- Location
- Cardonald Campus
- SCQF Level
- 8
- Start Date
- 25 Aug 2025
- Qualification Type
- HND
- Course Type
- Full-Time
- Duration
- 1 Year (August to June)
Applications open 15th January 2025
The second year of the HND Practical Journalism course produces students ready to thrive in the challenging world of multimedia journalism. All classes are delivered by staff who have worked in journalism and are aware of the ever-changing requirements of this fast-paced and exciting industry.
What will I learn?
You will learn a wide range of practical skills – from news writing to digital journalism. The core focus of the course is on the practical skills journalists need and editors demand:
- News Writing
- Digital Journalism
- Feature Writing
- Digital Journalism (mobile journalism, data journalism and the use of social media within journalism)
- Video Editing
- Public Affairs
- Law.
Students run the college’s newspaper, The Clyde Insider, which allows them to publish written stories as well as mobile journalism pieces and podcasts. From the beginning of the course, students will be given an insight into how a newsroom functions and the requirements of getting a publication into print and online.
Second year students work with the Herald and Glasgow Evening Times and also produce a magazine with the Paisley Gazette as part of their Graded Unit.
The college has its own radio studio where students can create their own podcast programmes, create news bulletins or feature radio programmes. These can be shared across many external and internal platforms.
To see the work our students have produced so far this year and pictures of the trips we have been on, visit @GCC_Journalism and journoglasgowclyde .
Hear from Journalism alumni Darren McGarvey and Dani Gibson.
Entry requirements (minimum)
Year one of the HND Practical Journalism and Content Production
Entry requirement equivalency table
If you do not meet the entry criteria for your chosen course, you may be offered an alternative course in a similar subject area.
Employer and industry links
The College has an excellent relationship with the journalism industry, including particularly close links with the Scottish Sun, Reach PLC (Scotland), Herald and Times Group, the Drum magazine and Clyde Broadcast, among others.
You will be able to take part in visits to industry organisations such as The Sun, STV and Radio Clyde. First-year students partake in an exclusive workshop at the Scottish Parliament, where you will be able to interview MSPs and speak to journalists who are based at Holyrood. You will also visit the various Glasgow courts to report from there.
As well as these visits, we have had a number of distinguished guest speakers over the course of the year including Sally Hampton, Consumer Magazines Publisher at DC Thomson; Donald Martin former Editor-in-Chief of Newsquest Scotland; Paul McNamee, Editor of the Big Issue and First Minister, Humza Yousaf.
Articulation Routes
An articulation agreement is in place with Glasgow Caledonian University and Stirling University.
Entry into year three of the BA (Hons) Multimedia Journalism course at Glasgow Caledonian University will be dependent on…
- Satisfactory completion of the above HND
- Grades AB/BA from the Graded Units in first and second year
- Interview
- Portfolio review.
Entry into year three of the BA (Hons) Journalism Studies course at Stirling University will be dependent on…
- Satisfactory completion of the above HND
- Grade A in both the Graded Units from the HNC and HND years
- Interview
- Portfolio review.
Jobs and further study
Some students who have completed the HND have been successful in gaining entry into year three of the following courses:
- BA (Hons) Journalism / Journalism (Sport) at the University of the West of Scotland
- BA (Hons) Journalism at Edinburgh Napier University.
Other students have progressed their studies at the University of Glasgow and the University of Strathclyde.
Making an application
For courses starting in August, you can make up to two applications.
Applications are made to a course and a first choice of campus. If the course is oversubscribed at your first choice you will be automatically considered for alternative sites and may be made an offer without a further application.
I've applied — what happens next?
When you apply
You will receive an automated email confirming that we have received your application (remember to check your SPAM folder).
Your application will be reviewed by the admissions team and you will either be:
- Made a direct offer (unconditional or conditional)
- Invited to book an interview session - If you are invited to interview, you will be asked to complete a written test and news quiz
- Advised that your application is unsuccessful – you have not met the entry requirements for this course and are advised to contact the College Student Advice Centres to discuss alternative options which may be available to you
- We aim not to reject an application and if you don’t meet the entry requirements you may be referred to a different course or level.
You will be informed of the outcome of your interview by email within 14 working days. The outcome will be one of the following:
- Unconditional offer of a place – you have met all the entry requirements and your place is guaranteed. You will be required to accept this offer to secure your place.
- Conditional offer of a place – your place is secured pending you meeting the entry requirements. This may mean achieving school or college qualifications which you may not be able to provide to us yet. You will be required to accept this offer to secure your conditional place. Once your conditions are met this will change to an unconditional offer of a place which you must accept before you can enrol on the course.
- Waiting list – you have met all entry requirements, and have been interviewed however, the course is now full so you have been placed on a waiting list. If any spaces become available you may be contacted, usually around the course start date. We would advise that you also consider other application options.
- Reserve list – following your interview, you have unfortunately not been successful in this round of recruitment. We have placed your name on a Reserve list and your application may be reconsidered at a later date. This could happen any time up to the start date of the course but it is very possible that you will not be offered a place. We would advise that you also consider other application options.
- Unsuccessful – your interview has been unsuccessful. You may be offered a place on a course at a different level, or advised to contact the College Student Advice Centres to discuss alternative options which may be available to you.
Once an offer is received, you must reply within 14 working days or risk losing your place, as the system will automatically decline your offer after 14 days.
Once you have accepted your offer, you will be sent out instructions about student funding, joining instructions and induction date.
