Prestigious Washington posting for Falmouth international journalist

An MA International Journalism student from University College Falmouth (UCF), Heather Lacy, has beaten off strong competition to secure a three-month paid internship at ITN's Bureau in Washington. During Heather's first month, the Bureau has covered wide ranging events of international significance from President Obama's new Middle East initiative to the latest on the Swine Flu outbreak.

"The chance to spend three months' working at ITN's Washington Bureau not only allows me invaluable hands-on experience with a top news network, but also gives me a major leg-up in the extremely competitive world of broadcast news," says Heather, who originates from Austin, Texas.

"The course at Falmouth has enabled me to integrate into the position with ease. Knowing the day-to-day jargon and possessing the necessary technical skills have helped me tremendously. Also, the ability to weigh up the news value of stories has been essential. All the major modules emphasised on the course at Falmouth play a role in the Bureau's newsroom, from utilising social media sites to having a solid understanding of international affairs."

"The skills I have learned on the course have helped me win this position and will clearly help me to establish myself and my future in this industry," Heather explains.

It was whilst travelling in India last year that Heather decided to pursue her interest in International Journalism to MA level, having studied the subject as an undergraduate in America. Having researched courses across the globe, she decided that Falmouth's MA was the one for her.

"I am very pleased that Heather has been selected from a large number of applicants for such a prestigious posting," adds Course Leader, George Matheson, who is an award-winning former international reporter for ITN, the BBC and Reuters. "It shows that our students can aim for the highest openings in the expanding world of international journalism and be successful."

"It also demonstrates the invaluable industry insight that students have access to at UCF. Having worked at some of the most prestigious news organisations in the world over a long and successful career, I can share my knowledge of how major international news organisations work and advise students on the process of applying for internships, for example. It is the combination of course content that reflects the reality of the international newsroom and our connections within those newsrooms that enable our students to fast-track their careers."

For further information about MA International Journalism at University College Falmouth, visit www.falmouth.ac.uk/internationaljournalism, email admissions@falmouth.ac.uk or telephone Admissions on 01326 253661.

University College Falmouth is the only independent Higher Education institution in Cornwall with the powers to award degrees in its own name. It has two campuses in Cornwall - at Woodlane in Falmouth and Tremough in Penryn (which it owns, and jointly manages with the University of Exeter) - and a third campus at Totnes in Devon, following its merger with Dartington College of Arts in 2008.

This merger created a new institution focusing on the expansion of Falmouth's expertise in Art, Design and Media and Dartington's expertise in Choreography, Music, Theatre, Art and Writing. The Devon-based courses will relocate to a new, high-specification Performance Centre at Tremough in 2010, paving the way for a new specialist Arts University in Cornwall by 2012, that will be unique to the South West.

The College is a founding partner in the Combined Universities in Cornwall (CUC), a unique initiative to promote regional economic regeneration through Higher Education, funded mainly by the European Union (Objective One), the South West Regional Development Agency, and the Higher Education Funding Council for England, with support from Cornwall Council.

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For further information about University College Falmouth, please contact Jilly Easterby MCIPR, Head of Public Affairs, Telephone: 00 44 (0)1326 213792; or email: jilly.easterby@falmouth.ac.uk

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