An Coiste FeabhaisAcadúil
The Committee on Academic Quality Improvement
The Academic Quality Assurance Programme 2002 - 2003
REVIEW OF
MASTER OF ARTS IN JOURNALISM
Final Report
MAJounralismFinalReport03
Masters of Arts in Journalism: Review Group Report
12th July, 2003
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This report arises from a visit by a review team on 18th and 19th February 2003. A 'Self
Assessment Report' had already been prepared that, with other documentation, was made
available to the Review Group in advance of the visit.
The Review Group consisted of:
Mr. Eugene McGee, The Longford Leader, Longford (Chair)
Mr. Michael Foley, Dublin Institute of Technology, Dublin
Ms. Sue Nunn, Radio Kilkenny, Kilkenny
Dr. Adrian Frazier, NUI, Galway
Dr. Ivan Gibson of the CFA acting as Rapporteur
The report is structured to cover the following main topics:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Aims and Objectives
Organization and management
Programmes and Instruction
Scholarship and Research
Summary and Concluding Remarks
The Review Group acknowledges and commends the Programme Director on maintaining a
high level of commitment to the MA in Journalism. This is reflected in the enthusiasm of
staff and students and the general satisfaction expressed by students for what was provided
for them. Any comments or suggestions for improvement should be read against this
background.
1. Aims and Objectives
The overall aims of the degree programme were articulated in the ‘Self Assessment Report’
and expanded during discussions over the two days of the visit. The Review Group
considered the programme to be fulfilling the broad objectives provided, but did not
consider that the ‘Self Assessment Report’ to give a complete picture of the programme
itself or of the restraints within which it is being provided. It needs noting, here, that these
aims are being achieved with one full-time member of staff (the Programme Director)
assisted by ten part-time staff for 16/17 students.
It was emphasised by several members of staff and management that the programme was
primarily aimed at supplying graduates ready for immediate employment in journalism. To
this extent, the programme attempts to strike a balance between academic and practical
skills and seems to be generally successful in this aim as is evidenced both by the high
standing this programme enjoys amongst Irish media employers and by the high number of
applicants.
One of the primary aims of this programme is to provide employable graduates. Anecdotal
evidence was supplied as to the success of achieving this aim. The Review Group would
have appreciated a detailed breakdown of the available data in the form of positions held
and organisations involved.
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Masters of Arts in Journalism: Review Group Report
2. Organisation and Management
The Review Group acknowledges the existence of an informal mechanism of programme
review and development; it recommends the establishment of a formal structure. The
Academic Board should meet at least twice per year and include major stakeholders in the
profession: the Academic Director, the Programme Director, an external media
professional, a potential employer and another person who the University considers
qualified.
The Masters programme exists outside departmental structures within the University. For
historical reasons, the Programme Director appears to operate outside the University’s line
management structures and, as a result, is constrained by lack of supporting administrative
and technical staff. The programme depends on the input of a relatively large number of
part-time and service teaching. The Review Group noted a degree of tutor fragmentation
and would suggest that a fewer number of experienced practicing journalist be employed,
each covering a wider range of subjects.
3. Programmes and Instruction
The Review Group met with the majority of the current class. The students were articulate,
frank and fair, and generally complimentary of the programme as a whole. There were
criticisms of some individual staff teaching methods. This was balanced by some extremely
positive feedback on other individual staff. Some students identified the lack of structure in
second semester.
Criticism of the artificiality of the news-day, particularly the lack of effectively enforced
deadlines for the submission of finished articles, was commented on. In consequence, the
news-day is not effectively meeting its objectives in the view of students. The Review
Group recommends that the Programme Director look to other institutions in order to
identify best practise in this area.
Arising from the upgrading from the Higher Diploma to the MA, a decision was taken to
replace the publication of a newspaper with regular news-days. The Review Group
empathises with this decision but are of the opinion that the production of at least one
publication is absolutely essential. Despite the time constraint, an all-out effort should be
made to have a publication by this year’s class.
The Review Group welcomed the inclusion of shorthand and keyboard skills instruction on
the programme. There existed, however, discrepancies between staff and student view of
amount of time spent on – and importance of – shorthand and keyboard skills. Shorthand,
for example, was viewed as important by students but was not given emphasis through
assessment. The Review Group recommend that keyboard skills become a prerequisite of
being accepted on the programme and that competency in shorthand be acknowledged
through the issue of a certificate awarded as part of the degree programme. There is also a
suggestion that the Programme Director investigate the possibility of replacing Gregg
shorthand by the easier to learn T-Line system.
A number of students expressed the desire to have more time devoted to broadcast
journalism and the Review Group was a little disappointed not to meet the broadcasting
tutor in the same way as other tutors. The facilities for broadcast journalism are very good,
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Masters of Arts in Journalism: Review Group Report
although there is an urgent need to install CoolEdit, which is the norm throughout the Irish
radio industry. The Review Group recommend that students also be given the opportunity to
gain experience in actual live broadcasting as well as in the recording of material for
broadcast. The Review Group recommend that the MA programme include formal links
with the campus radio station. Students appear to get valuable experience in the use of
portable recorders in on-street situations; this is to be commended.
The Review Group noted that students are provided with good facilities – in many respects
better than those found in local newspaper offices. Technical backup is currently provided
informally by the Audio/Visual Unit, which was recently moved under the umbrella of the
Centre for Excellence in Learning and Teaching (CELT). It is recommended that the
Programme Director examine means of formalising these arrangements.
An introductory session with Library Staff is essential to education in journalism and must
be included early in Semester I. The Review Group recommend that the Library be viewed
as a journalistic resource and its services be integrated into research for projects and
assignments as appropriate. LexisNexus is available on-line to all students and its use should
be encouraged through assignments that require students to use the resource effectively.
Budget permitting, the programme should subscribe to the following journals: Journalism
Studies, Journalism - theory, practice and criticism, and Journal Media History.
It is noted that the portfolio requirement has been included as part of the replacement of the
Higher Diploma with the Masters programme. It is recommended the requirements for the
portfolio be made more flexible to allow for extensive pieces of work to be submitted.
The change from Higher Diploma to Masters programme places greater demands on
personal initiatives by students; a more structured approach to the various elements of the
programme is required to facilitate this.
The Review Group is pleased to note that a wide variety of teaching and assessment
methods are used throughout the programme. However, it is noted that learning outcomes
are not generally used for the programme or individual courses, and defined assessment
criteria are not in evidence. The Review Group consider that the onus is on the Academic
Board to provide guidelines to teaching staff, particularly to part-time staff who might have
little knowledge of pedagogical issues.
The Review Group noted an admirable esprit de corps amongst students and it is apparent
that there is a good deal of effective informal interaction between staff and students. The
Group is impressed by the commitment and engagement of all teaching staff. There is,
however, no Staff/Student Committee.
Students are not given the opportunity to evaluate teaching formally; it is recommended that
teaching evaluation forms by introduced at the earliest opportunity. It was noted that
examination results from Semester I had not been provided at the time of review.
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Masters of Arts in Journalism: Review Group Report
4. Scholarship and Research
The Review Group considers that active research profiles of key teaching staff are no less
important in journalism, including journalism education, than in other academic disciplines.
A need was identified for the Programme Director to establish links with appropriate
professional organisations/journals and attend conferences in journalism.
5. Summary and Concluding Remarks
The Review Group commends the Programme Director on maintaining a high level of
commitment to the MA in Journalism, which is reflected in the enthusiasm of staff and
students. The programme attempts to strike a balance between academic and practical skills
and seems to be generally successful in this aim as is evidenced by the high standing this
programme enjoys amongst Irish media employers and the high number of applicants. Any
recommendations for improvement should be read with these comments in mind.
The news-day is not effectively meeting its objectives in the view of students. The Review
Group recommends that the Programme Director look to other institutions in order to
identify best practise in this area. The Review Group recommends that the MA programme
include formal links with the campus radio station. The Review Group empathises with the
decision to replace the publication of a newspaper with regular news-days but is of the
opinion that the production of at least one publication is absolutely essential to a
programme in journalism. Despite the time constraint an all-out effort should be made to
have a publication by this years class.
The facilities for broadcast journalism are very good, although there is an urgent need to
install CoolEdit, which is the norm throughout the Irish radio industry. The Review Group
recommend that students also be given the opportunity to gain experience in actual live
broadcasting as well as in the recording of material for broadcast.
The Review Group recommend that the Library be viewed as a journalistic resource and its
services be integrated into research for projects and assignments as appropriate. LexisNexus
is available on-line to all students and its use should be encouraged through assignments
that require students to use the resource effectively.
The Review Group noted an admirable esprit de corps amongst students. It is apparent that
there is a good deal of effective informal interaction between staff and students. There is a
need, however, for the introduction of more formal mechanisms such as: a Staff/Student
Committee, an Academic Board that meets regularly, an introduction of learning outcomes
and appropriate assessment criteria.
Mr. Eugene McGee (Chair)
Mr. Michael Foley
Ms. Sue Nunn
Dr. Adrian Frazier
Dr. Ivan Gibson (Rapporteur)
26 February 2007
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Comments on The Methodology of the Review Process
1. Documentation was not provided long enough in advance of the visit. Simple
guidelines would be helpful for reviewers new to the process.
2. The Review Group appreciated the valuable input of the Quality Office and
considered the process itself well executed. The Group particularly welcomed the
balance of external and internal input into the process.
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