Journalism study options

The Graduate Diploma in Journalism is made up of six courses. Together, they are designed to produce graduates who are:

• High-quality critical thinkers
• Expert researchers across a range of sources
• Strong writers and editors who can meet deadlines with speed and accuracy
• Skilled in multi-media reporting
• Able to work ethically and to a professional standard.

Course advice

You may like to check both the general and specific regulations:

• Regulations for the Graduate Diploma in Journalism

Each year, most, if not all, of our graduates win jobs, many of them before the programme has even finished – debunking the myth that reporting jobs are hard to find. Recent graduates walked into jobs at Newshub, Stuff.co.nz, Radio NZ, RadioLIVE, NewstalkZB, NZME, The Press, TVNZ, and various regional and community papers, and landed social and online media roles with various government and corporate organisations.

The programme has a strong emphasis on practical work, and we maintain a close relationship with the profession through our many guest lecturers. Throughout the year, you will report for local newsrooms and contribute to a range of media, including radio station RDU 98.5 and our own digital news outlet, The Record. Mid-year, you will be sent on a newspaper internship and, later in the year, we will send you further afield for a capstone internship in a radio, online or print newsroom.

University of Canterbury journalism graduates regularly feature among the winners and finalists in New Zealand’s national media awards, the Voyager Media Awards and NZ Radio Awards. UC graduates have been nominated for and/or won best student journalist, best junior feature writer, best junior reporter, feature writer of the year, best podcast, best investigation, reporter of the year, editorial leader of the year and Wolfson Fellow.