Overview
Our MSc in International Journalism introduces students from a wide range of academic and professional backgrounds to the theory and practice of journalism in a global context. This master's course is internationally focused and grapples with journalism across different media, cultural and regulatory environments – with a particular emphasis on investigative research and reporting.
We have extensive industry links which build on our existing strengths in teaching and research. Our staff include an ex-editor-in-chief of The Scotsman, and a former specialist correspondent for the Press Association and The Independent on Sunday.
The journalism sector is continually evolving, and journalists have to learn an ever-growing suite of skills to remain relevant. You will develop advanced research, analysis, writing and presentation skills for print, online, audio and video news platforms.
Meet our students
On the MSc International Journalism you will:
- develop advanced research, investigative and analytical skills;
- acquire skills in writing news stories, features and long-form investigative articles;
- develop an understanding of different journalistic styles and their relationship to content;
- acquire the production skills needed to publish news content across multiple media platforms – from print newspapers/magazines to websites and audio and video podcasts;
- develop an appreciation of the cultural, social and political significance of journalism and an in-depth knowledge of the legal and ethical frameworks within which journalists operate;
- acquire an understanding of the different political, regulatory, socioeconomic and cultural contexts in which journalists might be expected to work.
If you’re interested in studying a module from this course, the Postgraduate Certificate or the Postgraduate Diploma then please email Graduate Admissions to discuss your course of study.
Staff teaching on the MSc International Journalism include a number of interdisciplinary researchers who have published widely in academic journals and books – as well as professional journalistic publications, including national newspapers, magazines and the broadcast media. Their academic research interests include everything from the way the media reports poverty, inequality and climate change to the ways in which digital technologies are revolutionising the relationship between the stories journalists write, the people they write about, and their ‘users’ and ‘audiences’.
Entry requirements
A minimum of a second class Honours degree (2:1 preferred) or equivalent. Applicants without these formal qualifications but with significant appropriate work experience are encouraged to apply.
Journalists come from a wide range of backgrounds and the profession is keen to encourage applicants from the arts, humanities, business, sciences and the social sciences. We welcome applications from the broadest range of disciplines.
Other routes of entry
If you don't currently meet our academic requirements, INTO University of Stirling offers a variety of preparation programmes that can earn you the qualifications and skills you need to progress onto some of our courses. Explore INTO University of Stirling to see the pathway and pre-masters routes available.
International entry requirements
If English is not your first language you must have one of the following qualifications as evidence of your English language skills:
- IELTS Academic or UKVI 6.0 with a minimum of 6.0 in reading and writing and 5.5 in speaking and listening.
- Pearson Test of English (Academic) 60 overall with a minimum of 59 in reading and writing and 59 in speaking and listening.
- IBT TOEFL 78 overall with a minimum of 18 in reading, 23 in writing, 17 in listening and 20 in speaking.
See our information on English language requirements for more details on the language tests we accept and options to waive these requirements.
If you need to improve your English language skills before you enter this course, our partner INTO University of Stirling offers a range of English language courses. These intensive and flexible courses are designed to improve your English ability for entry to this degree.
Find out more about our pre-sessional English language courses.
Course details
The MSc International Journalism takes place within the two 15-week semesters and consists of two components; a taught course followed by a dissertation or investigative research project. Students who take the practical project route are given the opportunity to bid for co-supervision by an experienced journalist from the award-winning Scottish investigative journalism news site The Ferret.
Full-time students will take a total of six taught modules across the year, or across two years if studying part time.
Modules
The module information below provides an example of the types of course module you may study. The details listed are for the academic year that starts in September 2024. Modules and start dates are regularly reviewed and may be subject to change in future years.
Course Details
The course will be delivered through a dynamic blend of lectures, seminars, one-to-one supervisions and practical workshops. You'll also be expected to read widely before classes, prepare regular informal in-class presentations, and conduct independent research.
You will also benefit from a programme of guest talks and masterclasses, delivered by experienced journalists and other media professionals who can explain the rapidly evolving challenges of 'the job' and how these can be overcome. Regular contributors include James Naughtie, the veteran broadcaster and former presenter of BBC Radio 4’s flagship Today programme, and Billy Briggs, co-founder and editor of the Scottish investigative website The Ferret.
You'll be expected to write essays, produce journalistic articles and other content under professional conditions and take part in class-based formative assessments, including individual and group presentations. Learning will also be assessed in a dissertation or investigative research project. There will also be a continuous, informal approach to assessment in the form of weekly discussions, news quizzes and problem-solving exercises.
- Dr James Morrison - Associate Professor in Journalism Studies
- Dr Bernadine Jones – Lecturer in Journalism
- Dr Steven Harkins - Lecturer in Journalism
- Dr Alenka Jelen – Associate Professor and Head of Division of Communications, Media and Culture
- Dr Will Dinan – Senior Lecturer
- Professor Dario Sinfioriani – Head of Production
- Professor Adrian Hadland – Professor of Journalism
- Mr John McLellan - Honorary Professor in Journalism Studies
- Mr Paul Hunter – Lecturer in Journalism
Fees and funding
University of Stirling alumni will automatically be awarded a fee waiver for the first year of Masters studies through our Stirling Alumni Scholarship.
Applicants from the UK or Republic of Ireland who hold a first-class honours degree or equivalent will automatically be awarded a £2,000 scholarship through our Postgraduate Merit Scholarship.
If you need to extend your period of study, you may be liable for additional fees.
If you are studying part time, the total course fee will be split over the years that you study. The total fee will remain the same and will be held at the rate set in your year of entry.
For more information on courses invoiced on an annual fee basis, please read our tuition fee policy.
Eligible students could receive a scholarship worth between £4,000-£7,000. See our range of generous scholarships for international postgraduate students.
If you need to extend your period of study, you may be liable for additional fees.
If you are studying part time, the total course fee will be split over the years that you study. The total fee will remain the same and will be held at the rate set in your year of entry.
For more information on courses invoiced on an annual fee basis, please read our tuition fee policy.
Postgraduate tuition fee loans
This course is eligible for a postgraduate tuition fee loan from one of the UK’s governments. See the Scholarships and funding section, below, for more details.
Additional costs
There are some instances where additional fees may apply. Depending on your chosen course, you may need to pay additional costs, for example for field trips. Learn more about additional fees.
Funding
If you have the talent, ability and drive to study with us, we want to make sure you make the most of the opportunity – regardless of your financial circumstances.
Learn more about available funding opportunities or use our scholarship finder to explore our range of scholarships.
Postgraduate tuition fee loans
Scottish students may be eligible to apply to the Students Award Agency for Scotland (SAAS) for loans of up to £11,500 to cover tuition fees and associated living costs.
English students can apply for a loan of up to £12,167 each year as part of the Postgraduate Masters Loan Scheme.
Welsh students can apply for financial support of up to £18,770 as a combination of grant and loan from Student Finance Wales.
Northern Irish students can apply for a postgraduate tuition fee loan of up to £6,500 from Student Finance NI.
International students may be able to gain additional funding from loan providers.
If you’re domiciled in the UK, you can typically apply to your relevant funding body for help with living costs. This usually takes the form of student loans, grants or bursaries, and the amount awarded depends upon your personal circumstances and household income.
International (including EU) students won’t normally be able to claim living support through SAAS or other UK public funding bodies. You should contact the relevant authority in your country to find out if you’re eligible to receive support.
We aim to be as flexible as possible, and offer a wide range of payment methods - including the option to pay fees by instalments. Learn more about how to pay
After you graduate
- 96% of our graduates were in employment or further study 15 months after graduation (Graduate Outcomes 2020/21, HESA).
The journalism sector is continually changing and journalists have to learn a number of new skills to remain relevant. In addition, the demand for people with new skills in IT and digital media, content creation and production, across the PR, entrepreneurship, freelancing, and wider communications sectors is growing.
The MSc International Journalism will prepare you for this rapidly transforming sector, and will also give you transferable skills for a range of other careers in the fields of entertainment, environment, human rights and migration.
Professions roles that our past graduates have obtained include:
- Broadcast, newspaper and/or digital reporter
- Features editor
- Magazine journalist
- Political risk analyst
- Press sub-editor
- Publishing copy-editor
- Proof reader
- Web content manager
- Digital content writer/editor
- Editorial assistant
Students will graduate from the MSc International Journalism with greatly enhanced employability, thanks to the wide-ranging transferrable skill-set introduced during the course. They will develop advanced skills in oral, written and visual communication; digital production and publication; and knowledge of the economic, technological, cultural, political, legal and ethical frameworks within which today’s digital media professionals and organisations operate.
The MSc International Journalism delivers its capstone investigative journalism project in partnership with The Ferret investigative journalism website. Staff teaching on the course include John McLellan, a former editor-in-chief of The Scotsman, now one of the paper’s leading columnists; James Morrison, an ex-specialist correspondent for the Press Association and Independent on Sunday; and Paul Hunter, a serving BBC Scotland reporter.
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