Postgraduate Diploma in Digital Communications: Podcasting and Video

Type
Postgraduate
Duration
1 Year Full-Time / 2 Years Part-Time
Validated by
QQI
NFQ Level
9
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Course Overview

Innovative new Postgraduate Diploma designed to address the demand for specialisms in Podcasting and Video.

This programme is for learners who wish to graduate as industry-ready, journalism and communications professionals with advanced Podcasting and Video skills. With six dedicated in TV and radio production modules delivered in our industry-standard radio and TV studios, learners get hands-on content production and editing experience.

Why Study Digital Communications: Podcasting and Video at Griffith College?

The Postgraduate Diploma in Digital Communications: Podcasting and Video is recognised by the NUJ and conducted on both a full and blended basis over a 1-2-year period. Learners will acquire both a theory-based understanding of the media industries as well as journalism-specific production skills. The programme team, made up of industry professionals and full-time academics, aims to instil in learners the skills required to apply critical reflection and intellectual depth to their production of media content. 

  • You will display reflective critical learning and develop strong practical skills in media production with the use of TV studio, film and television production equipment.
  • Avail of our state of the art facilities including an on-campus radio station, 2 broadcasting studios, 4 photographic studios, 3 darkrooms, a TV and Video Studio and a Sound Engineering Studio.
  • National Union of Journalists recognition of this programme entitles students to apply for an NUJ Press Card for the duration of their course.
  • You are assured of excellent teaching practices, with many of our graduates currently working in a range of leading media outlets including the Irish and Sunday Independent, RTE Radio and Television, Newstalk, TV3 and Google.
  • You have an opportunity to join the ranks of multiple award-winners with Griffith College students consistently excelling at the Smedia Awards.

Course Highlights

  • State-of-the-art studios and facilities
  • NUJ Press Pass for the duration of your study
  • Build your own professional portfolio
  • Study full-time, part-time or through blended learning
  • Conceive, produce, edit and publish your own content 
  • Connect with industry leaders 

Intake Dates

What our students say


Griffith College was a great experience, with lecturers assisting students on both a one-to-one basis and in small peer groups. I found Griffith helped with my level of professionalism, drive and general awareness of current affairs, photography, videography and reporting skills. The lecturers were very experienced in their relevant fields and very resourceful and approachable if students were stuck or had a problem. It was also a great degree if you are interested in working in the Communications sector as it's a very hands-on course.

Amy O'Regan
BA in Journalism

Course Details

The Postgraduate Diploma in Digital Communications: Podcasting and Video is designed to be delivered on a full-time basis over one calendar year and on a part-time basis over 2 years. It consists of nine taught modules which are delivered during the academic year and a dissertation which is completed during the summer months. Throughout the programme, learners will have an average of 18 hours of contact per week, attending lectures, news days, labs and studio sessions.

To assimilate the material and to complete the assessments, learners are also required to spend a significant amount of time outside of those contact hours engaging in self-guided study, development and practice. The Postgraduate Diploma in Digital Communications: Podcasting and Video consists of 9 mandatory modules and does not include a dissertation.

The first semester of this programme is designed to be commonly taught with MA Journalism learners and provides an understanding of the workings of the media industry as well as developing specific skills in journalism. The second semester builds on this knowledge and contains broadcast journalism specialisms such as Video Journalism, Radio Documentary Research and Production and Radio, TV News and Current Affairs.

The reporting, writing and packaging of news for online audiences requires an evaluation and understanding of the digital media world and the module Digital Journalism will equip learners with the skills required to produce news and features in a web context

Mandatory Modules

This module aims to provide learners with a critical understanding of the major theoretical paradigms of audience and communicative practice. It provides a theoretical underpinning to the range of media skills developed in the programme, providing critical context for the notion of audience in the production and reception of media products. As a complimentary module to Research Methods, it introduces learners to a range of theoretical frameworks and areas of media research.

This module aims to develop learners’ overall creative and technical production abilities by equipping them with the practical skills to approach the production of factual visual programming on mobile devices for multiplatform distribution. Learners critically evaluate professional video standards and conceive, shoot, edit and upload online their own short video programming using mobile phones. They also learn to transfer footage from mobile to desktop computers to develop more advanced editing skills. The module develops learners’ concept development skills and digital video production skills for mobile journalism.

This module aims to enable learners to attain the practical skills required to identify, plan, research, write and edit publishable news reports, feature articles and commercial content for identified audiences on multiple platforms and for different formats. Through practice, and through the use of AI to generate story ideas and conduct initial story research, learners develop the ability to use social media platforms to promote their writings and to develop their online profile on their own WordPress website. The module also cultivates critical thinking among learners about the role of and the future of, journalism in democratic societies.

This module aims to instil in learners the knowledge of how to create broadcast quality radio and podcast content including news and current affairs coverage. It equips learners with the ability to develop the skills, techniques, research ability, and editorial standards which are necessary to work in a professional radio or podcasting environment.

This module aims to enable learners to analyse media productions critically and apply that critical analysis to audio productions in general and documentary, audio drama and podcast features in particular. Learners will also share that critical analysis with other members of a small group as part of a shared production process and develop an understanding of the broadcast and podcasting industry, including platforms, target audiences, durations and forms, budgeting, pricing and monetisation.

This module aims to support and facilitate learners in becoming professional journalists, where “professional” means being trained to work as a journalist in news and current affairs and being able to produce podcasts and audio in a studio environment. Learners are equipped to produce, edit and present news programmes covering stories of national and international importance including the courts, the Dáil [the parliament] and stories of the day.

This module aims to deepen learners’ research skills, in relation to their module related assignments and later in the completion of their major dissertation or dissertation by practice. The module extends their abilities as self-directed learners by equipping them with the appropriate vocabulary for reflecting on, critiquing and evaluating their own work and that of others. Throughout the module, learners are required to engage in a number of research methodologies and current research issues and trends. The module also advances good project management skills and techniques so that learners can successfully deliver a research project including scoping media research projects and completing a literature review. 

This module enables learners to be able to play a lead role in production teams which produce and repurpose content for new and different online audiences, and to learn the key technical skills which allow them to plan, construct and develop their own and others’, online media artefacts. Learners develop the ability to use the current tools necessary for digital journalism and content creation, and the ability to apply these tools when creating journalistic material and media content online and across platforms. The module also develops learners’ ability to identify and evaluate trends and opportunities in online media, and also cultivates a critical comprehension in the design and construction of integrated web-based media content.

This module is designed to equip learners with the necessary skills to perform the roles and responsibilities of people working in a television studio and to effectively use industry-standard equipment and techniques employed in a television studio. Learners develop the skills to produce, present and crew a studio programme. Working in groups, they generate content in the form of videos, and construct a programme from scratch, writing scripts and learning the discipline of a studio environment.

This module aims to equip learners with foundation skills in video in the key areas of research, concept and story development; visual storytelling technique (image and sound), approach, and visual sequencing; and editing (technical skill and basic craft). Learners build practical skills in camera, sound recording and editing week by week while exploring video ideas, through concept and story development using examples, guided practical and in-class exercises and critical viewings of current video storytelling practice. Each learner makes a short non-fiction video on a topic of their choosing (3- 5 minutes in duration) with a strong focus on visual storytelling, and engaging narratives for their intended target audience for cross-platform distribution.

Elective Modules

The module aims to enable learners to work as journalists and/or researchers covering issues that deal with the relationship between politics and economics, both at a national and international level. Learners are shown how to evaluate reports from economic and social research organisations on current topics related to global, regional and national political economy. Learners develop the skills needed to assess how the interaction of governments impacts the broader context within which economic processes occur. Learners are equipped to research and write about the key organisations of global, regional and national economic governance, and the main trends in the global economy with specific reference to the European and Irish economies.

This module aims for learners to gain the necessary skills required to initiate, research and produce a design product such as a new online/offline magazine, from concept to completion. Learners will develop an understanding of design theory and the technical software skills needed in layout and design. Learners also develop their skills in sub-editing, house-style adoption, and writing and designing media products for specific audiences. The module also aims to impart professional development skills and awareness for learners in areas such as how to register a company and register as self-employed, hiring an accountant, the basics of a SWOT for business plans, etc.

This module aims to provide learners with a solid foundation in the practical, aesthetic, and ethical aspects of photojournalism and documentary photography. Covering a broad range of topics, from the beginnings of photojournalism and documentary photography through to its contemporary iterations, this module equips learners with an in-depth understanding of the technical and aesthetic approaches involved in the production of impactful narrative imagery.

This module aims to give students the necessary tools to become a sports journalist, including sports writing, broadcast experience, interview skills and a taste of practical, in-the-field work, and submitting pieces to tight deadlines. It also aims to give students instructions on how to report on live events, how to find the real story and how to stand out above all the noise. It introduces critical thinking to the processes of the industry, the various platforms and understanding how different

business models monetise from sports journalism. It also seeks to hone learners’ critical faculties about the broader aspects of sport and its effect on society.

This Module aims to provide learners with an overview of the contemporary media business environment and the most significant trends that have emerged in the media sector over the last three decades. Through addressing a broad range of media business concerns, market structures, regulation, marketing, advertising, funding, audience measurement and intellectual property, the module is designed to equip learners with an understanding of the theoretical and practical issues that have shaped the contemporary media business ecosphere in which they will pursue careers.

This module aims to make learners familiar with the technical specifications of finishing and broadcasting video projects that they have created. It introduces learners to the world of CGI, chroma-keying and motion-based graphics and creates an awareness of the possibilities afforded by contemporary professional-standard visual effects and chroma-keying software. The module familiarises learners with the industry standards set in broadcast production and visual effects, while enabling them to experiment and develop their own creative projects using CGI, chroma-keying and motion-based graphics.

Course Contact

Barry Finnegan

Barry Finnegan

Journalism & Media Communications Programme Director
Journalism & Media Communications Senior Lecturer
  • Dublin Main Campus

Timetables

Full-Time / Part-Time & Blended Delivery

The programme runs full-time over one year with two semesters and an August dissertation submission. It is also run part-time over four semesters in two years with five of the modules delivered through ‘blended learning’ where learners view lectures and related reading online at their convenience.



Candidates are encouraged to contact the faculty to discuss our flexible, student-oriented timetabling. September and February commencements are facilitated.

 

How to Apply

Entry Requirements

A primary degree (2.2) and an interview

English Language

Griffith College is accepting the online Duolingo English Test (DET) as valid proof of English proficiency. For more information, please visit here.

How to Apply

Applicants can Apply Online Directly

Please note: Our Postgraduate Diploma in TV and Radio Journalism has two intakes: September and February. 

Courses beginning in September run for 1 year full-time or 2 years part-time.

Courses beginning in February run for 1.5 years full-time and 2.5 years part-time.

Fees

For purposes of fee calculation, residence is counted from the time of application.

Please note that not all study modes may be offered at all times; for confirmation, refer to the Intake dates on the Overview tab.

Tuition Fees

Study Mode: Full-Time

Dublin 

EUR 6,600.00

 

Study Mode: Part-Time

Dublin

EUR 6,600.00

Study Mode: Full-Time

EUR 8,000.

Study Mode: Full-Time

Dublin 

Non-EU living in Ireland or abroad: Please refer to our Non-EU Tuition Fees section.

 

Non-EU students: a Student Services and Administration fee of EUR200 is payable each academic year in addition to the fees quoted below.

General Fee Information 

An Academic Administration Fee of EUR250.00 and a 2% Learner Protection Charge is applicable each academic year in addition to the fees quoted. The fees relate to Year 1 fees only.

Flexible payment options

Students wishing to pay their fees monthly may avail of our direct debit scheme. Please view our Fees information page for more information and assistance.

Sponsorship

Is your company paying for your course?

They will need to complete a Griffith College Sponsorship Form and send this to the Student Fees Office:

  • Post: Student Fees, Griffith College Dublin, South Circular Road, Dublin 8
  • Email: [email protected]

2% Learner Protection Charge

All QQI accredited programmes of education and training of 3 months or longer duration are covered by arrangements under section 65 (4) of the Qualifications and Quality Assurance (Education and Training) Act 2012 whereby, in the event of the provider ceasing to provide the programme for any reason, enrolled learners may transfer to a similar programme at another provider, or, in the event that this is not practicable, the fees most recently paid will be refunded.

QQI Award Fee

Please note that a QQI Award Fee applies in the final year of all QQI courses. To find the relevant fee for your course level, please see the Fees page.

Progression

Academic Progression

Graduates of this course have the option to continue their studies in Griffith College with progression onto:

You can contact our admissions team to discuss what progression options are available to you.

Career Progression

Through the Postgraduate Diploma in Digital Communications: Podcasting and Video, you will have gained valuable professional experience, built a strong portfolio and covered a diverse range of media. Graduates of this course are employed in a wide variety of fields across the communications industries in media and communications companies, non-governmental organisations, video production firms and media outlets as journalists, editors, media content creators, researchers, video producers and radio production managers. There is a wide range of career options for our graduates including:

  • Video Producer
  • Radio Journalist/Researcher
  • Editorial Assistant
  • Content and Community Manager
  • Social Media Coordinator

Ready to take the next step?