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1. Academic Research
 What courses appeal to you?
The course I am most interested in is journalism as I want to go into this area of work in the hopes of
being a journalist, editor, researcher or even potentially a production manager hence why one of my top
courses is Journalism with Media Studies as I feel like what I would learn on this course would be
beneficial to a career where I would be managing media projects. As well as the Journalism courses I
also decided I wanted to apply for one course that was film and media studies as this is something that I
feel somewhat interested in and could see myself going to work in. It is not my top choice though as I
want to work in something where I will be able to write more than anything else as it's something I am
passionate about. The reason I chose these courses is for a variety of reasons, one being careers I am
interested in however I also wanted to choose courses I knew I would enjoy and thrive in because I
figured if I was having to spend such a large sum of money on education it would have to be a course
that I knew I would enjoy as I don’t want to spend that much time and money on something I hate.
I chose Universities all around the country that offered the option which is to take a year abroad as it Is
something I feel would be extremely beneficial to me as it would be a unique experience and I feel like
when I look for a job in the future it would set me apart from other applicants however even if I don’t
decide to take a year abroad most of the universities offer a year in placement instead.
Edinburgh Napier:

2. Although this is not in my top 5, it is still a university I wished to research as I feel it is good to have
backups. On the Journalism course at Edinburgh Napier University, the modules I would be doing are
listed down the side of the screenshot as you can see, however it does not outwardly state which
specific skills they will be teaching us during the course. I can only assume that the skills I would learn
would be tailored to being a journalism so these would be skills such as effective writing skills, having
deep knowledge into grammar, investigative skills, communication skills, professionalism and
confidence, persistence and discipline as well as the main one which would be the journalistic codes of
conduct and ethics. They do state that they will be helping us build out skillset so that we are more
employable, learning how to gather news across digital platforms, writing, radio and TV (So we would be
learning how to operate technical equipment as well as leaning how to use different editing software.)
as well as things we must know as journalists, such as basic coding, app building and website design. We
will be taught in many different ways such as lectures where we will be expected to make notes as well
as tutorials, workshops and practical work where we will be putting the skills we have learned to work.
As well as this Edinburgh Napier give the students a compulsory work placement that will take place
over fifteen days to help us gain extra skills as well as helping us begin to understand how media
workplaces work. The university also offers different weeklong placements as well as paid internships
that they can acquire through different links they have.

3. This course is one of my choices as I want to go on to be a political journalist when I begin working and I
figured that doing my BA in Journalism would be a good start for me before I decide if I am, in fact, going
on to do my masters in a subject of my choice. To be accepted onto this course the entry requirements
for the course is DMM which I feel will be easy enough for me to get as I am already surpassing these
grades with the ones, I achieved the previous year (which was an overall distinction with 8 distinctions
and 2 merits.)
This university is particularly interesting to me as not only is it in a nice city which hosts events I would
love to go to as a student such as their winter festival, but it also offers a good course for me as well as
affordable accommodation (as well as having an Iceland nearby so that I could get transferred there
when I go to university, meaning I will not have to give up my job if I do decide to go here.) Edinburgh
Napier is the best university available for my course according to the Guardian’s University rankings for
Journalism. Their study abroad program is also one of the things that appealed to me as a potential
student and upon researching farther into it, I found out that seeing as I will be doing a BA, there are
various locations I would be able to choose from. If I were to choose, I would most likely choose either
Norway or the Netherlands as I have family in Norway however, I know that there are better schools for
me in the Netherlands.

4. Accommodation:
Seeing as I live in Sunderland I would be moving away from home to attend this University so I looked
into the accommodation that the university offers, and the university offers four halls for
accommodation.

5. Slateford Road:
Slateford Road offers three different kinds of rooms all of which cost different prices. The first kind is a
standard en-suite bedroom where you would be sharing a flat with between 5 and 9 other students,
however you would have your own room which locks and your own shower room and toilet. This kind of
room costs £169.06 a week and it is either a 50-week tenancy or a 39-week tenancy.
The second kind of room offered is a Premium Bedroom which costs £181.51 per week. This flat is only
two people however you share a living area and bathroom with the student you live with however you
would have your own lockable room as well as a private seating area.
The final kind of room available is a studio flat which would cost you £186.20 a week, and this means
you would be living on your own in a flat.
Each of the rooms comes with a three-quarter double bed and the necessary furniture needed for your
flat such as cooking equipment, wardrobes, bookshelves, etc. They offer a deal where you can order
bedding, kitchen and bathroom kits before you arrive with a discount. You can do laundry at your
accommodation for a price and heating is included in the bills as well as Wi-Fi.
I will not go over The Mill House as I would not choose that for my accommodation due to its location.
Orwell terrace:
Orwell terrace only offers two kinds of rooms. One of the rooms they offer is a shared en-suite bedroom
which would cost £110.11 a week and the other kind of room they offer is a standard en-suite bedroom
for £169.05 a week. Each room has an en-suite bathroom, and these flats would consist of 5-9 students
each. As well as this, these flats could be both single gender and mixed.

6. Bainfield:
Similarly, to Orwell Terrace, Bainfield offers two different kinds of rooms as well, theses being a
Standard en-suite bedroom for £169.05 a week which you would be on your own in however you would
live with 5- 9 other students and the other is a studio flat which costs £186.20 a week where you would
be living on your own.
Fees and Funding:
This University costs £9,250 a year to attend. There are scholarships available for certain students,
however I would not be eligible for these as I am from England, and I am white. However, I would be
eligible for their access bursary as well as the merit bursary that they offer.
The Merit bursary that they offer is given to students from the UK who have achieved high grades in
their studies. However, to get this one I would need to have Napier as my firm choice on UCAS. This
bursary gives the students who have been offered it an extra £1000 each year of their studies.

7. The Access Bursary is another bursary I would be eligible for, and it is essentially just your maintenance
loan, however I would be awarded the highest amount due to the amount that my household makes a
year.
University of Sheffield:
I have chosen Journalism at Sheffield University as my number one choice. This course is a three-year
course and it begins in September of 2023. The entry requirements I would need to be eligible for this
course is DDD which I feel is more than possible for me to achieve as I have predicted for me to get
D*D*D if I work hard this year. I am also required to have a Grade 4 in GCSE English Language which I
have already achieved so that will not be an issue for me. This course appealed to me as it was the third
highest university on the Guardian’s listing for the best university in the UK for Journalism. As well as
that, Sheffield University has been marked as the number one university for the students' union.
As well as this, the course really appeals to me as the university is nctj (National Council for the training
of Journalists) accredited which means that I would not have to pay for this qualification as well as being
accredited by the PPA (Professional Publishers Association.) Seeing as I want to go into journalism, I feel
this course would absolutely help me with this career goal.
The modules I would study given I got a place on this course are the following:
Within the first year, I would only have one single core module which is called essential journalism and it
is worth 120 credits. The description for this module online states that the first year would consist of us
learning about how to do news writing, news production as well as the academic skills that go alongside
this. As well as this we would be learning about journalism in a national and international context,
meaning we would be learning about key themes such as media law, ethics and analyzing information.
We would learn how to write an article as well as how to structure one, we would develop interview
skills, how to source and use quotes within an article. The main themes of the year are journalism and
politics, media freedom, journalism and society, audiences, technology as well as innovation in
journalism such as law and ethics among other things.
During my second year there would be three core modules, two of which are worth 20 credits (Court
Reporting and Media Law for Journalists) and the third which is worth 60 credits. (Live news
production.) We also must choose one module from a list of four modules. The choices are data driven
storytelling, introduction to investigative journalism, journalism and political communication and
journalism in history. (My choice would be journalism in history.) There are also more optional choices
that we could take, however I doubt that this is what I would do in my second year.
The third and final year I would be taking two core modules, magazine journalism and production which
is worth 40 credits as well as our final project which is also worth 40 credits. We then get to choose two

8. modules from a list of optional modules, the two that I would choose would be the Television and Radio
live production which is worth 20 credits and whiteness, power and privilege which is also worth 20
credits.
We would learn through various kinds of learning such as practical work (where we would be gathering
news, preparing content using a professional editing suite, newsrooms and broadcast studios. There will
also be lectures to attend and we can do the learning on our own by using the study spaces that are
provided by the university. We will also have assessments to do such as our final project as well as
having to sit exams for the NCTJ qualification.)

9. Accommodation:
This is a chart the university offers on their website about the undergraduate accommodation they offer
for city campus which is where my course would be. My choice for accommodation would be Allen
Course, St George’s flats, St Vincents Place or Studio 300 as they are all places where I would not have to
share a bedroom or bathroom. Allen Court costs between £161.49 and £173.81 a week, St Georges costs
£142.17 a week, St Vincents Place costs £146.44 a week and Studio 300 costs £243.11 a week.

10. Fees and Funding:
The course that I have decided to take is £9,250 a year for me seeing as I am a student from the UK. As
well as the amount that I am going to be paying for tuition I will also have to but the books that are
compulsory to buy, field trips that I may have to pay for, there is also accommodation, living costs,
stationary, electrical equipment such as laptops and cameras etc. There also may be a cost for me to
retake the NCTJ exam if I end up failing it. There will also be costs for travel and things such as
replacements for ID cards etc.
I used the student finance calculator they have available on their website to see what they thought
would be available to me funding wise and because of my living situation I would be able to claim more
than others seeing as I come from a household which earns less then £24,000 a year and I am estranged
from my parents. There may be more available to me than this though as these are the figures from
2021 so the amount I can receive may go up before I go to the University.

11. They also offer accommodation scholarships for students who are estranged from their parents like I
am. To get this bursary I would have been able to pay the fee for the uni course and be under the age of
25 as well as being estranged from my parents. They pay for your accommodation for three years and
you would get an en suite bedroom with the bursary. The only issue is that they only choose 80 students
a year to get the bursary so I would have to ensure my application is perfect.
There is also a scholarship available called the Experience Sheffield Scholarship which is only available to
people who earn less than £50,000 a year and have received an offer to study full-time at the University
of Sheffield. I would be eligible for this bursary as I am estranged from my parents as well as being the
first person in my immediate family who will be attending University.
I think the main one and most likely the only one I will be applying for apart from maintenance loans
would be the actual University bursary for estranged students as they give you and extra £4,500 a year
paid in two installments however you will also have your accommodation paid for by the University (a
51-week contract where you will be placed in an en suite bedroom.) and all I will need for this is some

12. proof that I am estranged through something such as a letter from a social worker, lecturer or some
police reports in relation to my mother.
University of Leeds
I chose the University of Leeds as a choice for me as not only is it a well-known University with a good
reputation, but it is also offering the course I want to do, which is Journalism. It has been ranked in the
top ten for this course for a while now and it is predicted to be within the top 10 for journalism in 2023
as well which is great seeing as this would be the year, I would begin my course. Not only is it in the top
10 in the UK, however, it was also ranked 22nd
for being one of the top universities in the world to offer
communication and media studies.
The course I plan on taking is their Journalism BA which is a three-year course, and I would begin in
September of 2023. The entry requirements for this course are DDD which is more than achievable for
me as I am predicted to get grades beyond this. On their website they claim that this course will teach
me all the essential skills I would need to become a professional within the media industry. (Where we
will be learning everything from how to compose a piece for a traditional newspaper, how to operate
and create a piece of work for television and radio as well as how to create our own website and how to
run an online news channel.) This course is BJTC (Broadcast Journalism Training Council) accredited
which was one of the selling points for me as it means I would not have to go out of my way to get
accredited and instead I would get this qualification through the University given I pass the first time.
Like many other universities on this list, the University offers a chance for me to go abroad. However,
this is something I would investigate as a student given, I get into Leeds University and choose to go. The
university also offers a three-week placement in the broadcasting industry in line with the BJTC
accreditation. The course also has all of the resources we would need for each of our modules so that is
one less thing to worry about.
The modules that I would take during my time at Leeds University would be the following:
Year One:
-Introduction to Media and Communication Research
-Introduction to Journalism
-Journalism Politics and Society
-Camera and Editing for Journalists

13. -Introduction to Media Law and Regulation
Year Two:
-Journalism Ethics
-Issues in Journalism
-Digital Journalism
-Journalism Practice
-Live Journalism Practice
Year Three:
-Journalism Placement
-Live News Production
-Media Law
I would also imagine I would like to take the optional module in Year Three called Feminism, Identity and
Media as it seems like something which would interest me, and it could be something that I am
passionate about. I would also like to take the module called War and Media as it sounds extremely
interesting.
All the modules above are worth 20 credits each.
Accommodation:
Seeing as the university offers many different accommodations, I will just cover the ones here that I am
interested in.
The Tannery:
The first one is The Tannery which is an accommodation which is close to the city Centre and campus. It
is close to Hyde Park, the bus station and each of the bedrooms are En suite and they are fitted with
junior double beds. The common room is fitted with a flat screen and a pool table as well as laundry
facilities which you would be able to use for a price. This would be shared with 3-5 others. It is self-
catered so we would have to buy and make food for ourselves as well as being £153 a week, however if I

14. were to get the accommodation bursary this would not apply to me. The rent includes all electric, gas
and water we use as well as including Wi-Fi, a gym membership and other basic insurance costs.
Leodis Residences:
The second accommodation I could be interested in is the Leodis residences as this is more of a student
village and it is close to not only campus, but the city center itself. This accommodation also has junior
double beds, and it is modern-looking accommodation. It includes a common room with a large TV as
well as a pool table like the tannery. However, unlike the tannery this residence includes a picnic and
barbeque area for students who live there. This accommodation is £155 per week, and it includes all the
things that are included in the tannery rent. If I were to choose to live here, I would most likely end up
living with up to five people meaning I could gain friends by talking to my flat mates.

15. White Rose View:
The third accommodation that caught my attention was the white rose view accommodation which is
located in the city center and although it has no parking (which is not a bother for me as I do not drive) it
is placed close enough to bus and train stations that it would not be a hinderance. Like all the other
residences available this one comes with Wi-Fi and all the other benefits, however this specific residence
comes with a bar on site as well as having an onsite gym for students. These flats are part of the Unite
partnership and if I were to live here, I would be living with up to 7 other students. This accommodation
costs £167 a week.

16. Clarence dock Village:
The final accommodation I am interested in is Clarence Dock Village which is also part of the Unite
Partnership. This is an accommodation which can house up to six students and it has its own common
room as well as a gym for students to use. It is also close to Leeds Dock which is apparently popular with
students so that could be fun. There is an easy bus route from here to campus. This accommodation is
£143 a week.

17. Fees and Funding:
For Leeds I had a harder time when it came to navigating their website and finding out information
about their financial help for those who need it. Apart from being eligible for the Unite Partnership, I
found out I would also be eligible for either the ‘Leeds Bursary’ which is funding based on your
household income or the ‘Personal circumstances Scholarship.’ which also is based on your household
income as well as your individual situation (so because I am considered estranged, I would be eligible for
this.)

18. University of Portsmouth:
I chose this university for various reasons. One of these was because the university is within the top 20
for the course that I want to do as well as the fact that the student satisfaction for the course I want to
take is higher than others I had been interested in.
The course I would take at this university is their journalism course with media studies alongside it as I
was struggling with choosing between media studies and journalism so I figured a course that was both
of these combined would solve this issue for me. The entry requirements for this course are 112 UCAS
Points or a DDM which is easy enough for me to do as I am already achieving beyond this. As well as this,
the course is also accredited just like Leeds and Sheffield which makes getting a journalism qualification
easier for me. On this course we also have the option to take place in placements throughout the
duration of the degree, learn from published journalists and researchers, learn more about the industry
through visiting professionals as well as many other things.
The section above also interested me as these are careers I am more than interested in on the list so this
makes me more hopeful that this university would be beneficial for me.

19. The university offers placements in many well-known organizations within media such as The Sun,
Vogue, The BBC and others like this which is also a factor which sways me towards this University as it
could be one of the universities that gives me the best opportunities compared to others I have in mind.
Accommodation:
Greetham Street Hall:
Portsmouth is the only other university on my list that is supported by the unite foundation meaning
that if I apply here and get the scholarship I would not have to pay for accommodation. This
accommodation could be shared with up to 9 others including myself, as well as having 24-hour security
and laundry facilities on site for students to use. This accommodation is ten minutes away from the
university by foot and the nearest train station is only 2 minutes away. It costs £166 a week however
this would not be an issue if I got the scholarship.

21. Rosalind Franklin Halls:
Rosalind franklin halls is also a self-catered accommodation however this one is only shared with up to
six students unlike the previous one. This hall is only three minutes away from the university by foot as
well as being only five minutes away from the nearest train station, which means it would be easy to get
around as a student. The standard room for this hall costs £148 a week, however a studio room costs
£161 per week.

23. Trafalgar Hall:
This accommodation includes six en suite rooms, and it is self-catered, so you are expected to be
cooking for yourself. This accommodation is only three minutes from the university however the train
station is further than the other accommodation, being seven minutes away on foot. The standard room
for this accommodation is priced at £138 per week and the studio rooms for this hall cost £161 per
week. I honestly think this is my favorite accommodation out of all the ones the university offers.

25. Chaucer House:
This accommodation is the furthest away from the university, however it is the closest to the train
station, which would make getting around the city and possibly to other places in the country easy for
me. They only offer one kind of the room and it costs £166 a week to stay in. I don’t think I would like
this accommodation as much as the others as it is smaller than the other rooms offered.

27. Fees and Funding:
If I were to attend Portsmouth University, I would be eligible for the unite scholarship of course,
however because I am considered estranged, I would also be eligible for the stand alone bursary which
would give me an extra £1000 a year. As well as this I would be eligible for the Tuition fee loan and my
maintenance loans like every other student.

28. Manchester Metropolitan University
The main reason that this university is in my top five is purely because it offers the film and media
studies course that I would like to have as an option so that not all of my courses are the exact same
however this would very much be a safe choice for me because as much as I love the city and the
different things that go on there, it is not somewhere I could imagine me living and I doubt that I will
change my mind about becoming a journalist.
The entry requirements for this course is 104 Ucas Tarriff points or DMM seeing as we are on an
extended BTEC course.
Year One:

29. Year Two:
Year Three:

31. Accommodation:
Cambridge:
They offer four different kinds of room at this accommodation ranging from £117 per week all the way
up to £139 per week. However, I would only apply for an en-suite room as I would need my own
bedroom and my own bedroom as having to share a bathroom seems very uncomfortable for me as I
need my own privacy if I am moving away from home.
Briarfield:
This accommodation offers two different kinds of rooms, standard (which costs £147 per week) and en-
suite which costs £165 per week. I would only go for the en-suite bedroom as like I said beforehand, I
will need my own bathroom for privacy otherwise I would not be comfortable enough to live in halls.
Archway:
This accommodation only offers one kind of room however it is a flat shared between eight people. They
only offer a premium en-suite bedroom which is why I decided to choose it as one of my potential
options as I would not have to live with all that many people and I would not have to share my bedroom.
Fees and Funding:

32. If I attended this university of course I would be able to get tuition fee loans as well as my maintenance
loans however the university also offers some financial aid to those who are the first in their immediate
family who are going onto higher education. There is also a student support package which is where the
university gives you an extra £750 per year to help you. Manchester Met also has an estranged student's
bursary, however they do not have the amount you receive for this on their website.
Teesside University
Last year I decided to attend an open day for a university a friend was planning on attending seeing as it
was close to home as well as the fact that they offered the course that I had been interested in at the
time (English Literature and Journalism.) and when I got to the open day, the university actually
appealed to me in a way despite the fact that it was not the most fantastic university offered to me with
the grades I was predicted to achieve. Because of all these factors, I had decided that Teesside university
was going to be my safe choice for a university in case things do not go to plan like I want them to. As
well as this, if I end up having to go to this university, I have many friends here who would be there for
my first two years at university which serves as a kind of comfort to me as I am someone who does
suffer from homesickness so moving far away is something I honestly am scared of. As well as this, one
of the bigger reasons I thought this university was a good safe choice for me is because the course is
accredited which is great seeing as this is not one of the better universities. They also are an adobe
creative campus. The entry requirements for this university is 96-112 ucas points which is either an
MMM or a DMM.

33. Accommodation:
Due to the lack of student finance support, I would have to stay in one of the cheaper accommodations
available so this would be either Parkside Hall or east Parkside village.
Parkside Hall:
This accommodation is £75 a week and it is only five minutes away from campus by foot which is
convenient. The bathroom is shared however the bedrooms are not so that’s convenient. Wifi is
included in the price as well as all bills. There's a shared kitchen also. You would also be able to use the
on-site laundry facilities for a price.

34. East Parkside Village:
This accommodation is between £80 and £85 a week. Again, these are single rooms with a shared
bathroom. The Wi-Fi and bills are included in the price. There are also in-house wardens in this
accommodation which is good as it makes it safer for the students.
Fees and Funding:
The university does not seem to offer other types of funding for students apart from the typical student
loans you can get as a student so that is inconvenient for me as a student who would then have to get a
job alongside my course.