UG Prospectus 2025

150 WhyDCU? − Develop a broad range of skills for working in all areas of journalism − Be taught by experienced journalists and researchers − Learn through an integration of theory, practice, and critical reflection − Produce a final-year academic dissertation or journalistic project − Undertake a final-year work placement with amedia organisation About You Do you have a curious, enquiring outlook? Do you have strong reasoning skills and have the ability to communicate clearly? Do you enjoy reading, writing and have an interest in current affairs, culture and all kinds of newsmedia? Are you able to absorb large amounts of information quickly, analyse that information, and do you have thewriting and communication skills to explain it clearly? Additional Requirements In addition to the general entry requirements for admission to theUniversity (see page 174), the following entry requirements apply: minimumof H4 in English. Mature Students If you are coming to us as amature student, youwill have had an interest in journalism for some time, the sort of life experience that will enable you to contribute asmuch to the course as you will get from it, and the ability towrite clear, error-free English. You should apply through the CAOby 1 February – there is no late application for this course. Mature applicants are asked to submit, alongwith their other paper documentation, a hard copy of a published or unpublished article of approximately 750words of their own composition, written for a specific publication. If the article has been published, statewhen and inwhich publication. If the article is unpublished, indicate the newspaper or periodical for which you think your submissionwould be best suited. For more information, please visit dcu.ie/mature-students. Understanding: Journalism The key characteristics of journalism include a profound sense of curiosity about people and theworld, strong critical thinking skills and the ability towrite and communicate clearly. Throughout this course, youwill explorewritten, video and audio forms of storytelling, including new forms that can be seen online and on various social media platforms. Studying areas such politics, ethics, climate change, peace and conflict and journalismhistory, you deepen your understanding of why journalism functions theway it does. Journalists are storytellers, they have an interest in the power of stories to help explain theworld, and they are needed in every society. They examine, analyse and reveal how things work andwhat the future holds for people. The technologies of journalismmay change, but the need for it has not andmany of the key skills prevail. Online, in print, across the airwaves or in social media, stories are told that engage the public and help us understand our world. In all areas of life, frombusiness to politics, fromculture to religion, fromsports to lifestyles, people look to journalism for guidance. The role of a journalist is varied – primarily it is about informing and educating the public. The School of Communications aims to teach you to tell your stories inways that follows best practice in journalism. Journalists seek out facts that help explain theworld around themand are eager to learn how to communicate their work in a way that makes sense to audiences and readers. Youwill be taught by lecturers who are, or have been, practising journalists who are in close touchwith the profession, and by researchers who are scholars of national and international reputation. Course Structure The course combines 3 sets of studies: 1. It provides the essential practical skills youwill need to produce original journalism, such as reporting and writing for different media. 2. It provides the knowledge of culture, politics, society, law, and ethics that you need as essential context for your journalism. 3. It provides a theoretical study of journalismand communications that will help you understand your role as a journalist and the function of journalism in society. The variousmodules will introduce you to a range of core skills fromwhich you can build upon and specialise. As well as the core skills across text and broadcast formats, you can develop your portfolio in other areas such as photography, publication design and data journalism. You can select modules to help deepen your understanding of why journalism functions theway it does, in areas such as climate change, peace and conflict journalism, and political journalism. In Year 3, youwill work on a final individual practical project or academic dissertation on a topic of your choice. BA in Journalism Help people understand theworld