websites and even freelancing – our MA Magazine Journalism prepares you for all these possibilities.
When you finish studying Magazine Journalism with us you will feel prepared to meet any challenge your first job on a magazine throws at you. Print, digital, social media – you will know how to handle the multimedia platforms a modern magazine uses.
You will be prepared to sit in your first editorial conference and know what is expected of you and how to pitch your ideas clearly and confidently.
You will gain a set of knowledge and skills that will not only enable you to compete effectively for any entry-level job in magazine journalism but also set you up for a rapid career trajectory.
Distinctive features:
• Magazine Journalism is accredited by the Professional Publishers Association (PPA)
• Industry placements in the second semester
• An outstanding alumni network across the media
Structure
The course is one year long and covers:
Feature and news writing in print and online
Interviewing techniques
Cross-platform media and multimedia
Design & layout
Subediting and production
Magazine brand development
How to be a successful freelance
Magazine journalism skills are acquired through a series of lectures, workshops, practical exercises and feedback sessions of increasing complexity and realism - from 'paper exercises' in the early days to complex features that report on real events. These sessions are supplemented by seminars, group discussions and guests from the magazine industry.
Basic writing, reporting and technical skills for both print and digital are taught in the first semester against a background of Media law and journalism Ethics. Shorthand is also available as an option.
The second semester offers more creative practice where you will plan, create and launch a brand new magazine brand across print and digital platforms, producing three issues to a fortnightly deadline.
During the Easter break you will test your skills against the real world in a work placement (or placements) of a minimum two weeks' duration.
The Major Project core module provides you with the opportunity to undertake:
• a Feature Project in which you will employ investigative journalism techniques and research skills acquired during the taught element of the course to explore a topic in depth by writing long-form feature articles, or
• an Enterprise Project in which you will develop the editorial and business plan for an innovative media product in print or purely digital/online.
You will also create a brand new magazine in groups. Starting from scratch you will:
Research the market
Develop an effective design
Plan and write editorial content
Create and execute a comprehensive digital and social media policy
Produce three issues of the magazine
Please visit the website to see the modules taught on this course:
http://www.cardiff.ac.uk/study/postgraduate/taught/courses/course/magazine-journalism-ma Teaching
You will be taught through a variety of practical workshops, seminars and lectures as well as production days that replicate an industry environment.
You will be required to find and research stories in and around the local area, interviewing sources via a mix of methods and producing original multimedia content and photography.
Assessment
You will be assessed through a wide range of formative and summative assessments throughout the course. These range from practical classroom activities, varied journalistic articles and packages, class tests and examinations.
Career prospects
Graduates of the MA in Magazine Journalism at Cardiff University have an excellent track record when it comes to getting jobs.
Potential entry-level jobs in magazine media range from editorial assistants to web editors, community managers and content producers to sub-editors, staff writers and even self-starting entrepreneurs!
We are passionate about the industry and maintain an excellent alumni network, plus students have won several publishing awards for their work in the past.
As a graduate of MA Magazine Journalism you may move into almost any industry to produce in-house or public magazines or digital content. Typical industries include: fashion, craft, food, sport, film, music, games, news, wildlife, finance, business, history, travel, TV, health and celebrity.
Possible job opportunities include: Editorial assistant, Editorial intern, Features writer, Freelance reporter, Web and Social Media Editor, Junior reporter, Chief sub, Online content coordinator and Production assistant.
Placements
Placements are required as part of the Professional Development module and Programme Accreditation through the PPA. Placements will take place during the Easter Recess period. You will be required to complete a minimum of two weeks on placement(s), though you are free to do more.
All placements will be coordinated in correspondence with course directors ahead of the recess period. We will look at your CV, portfolio and covering letters and provide guidance. Our excellent alumni and industry network often offer placement opportunities that you wouldn’t get access to outside of the course.
You will be expected to cover any expenses associated with the placement(s), though some companies do cover travel or food expenses.
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