This one-trimester Study Abroad program is a collaboration between University College Dublin and CNN Academy, providing a unique combination of journalistic and academic excellence. The program runs twice a year, in the Fall and Spring. The syllabus is co-created and delivered by University College Dublin’s Clinton Institute and CNN Academy, connecting the classroom to the newsroom. It combines practical training by CNN professionals in audio, video, digital, and social storytelling with academic expertise in international affairs.
With CNN training, students will develop skills in multiplatform content production techniques, social and mobile storytelling methods and digital tools for investigative reporting. They will learn about international standards and ethics in journalism, and verification techniques. CNN journalists, editors and producers will participate via live interactive seminars and also provide hands-on audio, video and digital production training in person at UCD Clinton Institute to equip the students with the tools they need to tangibly apply the media lessons they are learning.
With academic study, students will develop critical understanding of the structures and dynamics that shape global issues and relations. UCD Clinton Institute will provide core modules in research skills, international journalism, new media and international conflict, cybersecurity and political communications. These will be integrated with the CNN training to provide an innovative curriculum that will enable students to be reflective practitioners.
The programme is designed for students interested in international communications and journalism. It will appeal to and reward those with a passion to not only understand the world but explain it in ways that are informative and transformative.
The CNN Newsroom module in trimester 1 will teach students how to be ethical journalists who understand what makes a good story and how to tell it effectively across all platforms. Students will be taught how to shoot and edit using their mobile phones to produce professional news reports. The module will show what goes into producing breaking news and teach the verification techniques necessary to ensure the coverage remains accurate.
The Journalism & International Affairs module in trimester 1 focuses on the roles of news media in the making and representation of international affairs and how it interacts with politics and policy. It will link news production and consumption to historical, political, economic and cultural contexts. It introduces students to topics such as global news flows, the evolution of media technologies, and the challenges to reporting on international crises.
The CNN Newsroom 2 module in trimester 2 will introduce training in the use of professional cameras and desktop editing. Students will take part in a series of realistic news-days where they will generate stories and material across different formats. They will be taught how to use their voice to connect with audiences across all mediums including podcasts. Students will also create immersive, interactive digital writes.
The Journalism & International Affairs module in trimester 2 focuses on the roles of news media in the making and representation of international affairs and how it interacts with politics and policy. It will link news production and consumption to historical, political, economic and cultural contexts. It introduces students to topics such as global news flows, the evolution of media technologies, and the challenges to reporting on international crises.
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At the end of trimester 1, participants will have the option to attend the CNN Academy Newsroom Simulation in Abu Dhabi.
Across seven days participants will attend talks and workshops and crucially learn from top CNN journalists what it takes to effectively engage audiences.
Participants will be given a chance to put theory into practice, taking part in an intensive, competitive challenge. Working in groups, they’ll investigate and report on a breaking news story in a fictional country; attending mock news conferences and interviews with role players.
During the CNN Academy Newsroom Simulation, you will:
It is life-changing, it is very challenging but in a good way!
So many people from different countries with different views, it expands your worldview so much.
This programme has so much to offer young journalists from all parts of the world.
Students must be currently registered at a university and have completed a minimum of one year study at a high standard. A minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 or equivalent is generally required for non-EU students. If you have concerns or questions about admission requirements, please contact Catherine.Carey@ucd.ie.
Note – there is an additional admission requirement for the Spring trimester programme. Students must have completed basic training in how to shoot and edit video and how to tell stories effectively across all platforms.
Transfer Credit
UCD uses the ECTS (European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System), based on student workload. Your home institution decides on credits to be awarded for modules completed at UCD. We will be pleased to provide full information on our modules to enable institutions to make decisions regarding the transfer of credits. At the end of the trimester, your transcript will be available to you and sent to your home institution.
Dates
Trimester 1 (Fall) 2025-26: Monday, 8 September – Friday, 28 November, 2025
Trimester 2 (Spring) 2025-26: Monday, 19 January – Friday, 24 April, 2026
Fees
€10,480 per trimester
Note: the Simulation Week in Abu Dhabi in the Fall trimester is a separate cost of €1,500. This covers the cost of accommodation and food. Students are responsible for paying for their own flights.
Housing
Students studying on this programme are eligible to apply for UCD’s on-campus housing.
UCD is one of Europe’s leading research intensive universities; an environment where undergraduate education, masters and PhD training, research, innovation and community engagement form a dynamic spectrum of activity.
The international standing of UCD has grown in recent years; it is currently ranked within the top 1% of higher education institutions world wide. UCD is also Ireland’s most globally engaged university with over 38,000 students drawn from 152 countries, including over 5,000 students based at locations outside of Ireland. The University’s main Dublin campus occupies an extensive parkland estate of 133 hectares and offers world-leading facilities.
As Ireland’s largest university, with its great strength and diversity of disciplines, UCD embraces its role to contribute to the flourishing of Ireland through the study of people, society, business, economy, culture, languages and the creative arts, as well as through research and innovation.
Studying abroad in Ireland offers invaluable experiences that will stay with you for the rest of your life. Dublin is a vibrant city with a rich heritage of arts and culture, with great places to eat, drink and discover. It is also a leading information and technology hub, hosting many of the world’s leading ICT companies, including Google, Apple, Twitter, Facebook, Tik Tok and Microsoft. Students studying on this programme are eligible to participate in UCD’s Study Abroad Cultural & Social programme, which offers multiple opportunities to attend co-curricular activities while at UCD.
