MA Investigative and Human Rights Journalism
Tell Stories. Tell the truth. Change the world.
Overview
This pathway on the MA Global Journalism will prepare and advance careers in investigative journalism and human rights reporting. As well as getting to grips with the fundamentals of investigative newsgathering, you will learn to address the complex ethical, safety and funding challenges that are often at stake in this kind of journalism, and understand its unique contribution to democratic life.
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There are two standard routes of study: online or on campus at SOAS, University of London. However, online students can select modules or pathways that involve intensive study periods in person either in London or in Dhaka. Travel, accomodation and any visa requirements will need to be arranged independently.
Overseas online students can come to the UK for a short intensive period of study on campus using the standard visitor route.
Please be aware that students who come to the UK on the standard visitor route are not eligible for the graduate route visa. For more information and guidance about the standard visitor route please visit: https://www.soas.ac.uk/international/visas-and-immigration/standard-visitor-visa
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1 year Full Time or up to 3 years Part Time
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Online/hybrid: £12,710 full time or £6355 per annum part time
On campus (UK residents): £12,710 full time or £6355 per annum part time
On campus (non-UK residents): £26,330
Postgraduate loans
If you have been a resident in England for 3 years you may be eligible. See postgraduate funding and finance for more information.
Look through the available postgraduate scholarships
Alternatively, we also recommend students approach their local British Council, British High Commission or British Embassy, for information on local funding.
Dependent on nationality, employment circumstances and other factors, funding and sponsorship sources can include:
United Nations (UNESCO, FAO, UNDP, UNEP etc)
Bilateral Aid Agencies (SIDA, GTZ, etc)
European Union
British Council
UK Department for International Development / Foreign and Commonwealth Office
NGOs
Educational and other charitable trusts
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We will consider all applications with a 2:2 (or international equivalent) or higher in a relevant subject.
In addition to degree classification in a relevant subject we take into account other elements of the application such as supporting statement. References are optional, but can help build a stronger application if you fall below the 2:2 requirement or have non-traditional qualifications.
See international entry requirements and English language requirements
A journalism degree with a difference.
You will study at SOAS, London’s truly global university with a mission to challenge perspectives and empower students to ask questions and find solutions.
Our unique flexible offer means you can choose to study on campus, online or combine online study with intensive 2-week learning experiences in London and/or Dhaka.
Our course content as well as teaching methods are rooted in a conception of journalism’s potential to speak truth to power, and a concern for the different ways in which that is under threat: from disinformation to emergent forms of censorship and repression.
Above all, you will have the opportunity to develop and hone a cross section of skillsets applicable to a wide range of career paths within journalism and beyond.
Structure (1 year full time)
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This module provides a theoretical, critical and practical introduction to conflict and human rights reporting with a focus on the complex intersect between long-form journalism, activism and impact. It goes to the heart of practical, safety and ethical questions about reporting on and beyond the front line and prepares students for challenges and opportunities for human rights reporting in a range of professional contexts.
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This module introduces students to the fundamentals of journalism practice against the backdrop of the global news paradigm in both historical and contemporary contexts.
Students are guided through the practical and ethical essentials of sourcing the news and introduced to critical and decolonised perspectives on both the market and geopolitical forces at play in the search for global news exclusives and audiences.
Semester one (September to December)
Core/compulsory:
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This module provides a hands on and immersive training in data journalism from a global news and audience perspective. Students are introduced to critical questions and perspectives on data-driven investigations before getting to grips with particular techniques and data sources including social media, AI journalism and open source intelligence.
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This module is part-taught intensively over two weeks at the Pathshal Institute in Dhaka, Bangladesh. It introduces you to the historical emergence and development of photojournalism as a critical practice, with its unique role in documenting oppression and human rights abuses as well as advancing social justice movements around the world. Through a range of historical and contemporary case studies, you will gain a deep understanding and appreciation of photojournalism ethics and aesthetics, and a critical perspective on the power of visual storytelling.
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This module examines the theoretical, critical and historical frameworks underpinning photojournalism and documentary with a particular emphasis on storytelling for international audiences. Students are guided through aesthetics and historical contexts in relation to social justice movements around the world.
Plus two electives chosen from:
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This module will examine the evolving landscape of human rights journalism, touching on NGO-driven reporting, investigative techniques, digital storytelling, and the global rise of citizen journalism. Emphasis will be placed on the role of journalists and advocates in influencing policy, shaping public opinion, and promoting justice. Through in-depth case studies and core readings, students will engage critically with current debates surrounding human rights reporting and develop skills in investigative research, ethical decision-making, and multimedia and lengthy storytelling.
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This module critically interrogates the global news paradigm in both historical and contemporary contexts. It examines the longstanding cultural hegemony represented by the dominance of Anglo-Western news brands, as well as emergent challenges to that hegemony. A key focus is on the polarisation of news audiences across global news divides, and its impact on journalism ethics and trust in the news. Students will also develop skills in writing for global news audiences and building and developing careers in the global news industry.
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This is a compulsory module for students on the investigative and human rights pathway, built around a collaborative human rights investigation. Following a series of introductory sessions, students will be split into groups and assigned a mentor and tailored research briefs to be carried out over the remainder of the semester. Groups will meet on a weekly basis under the guidance of their mentor and produce a range of defined outputs culminating in a public screening. Overall, the module provides a practical and critical introduction to longform and and collaborative journalism practice. It is also a 'learn through critical practice' module in which students will carry out practical assignments that interface with both industry and the public, as part of their assessed coursework.
Semester two (January to April)
Core/compulsory:
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This module prepares you for data journalism careers through refinement of critical approaches to data journalism practice including project management and data visualisation techniques for multimedia formats. Emphasis is placed on harnessing your ability to tell complex stories based on data and use data-based investigations to challenge power.
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This module is concentrated in a series of intensive workshops delivered over two weeks in in London and online. Students will explore documentary techniques and forms through a series of filming exercises, screenings and discussions, culminating in a short documentary production.
Plus one elective chosen from:
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The final project is designed to provide an opportunity for students to build on the particular skills, knowledge and specialisms developed through the taught components of the programme. Students have the option of doing either a practice-based or academic project that involves real-world research, data collection and analysis. The module encompasses a series of online workshops that tackle methodological and epistemological issues from both a journalism practice and academic perspective, and guides students through the process from appointment of supervisor/mentor through to final submission.