New course sees Bolton and Beijing universities collaborate to offer training in multimedia techniques, working with fixers and how to get stories while staying safe
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The University of Bolton has launched a new international multimedia journalism degree based in Beijing.
The MA International Multimedia Journalism, which is a collaboration between the university and the Beijing Foreign Studies University, will welcome its first intake of 20 students in September.
The course will feature training from a range of international journalists and instructors, DJ Clark, course leader, told Journalism.co.uk. The course will train students in multimedia techniques and tools for publishing online, in print and via radio and TV, but also prepare them for work as a journalist in a foreign country, he said.
Training will be given in working with fixers, assessing risk and working in a hostile environment "so they're thinking about how to get stories, but are also safe".
The degree is one of the only journalism courses in China to be taught in English and the partnership between the universities in Beijing and Bolton is a first for the organisations. The course will also make use of the growing number of international news bureaux and English-language publications in China for work experience and guest speakers.
The course will be split equally between students from China and participants from the UK and beyond. Students will undertake industry placements outside of their home country as the third section of the course, said Clark.
"We want them to work outside of their comfort zone, where they're not used to the language," said Clark. Such placements will help encourage the students to go beyond stereotypes of the country they are working in and find "real stories", he said.
More details of fees for the course, which are £4,284 for students from the EU, and how to apply are available on the University of Bolton's website .
