Journalism and Publishing (Professional Placement Year)

This is an exciting time to be a journalist. With digital storytelling at the heart of contemporary reporting, stories are now told across a range of platforms and the industry is being transformed to meet the challenges and opportunities of the digital age.

We aim to develop a new generation of highly-skilled, pro-active and agile creatives with a nose for a story. You’ll understand the power of image and video content. You’ll develop a range of research approaches to give your work originality and depth.

You’ll have opportunities to work on journalistic briefs and digital social campaigns for a wide range of organisations, as well as live reporting at events such as TEDx and the Historical Writers’ Association Awards. You’ll enjoy our unique campus, surrounded by wildlife and a beautiful 18th-century landscape, perfect for social media nature stories or collaborations with our wildlife conservation students to share environmental stories.

This flexible journalism course is designed to let you focus on your interests and passions across a range of areas including fashion, environment, science, entertainment, sports and politics. You’ll play to your strengths, whether in news and investigative features, consumer and independent magazines, or creative campaigns across social platforms.

With industry-standard facilities and specialist workshops in print, digital and live content, we aim to ensure that you graduate as an expert in publishing software and digital production techniques, along with a strategic approach to creative content development.

You'll also get specialist journalistic insights through the CORQ Brand Briefings, access to key industry resources such as Nielsen Bookscan sales data, the BookMachine online industry community and Society of Young Publishers South West events, some of which are hosted at the University.

More about the Professional Placement Year A Professional Placement Year (PPY), traditionally known as a sandwich year, is where you undertake a period of work with an external organisation for between 9-13 months. The placement occurs between your second and final years of undergraduate study. You can engage in multiple placements to make up the total time and are required to source the placement(s) yourself, with support from the Careers team.