Thomson Reuters Foundation and University of Lincoln Announce New Master’s Degree in International Journalism

London (May 2, 2019) – Journalism students will now be offered a unique experience to study alongside top reporters in one of the world’s most respected newsrooms at the  London headquarters. 

nd the Thomson Reuters Foundation have announced the creation of a unique new Master’s degree course, starting this September*. The MA International Journalism course is an innovative new partnership designed to equip new generations of journalists to report impartially on critical global issues facing society today. 

Covering topics spanning the human impact of climate change to human rights issues, access to land and property rights, and social enterprise, the Thomson Reuters Foundation is known globally for producing the highest quality independent journalism that informs professionals, policymakers and the public in countries around the world. 

The full-time, one-year MA International Journalism programme will offer Master’s students the chance to learn from leading industry professionals through a rich syllabus, made up of both theoretical and practical sessions, both at the University of Lincoln and at the Thomson Reuters Foundation in London’s Canary Wharf. 

Underpinned by the Thomson Reuters Foundation’s commitment to reporting the under-reported, the curriculum is designed for graduates from a wide range of disciplines (not limited to journalism graduates) with a passion for exploring and explaining the events that impact the lives of people all over the world. 

Students will experience real-time deadlines on newsroom assignments, creating copy to the most rigorous editorial standards, fit to ‘go out on the wires’ to a global daily audience of up to a billion people, during five intensive three-day periods of work-based learning. Alongside integrated work experience with current and former Reuters journalists, they will study the 

theory and practice of journalism with leading academic experts at the University of Lincoln’s Brayford Pool Campus in central Lincoln, with access to industry-standard newsrooms, TV and radio studios and other on-campus resources, including Lincoln’s award-winning Great Central Warehouse Library. 

On completion of the Master’s, two graduates from the course will secure a six-month paid internship with the editorial team at Thomson Reuters Foundation. These will be awarded on a competitive basis following a selection process. 

Antonio Zappulla, CEO of the Thomson Reuters Foundation, said: “Free and independent media is the cornerstone of democracy. There has never been a greater need for the 

Foundation’s focus on promoting world-class, impartial, trusted news that puts human lives at the centre of the story. We are proud to partner with the University of Lincoln to equip more journalists with the skills they need to ensure the continued flow of unbiased information to the public globally.” 

Professor Jason Whittaker, Head of the School of English and Journalism at the University of Lincoln, said: “In an era of fake news, there is a vital place for the calibre of informed and unbiased journalism that Reuters is known for. This unique new Master’s programme offers aspiring journalists remarkable insight into the production of the news, as well as access to the newsroom environment of an elite media organisation. Coupled with a rigorous academic approach to modern contexts, this programme aims to develop the tenets and techniques necessary for challenging, rewarding careers in national and international news media.” 

About the Thomson Reuters Foundation 

 is the charitable arm of the world’s largest news and ote the highest standards in journalism and spread the practice of legal pro bono worldwide. The organisation runs initiatives that inform, connect and empower people around the world: access to  editorial coverage of the world’s   d  a world-leadi 

About the University of Lincoln 

 is one of the UK’s leading modern universities, ranked 22nd in the ersity Guide 2019, Gold in the national Teaching Excellence Framework, in the top 10 nationally for student satisfaction in the National Student Survey 2018. It is recognised for its innovative approach to working with employers, winning a series of accolades over the past decade for industry engagement, such as its unique collaboration with global engineering firm Siemens plc in creating the first dedicated new engineering school in the UK for more than 20 years. The Lincoln School of English and Journalism has a proud track record of producing new talent for the global media industry, with its graduates working in major newsrooms around the world, including at the BBC, Sky News and The Times, and accreditations for its undergraduate programmes from major UK and
international industry bodies such as the NCTJ, BJTC and EJTA. 

Notes to editors – 

*This course is currently subject to validation (as at April 2019). Visit our  for more details on the programme.