Our philosophy students benefit from being part of a lively and active academic community. You’ll learn through formal courses and extracurricular seminars, while our small group teaching helps you to find your feet in the academic environment. There are plenty of opportunities to discuss critical issues with staff and fellow students, including an optional residential weekend each year.
Our journalism students gain practical skills through writing in a variety of styles, work experience and developing broadcast and presentation skills. You’ll be able to network with invited speakers and take short industry summer courses.
In your first year, you’ll be introduced to the skills of newswriting and interviewing and explore the complex ethics surrounding journalism. You’ll learn to think critically about what journalism means by examining persuasion in the media, including the use of rhetoric and propaganda. You’ll also study social and political philosophy, covering topics such as freedom of speech and terrorism, and examine the nature of knowledge and reality.
In your second year, you’ll delve into influential works of philosophy and political theory such as the themes in Plato’s Republic. In journalism, you will learn the skills of broadcast radio, how to find news, create a magazine and study some of the great journalism campaigns from Watergate to the Black Lives Matter campaigns.
Work placement/study abroad option: Between your second and final year, you’ll have the option to study abroad or do a work placement for up to a year. Not only will this give you an amazing experience to talk about but will also give your CV a boost. If you’d rather go straight to your final year, that’s absolutely fine too. You’ll decide in your second year with us, so there is still plenty of time to think about this.
In your final year, you’ll have the opportunity to develop your interests in topics such as political or feminist philosophy, or the philosophy of language. In journalism you will have the opportunity of doing work experience within journalism or a related field, studying international reporting, creating your own journalistic website and building a journalism portfolio. Through our pitch-to-a-professional scheme you will get the chance to try out your ideas on a professional journalist and meet industry practitioners through our series of talks by people working in the communications industry, many of whom are former graduates who studied journalism at UH.
