Journalism BA (Hons)*
UCAS Code: J100|Duration: 3|Full Time|Hope Park
UCAS Campus Code: L46
International students can apply|Study Abroad opportunities
About the course
*subject to approval
The BA Journalism degree offers a comprehensive blend of theoretical knowledge and practical training, addressing the dynamic balance between journalism’s responsibility to serve the public interest and the commercial pressures faced by modern news organisations. Students gain essential journalism and editing skills to succeed in a rapidly changing media industry.
The programme emphasises journalistic ethics and critical thinking, encouraging students to explore journalism’s role in exposing power structures, tackling social inequality, and analysing internal commercial and ideological influences within the news industry.
Key strengths of the course include specialized training for future editors and producers, with a strong emphasis on digital journalism, supported by cutting-edge digital media facilities.
Course structure
Balanced Curriculum: 50% Theory | 50% Practice
Weekly Teaching Hours
Theory: 1-hour lecture and 2-hour seminar
Practice: 2-hour workshop and 1-hour tutorial
This equal split ensures students gain both a strong academic foundation and hands-on experience in every aspect of the course.
Assessment and feedback
Assessment methods combine both theoretical and practical components to reflect the diverse demands of the journalism profession. These include theory exams, essays, reflective writing, and portfolios featuring original editorial and interview content, as well as digital and social media reporting projects. Students will also complete audio-visual news portfolios and conduct case study analyses of editorial and news organisations, presented both individually and in groups.
Practice modules include timed assessments for specific editorial tasks such as editing, sub-editing, and content/page design.
The course incorporates authentic assessments and problem-based learning, encouraging students to engage with real-world reporting challenges, and explore the ethical, legal, social, cultural, and political dimensions of journalism.
In the final year, students undertake a 30-credit Dissertation module, split into a 5,000-word Theory project (15 credits) and a 5,000-word equivalent Practice project in long-form journalism (15 credits). This practical component may take the form of an extended written article or an audio/visual podcast or documentary.
Year One
Introduction to Journalism and Society
The module will provide a theoretical context for you to understand the role, power, and influence of the mass media in society (and the function of journalism therein), as well as set out the historical development of the mass media and journalism. You are expected to engage with key theoretical concepts related to communication, including models of communication and mass communication theories, as well as media representations and identity.
Introduction to Reporting
This practice-based module will introduce you to key elements of news writing, interviewing, and opinion/analysis writing. The early weeks of the module will focus on developing your news writing techniques (how to write in short, simple language), how to sharpen intros and prioritise information within an inverted pyramid structure, and how to quote and/or paraphrase sources clearly and accurately. It will draw on concepts of News Values and ‘newsworthiness’ to support you in identifying news angles for stories, and in addressing the Who, What, Where, When, Why, and How aspects of a report.
Journalism Structures and Power
Through this module, you will learn key concepts and arguments related to the Political Economy of Communication, with a particular focus on how the ownership and control of news media affects the professional practice of journalism. The module will examine news media industry structures and concentration of corporate ownership through the lens of the marketisation of news. This will include an examination of how the commercial imperatives of news media organisations can result in market failures (the underproduction of quality news, and the under-resourcing of investigative journalism, for instance).
Introduction to Digital Reporting
This practice-based module will run on the basis of two streams, and will highlight interconnections where appropriate: Mobile and Social Media Journalism, and Editing, Sub-Editing, and Fact Checking. The first part of the module will focus on Mobile and Social Media Journalism. Here, you will work both individually and collectively in editorial teams to research and produce news content using mobile technologies and social media platforms.
Year Two
Journalism, Regulation, Ethics, and Law
This module will seek to deepen your understanding of the relationship between the media/journalism and the State, while developing your knowledge of the ethical and legal considerations underpinning professional journalistic practice. The module will explore the key role of Ofcom in the UK’s media regulatory architecture across broadcast media and areas of digital/social media, and in reflecting UK media policy.
Audio and Digital Journalism Production
This practice-based module will support you in developing skills in audio journalism (radio and podcasting) as well as in digital journalism more generally. The first part of the module will focus on traditional radio and broadcast reporting skills, where you will become familiar with radio production technologies, including for both recorded and live reporting. For the latter, you will be introduced to the Adobe editing application Audition.
International Journalism and Technology
This module will familiarise you with key factors impacting the practice of journalism in an international context, including the impact of historical and contemporary processes of globalisation on international news flows. The module will also examine how, in both historical and contemporary contexts, the practice and societal value of journalism has been affected by shifts in communication technologies.
Research Methods in Journalism
It is important for Journalism students to develop key research skills to conduct research in the field. This module will provide you with appropriate skills and understanding of how to develop research questions, how to do literature review, and how to collect, collate, and analyse data applying quantitative, qualitative, or mixed-methods research approaches.
Year Three
Semester 1
Theory Module 1 (Journalism and Societal Crises)
Topics: Journalism and Societal Crises (Conflict, Environment, Populism); Journalism and Religion; Journalism and Economic Crises; Peace/Conflict Journalism; Journalism and Crime
Practice Module 1 (Video Journalism and Visualisation)
Topics: Video/multimedia Journalism; Visualisation and Data Journalism
Semester 2
Theory Module 2 (Political Journalism and Popular Culture)
Topics: Political Communication and Journalism; Journalism and Popular Culture; Journalism and Celebrity
Practice Module 2 (Editorship and Journalism Production Specialism)
Topics: Editorial strategies and management; In-depth multimedia journalistic production on an editorial specialism of the student’s choice (e.g., sports, photo, fashion, politics, the environment)
Entry requirements
| A-Levels | BBC |
|---|---|
| UCAS Tariff Points | 112 UCAS Tariff points must come from a minimum of two A Levels (or equivalent). Additional points can be made up from a range of alternative qualifications.
Find out how many UCAS points your qualifications are worth, by using the Tariff calculator. |
| BTEC | DMM |
| Access to HE | 112 Tariff Points |
| IB | 26 points |
| Irish Leaving Certificate | 112 Tariff Points from Higher Level qualifications only |
| Welsh Baccalaureate | This qualification can only be accepted in conjunction with other relevant qualifications |
| T-Levels | Merit |
| Subject Requirements | No specific subject requirements |
International entry requirements
| Specific Country Requirements | Select your country |
|---|---|
| IELTS | 6.0 overall (with reading and writing at 6.0) and no individual score lower than 5.5. We also accept a wide range of International Qualifications. For more information, please visit our English Language Requirements page. |
Careers
Graduates of the BA Journalism degree can pursue careers as traditional news reporters, broadcast journalists, presenters, producers, digital and social media journalists, and editors. They will also have developed transferable communication skills suited to roles in public relations and social media management—for example, within private companies, public sector organisations, and charities. Other potential career paths include working as digital editors, digital content marketers, corporate communications professionals, copywriters, researchers, and content developers.
In addition, graduates will be well-prepared for further study, including specialist Journalism Master’s programmes (such as Sports Journalism, Data Journalism, or Political Journalism), as well as courses in Public Relations and Marketing, Law, and teacher training.
The course’s strong focus on online and digital skills also enables graduates to become independent news and content producers.
Enhancement opportunities
Work Placement Opportunities
An optional Placement Year can be arranged by the student with support from the staff.
SALA
The Service and Leadership Award (SALA) is offered as an extra-curricular programme involving service-based experiences, development of leadership potential and equipping you for a career in a rapidly changing world. It enhances your degree, it is something which is complimentary but different and which has a distinct ‘value-added’ component. Find out more on our Service and Leadership Award page.
Study Abroad
Students can apply for Study Abroad in Year 2.
Tuition fees
The tuition fees for the 2026/27 academic year are £9,790 for full-time undergraduate courses.*
If you are a student from the Isle of Man or the Channel Islands, your tuition fees will also be £9,790.
The University reserves the right to increase Home and EU Undergraduate and PGCE tuition fees in line with any inflationary or other increase authorised by the Secretary of State for future years of study.
Home students (UK)
*Tuition fees are subject to inflation-linked increases in line with government policy. Updated fees will be confirmed in line with the maximum fee cap set by the Government or the Office for Students (OfS) for each academic year. This means your fee may increase for each academic year of study, but only up to the maximum amount permitted for that year.
Eligible UK students can apply to the Government for a tuition loan, which is paid direct to the University. This has a low interest-rate which is charged from the time the first part of the loan is paid to the University until you have repaid it.
Scholarships
We have a range of scholarships to help with the cost of your studies. Visit our scholarships page to find out more.
International tuition fees
The International Tuition fees for 2026/27 are £15,225.
Visit our International fees page for more information.
Course Enquiry
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