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Develop cutting-edge skills in digital reporting. Break your own news stories. Discover our world-leading research in journalism ethics, censorship, freedom of expression and more.| Overview |
Good journalists need traditional skills like spotting big stories and excellent newswriting – and digital skills like video editing and social media. With decades of journalistic experience themselves, our expert staff teach all these techniques superbly. But Sheffield students don't just become good journalists: they become the best. They do this because the best journalists aren't just good at working a camera and note-taking in shorthand. The best journalists understand the difference between good and bad journalism. They grasp the responsibilities of their profession – and its rich history. They know that journalism is about right and wrong, war and peace, liberty and democracy. It’s about the life stories of people, societies, and entire continents. And as a prestigious Russell Group university, where teaching is based on the highest-quality research, our staff are living, breathing and teaching these ideas. And that's what's special about journalism studies at Sheffield: we don't just teach you how – we show you why. The technical skills and the reasons journalism matters. That's why Sheffield journalists are the best. Join us and follow recent graduates who are working for the BBC, Press Association, Bloomberg, The Guardian and media all over the world. Many universities can teach you journalism. Sheffield will show you journalism's bigger picture.
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"I had about 10 minutes left when the MP rang me back, and I rushed to the radio booth to record my phone interview. I dashed back to the newsroom, edited it, double-checked for errors and sent it through just in time to be read on air. It was nerve-wracking, but incredibly thrilling at the same time!"
UCAS codeP500 |
Entry requirementA Level grades ABB |
Duration3 years full-time |
Professional accreditation
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Teaching methods, assessment methods, contact hours, working hours |
Our campus and how we use it
We timetable teaching across the whole of our campus, the details of which can be found on our campus map. Teaching may take place in a student’s home department, but may also be timetabled to take place within other departments or central teaching space.
Your degree may involve travelling off campus, around or beyond Sheffield, to find and report local news for practical skills assessments.
Degrees with employment experience
Journalism Studies BA includes the option of a one-year placement in industry. This is an excellent opportunity to apply what you’ve learnt in your course so far and gain invaluable workplace experience. It isn’t something you apply for before you get here and they aren’t guaranteed – it’s your responsibility to secure one but we’ll do everything we can to help.
If you take the degree without this option, we'll still help you to arrange work experience placements, using our network of contacts in the media.
More about year-long placements
Study Abroad
If you like, you can apply to spend part of your degree studying with one of our partner universities in Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, USA and countries across Europe from Turkey to Norway.
As you'd expect from a Russell Group university, the Journalism Studies BA is intellectually demanding.
The best journalists grapple with the complex legal and moral issues around their work. They need the brain power to make tough decisions in an instant and call it right every time. You'll need to prepare for this by getting stuck in to the heavyweight academic content on the course.
We'll also equip you with practical skills like framing a camera shot, shorthand (still a vital tool in journalists' locker) and editing digital audio and video. You'll learn to write sharp, attention-grabbing copy, structure news bulletins and use social media like a pro.
But it doesn't end there. You'll need to go out and uncover stories for yourself, attending council meetings and court cases, and making contacts in your 'patch'. Then with your team you'll turn your stories into TV, radio and web content back here in our newsrooms, meeting real deadlines to break the news.
So you’ll need initiative, persistence and imagination to be successful on the course – and as a journalist. It's no easy ride and we know it's asking a lot. But don't be put off. If you get a place on the course, it means you're good enough.
Course modules
Teaching on our degree courses is organised into modules. Each module is a programme of study concerning a particular aspect of journalism, media and communication. Modules all have their own particular reading lists, timetables of lectures and workshops, and systems of assessment (exams, coursework and so on).
All the content you'll cover in the first year of the degree is combined into an amazing new module called Essential Journalism. In your second and third years, core modules cover more of the fundamental skills and knowledge; while optional modules allow you to shape the degree to your career goals or research interests, such as investigative journalism, storytelling with data, or advanced broadcast production.
See below for more about each year and module, as they are being taught in the 2019-20 academic year.
Teaching and assessment methods, contact and working hours
Year 1
Essential Journalism |
Our new course content features an innovative programme of teaching in year 1 which combines all the basics of media skills and knowledge into a single, far-reaching module called Essential Journalism. It's Sheffield's unique way of introducing you to journalism's bigger picture. This programme will start to develop your news writing, interviewing, production and academic skills. You'll learn how to structure news stories, and source and use quotes. You'll get a grounding in how to use social media like a pro. You'll also start to build a deeper understanding of how journalism works both in the UK and internationally. We'll begin to show you key themes that are developed later on in the degree, such as media law and ethics, and analysing information. We'll also introduce you to some significant debates in the wider world of the media – journalism and politics; media freedom; journalism and society; audiences; technology and innovation in journalism; and analysing news agendas.
And when you're pushing a deadline in the newsroom, out on the streets chasing a story, or interviewing in front of the cameras, you'll need to make the right decision in an instant. You have to push hard to break big news, and you have to be certain that you're doing the right thing. To be capable of quick, joined-up thinking, to understand the bigger picture, to choose the most effective words and images, and to combine your technical skills across all strands of digital media. The best way to explore interconnected concerns, and develop interconnected skills, is through an interconnected way of learning. So if you want to be a great journalist, we believe Essential Journalism is an essential first step. |
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Why a single module? The world is an increasingly complex place and nothing exists in isolation. The debate around 'fake news', for example, encompasses issues in politics, technology, society, ethics and beyond.Year 2
Core modules
Students take all of the following modules in year 2.
| Media Law for Journalists |
At Sheffield we're committed to promoting journalism that respects ethical and legal boundaries. In this module you'll learn the essentials of media law in England and Wales and regulatory codes applying across the UK. The laws cover issues like defamation, privacy and court reporting; while the codes address journalistic standards generally, including protection of people’s privacy and confidential sources. You'll discover how the freedom to find and publish certain stories in the UK can be justified in the interests of human rights and the public interest. |
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| Court Reporting |
Court reporting is a vital skill for journalists which needs particular expertise. In this module we'll introduce you to the skills required to write news reports on the judicial process as it happens. To do this you'll go along to Sheffield courtrooms to make notes on real cases for your reports. We'll give you feedback on your notes, drafts and final stories, helping to develop your accuracy at note-taking and ability to file a report quickly to hit your deadlines. |
| Live News Production |
In this module we'll work on your media production techniques across various digital platforms and formats, so you'll become a journalistic all-rounder with a far-reaching skill set. You'll learn to work on your own initiative and as part of a team, in a fast-paced newsday production environment and on longer, more detailed projects such as features, documentaries and portfolios. You'll also make connections to other modules, showing that you can work to media industry guidelines and be aware of the academic theory that underpins your learning. |
Optional modules
Students choose one of the following modules in year 2.
| Journalism: Critical Discourse Approaches |
In this module we look at how issues like gender, ethnicity, social exclusion, migration and national identity are represented in the media. In particular, what is the effect of the language choices made by journalists and editors? How are international events and communities of 'outsiders' conveyed to national readerships? You'll also learn how to do research by querying the vast Lexis database of texts in order to gather material for your final assessment. |
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| Journalism and Political Communication |
When a journalist covers a political event or process, their work doesn't just reflect the world: it also reshapes it. So does the media help to inform and clarify, or can it mislead and confuse? In this module you'll discover just how that works, by looking at how political communication in the UK and internationally can influence democratic processes and the way they're perceived and understood by the people watching, listening to and reading the news. |
| Introduction to Investigative Journalism |
When a journalist undertakes a deeper investigation on a particular subject, the skills and knowledge they need go deeper too. The module offers you a grounding in those skill sets, methodology and knowledge needed for investigative journalism, including use of the Freedom of Information Act. Once those are in place, you'll put them to use by planning and carrying out an investigation of your own. |
| Data-Driven Storytelling |
The use of data is becoming an increasingly important technique for journalists. Established media institutions such as The New York Times, The Guardian and Press Association already have units that specialise in data journalism, and the next generation of media professionals will need to appreciate how data can be verified and used both to find stories and to tell stories. This module is designed to make you confident and comfortable in working with data – and to expand your toolkit with data-driven, analytic and investigative journalism. |
Alternatively, you can choose a module taught by another department in the University, as long as it has places available and no prerequisite study (ie. it doesn't require you to have studied another module beforehand).
Year 3
Core modules
Students take all of the following modules in year 3.
| Advanced Broadcast Journalism |
This module introduces students to some of the more complex formats used in contemporary broadcast production, such as features and programmes, which throw up new challenges on both a journalistic and a technical level. By the end of the module you should be able to work easily in both radio and television formats and develop your creative use of both media. Project work will include news features for both radio and television, and the production of radio and TV programmes in modern formats. You'll also have an opportunity to reflect critically on your work and on the conventions of broadcast news more widely. |
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| Journalism Skills 3 |
In this module we'll build on the production skills you've already started to learn in your first and second years. You'll do this in a journalistic environment that emulates a real media workplace, by:
Through lectures, workshops and supervised work, you'll be sourcing, writing, filming and subbing self-generated stories from an allocated patch, presenting them both in print and digitally, and demonstrating the difference in story treatment for different platforms. |
| Magazine Journalism and Feature Writing |
What does good writing mean? This module will require you to take to a new level the writing skills you have learned over the past two and a half years. You'll explore a variety of storytelling techniques and test your versatility, learning how to write well in a variety of styles for particular audiences. You'll also learn to consider not just what you've written but how it is used on the page. And you'll explore the issues involved in magazine production and team working, culminating in the production of a new magazine. |
Optional modules set 1
Students choose one of the following modules in year 3.
| Dissertation in Journalism |
In this module you have a chance to develop your special interests, either in an area of journalism in particular or the media in general. Choose your topic, demonstrate research initiative and original thought, and work with your supervisor to produce an individual piece of work showing that you've grasped the complexity of the issues relating to your chosen area of study. |
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| Portfolio in Broadcast Journalism |
If broadcast media becomes your speciality, this portfolio allows you to demonstrate research initiative, original thought and journalistic ability through one or more items of radio or TV journalism. Working with your supervisor, you'll produce a proposal, then go on to develop the products or features themselves. After that you'll undertake a written critical appraisal of the work and submit a production file. |
| Portfolio in Print Journalism |
The Portfolio in Print Journalism is an opportunity to show that you've got to grips with the deeper issues that bear on newspaper reporting. As well as the journalism you produce, you'll set out a critical analysis of the editorial issues involved. You'll explain the methods you use to choose the subject and conduct the research. And your 'production diary' will show your critical understanding of the processes. Guided by your supervisor, the work on your print portfolio will demonstrate your research initiative, original thought and journalistic ability. |
| Portfolio in Online Journalism |
This module offers a chance to produce journalistic work specifically in the form of a news website. You'll develop a theme for the site and identify and produce news content combining text, audio, video and still pictures. |
Optional modules set 2
Students choose one of the following modules in year 3.
| Free Speech and Censorship |
The subjects of freedom of speech and censorship have been at the forefront of philosophical and political debate for centuries. For journalists, debates about these issues are central to their obligations and role in democratic societies. Free Speech and Censorship looks at the history, current status, and limits on the liberty of the media. You'll look at topics like the philosophies of free speech; the history and significance of free speech; debates about harm and offence; the political economy of censorship; privacy and surveillance; censorship during war and informal censorship. |
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| Introduction to Research Methods |
This module introduces basic methods of research in the social sciences, particularly as they apply to journalism, media and communication. Whether you're considering undertaking a dissertation or seeking a grounding in research methods, you'll get an invaluable overview of key social scientific research methods and the different ways in which research can be conducted. You'll also get a grounding in the University's ethics strategy and its relationship to research. |
| Journalism and Political Communication |
When a journalist covers a political event or process, their work doesn't just reflect the world: it also reshapes it. So does the media help to inform and clarify, or can it mislead and confuse? In this module you'll discover just how that works, by looking at how political communication in the UK and internationally can influence democratic processes and the way they're perceived and understood by the people watching, listening to and reading the news. |
| Introduction to Investigative Journalism |
When a journalist undertakes a deeper investigation on a particular subject, the skills and knowledge they need go deeper too. The module offers you a grounding in those skill sets, methodology and knowledge needed for investigative journalism, including use of the Freedom of Information Act. Once those are in place, you'll put them to use by planning and carrying out an investigation of your own. |
Alternatively, you can choose a module taught by another department in the University, as long as it has places available and no prerequisite study (ie. it doesn't require you to have studied another module beforehand).
Your talent. Our reputation. And double accreditation for your degree, from the National Council for the Training of Journalists and Professional Publishers Association. It's a powerful combination, giving you serious clout in the jobs market when you graduate. Employers know a Sheffield graduate can make a world-class media professional.
Our close links with the media industry give us a direct line to newsrooms and editors. So we know what employers look for in journalism graduates – and we shape the practical content of the degree to meet their needs and yours.
Print may be a medium in decline, but more people than ever are accessing journalism in a range of formats. That's why our students become experts in digital content and multimedia – and why our graduates are so successful in the workplace.
Since 2012 alone, graduates from BA Journalism Studies have gone on to roles with the BBC, Bloomberg, the Press Association, a range of national magazines, local television and radio, regional newspapers and high-profile titles such as the Daily Mail and Guardian.
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How we help1. Journalism careers days
2. Work experience placements
Visit our students' work placement blog See our students' latest tweets about their work experience 3. The Careers Service
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Keep your options openA degree in journalism studies doesn't just mean a job in journalism. The skills you'll learn on the course are transferable to many other vocational pathways. Students sometimes decide they’d like to pursue other careers where adeptness with language, empathy, and interpersonal skills are vital. Many work in public relations, communications and marketing. Some become social media specialists. Others are teachers, authors and researchers. Recent graduates are working in roles like these with employers like Aviva, Centerparcs, Asda, Oxford University Press, police and local authorities. |
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The latest data
Data from our 2017 graduates, approximately six months after graduation |
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Graduate case studyReading up about journalism degrees is all well and good. But choosing a university is about more than module outlines and rankings. It has to feel right too. And to get a proper feel for a university and see if it's right for you, it's best to get along to an open day.
There are two kinds of open days you'll experience if you apply for a place in the Department of Journalism Studies.
University open days
You'll come to a University open day first, usually before you apply. These run from early summer through to autumn (typically June to October).
Book a place and you can take a look around the University campus and Students' Union and look at our accommodation. They're a great way to get a general feel for the University and the city of Sheffield. If you're interested in studying with us, this is the place to start.
University open days for 2019
- Saturday 19 October
Applicant days
If you apply and we offer you a place on our BA Journalism Studies course, you'll be invited back to Sheffield for a closer look round the Department of Journalism Studies.
These applicant days (sometimes called "department open days" or "offer holders' open days") are different from the University open day.
In the morning, an exhibition at the Students' Union offers another chance to look at University facilities. But you'll spend the afternoon here in the Journalism Studies building at 9 Mappin Street. You'll get to meet your tutors and other Sheffield journalism students, look around your facilities and ask questions specifically about your course. It's the best way to get a real taste of life here in the department and help you make a final decision on which university suits you best.
Department of Journalism Studies applicant days for 2020
- Saturday 15 February 2020
- Saturday 7 March 2020
- Saturday 21 March 2020
- Saturday 18 April 2020
Maps, directions and travel advice Support for international students
If you've decided the UK's number 1 journalism degree is for you, please apply for your place at Sheffield through UCAS.
Entry requirements
Demand is high for places on our degree in Journalism Studies – so we have to set the bar high. Our standard entry requirement is grades ABB at A Level.
Equivalent grades
A Levels ABB
A Levels + Extended Project Qualification BBB + B
International Baccalaureate 33
BTEC DDD in a relevant subject
Cambridge Pre-U D3 M2 M2
Scottish Highers + 1 Advanced Higher AABBB + B
Welsh Baccalaureate + 2 A Levels B + AB
Access to HE Entry requirements for mature students
Other UK qualifications
Other EU/international qualifications
Foundation year
An alternative way in is through the Foundation Year option, which offers people with non-standard entry qualifications a thorough and supportive academic preparation for successful degree-level study. This route can be especially suitable for mature students.
BA Journalism Studies with Foundation Year
Firm or insurance choice?
Some universities may make you an unconditional offer based on your predicted A Level grades, as long as you make them your firm choice.
At Sheffield we don't think that's the right thing to do. Our advice? Aim high. If Sheffield is your top choice, firm us. If you're good enough, you'll make the grade.
International students
The University of Sheffield is recognised as one of the most internationally focused universities in the world. Our #WeAreInternational campaign celebrates the contribution made to academic and city life by the 6,700 international students, from 150 countries, who have joined us here in Sheffield.
If English is not your first language, you'll need an IELTS score with an average of 7.5 overall with a minimum of 7.0 in each element (or equivalent).
Information from our International Office
Pathway programmes
Our International College provides international students with pathway programmes for progression to degree study at the University.
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Tuition fees for UK and European Union students are given on the University of Sheffield's webpages for undergraduates. |
Tuition fees for international students can be found on the University's webpages for international students. |
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As part of your degree you have the opportunity to take external exams administered by the National Council for the Training of Journalists (NCTJ). There is no additional charge for your first sitting of these exams – this cost is covered by the Department of Journalism Studies. If you resit the exams, however, you will need to pay the fees. (We strongly encourage students to take the NCTJ exams, but they are not compulsory and you don't need to sit or pass them to complete your degree.) We will also pay the expenses (eg for travel) that you incur in reporting from your 'patch' when you go out into the city to find stories. Your course fee does not cover the cost of any textbooks, and you will need to buy Teeline Gold Standard for Journalists by Marie Cartwright before your degree begins. |
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Student funding calculator
The University of Sheffield runs several schemes to help you fund your studies and enhance your learning experience. You can use the University's student funding calculator to find out which awards you could be eligible for.
Scholarships for undergraduates
Funding is available from the University of Sheffield for undergraduates in Journalism Studies, depending on your circumstances. Follow the link below to find out more.
What are the entry requirements for the course?
Our standard entry requirement is A Level grades ABB. In some years a limited number of places may be available through Clearing to impressive students who narrowly miss out on these grades, or who have achieved them after a lower prediction.
Please see our equivalent grade requirements for qualifications other than A Level.
If you're interested in the course but don't have regular qualifications (particularly if you're looking to join us as a mature student), then BA Journalism Studies with Foundation Year may be your best option.
Do you recommend any subjects for A Level, A/S Level or Highers?
No. Our advice is to study what interests you, the subjects you find the most compelling. We want students with the ability to dig deep into a wide range of topics, but we do not need you to have begun already to explore journalism. Media studies is not an advantage.
Do I need any other qualifications?
Spell accurately and use grammar correctly. Otherwise, no. The most important section of your application is the personal statement. It should state clearly why you want to study journalism and it should explain that you know something about the work of the central figure in journalism – the reporter. Try to gain some work experience in a newsroom. Often the best experience is gained in small weekly newspaper offices, but local radio, free newspapers and hospital radio can all give you some idea of the reporter's job.
Will it help if I've already had some experience of journalism?
If you have already had journalistic work published or broadcast, or if you have produced a blog or podcast, or anything else that may be relevant, we would like to see it. Please send us links to your work online, or clips of your work in print or broadcast media. But if you have not had any previous experience in journalism or the media, please don't be deterred from applying. We would still like to hear from you and will treat your application on its merits.
Is there anything I can do to enhance my application?
You can apply only through UCAS. But the UCAS form does not have to be your only application. For example, you may have stories published in your local newspaper. Send them. If you complete work experience, ask your supervisor to write a reference – and tell them you are applying to a course accredited by the NCTJ. Persistence is a journalistic virtue we welcome in applications for admission.
Another university has made me an unconditional offer, if I make it my firm choice. If I firm the other university and make Sheffield my insurance choice, could I still come to Sheffield with ABB?
No. The UCAS system dictates that an applicant must go to their firm choice if they achieve the requirements. In the case of an unconditional offer, there are no requirements, so you would have to go to the other university.
Your only other option would be to withdraw from UCAS when exam results are published and enter clearing with your better-than-expected grades. This is risky, as the best courses might well be full already and have no places in clearing. If Sheffield is your number one choice, we advise you to make us your firm.
Will you lower your entry requirements for me if I make Sheffield my firm?
No. Some universities may need to lower their requirements or make unconditional offers in order to fill all the places on their courses. Places at Sheffield are in high demand, however. If Sheffield is your top choice, our advice is to make us your firm and do your best to achieve ABB.
What if my application is rejected?
Ask for an explanation. We're happy to explain the decision and give advice. And you can ask for us to reconsider the decision, especially if you believe an important aspect of your application has been overlooked. From time to time we make offers to students who had originally been rejected.
Does the course include work placements?
Yes. We arrange placements for you during the second year. You will not be assessed on the time you spend on placement, but it is an important part of the course. We encourage and help you arrange subsequent placements.
How is the course taught?
We use a wide range of teaching methods – lectures, seminars, skills workshops, individual copy clinics (tutorials). You will be assessed by an equally wide range of criteria – essays, examinations, seminar contributions, news stories, newspaper pages, feature writing, radio reporting, television news and documentary. Journalism skills are taught in simulated newsroom conditions, and we believe the intensity and quality of teaching we offer is of the highest standard. The harder you work at being a journalist, the more we will teach you.
Will my degree give me a vocational qualification?
It depends what you mean by a vocational qualification. The course is not vocational in the sense that it does not lead directly to one specific job. However, it is double-accredited by two of the UK's major professional media training organisations: the National Council for the Training of Journalists (NCTJ) and the Professional Publishers Association (PPA). This accreditation is recognised as a guarantee of quality and skill by media employers, who hold Sheffield in particularly high regard.
Graduates of the degree boast an excellent record of employment and achievement. The Sheffield BA in Journalism Studies is widely recognised across the media as a rigorous and demanding qualification. Many of our graduates are employed in journalism and the media. Others work in PR, communications and marketing. Some follow different pathways such as teaching. The skills and attributes you develop on the degree – language and communication, time management, team working, research, initiative, confidence, independence – are useful in a huge range of careers.
Many students add direct vocational qualifications to their degree by sitting the examinations of the NCTJ. We regularly hold NCTJ exams here, and the course teaches all you need to pass in shorthand, law and public administration.
Why is the degree called BA Journalism Studies and not just BA Journalism?
We'll teach you all the practical skills you need to hit the ground running in a media career. But we'll also encourage you to reflect critically on the practice of journalism, and to consider why excellent journalism is so crucial to a free, democratic society. Practical skills can make you a good journalist. But it's only by combining those skills with this view of journalism's bigger picture that you can become a great journalist.
That's why we call the course BA Journalism Studies. That's also why we think Sheffield journalists are the best in the business.
Is the course hard work?
Very. We think it is harder than other social science or arts degrees because students must go out and find stories, travelling far beyond the library or bookshop. For example, you will be assigned to neighbourhoods in the city where you will be responsible for unearthing stories and features. You will be sent to find court cases and council meetings to cover. In other words, you will need initiative, persistence and imagination – qualities that make good reporters.
Is it true that the course concentrates on newspaper reporting?
This is an important first step. We believe the aspiring journalist must first learn to write. You will be writing news – for digital publication, of course, as well as print – from the first week of the course to the last. By then, you will be reading widely from fiction and non-fiction to develop writing styles for features, interviews, investigations, sport and in-depth reports. But there is no conflict between newspaper and broadcast journalism. We believe newswriting skills adapt easily to radio and television, and you will have rich opportunities to become fluent in broadcast journalism.
What if I still have questions?
Ask. Keep asking until you understand, even if you want general career information. We're happy to help.
The content of our courses is reviewed annually to make sure it’s up-to-date and relevant. This is in response to discoveries made through our world-leading research, funding changes, professional accreditation requirements, student or employer feedback; outcomes of reviews, and variations in staff or student numbers. We update these web pages to reflect any changes to course content as soon as we can. If any information conflicts between these web pages and a printed brochure or prospectus, please take the information here as correct. Sometimes changes may need to be made to modules, courses, entry requirements and fees between your application and the start of your course. When these are significant in nature, we'll let you know as quickly as we can. All modules other than core modules are subject to limits on their availability, which include (but may not be limited to) class sizes and timetabling constraints.
Contact us
Undergraduate Admissions
Department of Journalism Studies
University of Sheffield
9 Mappin Street
Sheffield S1 4DT
Tel: +44 114 222 2500
Email: journalism-admissions@sheffield.ac.uk