Media

Why Media at University of Essex

The department holds NCTJ accreditation and pioneered Britain’s first comprehensive open-source verification course.

• Faculty includes BBC correspondents, New Lines Magazine editors, and Observer journalists who covered conflicts in Iraq
• Newsroom, television studio with gallery, radio facilities, green screen, and 120-seat cinema with HD projection
• Real content for TV, radio, and online platforms — starting from first year

BA in Journalism

The BA Journalism program embeds the NCTJ diploma—an industry standard valued by employers nationwide—directly into its curriculum. By graduation, students leave with both an academic degree and a portfolio of published work. Instruction spans news writing, podcasting, investigative reporting, and data journalism, all practiced in fully equipped studios. Martin Bright, whose investigation inspired “Official Secrets,” and Fatima el-Issawi, who spent over 15 years with AFP and BBC, lead the teaching.

BA in Journalism and Politics

This program draws strength from two departments: Essex’s politics faculty, which ranks highly in REF 2014, advises intelligence services and trains politicians in democratizing nations. Such expertise enables students to examine political systems beyond academic theory, analyzing UK and European politics, international relations, and power structures through journalistic practice and ethics. ESSEXLab and the Model United Nations society provide spaces where students sharpen their arguments and research methods in contexts that mirror professional environments.

BA in Film Studies

The program pairs theoretical analysis—from Hollywood classics to Soviet avant-garde—with hands-on production: screenwriting, shooting, and editing under faculty who’ve won Oscars and BAFTAs. Students work with HD cameras, edit on Avid and Final Cut, and screen films weekly in the 120-seat cinema. Their final short becomes the first portfolio piece, opening doors to professional networks that their instructors actively maintain within the industry.

MA in International Journalism

Britain’s first program to offer open-source verification training, this master’s also established the Digital Verification Corps alongside the university’s Human Rights Centre. Two pathways accommodate different ambitions: a practical track for those heading to newsrooms, and a theoretical route for doctoral preparation. Dr. Idris Ahmad, who founded New Lines Magazine, and Dr. Fatima el-Issawi, who reported on conflicts for BBC, lead the instruction.

MA in Film Studies

This one-year program focuses on international, documentary, and alternative cinema through intensive modules taught by practitioners with BBC experience. Small groups enable individual attention, while guest masterclasses supplement core teaching. Students complete the full production cycle—scripting to editing on Avid and Final Cut—with final projects posted to the program’s Vimeo channel for public portfolios. The university also facilitates internship placements that often lead to employment.