A key part of a journalist's role is to inform readers what is going on in the world. To do this well, journalists have to understand how the world works and why. This module aims to build on existing understanding to provide students with the necessary political, economic, historical social and cultural context to underpin their development as journalists. Areas for exploration and discussion will include Britain's role in the world; the UK's relationship with Europe, the US and the developing world; British institutions and their role and influence (including the monarchy, parliament, the judiciary, Whitehall, religious bodies, universities, local government, banks and finance houses) and the history and emergence of competing ideologies such as capitalism, socialism and liberalism. The module will explore emerging social and cultural trends and the way these are covered in the media. Underpinning the module will be the key questions of "Where does power lie?" "Who has control?" "Who is responsible?" "Who really runs things?"
By the end of the module students will be able to:
The curriculum content will be organised under four broad interlinking themes relevant to the work of journalists including:
The teaching and learning strategy in this module is designed to give students opportunities to acquire a detailed knowledge and understanding of the wider world within which they will be operating as journalists. It will be taught through a combination of lectures and seminars but the emphasis will be on seminar debate and discussion to create a forum for exploring contexts and ideas. Students will also have the opportunity to work together to carry out research for class discussion. There will be significant emphasis on the use of current examples and the way in which debates/attitudes/issues are addressed in the media to explore the key themes of the module.
Definitive UNISTATS Category | Indicative Description | Hours |
---|---|---|
Scheduled learning and teaching | Lecture: 1 hour a week Seminar: 2 hours a week | Lecture: 22 hours p.a Seminar: 44 hours p.a |
Guided independent study | Research and reading for contribution to seminars; formative and summative assessment | 234 hours p.a |
Total (number of credits x 10) | 300 |
The assessment strategy is designed to test students' ability both to process and apply factual information about the roles and structures of institutions and also, on a deeper level, to analyse and critique the content of national debates and the way issues are portrayed in the media. With the curriculum divided into four sections across the year (as indicated in the curriculum content), there will be a two-part assessment at the end of each of these sections. One part of this will be a series of four answer timed test, which will assess speed and accuracy of response (vital in a newsroom). The other part will be a two hour exam, which will require students to demonstrate an ability to analyse and critique debates and understand different points of view. During the year, students will be expected to carry out research on media coverage of one or more specific issues in each of the sections which they will present to the rest of the group. They will receive formative feedback from tutors and peers on presentations.
Learning Outcome | Assessment Strategy |
---|---|
Identify and explain the roles of key UK institutions of government and their importance in decision-making processes. | Short answer timed test |
Show an understanding of the political, legal and economic relationships between the UK and its European and global trading partners. | Short answer timed tests; exam |
Analyse the historical forces which have shaped political, social, economic and cultural patterns in the UK and the wider world. | Exam |
Analyse and critique arguments in national and international debates about resources, priorities, rights and responsibilities | Exam |
Apply their understanding of all the above to news-gathering processes and journalistic output to provide context for unfolding stories. | Exam |
Description of Assessment | Definitive UNISTATS Categories | Percentage |
---|---|---|
PRC | Portfolio of tests | 40 |
EXWR | Two hour exam | 60 |
Total (to equal 100%) | 100% |
It IS NOT a requirement that any major assessment category is passed separately in order to achieve an overall pass for the module
Morrison, James (2011), Public Affairs for Journalists, Oxford: OUP
Sampson, Anthony (2005) Who runs this place? An anatomy of Britain in the 21st century John Murray
Brooke, Heather (2010) Silent State, London: Heinemann
Cohen, Nick (2012) You can't read this book, London: 4th Estate
Curran, James and Seaton, Jean (2010), Power without responsibility:The press and broadcasting in Britain (7th edition) . London: Routledge.
Grayling, A.C (2007) Towards the light London: Bloomsbury
Jones, Bill and Norton, Philip (2010), Politics UK (7th edition), London: Longman
Jowell, Jeffrey and Dawn Oliver (2011) The changing constitution Oxford University Press
McCormick, John (2011) Understanding the European Union 5th edition Palgrave MacMillan
Mill, John Stuart (2006) On liberty Penguin Classics
Marx, Karl (2004) The Communist Manifesto Penguin Classics
Paxman, Jeremy (1999) The English: A portrait of a people London: Penguin