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Journalism with Creative Writing at University of Portsmouth - UCAS

Course options

2025 - 2026
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There are other course options available which may have a different vacancy status or entry requirements – view the full list of options

University of Portsmouth has participated in the Teaching Excellence Framework. These ratings were awarded in 2023, for four years.

Open days

9Nov
University of Portsmouth Open Day
Undergraduate
7Dec
University of Portsmouth Open Day
Undergraduate

Course summary

This is a Connected Degree Portsmouth is the only University in the UK with the flexibility to choose when to do an optional paid placement or self-employed year. Either take a placement in your third year, or finish your studies first and complete a placement in your fourth year. You can decide if and when to take a placement after you've started your course. Overview If you love writing and reporting, our Journalism with Creative Writing degree course can help you turn your abilities with the written word into a fulfilling career. You'll study, experience, and combine the complementary disciplines of factual journalism and creative writing. One day you might write a news report about a local charity or review a concert, and the next author a short story, a poem, or a play script. You'll also develop research skills and learn about the structure and mechanisms of the industries you could end up working in – from getting a script approved to legal issues surrounding publishing news stories. You’ll graduate ready to dive into a career in professional writing, with the skills and knowledge you need to get started in whichever writing field you choose. Course highlights

  • Get further professional journalistic qualifications by taking National Council for Training Journalists (NCTJ) exams
  • Refine your practice by learning from published authors of novels, poetry and screenplays, and journalists with written and broadcast experience in local, regional, national and international journalism
  • Grasp of the role of journalists in democratic society by learning about media law and industry code
  • Enhance your discipline and teamworking skills by collaborating with other students on other courses within the Faculty of Creative and Cultural Industries
  • Gain valuable industry knowledge and experience by taking an optional placement
  • Capture information at 100 words-per-minute writing speed by taking shorthand training
Work towards your NCTJ Diploma On this course, you can choose to take the examinations that lead to the industry-recognised NCTJ Diploma in Journalism. If you want to do the full NCTJ diploma alongside your degree, apply for our BA (Hons) Journalism course instead. Careers and opportunities As traditional communication and literature move towards web and digital, the demand for journalists and writers is growing. Print newspapers and magazines may be declining, but digital versions are replacing them. In addition, social media, blogging, TV and film production, and other platforms contribute to the demand for journalists and writers. Graduates with strong transferable skills are also sought in related industries such as public relations or communications. As a graduate, you'll have diverse writing skills that will help you in most sectors. You can also freelance or pursue postgraduate studies. Graduate areas Areas our graduates have gone onto include:
  • broadcast, print and online journalism
  • creative writing
  • marketing
  • public relations
  • communications
  • teaching
  • advertising
  • arts management
Graduate roles Our graduates have worked in a variety of roles, including:
  • trainee reporter
  • social media editor
  • digital marketing executive
  • copywriter
  • theatre manager
  • editorial assistant
When you finish the course, our Careers and Employability service can help you find a job that puts your skills to work in the industry. After you leave the University, you can get help, advice and support for up to 5 years as you advance in your career.

Modules

Year 1 Core modules in this year include:

  • Academic Skills and Career Planning (20 credits)
  • Journalism in Context (20 credits)
  • Media Law and Regulation (L4) (20 credits)
  • Reporting (20 credits)
  • Telling Tales (20 credits)
  • True Stories (20 credits)
There are no optional modules in this year. Year 2 Core modules in this year include:
  • Feature Writing and Media Research (20 credits)
Optional modules in this year include:
  • Creative Writing and Critical Thinking (20 credits)
  • Engaged Citizenship Through Interdisciplinary Practice (20 credits)
  • Factual Media Production (20 credits)
  • Finding Form - Fiction (20 credits)
  • Finding Form - Nonfiction (20 credits)
  • Finding Form - Speculative Fiction (20 credits)
  • Investigative Journalism (20 credits)
  • Mobile Journalism (20 credits)
  • Press and Public Relations (20 credits)
  • Professional Experience (20 credits)
  • Social Media and Journalism (20 credits)
  • Specialist Journalism (20 credits)
  • Student Enterprise (20 credits)
Year 3 Core modules:
  • Writing Project (With Publishing) (20 credits)
Optional modules in this year include:
  • Cultures of Consumption (20 credits)
  • Digital Media and Democracy (20 credits)
  • Dissertation (40 credits)
  • Finding Form - Fact and Fiction (20 credits)
  • Global Journalism and Human Rights (20 credits)
  • Journalism Special Investigation (40 credits)
  • Magazines: Print Media in a Digital World (20 credits)
  • Money, Government and Power (20 credits)
  • Placement (20 credits)
  • Researching Animation (20 credits)
Placement year (optional) On this course, you can do an optional work placement year after your 2nd or 3rd year to get valuable experience working in industry. We’ll help you secure a work placement that fits your situation and ambitions. You’ll get mentoring and support throughout the year. We use the best and most current research and professional practice alongside feedback from our students to make sure course content is relevant to your future career or further studies. Therefore, some course content may change over time to reflect changes in the discipline or industry and some optional modules may not run every year. If a module doesn’t run, we’ll let you know as soon as possible and help you choose an alternative module.

Assessment method

You'll be assessed through: essays, presentations, in-class tests, media artefacts (e.g. producing a video or magazine), practical and written exams, short stories, screenplays, a collection of poems, a public relations campaign, final-year dissertation. You'll be able to test your skills and knowledge informally before you do assessments that count towards your final mark.

How to apply

29Jan

This is the deadline for applications to be completed and sent for this course. If the university or college still has places available you can apply after this date, but your application is not guaranteed to be considered.

Application codes

Course code:
P5W8
Institution code:
P80
Campus name:
Main Site
Campus code:
-

Points of entry

The following entry points are available for this course:

  • Year 1

This course may be available at alternative locations, please check if other course options are available

Entry requirements

Qualification requirements

English language requirements

TestGradeAdditional details
IELTS (Academic)6English language proficiency at a minimum of IELTS band 6.0 with no component score below 5.5.
PTE Academic54An overall score of 54 with a minimum of 51 in each skill.
TOEFL (iBT)7979 with a minimum of 18 in Reading, 17 in Listening, 20 in Speaking and 17 in Writing.
Cambridge English AdvancedCambridge English: Advanced (CAE) taken after January 2015. An overall score of 169 with no component score less than 162.
Cambridge English ProficiencyCambridge English: Proficiency (CPE) taken after January 2015. An overall score of 169 with no component score less than 162.
Trinity ISEPassTrinity College Integrated Skills in English (ISE) Level III with a Pass in all 4 components

Student Outcomes

Operated by the Office for Students
75%
Employment after 15 months (Most common jobs)
90%
Go onto work and study

The number of student respondents and response rates can be important in interpreting the data – it is important to note your experience may be different from theirs. This data will be based on the subject area rather than the specific course. Read more about this data on the Discover Uni website.

Fees and funding

Tuition fees

EU £9535 Year 1
England £9535 Year 1
Northern Ireland £9535 Year 1
Scotland £9535 Year 1
Wales £9535 Year 1
Channel Islands £9535 Year 1
Republic of Ireland £9535 Year 1
International £17200 Year 1

Tuition fee status depends on a number of criteria and varies according to where in the UK you will study. For further guidance on the criteria for home or overseas tuition fees, please refer to the UKCISA website .

Additional fee information

Students who are resident in EU countries: please note that the net fee is inclusive of the Transition Scholarship Placement Year and Year abroad (at the time of publishing for 2024/25): UK/Channel Islands and Isle of Man students – £1,385 EU – £1,385 (including Transition Scholarship) International (Non-EU) – £2,875. Fees are accurate at the time of publishing and are subject to change at any time without notice. All fees are subject to annual increase. For more information about fees, go to port.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/undergraduate-fees-and-student-finance/tuition-fees-living-costs-and-other-study-costs
Journalism with Creative Writing at University of Portsmouth - UCAS