City, University of London is launching the UK’s first dedicated MA in Podcasting and a Centre of Podcasting Excellence.
Professor Mel Bunce, Head of the Journalism Department, describes the degree as “the first of its kind” and “one that covers the full spectrum of skills needed to thrive in the podcasting industry – from audio production and visualisation, through to business and audience development”.
The new MA in Podcasting comes after extensive consultation with industry leaders such as Spotify, Acast, Sony, Audio UK and the BBC to ensure graduates gain the skills needed in podcasting and to help fill the growing skills gap.
Students will be challenged to develop their audio production, storytelling, and editing. They will also learn important media and business development skills.
Modules include looking at monetisation, advertising, and branding of podcasting; audience strategy and development; pitching; managing talent; using data and visualisation; and working across a wide variety of genres.
The course will run alongside a new Centre of Podcasting Excellence at City that will hold monthly events for the podcast community, as well as guest speakers, short courses, and journalists in residence.
The MA will be run by City’s Head of Podcasting Sandy Warr, a multi-award-winning broadcaster, and Fellow of the Radio Academy.
Sandy has been teaching audio on the journalism courses at City since the late 90s. She has presented news and sport podcasts for the Guardian and continues to front the LBC News Sunday breakfast show.
Students will also be taught by City’s Emmy award-winning lecturer Fernando Pizzaro – a supervising Editor for NPR’s flagship podcast and news show, Morning Edition, and former Senior Podcasting Editor at the New York Times.
Award-winning podcast producer Mark Sandell from 6foot6 Productions will also take classes, and there will be a range of guest experts working across all areas of the podcast industry.
Former BBC and Bauer Media executive Brett Spencer joins as Director of the Centre of Podcasting Excellence, having worked in the sector since 2005.
The initiative has already received support from across the industry and applications are now open for the first students to start in September 2023, taking the course part-time or full-time.
