Master in Global Journalism

In our globalized world it is increasingly important to gain insight into other parts of the world, as well as the global implications of one’s own profession. Students on the MA programme will investigate the conditions under which journalists work in non-Western cultures and political systems. They will also study value systems and mindsets which dominate the global news flow.

Norwegian media houses are global actors, as they increasingly invest in media businesses abroad. Thorough knowledge concerning globalization and media culture is important in these processes. It is equally important for journalists from the global South to understand the culture and philosophy which dominate Western democracies. Through our MA programme both Norwegian and foreign students will gain insight into the most up to date journalism and media research, and be able to contribute to such research. 

Foreign correspondents often cover conflicts where the media are in danger of becoming part of the conflict. In our MA programme we discuss such situations and provide insight into intercultural communication, which is necessary for understanding conflicts and for the professional reporting thereof. 

International aid organizations regularly require people for their communications departments where production of information material on all sorts of platforms is part of their work. Handling inquiring journalists is also part of this work. Our MA programme will give these communications people valuable insight. 

Our MA programme will also be a good choice for people who want to pursue a career in teaching and research. The programme is a standard thesis-oriented MA study and will qualify for application to PhD programmes within relevant fields. However, it is important to note that institutions around the world have different requirements for admission to PhD programmes, and we cannot guarantee that the MA degree in Global Journalism will qualify for PhD studies at all institutions.

Assistance for international students

The programme aims for an international profile not just in content but also in student recruitment. Foreign applicants are welcome. NLA University College offers assistance for international students in matters such as applying for a Norwegian study visa and finding housing in Norway. The MA Programme in Global Journalism is taught in the city of Kristiansand in Southern Norway. The university college owns housing facilities for 12 students where students from the Global Journalism programme can apply for a room. The student housing is conveniently placed on the NLA campus where lectures take place, and is available for a reasonable monthly rent.

To be admitted to the Master’s Programme in Global Journalism, the applicant must meet the following criteria:

• Completed a 3- or 4- year bachelor’s degree (depending on the country in which the degree was completed) including:
  • a specialisation of at least 80 ECTS credits within journalism, Media Studies, or another subject area with relevance for global journalism; or
  • an integrated degree in Journalism comprising of at least 120 ECTS credits.
    
• Applicants are required to possess an average grade of C or higher (ECTS) in the relevant specialization of the undergraduate study. Grade records from foreign institutions will be converted in line with common conversion scales or by individual assessment.
• International applicants whose first language is not English, must document their English proficiency in one of the following ways:
  • TOEFL (the Test of English as a Foreign Language) with a minimum score of 80 points on the internet-based test (IBT). TOEFL results must be sent directly from ETS (code 1886), and the test must not be older than 2 years.
  • IELTS (the International English Language Testing System, academic) with an overall band score of 6.0 or better, with 5.5 as the minimum score for each of the four categories listening, reading, writing and speaking. The IELTS results must be verifiable online, and not older than 2 years.
  • The applicant will be exempted from taking an English test, if such a test is not required according to NOKUT’s GSU-list. To be exempted, the applicant must provide the relevant secondary school documentation from the country in question, or the relevant higher education documentation, as specified in the GSU-list.
  • In exceptional cases applicants may provide proof of English proficiency in other ways, with the level of competence equivalent to the test results required for TOEFL and IELTS.
• Applicants are required to submit a one-page motivational letter, explaining the reasons for applying for the study.

Documentation of relevant work experience may also be included in the application.

Approximately 15 places are available in the programme each year. Admission takes place once a year; in August. The academic year lasts from mid-August to mid-June.

Admission prerequisites for single courses are specified in each course description.

A candidate who has completed the MA Programme in Global Journalism should have the following learning outcomes:

Knowledge

The student:

• possesses advanced knowledge of journalism in the global world and across cultures and societies
• has in-depth knowledge of journalism in one particular society
• has systematic knowledge of research methodology in the tradition of journalism and media studies
• is able to apply relevant knowledge from Global Journalism studies to new developments within media practice and research
• can analyse scholarly problems using historical and generic knowledge of global journalism studies

Skills

The student:

• can analyse and critically assess scholarly and popular sources used to discuss global journalism
• can build on these sources for further scholarly work within the field
• can analyse theories and methods within Global Journalism studies with the view to work independently on theoretical problems within the field
• is able to design and carry out an independent, small-scale research project within global journalism in accordance with established research methodology and relevant ethical norms

General competence

The student:

• can discuss relevant ethical problems pertaining to practice and research within global journalism
• can write an extensive research thesis demonstrating familiarity with theories, methods and specialized terminology belonging to the particular area of study
• can communicate insights about research in global journalism both for the general public and in keeping with acknowledged academic standards of the field
• be able to contribute to new thinking within Global Journalism studies

[1]Students choose three courses (30 ECTS) for the second semester.

[2]NLA recommends students in the programme to study abroad at a partnershipinstitution in the second semester.

[3]At least 10 ECTS in the second semester must build on previous courses.This condition also applies for students who study abroad in the semester.

[4]Students must choose either 3GJ322 Theoretical MA Thesis or 3GJ323Practical-Theoretical MA Thesis.

[5]

Students must choose either 3GJ322 Theoretical MA Thesis or 3GJ323

Practical-Theoretical MA Thesis.

• 3GJ301 - Journalism, Media and Globalization - 10 sp
• 3GJ302 - Journalism, Democracy and Development - 10 sp
• 3GJ303 - Research Methodology - 10 sp
• 3GJ311 - Nordic Media - 10 sp
• 3GJ312 - Global Media Ethics - 10 sp
• 3GJ313 - Media Representation - 10 sp
• 3GJ319 - Independent Study - 10 sp
• 3GJ321 - Thesis Preparation Seminar - 15 sp
• 3GJ322 - Theoretical MA Thesis - 45 sp
• 3GJ323 - Practical-Theoretical MA Thesis - 45 sp

The MA project

The study concludes with an MA project conducted in the third and fourth semesters of the programme. Students can choose between two types of MA projects: a theoretical thesis (GJ 322) and a practical-theoretical thesis (GJ 323). Details are given in the course descriptions. When proposing a topic for the MA project, students are encouraged to identify a topic which fits their own area of interest within global journalism. However, in certain cases, the student may be able to connect their project to an already existing research project within the department.

Most students, nevertheless, will do an independent MA project not related to an already established research network. In such cases, the student’s personal dedication to the project becomes even more important. The department will assign an advisor whose research experience fits the topic of the project. In certain countries the department has formal relations and agreements with higher education institutions which can assist the student in the MA research. For two institutions (University of Nairobi and Uganda Christian University) NLA has agreements which requests the local institution to assign a co-advisor who meets with the visiting student at least twice during the fieldwork.

Students opting for the practical-theoretical thesis (GJ 323) will make a practical media production in addition to writing a theoretical reflection (treatise) concerning the chosen research topic. The treatise will contain the same research elements as in a theoretical thesis, but the scope of the research project is less and the length of the written part is shorter. The media production can be in any type of media (print, radio, television or online). The media production and the written treatise shall complement each other and will concern the same topic.

All topics for the MA project must be approved by the programme’s Academic Committee; see details in the course description for GJ 321 Thesis Preparation Seminar.

Study abroad in the second semester

The first year of the MA Programme in Global Journalism is organized with three compulsory courses in the first semester and three elective courses in the second semester (see Programme Structure below). The second semester gives the students an opportunity to study at partner institutions in South Africa, Kenya, Uganda and Hong Kong. The four institutions with organized exchange agreements for the programme are the University of KwaZulu-Natal in Durban, South Africa (UKZN), United States International University in Nairobi, Kenya (USIU), Uganda Christian University in Mukono, Uganda and Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU).

University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa (UKZN) has wide experience in African media studies in a society marked by both African and Western influences. The Centre for Communication, Media and Society at UKZN is recognized as the Southern African region’s premier graduate research and educational unit in media studies, and is the unit at which exchange students from NLA’s Global Journalism programme will study. Key competence areas of the unit are media development and media representation in light of cultural context. UKZN is especially recommended as an exchange institution for students who want to study these and related topics in a Southern African context. UKZN and NLA University College have collaborated in media research and development since the early 2000s, particularly in media development projects in Ethiopia and Uganda.

United States International University, Kenya (USIU) is selected on the basis of being an institution situated in a developing society with a strong and relevant academic record. Its journalism and political science programmes at the School of Humanities and Social Sciences are taught by lecturers recognized to be among the most prominent media leaders in East Africa. Key competence areas of USIU are news journalism and political communication, media ethics, and media regulation. USIU is especially recommended as an exchange institution for students who want to study these and related topics in a developing context. USIU and NLA University College have collaborated in journalism education since 2000, involving study excursions for Norwegian students in East Africa where USIU has hosted more than 400 of NLA’s undergraduate journalism students throughout the years.

Uganda Christian University, Uganda (UCU) is selected because it is an institution situated in a developing society with a strong and relevant academic record. Its journalism and media studies programmes at the Faculty of Journalism, Media and Communication are taught by experienced media educators and researchers from Uganda. Key competence areas of UCU are practical journalism, media ethics, and media and development. UCU is especially recommended as an exchange institution for students who want to study these and related topics in a developing context. UCU and NLA University College have collaborated since 2013 in setting up a master’s programme in Journalism and Media Studies in Uganda.

Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong (HKBU) is selected for being a reputed higher education institution in journalism studies situated in a modern East Asian media economy. HKBU’s MA Programme in International Journalism Studies covers a range of issues relating to global journalism, including global news flow, media innovation, reporting international conflicts, and media law and ethics. HKBU is especially recommended for students who want to study these and other journalistic topics in the context of a modern, non-Western media society.

All courses studied at partnership institutions must be approved by the MA programme’s Academic Committee before they can be accepted as part of the degree. Students who are interested in exchange must indicate their interest by early October prior to the upcoming exchange semester.

Students who choose not to study abroad for the second semester will follow the regular flow of courses, cf. Programme Structure below.

Facilities and equipment

The Department of Journalism and Media Studies at NLA University College is situated in a spacious campus outside of Kristiansand in Southern Norway. In addition to lecture/seminar facilities, the campus has fully operational media production equipment for radio, television, print and online media. The students have access to editing suites and studios for radio and television. Computers with relevant software are available for student work. Some of the standard software installed is Microsoft Word for word processing, Adobe InDesign for desktop publishing, Adobe Photoshop for photo editing, Adobe Audition for radio editing, Adobe Premiere for video editing, and a locally designed WordPress solution for web production. The specialized equipment is not required for the theoretical subjects in the MA programme, but is availiable for students who choose to do the practical-theoretical thesis on year 2.

Students who opt to do the practical-theoretical MA thesis must have acquired sufficient technical knowledge in advance (cf. details given for GJ 323 Practical-Theoretical MA Thesis). However, technical support will be provided to solve potential difficulties during the production.

Library resources

NLA University College in Kristiansand maintains a specialized library collection within journalism, media studies and communication containing approximately 5000 unique titles. Books relevant for global journalism are prioritized in the acquisition of new titles in the local library. NLA’s local library in Kristiansand is staffed, and the book collection is available for students 24 hours a day. The main library of NLA University College, which is physically located in Bergen, Norway, also serves the local campus in Kristiansand through access to electronic resources. Students have access to a series of research databases, including Academic Search Complete, EBSCO etc.