First Students Embark on Carlow’s New Journalism and New Media Course
The first cohort of students officially commenced an exciting new Journalism and New Media course this week. The unique level 8 major award of Higher Diploma in Arts in Journalism and New Media Content is being jointly delivered by Institute of Technology Carlow and Carlow College to teach practical skills for a career in both traditional and new media.
Proving to be popular, the course was fully booked with 19 students enrolling on the one-year programme. Students were welcomed on Tuesday evening to commence their first semester studies within Carlow College, St. Patrick’s with the second semester being delivered at Institute of Technology Carlow.
This innovative course is the only third-level journalism course in the southeast, covering subjects such as news gathering & reporting, feature writing, digital journalism & storytelling, media law, values & ethics, broadcasting and media entrepreneurship. This programme is part funded by Carlow/Kilkenny Skillnet and this funding has been critical in helping participants undertake this programme.
Commenting on the start of the new course, Dr Joseph Collins, Head of the Faculty of Lifelong Learning at IT Carlow, said “It’s wonderful to work with Carlow College in delivering this much needed programme. I believe that a qualification such as this in Journalism and New Media Content, with its emphasis on practical skills, knowledge and ethics, has never been more important or more timely. Carlow is once again leading the way in developing and delivering innovative programmes and is ideally placed to become the center of journalistic excellence in the greater Leinster area”
Helen Maher, Vice-President of Carlow College, St Patrick’s, added: “It’s fantastic to see this collaboration between Carlow College and IT Carlow come to fruition. These students are in a unique position to draw on the academic expertise of two higher education institutions to gain knowledge, skills and competencies that will enhance existing careers and create new opportunities in the dynamic and evolving fields of journalism and new media.”
Ashling Ward, Network Manager with Carlow Kilkenny Skillnet, commented: “We are delighted to see this new programme take off with its very first class of students. This has been a successful collaboration between ourselves and both IT Carlow and Carlow College, St. Patrick’s. The programme’s practical element including lectures from industry experts like Conal O’Boyle, makes it particularly attractive as an industry led initiative for our region for our students to engage with. We wish the students well.”
The higher diploma runs from September until May 2022, over two evenings a week, as well as a number of Saturdays across the year. Teaching will be a hybrid of face to face and online classes.
To find out more or register your interest in the next course, contact the Faculty of Lifelong Learning at Institute of Technology Carlow at lll@itcarlow.ie Carlow College at infocc@carlowcollege.ie or Carlow/Kilkenny Skillnet at admin@carlowkilkennyskillnet.ie
