Program Overview

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Journalism Innovation & Leadership

MA/PGCert

Attendance

Part-time

Location

Online learning

Start

January 2026

Duration

3 years

Start

January 2026

Delivery

Online learning

This flexible, part-time Postgraduate Certificate and MA programme is tailored to news innovators eager to lead, and leaders eager to innovate, by growing their competence, their confidence, their networks as well as their career options.

Why study with us

• The Guardian University Guide 2022 shows we remain amongst the best. We are ranked No 1 in the North West and No 2 in the UK for Journalism, Publishing and Public Relations.
• Tap into a senior industry mentor focused on helping you achieve your potential. Whether you choose to complete the 30-week PGCert over one year or the 70-week MA over two years.
• To support the next generation of diverse news leaders we offer tuition-fee scholarships funded by the Google News Initiative (GNI) and International Media Support (IMS), the Denmark-based media development agency.

What you'll do

• We use an innovative Flipped Learning Approach that combines readings and weekly online discussions with Intensive Learning Blocks (on campus or online) which are packed with industry case studies and interactive workshops.
• Applied Learning Projects enable you to apply insights generated in the course directly to your own business contexts – creating tangible and real-world impact that is directly connected to your learning
• You will join a diverse international cohort and be mentored by a leading industry professional draw from our links with organisations such as the UK Society of Editors, the Digital Editors Network, and the World Association News Publishers (WAN-IFRA).

Programme structure

You'll be able to enrol for the postgraduate certificate after which you'll have the opportunity to take the additional modules required to earn the MA award.

In year one you'll complete two modules JN4530 and JN4531 for the Postgraduate Certificate.

Once these modules have been completed you'll have the option to continue on to a second year. In which you'll complete two more modules JN4526 and JN4527 to gain an MA.

Modules

Year 1

Year 2

Compulsory modules

These modules are set and you have to study these as part of your course.

• Journalism Leadership
  • This module will help you understand what it takes to successfully lead innovation in an organisation operating in an environment characterised by volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity. First, you’ll lean back and look out to analyse the market context and to identity the key issues impacting on your organization’s success. Then, you’ll lean in and look around for evidence to help you diagnose the specific operational issues your organization’s leadership needs to address to take the business forward.
  • Module code: JN4530
• Journalism Innovation
  • This module will focus on delivery innovation initiatives. You'll have the opportunity to stress test innovation approaches and tools used to develop innovative media products and services that serve communities and sustain businesses. Your Applied Learning Project will be the space to draw on cutting-edge innovation methods to develop a rigorously-founded practical plan to deliver on a specific innovation challenge in your organisation.
  • Module code: JN4531

Compulsory modules

These modules are set and you have to study these as part of your course.

• Extended Applied Learning Project
  • The extended applied learning project module will give you the opportunity to work with, though not necessarily in, a company on a clearly defined project addressing a real innovation issue facing the organization, or to exploit an entrepreneurial opportunity. The module’s primary objective is to provide you with a ‘real world’ experience that fosters your ability to drive innovation in the media industry. The aims are to nurture independent learning and mastery of advanced skills in research, critical thinking, communication, and project management skills by developing an original project in a professional context.
  • Module code: JN4526
• Research for Media Work
  • This module aims to equip you with the skills to evaluate and generate insights for action in a professional context. It will provide you with an ability to identify and use appropriate strategies and techniques for the purpose of applied research in the field of journalism and news media.
  • Module code: JN4527

Entry requirements

• Applicants should have a strong interest in the challenges facing journalism and its leaders and submit a 250-word statement that describes your daily duties, the relevance of the programme to your career, your goals for the course and how you will apply the learning in context
• Degree: undergraduate degree in journalism or a related media subject at least 2:1 or evidence of professional journalism or media industry experience (normally five years)
• IELTS: score of 7 or equivalent
• Applicants will also be interviewed either in person or via electronic means
• GCSEs: Maths and English at Grade C/4 or equivalent such as Level 2 functional skills in Maths and English

Fees and funding

2025/26

• UK: Online part-time £1,050 per 20 credits
• International: Online part-time £1,050 per 20 credits

Scholarships and bursaries

• Journalism Innovation and Leadership PGCert Scholarship
  • The Journalism Innovation and Leadership Programme (JILeaders) at the University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) is offering PGCert tuition-fee scholarships for news media professionals that are funded by a variety of global media innovation and support organisations.

Industry links

• Google News Initiative (GNI)
  • The programme is supported by the Google News Initiative (GNI) which enables 15 scholarships for postgraduate certificate participants, facilitation of the industry mentoring scheme, and access to cutting-edge insights from other GNI grantees worldwide.
• International Media Support (IMS)
  • The programme is supported by International Media Support (IMS), an international, Denmark-based organisation that works with the media in countries affected by armed conflict, human insecurity and political transition. IMS provides two MA scholarships which support media partners to experiment and learn. Enabling them to lead the way in developing innovative strategies for resilient public interest media reaching relevant audiences who are able to share, discuss and act on trusted, ethical, inclusive content.

Future careers

• The Journalism Innovation and Leadership programme aims to foster the next generation of diverse leaders and innovators our industry needs to thrive.

Learning and assessment

• This is a certified university course, but it’s certainly not learning as usual. Core to our innovative approach is our Flipped Learning model and Applied Learning Projects.
• Flipped Learning
  • In the traditional teacher-centred model, the lecturer is the primary source of information. By contrast, the Flipped Learning model deliberately adopts a learner-centred approach. That means, you’ll typically prepare for each interactive session online or on campus by completing readings and exercises in advance.
  • That enables us to dedicate in-class time to exploring topics in greater depth, creating rich learning opportunities. As a result, you’ll actively participate in all the scheduled sessions and evaluate your learning in a manner that is personally meaningful.
• Applied Learning Projects
  • Through Applied Learning Projects, our programme enables you to apply insights generated within the modules directly to your own business contexts.
  • You’ll identify and diagnose key leadership and/or innovation challenges, informed by your studies, and generate a key response with the support of the course team, your mentor and your network of fellow participants.
  • This creates tangible and real-world impact that is directly connected to your learning.
• There are no traditional tests or exams.

Pathway opportunities

• You have the opportunity to earn a Postgraduate Certificate in one year and an MA in two years. Successful completion of your capstone Extended Applied Learning Project can also support your entry into the PhD by Portfolio programme, which can be completed under supervision in 24 to 36 months.