Master of Arts in Visual Journalism and Storytelling University of Bolton, UK

No matter whether in print, online or on TV, powerful images capture the world’s attention and have the ability to inform, illuminate and evoke powerful emotion. Visuals play an increasingly central role in driving the world’s news coverage. Meanwhile, online and social platforms have led to new ways to tell visual stories and engage today’s audiences, from ephemeral social stories to long-form digital interactives and online documentaries. Our intensive, practice-focused programme aims to develop visual and multimedia skills in high demand across a range of journalism, media and communication sectors.

The University of Bolton’s MA Visual Journalism and Storytelling is designed to appeal to a diverse range of people with interests in journalism, documentary, social advocacy and other forms of non-fiction storytelling. You’ll be trained in practical skills, via hands-on instruction, alongside the principles of professional visual journalism. You’ll work on assignments that mirror real industry briefs to develop reporting and storytelling skills to underpin your creative practice.

Core faculty continue to work professionally in the fields of visual journalism and communications, allowing us to offer global industry links and, where relevant, support you in making connections. You’ll also have the opportunity to connect with professionals across the world through guest speakers and masterclasses.

You’ll critically engage with broader industry issues and debates such as diversity, ethics, audience issues and new technologies and consider them in the context of the contemporary field of visual storytelling and your own practice. We are committed to training the next generation of image-makers to be ethically aware, adaptable and forward-thinking. Taking advantage of emerging and future innovations, our aim for you is to thrive in a career creating stories that capture, inform and influence an audience.

This programme sits alongside our successful China-based multimedia and visual media programmes. Graduates of these programmes work as staff and freelancers at major news organisations as camera operators, documentary producers and filmmakers, photojournalists and multimedia reporters. Others work as communications directors or content creators in non-profit, governmental and commercial sectors. The work of our staff and alumni has been recognised with prestigious industry awards, including World Press Photo and the George Polk Award.

Highlights

• Combining training in video, photography, news gathering, writing and multimedia, this postgraduate course focuses on preparing you for contemporary and emerging digital-first, visual journalism and non-fiction storytelling environments. We’ll equip you with the skills and versatility to work in a single medium or combined media across diverse platforms.
• The programme is ideal for graduates and professionals. The skills and knowledge you’ll develop will ensure you are competitive for a career in journalism and other media and communication sectors.
• You’ll learn to research, report, produce and edit video, photography, text and multimedia stories from start to finish, working individually and collaboratively, so you develop the essential skill set for today’s visual journalist.
• Our industry-engaged staff are nationally and internationally published visual practitioners in the journalism, documentary, non-profit and commercial sectors.
• Project-based exercises and assignments that mimic real-world industry briefs and processes build your practical expertise and professional knowledge, supporting you to develop the range of skills needed to thrive in this competitive industry.

Key Features

• Teaching focuses on bringing real-time industry practices and debates to the classroom. We’ll encourage you to question, explore, and navigate new practices, discourses and media landscapes.
• The programme offers a scaffold that supports you to develop the skills, confidence and autonomy to produce ambitious visual stories from start to finish. You’ll begin with short-form set assignments and exercises before moving onto longer form, self-initiated projects under the guidance and supervision of our expert tutors.
• We’ll support you in developing a portfolio of visual stories across various media formats and platforms to demonstrate your skills to potential employers.
• Through both theory and practice, you’ll critically engage with industry issues and debates, such as diversity, ethics, audiences and new technologies and consider them in the context of the contemporary field of visual storytelling and your own practice.
• Working collaboratively with our lecturers on visual journalism projects, you’ll explore and experiment with potential new approaches, practices, workflows, platforms and technologies.
• A carefully selected board of industry advisors and visiting lecturers add diverse perspectives, keeping the curriculum current and relevant.
• By choosing to study with us, you'll have the chance to enjoy Bolton's many shops, bars, restaurants and leisure facilities. Manchester, one of the UK's most multicultural and lively cities, is less than 20 minutes away by train. Not forgetting, the North West of England is renowned for its beautiful countryside, coastline and heritage. This makes Bolton an ideal base from which to explore some of the best cultural and outdoor activities the UK offers.