The University of Sheffield
Department of Journalism Studies

Images: TV studio, two students in newsroom, radio mic and 'on air' light

BA Journalism Studies

We'll help you become a fully fledged multimedia journalist. At Sheffield you get the best of both worlds – the highest academic standards backed up by real journalistic experience. You'll get to know every aspect of journalism – TV, radio, web, newspapers and magazines – inside out.

And you'll be out there doing journalism – speaking to people and uncovering stories. More than that, though, you'll be getting to grips with the critical issues facing news and journalism today.

The kinds of skills and qualities you'll develop are gold dust in the professional world. Confidence. Self-reliance. Initiative. Exceptional communication skills. It's why our graduates are so successful both within and outside the world of journalism.

 

Image: two students learning journalism skills from tutorThe best in the business

Our staff know their stuff. Many are professional journalists who have worked in all areas of journalism, from local newspapers to Fleet Street, from small radio stations to network television. Others are internationally acclaimed academics.

Every major league table – the Times, Guardian and Complete 2012 university guides – puts us in the UK top five. And we're one of only a handful of UK universities to offer a journalism course that's accredited by all three industry bodies – the Broadcast Journalism Training Council, the National Council for the Training of Journalists and the Periodicals Training Council.

We put our all into making this the best learning experience for you. For the past four years we've topped the National Student Survey, with a satisfaction rate of 97 per cent – the highest score achieved by any journalism department in the country.

Learn more about our BA in Journalism Studies.

 

Check out your new office

Image: student standing in broadcast newsroomImage: students at desk in front of computers Image: student designing a web page

Step through our front door and you're in the thick of what feels like a real working environment. You'll find newsrooms for radio, television, print and web – each decked out with the latest software and equipment to help you make the most of your course and future-proof your career.

Our aim is to get you into the mindset of a confident, working professional. You'll quickly come to see our department as your second home, a working area where you can develop projects and catch up on the latest news.

Tutors spend a lot of time here. Long, long hours. That means you can ask us for advice and talk through your ideas whenever you want.

On a more formal level we give you regular feedback on all your work, and back this up with one-to-one support for things like your dissertation and journalism portfolio. This is a challenging course – we make no bones about that – but we're committed to getting you to the top of your game.

The complete package

A lot of your formal teaching takes place in the newsrooms. We'll show you the ropes. Everything. You'll become proficient in every role – from researching and writing to producing and presenting.

Behind the practical skills lies the all-essential theory. You'll learn about media law, history, ethics and standards. We want you to be the complete package – knowledgeable and questioning, skilled and rigorous. The kind of journalist the world needs.

Explore our newsrooms

 

Image: Peace Gardens in SheffieldPerfectly prepared

Of course at Sheffield we don't lock you away in a quiet room. You'll practise journalism every day, covering your own patch in the city and going to court and council meetings.

And you'll be getting stuck in with real work experience. That's a crucial part of studying with us. With our impressive network of professional journalists – we set up around 200 work placements a year – there are lots of opportunities open to you.

So by the time you start looking for work, you'll already have an impressive portfolio under your belt.

Your future's wide open

In just three years, you'll have acquired an impressive range of journalistic skills – copy writing, shorthand, interviewing techniques, IT skills, design and production skills, and much much more.

But what if you decide journalism isn't your thing? Studying journalism at Sheffield doesn't limit you to one career path. It sets you up for any career where communication is valued, which means your career options are wide open.

Transferable skills that will give you the edge

Our BA in Journalism Studies develops a raft of personal qualities and transferable skills that employers prize highly. These are just some of them. You'll be:

  • Confident and self-reliant – able to find information and see an idea through
  • A strong communicator – a skilled writer who can make complex information accessible
  • A people person – good at interacting with a wide range of people
  • A switched-on, critical thinker with high ethical standards
  • IT literate – fluent in the latest media software and able to make the most of online media channels
  • A leader and team player
  • Full of original ideas
  • Brilliant at working to deadlines

So what are our graduates doing?

Many are working in journalism and other parts of the media industries all over the UK. Others have gone on to successful careers in a diverse range of fields – from public relations and political research to construction and teaching. All have found their training and experiences invaluable.

What our graduates have to say – their careers and what they thought about the course.

 

Image: student inside Sheffield's School of Modern Foreign LanguagesBA Journalism Studies with a modern language

Study journalism at Sheffield and you'll get to grips with news and media in a global context. You can take the international perspective a step further by combining journalism with a modern language – French, Germanic Studies, Hispanic Studies or Russian.

Find out more by searching our online prospectus.

If you have any queries about the journalism component, please get in touch: jnladmissions@sheffield.ac.uk

Tell me more

Could Sheffield be your new stomping ground? We've just been named University of the Year by the 2011 Times Higher Education Awards. And the 2011 Times Higher survey says we're the university most people would recommend to a friend. Learn more about our University and city

If you'd like a print copy of our University prospectus, just fill in the request form.

If you have any queries, please get in touch: jnladmissions@sheffield.ac.uk