Westminster University Journalism Department

History

The University of Westminster, formerly the Polytechnic of Central London (until 1992), began life as the Britain's first polytechnical institute, opened to the public at 309 Regent Street on 6th August 1838, under the chairmanship of the distinguished scientist and aeronautical engineer Sir George Cayley.

Its purpose was to demonstrate new technologies and inventions to the public and in 1839 the Polytechnic became the first institution in London to demonstrate the new invention of photography. In 1841 the first photographic studio in Europe was opened on the roof of the Polytechnic building in central London.

The Polytechnic became a centre for the development and study of photography, branching out into related fields such as film, television, graphic design, magazine and newspaper journalism, broadcast journalism and, most recently, digital and online journalism.

From the 1970s onwards the Polytechnic inaugurated the UK's first degree in Media Studies, adopting a critical and theoretical approach to journalism. This pioneering initiative has been copied around the world, and Media Studies is one of the most popular degree subjects in non-Russell Group UK universities.

Through the 1980s and '90s the Polytechnic - which finally became a University status in 1992 - became a centre for Media Studies.

The small department of journalism and mass communication combines theoretical study with practical training, with some courses supervised by external professional bodies such as the Broadcast Journalism Training Council and the Periodicals Training Council.

At the turn of century the department of journalism and mass communication moved out of central London to Harrow.

Degrees

*Bachelor of Arts (Media Studies - Journalism pathway)
*Master of Arts
*PhD

Senior Faculty

*Professor Colin Sparks
*Professor Hugo DeBurgh
*Sally Feldman, Dean of School

ee also

*Broadcast Journalism Training Council
*National Council for the Training of Journalists
*Periodicals Training Council

External links

* [http://www.wmin.ac.uk/mad/page-384/ University of Westminster Journalism Department]
* [http://www.westminsterjournalism.co.uk/ Postgraduate student coursesite and blogs]