Ulster MA Journalism Degree Named Best In UK
MA journalism students meet DUP representative Gregory
Campbell MP on a recent visit by the politician to the Coleraine campus
The University of Ulster’s MA Journalism course is the UK’s best performing postgraduate journalism programme – and that's official!
The accolade came from the industry's authoritative standards watchdog body, the National Council for the Training of Journalists (NCTJ), as the Coleraine course topped the country in the body's seven national professional exams this year.
There are over 80 NCTJ accredited journalism courses in the UK.
The award was presented at BBC Scotland on 3 December, in front of editors and journalism course directors from across the UK at the journalism skills conference.
Derry student wins charity’s national video contest
University of Ulster student, Thomasina McCallion, has won a national video contest organised by Irish overseas development charity Trócaire. Thomasina.
Global Game Jam
In late January Interactive Media Arts students collaborated with students from the School of Computing to take part in a global event to produce working video games in a 48 hour period between Friday the 28th January and Sunday the 30th January. The School of Media, Film and Journalism opened its facilities to the students to work in mixed teams and ability groups to produce work in a restricted timeline. Over the course of the weekend students produced 3 working game prototypes for windows platforms using XNA that engaged with the Jams theme of Extinction; Earth Attacks, eXodus, and Extinction. This Jam Site was the only in Northern Ireland and was one of over 170 across the world.
UTV Screen Documentary by University of Ulster Student
A documentary by University of Ulster media student Paddy Trolan has been shown on UTV as part of a specially extended UTV Live Tonight at 10.30 pm.
‘Finding James’ tells the poignant story of Margaret Elliot, whose14 years old son James died tragically in August 2009 after he jumped into the River Bush to try and rescue a pet dog. Since then Margaret and other family members coped with their loss by becoming volunteers with the Bann Community Rescue Service.
Belfast Hacks & Hackers
The Belfast campus of the University of Ulster was the setting for the first ever Irish Hacks and Hackers Day, organised by Scraperwiki on Saturday, November 13th, 2010
Using Scraperwiki, the award-winning new screen scraper and data mining tool, funded by 4iP, the one day practical hack day in Belfast saw web developers and designers (Hackers) team up with journalists and bloggers (hacks) to produce a number of projects and stories based on public data. It was all part of the ScraperWiki UK and Ireland Hacks and Hackers tour.
Northern Ireland’s best media work honoured and showcased
The best creative media work produced this year in schools, youth groups and the Northern Ireland Skillset Media Academy has been honoured at this year’s Ulster Media Show.
The four-day showcase of the student work, from 23-26 June and on www.ulstermediashow.com, was opened on Wednesday, 23 June, 2010, by University of Ulster Vice-Chancellor Prof. Richard Barnett with an award’ s evening. It was presented by UTV’s Tina Campbell.
The six categories were judged by top media executives like Michael Wilson, director of television at UTV and Richard Williams, chief executive of Northern Ireland Screen.
The judges said: “The quality of the submissions and thematic content was overwhelming and it is evident that Northern Ireland has a new breed of creative producers and directors in the making.”
The category with the biggest entry, aged 16-19, sponsored by University of Ulster, was won by Cathryn Gamble, Collegiate Grammar School, Enniskillen, with her project - ‘A Boy Named Sue’.
Skillset Media Academy competition for GCSE and A-Level students
In recognition of the high quality media production work in schools, new categories are for those aged between 14 to 16 and 17 to 19 at the entry date of 24 May 2010 have been added. Short videos, interactive websites or audio pieces produced for the state exams or independently can be entered by the teacher. It must be copied on five DVDs or CDs and playable on a DVD player. The shortlisted entrants will be exhibited at the university’s Belfast campus from 24 to 26 June at the Ulster Media Show ’10 as well as on www.ulstermediashow.com. Further details and last year’s winners can be seen here.
Professional Development Session
24 November 2009
NWRC, working with the University of Ulster and Foyle Film Festival, organised and hosted a seminar focusing on career progression and continuing professional development in the moving image and interactive media industries.
Photo: (L-R) Tony Doherty (Ambient Light), Ian Kennedy (Skillset), Eoin Coffey (Ambient Light), Tony Talbot (NWRC), Catherine Ross (360 Production), Helen Thompson (BBC NI), Jim Curran (University of Ulster).
Panellists were Ian Kennedy (Skillset), Helen Thompson (BBC), Catherine Ross (360 Production), Eoin Coffey (Ambient Light Productions) and Jim Curran (UU), who each made a presentation of their work and discussed the moving image/interactive media industry, their education and training, and career development.
Music/E-media Panel Discussion
The NI Skillset Media Academy at NWRC organised and hosted a panel presentation, discussion and Q&A session dealing with the music industry past, present and future, with a focus on the application of new media in promotion, distribution and sales.
L-R: Maggie Russell (HND Student), Nick Fitzsimmons, Keith Cullen, Tony Talbot (NI Skillset Media Academy), Martin Neill, Andrew Ferris and Melanie Foster.
The panel consisted of Keith Cullen (Setanta Records), Andrew Ferris (Smalltown America), Nick Fitzsimmons (Penny Distribution), Melanie Foster (Mastercuts), Martin Neill (No More Art).
The audience were a range of people working and studying within the areas of music and e-media, and the lively, entertaining and informative event provided an opportunity for all those involved to share knowledge and experience and dissect the modern entertainment industry.
