Bachelor of Arts (Hons) in English and Multimedia Journalism with Placement Year

at Manchester Metropolitan University United Kingdom

BA Criminology and Sociology offers the exciting opportunity to combine the study of two cutting-edge disciplines in the vibrant city of Manchester.

The course is aimed at students who are interested in both disciplines and want to study crime and its causes, patterns, consequences and responses by situating them in the wider context of society.

The first year introduces students to the building blocks of criminology and sociology: key sociological and criminological theories, social divisions and problems, the criminal justice system, crime policy and practice, and key social transformations such as digital culture. Students will receive training in a wide range of research methods during the first two years, to become equipped to undertake their own independent research project in the final year.

At the heart of the Manchester Writing School are our master's programs in Creative Writing, available to study on campus in Manchester and also from anywhere in the world via online distance learning.

On our Master of Arts (MA) Creative Writing program, you will explore and practice techniques and styles of modern and contemporary writing and apply these through the development of your own creative work. You will undertake a taught element blending writing workshops with reading units and an elective, and then complete your studies through submission of an extended piece of writing from a proposed full-length book or script.

You will specialise in one of the following routes: Novel (including Short Fiction), Poetry, Writing for Children & Young Adults, Scriptwriting (for stage, screen or radio) or Creative Non-Fiction.

An international relations degree will help you to gain appreciation of how states, international organizations, and non-state actors interact on the global stage. This course is about using theories and models to best explain and understand power in the world, why the world is the way it is, and how we can change it. This takes place at all levels, from individuals to whole global systems, and understanding this allows us to question what we think we know, what we think matters, and how we can develop a better world. Supported by knowledgeable and passionate staff, you’ll start by looking at the core critical and emancipatory theories of International Relations and their underlying methods.

You’ll get a broad grounding in the key issues of today’s world and the contested historical development of world politics; studying topics informed by staff research such as terrorism, security studies, human rights, cultural politics, and many others.

A wide variety of options means that you can pursue your own interests – with things becoming increasingly flexible as you progress through the course, and in your final year, you will engage more directly with current academic debates and contemporary political developments.

We place a heavy emphasis on employability and offer valuable practical skills training, including advanced analytical approaches, which many employers look for when offering placement opportunities. This, alongside the possible opportunity to study abroad – with all the experience that it brings – means that an International Relations degree opens doors to a range of interesting and rewarding career possibilities.

You can also combine international relations with another subject and broaden your outlook still further, and in your third year, you may have the opportunity to take a placement year with an employer or study abroad, broadening your horizons and boosting your employability.

Placement options

Through a placement year, you may have the chance to spend a year getting a taste of professional life and show employers that you’re ready to get to work. This is a valuable opportunity to develop core employability skills and explore how your course, and the knowledge you’ve gained from it, can be transferred to the real world.

Students are free to choose placement opportunities from a wide range of roles both in the UK and abroad. Students choosing this option are supported by a dedicated placement team who provide links to employers through presentations, events, and fairs, and provide a specialist program of guidance on recruitment procedures including CV and interview preparation, as well as work readiness and working overseas.

If you’re ready to take your career in law forward, or in one of the many law-related fields, our LLM is an excellent next step. It’s a versatile qualification that produces highly employable graduates for an increasingly connected world.

The course offers an in-depth understanding of how the law applies to individuals, business and society, not only regionally and nationally but also in the global arena of international relations and multinational corporations.

As such, you will study the effectiveness of the post-1945 legal world order and how the globalised system of business, trade and commercial laws has developed. You will also learn about the growing body of international human rights and European laws, exploring issues around Brexit and the protection of fundamental rights in the UK in particular.

With an element of independent study, you can focus on an area of law that interests you, with the support of specialist academics and researchers who are contributing towards shaping today’s legal, policy and business environment. And, while you can choose to keep your LLM broad, you could instead opt for one of four specialist routes:

• International Business Law
• International Human Rights Law
• International Law

Whichever route you choose, you’ll not only expand your legal knowledge, but also develop advanced analytical and research skills. Whether you’re aiming to develop your employability prospects in a specialist area of law, policy or business or you’re intent on pursuing a career in research or academia, you’ll find a supportive environment in our modern law school.

Counselling and psychotherapy are terms for a wide variety of evidence-based talking and listening approaches which apply established theories to promote psychological change.

Alongside the main discipline of psychology, each year of this course offers specialist units where you’ll study the fields of counselling and psychotherapy.

Our course also covers all core elements of psychological study as required by the British Psychological Society (BPS), from lifespan development, neuropsychology, and research methods, to social and critical, and abnormal psychology.

In addition to theory, you’ll also learn basic practical counselling skills. Some of these skills may include how to offer acceptance, empathic listening, questioning techniques and how to develop practitioner resilience. You’ll mostly learn through role-play in pairs and small groups, listening, observing and giving feedback to your peers.

Networked computers run our world. From homes to hospitals, airports to banks and all stops in between, everything is connected – but these systems are susceptible to infiltration and attack. On our MSc Cyber Security course, you’ll gain the expertise to become part of the defence.

By learning to design, implement and manage computer-based systems security on this master's, you’ll develop the skills and confidence to succeed in a wide range of cyber security roles. This could include security designer, ethical hacker, and digital forensics officer.

Starting with the fundamentals, you’ll gain a broad understanding of the different levels of computer and network security. You’ll then explore both the technical aspects and the logistics of planning and implementing network security management. And how to investigate systems after a breach.

You will also complete a master's project. While you’ll have plenty of support along the way, it’s a solo research project designed to develop confidence, autonomy and self-sufficiency – qualities that can take you far in the workplace.

We aim to train you to become a specialist in a field with opportunities in virtually every sector – with everything that means for your future career prospects.

Placement options

Strengthen your skillset by spending time in industry on a placement year, applying the skills you’ve learned throughout your academic studies in a practical, real-world environment. It’s an excellent opportunity to develop a professional career development plan and gain transferable workplace skills that can boost your employability.

Following completion of the taught elements of your MSc course, you can gain additional practice credits by working for a minimum of 36 weeks and a maximum of 42 weeks in an industrial setting, relevant to your course.

It’s your responsibility to search and apply for advertised placement opportunities, but you’ll be supported by academic staff and the University’s Careers and Employability Service to find a placement that is suited to you and your career ambitions. However, not all students can be guaranteed a placement.

All placements are approved and monitored in accordance with the University’s Institutional Code of Practice for Placement and Work?Based Learning. For international students, this includes additional checks on study visas to ensure the appropriate visa status.

Embark on our creative writing degree and from the very start you’ll study and practise the art and craft of writing in a wide range of established and new forms, from prose fiction and poetry, to screenwriting and writing for computer games. You'll also focus on how writers read texts, how we can learn from them and how to add your own voice into the ongoing conversation of literature.

You’ll learn from award-winning, leading poets, novelists and scriptwriters at the renowned Manchester Writing School – writers who know what it takes to turn a flash of inspiration into brilliant words on the page. The course also has a strong emphasis on professional development, and in our practical 'Beyond the Page' units you’ll look at professional practice in the literary industry and working in the cultural industry in general. In our workshops, you’ll study the formal aspects of creative writing as well as putting your own skills into practice.

If you choose the placement route, you will be able to spend the third year of your studies on an industry placement. A placement is a key element of the course as it allows you to apply university-based knowledge, skills and understanding to the real world of work. It also gives you an advantage when you begin looking for your first job upon graduating. You may also have the opportunity to spend a year expanding your horizons, either studying with one of our partner universities overseas, or working on a placement within the industry.

Placement options
Placement opportunities may be available both in the UK and abroad, in a wide variety of roles and sectors.

Our dedicated placement team have developed excellent links with various industries. You will be offered support through a preparation program of activities that includes guidance on selection procedures, working overseas, CV preparation, interview and selection techniques.

Graphic Design is a hands-on, ideas-driven studio-based course where you will learn a variety of approaches to visual communication. Distinctive creative personalities are nurtured and the unconventional is actively encouraged.

After developing your creative visual language in Year 1, you will be able to apply your skills to a range of personal and industry-related projects in Year 2. Your final year will see you develop a professional portfolio that reflects your personal interests and individual career aspirations.

At all stages of the course we focus on contemporary and relevant design that embraces intellectual curiosity and design as an experience. You have the opportunity to connect with industry, either through visiting speakers, live briefs or work experience.

Our MA Educational Leadership masters is a flexible course for anyone interested in critically exploring educational leadership. We offer a full-time and part-time route, as well as an offsite provision so that you can study at a pace that suits you.

Whether you are a current or aspiring leader in education or a related field, our course appeals to a variety of backgrounds and professions. You’ll be joining a diverse and thriving community of postgraduate students from the UK and across the world.

You’ll critically analyse the key approaches and debates in the field of educational leadership from UK and global perspectives and develop your understanding of different leadership models.

You’ll evaluate and learn to think with a range of theoretical frameworks to deepen your critical analysis of leadership. You’ll also use theory to examine and challenge your own beliefs and assumptions. This will enable you to reframe how educational leadership is practised and contribute to new and innovative methods for the future.

We aim to empower you to approach your own research with confidence. You’ll extend your understanding of research techniques to prepare you for completing your own dissertation. You’ll be supported by active researchers in our internationally renowned Educational and Social Research Institute (ESRI).

We’ve designed this postgraduate course to allow you to specialise and focus on areas of education that interest you. You can choose option units based on work by world-class researchers in the Faculty of Health and Education. Specialist option units may include topics such as literacy and language, educational philosophy, learning in informal settings, or international perspectives in education.

When you graduate, you’ll achieve a masters degree that highlights areas of your personal and professional interest.

Designed for qualified doctors, physiotherapists and osteopaths with clinical experience, you’ll study the prevention, diagnosis and management of sport and exercise related medical conditions and injuries.

You’ll choose specialist units that fit with your interests and career aspirations and have the opportunity to gain additional professional accreditation, qualification or membership with external professional bodies. This includes Fellowship of the Academy of Medical Educators (AoME).

The majority of this course is delivered at The Manchester Institute of Health and Performance (MIHP). You’ll have the opportunity to use world-class facilities, such as the environmental chamber, 3D performance capture hall, and the laboratory spaces for specialist exercise testing. You’ll perform practical sessions such as biomechanics and aerobic capacity tests.

You’ll learn theory in seminars, exploring cases and developing the specialist knowledge needed to support your career path into sport and exercise medicine. Topics you might consider include injury diagnosis, nutrition for sports, sports psychology and physiotherapy to help athletes get back into competitions, and performance enhancement.

To ensure our curriculum is relevant, our course theme lead is Prof John Rogers. We also have guest lectures from industry professionals who are experts in their field of practice. Past guest lecturers on this course include Adrian Gardner (Head of Performance at Warrington Wolves Rugby League), Chris Rosimus (Head of Nutrition at The Football Association), John Hartley (First Team Physiotherapist at Aston Villa Football Club) and Aaron Green (Head Strength and Conditioning Coach with English Touch Association).