Date: Ongoing
Country: UK, London
By: Eline Jeanné
“I’d definitely encourage people to go for it; it has widened my perspective towards things. It’s so interesting and I learned so much, I left the course feeling very enlightened and a lot more knowledgeable.” These are the words of Sophie Muscat, a current student on the MA Diversity and the Media course at the University of Westminster in London.
The course, which was designed and developed in collaboration with the Media Diversity Institute (MDI), aims to teach students the practical skills to engage in responsible media coverage of diversity issues. Applications are now open for the upcoming course, which is starting in September 2019. Information about studying, entry requirements, fees and funding can be obtained during the next open day in Harrow Campus on 5 June, or on the course-specific website.
The course is suitable for anyone interested in enhancing their understanding of social diversity and their skills in the area of inclusive journalism, whether one has extensive experience in the journalism field or none at all. It combines both theoretical and practical knowledge, providing students with a well-rounded understanding on the topic of media and diversity, at a critical point in history.
Sophie found discussions about important social issues, and how they’re covered in the media to be particularly relevant. After starting the course with little practical media knowledge, she quickly found herself producing a documentary: “That was a huge learning curve, making a whole documentary from scratch. I’ve never studied media, so I learned so much. I learned how to interview people, edit film, set up cameras, we were learning everything by doing—you see the finished product and it’s so rewarding.”
This hands-on approach is what makes the Diversity and Media MA such a rewarding—not to mention, practical—course, as students are equipped not only with essential theoretical knowledge, but with the tools needed to be successful in the media industry.
In addition to meeting people from around the world, students have the chance to undertake internships at a variety of organisations within the UK and overseas with which the MA has established partnerships. This includes MDI as well as TAG International Development and The Prisma/The Multicultural Newspaper, all organisations who actively work in the realm of diversity and the media. These opportunities show students the value of their degree and the many career paths on offer in this field.
Sophie hopes to use her knowledge on inclusive reporting at a quality media organisation: “Ideally, I want to work as a media worker in an independent company like VICE, AJ Plus or Playground; researching topics and providing information for short documentaries or magazines. I want to report and investigate.”
Ready to apply? Check out the website here.