BA (Hons)
Journalism
The skills to tackle any journalistic role
Course Overview
Why take this course?
From learning how to webcast, producing apps, laying out magazine spreads and video reporting, right through to the all-important skills of uncovering and writing breaking stories to deadline, we will equip you for the 24-hour rolling news culture.
You’ll be writing about everything from hard news to fashion, sport, music and lifestyle. This course provides the essential training to send you to the top of editors’ wish lists.
What will I experience?
On this course you can:
- Put your skills into practice in our fully equipped newsroom
- Benefit from studying under expert journalists with experience working on international, national, regional and online publications
- Complete a ten-day journalism-based work placement
What opportunities might it lead to?
This is a highly vocational course and you can be expected to find journalistic work across websites, magazines and newspapers.
Our excellent links with the industry ensure your work placements will challenge and inspire you. In addition, you will have the opportunity to sit the National Council for the Training of Journalists' industry-standard exams. Gaining these qualifications will significantly enhance your career prospects since they are considered vital by many journalism employers.
Here are some routes our graduates have pursued:
- editing magazines
- working on fashion blogs
- new media
- further academic study
Lessons sometimes take the format of a working newsroom situation, with tight deadlines and accuracy paramount.
Heather Clark, BA (Hons) Journalism student 2013
Key Facts
- UCAS Course Code:
- P500
- Duration
- 3 years full time
- Entry
240-300 points from 3 A Levels or equivalent. Evidence of interest and some relevant experience in journalism will be required. An admissions test will be set. All applicants are subject to interview.
Other qualifications- Fees
UK/EU/Channel Islands and Isle of Man full-time students: £8,750 p/a*
International full-time students: £10,500 p/a*
*Please note that all fees are subject to annual increase.- Contact
- humanities.admissions@port.ac.uk
+44 (0)23 9284 8299 - Department
- School of Social, Historical and Literary Studies
Subject:
English, Film, Journalism and Media
Find out what our students say about studying at Portsmouth, including:
- Getting the chance to develop practical skills alongside learning the theory
- The high-quality teaching and flexibility of options that enables you to tailor your course to your own interests
- The passion and knowledge of the lecturers that makes studying so enjoyable
Visit us at our open day
Wed 10 Jul
Structure & Teaching
Year one
In the first year there is a blend of practical and theoretical learning. You’ll begin practical training in the techniques of journalism, alongside units in theory, law and ethics relating to journalistic practice. Shorthand is also a core topic, and our training will enable you to reach speeds of 100 words per minute.
Core units in this year include:
- Web Research
- The Development, Role and Influence of Modern Journalism
- Law for Journalists
- Theories and Techniques of Journalism
- Introduction to Studying Journalism
- Copywriting and Web Editing
Year two
This year allows you to start specialising in the areas that interest you most. Choose to focus on specific media forms such as magazines, videos or the web and also spotlight on certain writing styles.
Core units in this year include:
- Government in Britain
- Newsbeat 24/7
- An Introduction to Editorial Design
- Visual Journalism
- Feature Writing
Options to choose from in this year include:
- Sports Journalism
- Ethical Issues in Modern Journalism
Year three
The final year offers you a broad range of options to choose from. Depending on your interests, you also have the choice between a dissertation or undertaking a special exercise that boosts your journalistic skills.
Core units in this year include:
- Writing and Producing Magazines
- Placement and Digital Portfolio
Options to choose from in this year include:
- Stranger than Fiction
- Money, Government and Power
- Journalists and Propagandists at War
- Advanced Editorial Technologies
- Broadcast Journalism
- Press and Public Relations
Teaching and Assessment
As well as the standard lecture and seminar format of learning, there is also a hugely practical element to your study. Practical workshop sessions and group-based activities will sometimes see you producing magazines, newspapers or web pages to a deadline. We prize this training aspect of the course.
How are you assessed?
We assess you in a range of ways, including through:
- essays and close textual analysis
- in-class tests
- media artefacts
- seminar presentations
- a 10,000-word dissertation
Tutor's view
Bernard Saunders
Journalism
Our students work on real-life journalism in our state-of-the-art newsrooms under the watchful eye of real journalists. We combine that with rigorous background theory and it's all aimed at preparing them for life as a multi-skilled journalist who can cope with the pressures and demands of employers when they first step into a newsroom.
Visit us open day
Facilities & Features
The Newsroom
A purpose-built newsroom for journalism students
The Study Centre
A suite of rooms with group working spaces, printers, Mac workstations and more
University Library
Our library offers a wealth of information including 400,000 books
The Newsroom
Opened in 2007 by former Times editor Charles Wilson, our industry-standard newsroom is home to Portsmouth's journalism students. It’s equipped with the latest hardware and software used by today’s press, replicating the activity and experience of professional journalists. You'll also become familiar with the tools and techniques used by correspondents out in the field, from cameras to data connections.
The Study Centre
A suite of rooms with a comfy seating area, desks where you can work, printers, Mac workstations and access to the wireless network, so you can log in using your own laptop. There are also several study rooms where you can work on group projects, in addition to the University's 3rd Space.
University Library
Modern, comfortable and a great learning environment, our library offers a wealth of information including 400,000 books, DVDs, maps and thousands of online ejournals and newspapers. Many electronic resources are available anywhere, 24/7 and our friendly staff are always on hand to help.
The Macs have been hugely beneficial. They have programs useful for all areas in journalism, ranging from InDesign to Photoshop. There is a wealth of journalistic equipment (such as video cameras, complete with a tripod and mic) for students to borrow for educational use. It saved me from having to spend a lot of money purchasing them myself.
Myron Jobson, Journalism student 2013
Careers & Opportunities
Career prospects
Once you’ve completed this degree, you will possess all the required skills to succeed as a journalist. However, this is not the only route open to you. You’ll gain valuable transferable skills in analysis, writing, presentation, editing, design, and so on, which will stand you in good stead to enter a wide range of careers.
You will have already gained a number of NCTJ qualifications, but further academic study is also a popular choice with many of our graduates.
Roles our graduates have taken on include:
- campaign assistant
- editorial assistant
- PR and marketing assistant
- trainee reporter
- journalist
Work experience
In your third year, you will complete a ten-day journalism-based work placement. This is a great opportunity to gain relevant work experience, learn more about the professional application of journalism and produce material for your portfolio which may also be used for NCTJ professional qualifications. What’s more, impress future employers by getting some real-life work experience under your belt. Past students have gained work placements on a variety of weekly, evening and national newspapers, national magazines, radio and television stations and web publications.
This course also allows you to take the Learning From Experience (LiFE) option, which means you can earn credits towards your degree for work, volunteer and research placements that you’re involved in alongside your study.
Career planning
6.04 minutes
Finding a job is a competitive business, but the statistics show that 89 per cent of our 2011graduates went into employment, further study or training within six months of finishing their degrees.
To make sure you take the right steps on your career path, we’re here to give you help, support and advice throughout your study. Even after you’ve graduated, we continue to give you support for up to five years.
Employers tell us that they want graduates to be able to demonstrate certain skills when they come out of university. Our courses take account of this. We make sure we prepare you for employment through work-related learning, projects, placements and working in simulated environments that are designed to prepare you for the working world.
Open Day
Our next open day is Wed 10 July
VISIT US! Have a look around and get a feel for what it’s like to live and study here. We’ll be on hand to talk to you about your course interests and show you all of our amazing facilities. You’ll also get to meet tutors and other students…
Application, Fees and Funding — find out more