Program Overview

BA in Communications

Overview

The BA in Communications is a three-year full-time programme that aims to give learners an introduction to communications platforms including photography, radio, journalism, and TV. The course involves both practical and academic projects and gives students the chance to work in real journalistic situations over the course of six semesters. Graduates of this programme can also progress onto the final year of the BA (Hons) in Communications and Media Production to obtain a Level 8 qualification.

Course Details

Year One

• Digital, Online and Social Media Production: The module is designed to introduce learners to the diverse world of digital media. The module aims to provide learners with the ability to use software and develop an online digital media platform and be able to apply this learning to produce an online space for sharing high-impact writing and content.
• Mobile Media: This is a practical module, which aims to equip learners with basic skills in mobile technologies relating to research and concept development; mobile Journalism specialising in video production (image and sound) technique and approach; visual storytelling and sequencing; editing (technical skill and basic craft); and publishing material online.
• Photography 1: The module aims to enable learners to explore basic photographic principles and camera settings, with an emphasis on images within communications media. Learners gain an understanding of Photoshop and its basic tools for resolution, formatting, image capture and image manipulation.
• Thinking, Writing, Presenting: This module aims to develop learners’ writing skills in the areas of punctuation, grammar, structure, syntax and Harvard referencing so that they can produce well-written academic essays.
• Understanding Society: The module aims to make learners aware of how society affects the opinions and actions of groups and individuals. It examines the origins of the study of society, the changes brought about by the industrial revolution in western society and their impact on the rest of the world.
• Communications History: The module offers an analysis of the historical evolution of human communication. The world we live in today is one where humans communicate and share information in an ever-growing range of media, from text to satellites, from billboards to blogs.
• Cultural Journalism: Cultural Journalism is embedded in the arts and creative output. This module seeks to work towards defining what cultural journalism is and introduce learners to the genre of arts writing and practice.
• Radio Production 1: This module is designed to introduce learners to the basic prerequisites of radio production and broadcasting, to enable them to learn the skills necessary to work in radio production, research, reporting and presentation.

Year Two

• Contemporary Politics: This module aims to introduce learners to the workings of contemporary society and to enable learners to analyse key issues in social and political development.
• Media Production: The aims of this module are twofold. The first is that learners advance the technical and design skills acquired in the first year. The main advancement sees learners apply their knowledge in the area of design to research, develop and create their own product.
• Photography 2: This module is intended to significantly increase the learners' skills base, bringing their work to commercial standards of expertise and artistry.
• Radio Production 2: This module is designed to build on learners’ knowledge of radio production and broadcasting, to enable them to greatly improve on their existing skills and prepare them fully to work in a professional broadcast environment with an emphasis on production, research, reporting and presentation.
• Media Law and Ethics: The module aims to equip learners with the fundamental principles of media law in order to be able to work within the legal boundaries as a media professional.
• News Reporting and Feature Writing: The aim of the module is for learners to build on the journalistic skills acquired in stage one. Learners receive a grounding in the fundamentals of a number of writing styles and structures which develops their ability to write to a professional standard.
• Understanding Narrative: Narratives are used by individuals and audiences to understand and make sense of the world they live in. This module allows learners to reflect on the narratives we tell of ourselves and the narratives that others tell us.
• Shorthand (Elective): Shorthand is a valuable skill for journalists. Despite advances in recording technology, many situations still exist where for legal or interviewee preference reasons, the most suitable form of newsgathering requires accurate and fast shorthand.
• Writing and Presentation Skills (Elective): This elective module aims to build on the skills acquired in Thinking, Writing and Presenting in stage one of the programme and is a professional development module.

Year Three

• Business of Media: This module supplies learners with a key link between the media content they produce on other modules and its commercial context.
• Investigative Journalism: The module aims to impart a theoretical understanding of the genre of investigative journalism, its history, and its crucial role in maintaining democratic societies.
• Media Reporting and Editing: The aim of this module is to enable learners to further develop the practical skills required to initiate, plan, research, write, edit and sub-edit quality news reports, feature articles and content for specific audiences.
• Video Production 1: This is a practical module which aims to equip learners with basic skills in video, including: research and concept development; video production (image and sound) technique and approach; visual storytelling and sequencing and editing (technical skill and basic craft).
• History of Art and Photography: This module concentrates on visual media within the context of the history of photography and art. The module provides learners with a deeper knowledge of the history of photography and art; educates learners in the relationship of photography within the visual arts, including film; educates learners in critical and analytical appraisal of photography; and encourages learners to express and qualify their own opinions in relation to visual media.
• Media Studies: The aim of this module is to further cultivate learners’ skills in analysing and critiquing media. During the course of the module, learners look at a variety of media and related issues and how they can be interpreted and understood.
• Research Methods: This module examines a number of research methods that have been used by media outlets, reported on by media organisations and applied to media content. Topics include designing questionnaires, quantitative content analysis, interviewing (with a specific focus on social research), focus groups and observation methods.
• Video Production 2: The module aims to develop knowledge of a range of approaches and techniques applicable to video production and impart the skills required to produce a short individual documentary and collaborative group project from concept to final completion.

Entry Requirements

• 5 O6/H7 grades, to include a language (English, Irish or another language) and maths.

Tuition Fees

• Irish/EU citizens, living in Ireland: EUR 6,650.00
• Irish/EU citizens, living abroad: EUR 7,000.00
• International: EUR 12,000.00

Progression

• Graduates of this course have the option to continue their studies at Griffith College. If you graduate from this programme you are eligible to enter the final year of the BA (Hons) in Communications & Media Production.
• Career options for our graduates include:
  • A cross media Journalist
  • Press Editor
  • Media Analyst
  • Advertising Copywriter
  • Information Officer
  • Multimedia Specialist
  • Freelance Media Professional