The University of Sheffield
Prospective Postgraduates

MA/Postgraduate Diploma Web Journalism

Department of Journalism Studies, Faculty of Social Sciences

Employers know our applied courses produce high-calibre digital journalists. You'll learn in an environment that replicates the pressures of a professional newsroom.

About the course

MA - 1 year full-time
Postgraduate Diploma - 9 months full-time

You'll work with students from the print, broadcast and magazine courses on integrated projects replicating the multi-platform publishing of most media companies.

We'll show you how to use social media effectively and get the most out of audio and video on the web. We encourage you to use your judgement to evaluate stories. We'll teach you how to search for information and conduct interviews. And we pay attention to the craft of organising your material in an engaging and informative way.

Entry requirements

A 2:1 degree, but we will consider mature students with relevant professional experience.

Excellent writing and communication skills are essential. Good computing and word processing skills are desirable.

English language requirements for overseas students

Minimum IELTS score of 7.5 overall with at least 7.5 in each element.

Entry requirements for international students

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Core modules

  • Researching News
  • Law for Journalists
  • Ethics and Regulation
  • Power and Society
  • Online Journalism
  • Advanced Web Journalism
  • Online dissertation/portfolio (PGDip students don't take this module)

Optional modules

A range including:

  • Global Journalism
  • Media Audiences
  • Persuasion, Reasoning and Argument
  • Journalism, Globalisation and Development
  • The Media in Europe and its Neighbouring States

Teaching

  • Lectures
  • Seminars
  • Group workshops
  • Individual and team assignments

Assessment

  • Essays
  • Examinations
  • Practical work – producing news stories, web pages and websites

Fees and funding

There are a limited number of external bursaries for UK students from the AHRC and the Scott Trust.

Journalism bursaries

Financial information for postgraduate taught courses

Any questions?

If you'd like to know more about any aspect of our courses, contact us:

Mrs Susie Whitelam
E: journalism@sheffield.ac.uk
T: +44 (0)114 222 2500

Journalism student

Your career

A masters from Sheffield is the mark of someone who thinks differently. Graduates from our applied courses are creative, disciplined journalists. They're working for the Guardian, Times, Mail, Telegraph, the BBC and Sky.

The Press Association recruits Sheffield graduates each year.

About us

Our teaching staff are professionals who have worked at the highest level in newspaper, magazine, radio, television and online journalism. This is a great place to learn practical skills.

Three quarters of our research is rated world-leading or internationally excellent. The discussion of ideas about journalism, its past, present and future, is part of all our courses.

We have strong links with the industry. We send our masters students on a three-day field trip to London, visiting national news organisations for briefings on current developments with senior editors and meeting politicians and political journalists.

Guests from the media industries, regulators, campaigning groups and research institutes give lectures in the department. Online production editors bring their expertise to web exercises.

Our graduates work for major organisations including the BBC, Sky and the Guardian.

Work experience opportunities

We encourage you to go on a work placement of one to three weeks during vacation time. Employers regularly notify us as opportunities come up and we have a dedicated work placement administrator to help you find a placement that’s right for you. Our students often find a work placement leads to a job after graduation.

Professional accreditation

This course is accredited by the Broadcast Journalism Training Council.

Real world learning environment

Our facilities are designed to simulate a real-life working environment. We have separate newsrooms divided into broadcast, print and web.

Movie and still cameras and Marantz digital audio recording kits are available. The web newsroom has 22 Macs equipped with multimedia and web-authoring software.

You'll also have access to a Press Association newsfeed, telephones, daily newspapers and Sky TV.

Apply now

You can apply for postgraduate study using our Postgraduate Online Application Form. It is a quick and easy process.

Postgraduate Online Application Form