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Journalism 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

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 Our BA (Hons) Journalism degree course – accredited by National Council for the Training of Journalists (NCTJ) – will prepare you for a career in journalism. Learn how to uncover and write breaking news stories, work in editorial teams with other colleagues to produce publications across print and digital media, and adapt seamlessly to the fast-paced 24-hour news environment. Earn the industry-recognised NCTJ Diploma in Journalism with help from our teaching team of experienced journalists, learn your craft from professional placements and become the outstanding journalist and publisher that any editor would appoint. Course highlights

  • Stand out to future editors and employers by taking exams leading to the gold-standard NCTJ Diploma in Journalism
  • Learn from lecturing journalists with experience in international, national, regional and online publications
  • Expand your professional network by meeting visiting professionals. Past industry organisations who've visited include Dream Team FC, The Times, Novara Media, Sky News, and the Cabinet Office at 10 Downing Street
  • Gain industry experience with a formal 10-day journalism-based work placement and an optional placement year
  • Capture information at a writing speed of up to 100 words per minute by taking shorthand training
  • 90% Graduates in work or further study (HESA Graduate Outcomes Survey conducted in 2019)
Accredited by: This course is accredited by the National Council for the Training of Journalists (NCTJ), 1 of 3 professional bodies that accredit journalism training in the UK. You'll automatically be entered into the examinations that lead to the NCTJ Diploma in Journalism. The NCTJ accreditation also lets potential employers know that this course gives you the relevant skills and abilities you need to work as a journalist when you graduate. This gives you an edge over students who didn't do an accredited course when you’re applying for jobs. Careers and opportunities The world always needs journalists to tell us what’s going on. Print media such as newspapers and magazines may be on the decline, but digital versions are replacing them. Meanwhile, social media and other opportunities for online reporting also help keep demand high for journalists. Related industries such as PR or communications also attract journalism graduates with strong transferable skills. With a Journalism degree and NCTJ Diploma in Journalism, you'll have the multimedia skills to take advantage of the changing nature of journalism. You can also continue your studies to postgraduate level. Graduate roles Our graduates have gone on to roles such as:
  • trainee reporter
  • social media editor
  • campaign assistant
  • public relations account executive
  • digital marketing executive
  • sports reporter
Graduate areas Our graduates have worked in areas such as:
  • national, regional and local newspapers
  • magazines
  • radio and television stations
  • online publications
  • public relations
  • corporate communications and marketing
  • digital marketing and social media
Ongoing careers support Get experience while you study, with support to find part-time jobs, volunteering opportunities, and work experience. You can also venture into freelancing, or set up and run your own business with help from the University Startup Team. Towards the end of your degree and for up to five years after graduation, you’ll receive one-to-one support from our Graduate Recruitment Consultancy to help you find your perfect role.

Modules

Year 1 Core modules in this year include:

  • Academic Skills and Career Planning (20 credits)
  • Digital Skills for Journalists (20 credits)
  • Ethical Perspectives On Current Affairs (20 credits)
  • Journalism in Context (20 credits)
  • Media Law and Regulation (L4) (20 credits)
  • Reporting (20 credits)
There are no optional modules in this year, although you can take NCTJ examinations in a variety of subject areas. Year 2 Core modules in this year include:
  • Advanced News and Investigative Reporting (20 credits)
  • Feature Writing and Media Research (20 credits)
  • Government in Britain (20 credits)
  • Mobile Journalism (20 credits)
  • Social Media and Journalism (20 credits)
Optional modules in this year include:
  • Engaged Citizenship Through Interdisciplinary Practice (20 credits)
  • Press and Public Relations (20 credits)
  • Professional Experience (20 credits)
  • Specialist Journalism (20 credits)
  • Student Enterprise (20 credits)
Year 3 Core modules in this year include:
  • Newsroom Production (20 credits)
  • Placement (20 credits)
Optional modules in this year currently include:
  • Digital Media and Democracy (20 credits)
  • Dissertation (40 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)
You can also take NCTJ examinations in a variety of subject areas. 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 and close textual analysis
  • in-class tests
  • media artefacts
  • seminar presentations
  • a 10,000-word dissertation or special investigation
  • post-placement assessment
You’ll be able to test your skills and knowledge informally before you do assessments that count towards your final mark. You can get feedback on all practice and formal assessments so you can improve in the future. The way you’re assessed may depend on the units you select. As a guide, students on this course last year were typically assessed as follows:
  • Year 1 students: 22% by written exams and 78% by coursework
  • Year 2 students: 15% by written exams, 23% by practical exams and 62% by coursework
- Year 3 students: 7% by practical exams and 93% by coursework

Professional bodies

Professionally accredited courses provide industry-wide recognition of the quality of your qualification.

  • The National Council for the Training of Journalists

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

Please select a course option – you will then see the application code you need to use to apply for the course.

Points of entry

The following entry points are available for this course:

  • Year 1
  • Year 2
  • Year 3

Entry requirements for advanced entry (i.e. into Year 2 and beyond)

We welcome applications for advanced entry. If you’d like to apply for advanced entry, you need to select the required year when you complete your UCAS application.

Entry requirements

Qualification requirements

Additional entry requirements

Other

Evidence of interest and engagement with the field of journalism is encouraged.

English language requirements

TestGradeAdditional details
IELTS (Academic)6.5English language proficiency at a minimum of IELTS band 6.5 with no component score below 6.0.
PTE Academic65An overall score of 65 with a minimum of 62 in each skill.
TOEFL (iBT)9191 with a minimum of 20 in Reading, 19 in Listening, 21 in Speaking and 20 in Writing.
Cambridge English AdvancedCambridge English: Advanced (CAE) (taken after January 2015). An overall score of 176 with no component score less than 169.
Cambridge English ProficiencyCambridge English: Proficiency (CPE) (taken after January 2015). An overall score of 176 with no component score less than 169.
Trinity ISETrinity College Integrated Skills in English (ISE) Level III with a Pass in all 4 components.

Student Outcomes

Operated by the Office for Students
65%
Employment after 15 months (Most common jobs)
85%
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 at University of Portsmouth - UCAS