Department of Media and Journalism

We prepare our graduates in media and journalism for careers in the dynamic and fast-moving global media industries. Located in the heart of Scotland’s media city, Glasgow Caledonian University students benefit from the Department of Media and Journalism’s close industry links, professional accreditations and research excellence.

Our undergraduate and postgraduate courses combine theory with practice to produce graduates who are creative, confident and critically engaged in the major professional, social and ethical issues of the media industries. We equip our students with digital media skills, broadcast, writing and multimedia skills across all platforms in our industry-standard studios and editing suites. The courses are underpinned by research and theory as well as a grounding in media law, ethics and research techniques.

Our team has extensive industry links which have helped to earn us industry accreditations and greatly enhance students’ employability.

Our alumni have gone on to work for major media outlets including Sky Sports News, BBC Scotland, The Scottish Daily Mail, The National, Newsquest Scotland, Deadline News Agency, the Press and Journal, DC Magazines, the Alloa Advertiser and in public relations and corporate communications. Every major long-running British TV drama has recruited our MA TV Fiction Writing graduates and our alumni are in most major shows as writers, script editors, storyliners or producers.

Research

Staff are engaged in a wide range of research-related activities both in terms of traditional academic publication and dissemination of research work to a wider public, for example via regular invited contributions to broadcast media and newspapers.

The research work of staff feeds closely into teaching, with some of our most innovative module and programme developments having arisen directly out of staff research interests.

At the most recent UK-wide assessment of university research (REF 2014), over half of Media and Journalism’s submitted academic outputs were judged to be ‘world-leading’ (17%) or ‘internationally excellent’ (38%) and Media and Journalism at GCU was ranked highest in terms of research power for any modern university in Scotland (Times Higher Education Supplement, REF results by subject, 2014).

Staff regularly work within research terms and/or have received project funding from a wide range of external organisations and stakeholders, including in recent years: the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC), Aye Write Glasgow Book Festival, Bord na Gaidhlig, the BBC (for example: BBC Radio 4, Archive on Four: The War Game Files), British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA Scotland), British Film Institute, The Conversation, The Herald, International Association of Jungian Studies, MG Alba, Scottish Parliament, Soillse, STV, Shed Media, The Sunday Post, Ullapool Book Festival, Warner Brothers, amongst many others.

The department warmly welcomes PhD applications and prospective PhD enquiries covering topics relating to all areas of the department’s current research activity.

Explore our research

Accreditation and partnerships

Our BA Multimedia Journalism and MA Multimedia Journalism are the only double accredited journalism degree programmes in Scotland, each holding National Council for the Training of Journalists (since 2005) and Broadcast Journalism Training Council (since 2008) badges. Our accreditors and industry partners have an active role in ensuring that the courses include the latest industry techniques and technologies, ensuring our graduates are at the forefront of the latest practices.

The department is the only Scottish Higher Education partner for the Albert Sustainability initiative. This is a collaborative BAFTA, indie and broadcaster-backed project that provides the film and TV industries with the necessary expertise and opportunities to take action on environmental sustainability. The project aims for all UK screen content to be made in a way that benefits individuals, industry organisations and the planet.

Our students and alumni benefit from an excellent network and campus visits from guest speakers including GCU honorary graduate Martin Compston from the BBC’s Line of Duty and Jed Mercurio, the UK's most successful 'showrunner', writer and producer of such hits as Line of Duty, Bodyguard, Bodies and Cardiac Arrest, who held a masterclass with the MA TV Fiction Writing course. A range of journalists also visit the department including Newsnight anchor Kirsty Wark, who spoke to Multimedia Journalism students about the rise of fake news.

This close interaction with the industry, bringing students into direct contact with key industry personnel has become an important part not only of GCU's programme, but of the television writing, media and journalism scene in Scotland.

Facilities

Our purpose-built television studio and gallery, radio studio, digital media studio and newsroom all feature modern digital equipment, enabling students to use industry-standard software to produce television and radio packages and bulletins, blogs, newspapers and magazines. These facilities are also used in media training and consultancy for high profile clients from industry, the public sector and charities.

Meet the department

Our teaching and support staff are here to help.

For course and programme enquiries:

T:  +44 (0) 141 331 8630

E:  studentenquiries@gcu.ac.uk