Intro

On our NCTJ-accredited multi-platform course you will develop the full set of skills required for a career in journalism, including reporting, digital production, feature writing and shorthand.

In addition to your degree, you will take the National Council for the Training of Journalists (NCTJ) Diploma in Journalism, a widely recognised entry-level qualification for professional practice.

The course is taught by media industry professionals and highly respected academics who will help you develop key journalism skills as well as critical understanding, academic research and writing methods. You’ll use our industry-standard facilities, which include a newsroom with live news and sports feeds, and sound, filming and editing equipment.

You will benefit from lectures and masterclasses with industry experts, field trips, a placement and publish your work on our student-run website from day one.

Open days

Book your place:
Moulsecoomb campus open day

Open days are the best way to find out about your course, the campus where you'll be based, and get a feel for the University of Brighton.

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Key facts

Location Brighton: Moulsecoomb

UCAS code P502

Full-time 3 years

Accredited by the National Council for the Training of Journalists

Clearing: apply now for 2023

Entry criteria

Entry requirements

A-levels or BTEC
Entry requirements are in the range of A-level BBB–BCC (120–104 UCAS Tariff points), or BTEC Extended Diploma DMM–MMM. Our conditional offers typically fall within this range.

International Baccalaureate
26 points, including three subjects at Higher level.

Access to HE Diploma
Pass with 60 credits overall. Humanities, history or politics courses preferred. At least 45 credits at level 3.

Studied before or got relevant experience?
A qualification, HE credits or relevant experience may count towards your course at Brighton, and could mean that you do not have to take some elements of the course or can start in year 2 or 3. 

English language requirements
IELTS 7.0 overall, 6.0 in writing and a minimum of 5.5 in the other elements.

International requirements and visas

International requirements by country
Country name
Albania
Algeria
Argentina
Australia
Austria
Bahrain
Bangladesh
Belarus
Belgium
Bermuda
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Botswana
Brazil
Bulgaria
Burma (Myanmar)
Cameroon
Canada
Chile
China
Colombia
Croatia
Cyprus
Czech Republic
Denmark
Ecuador
Egypt
Estonia
Finland
France
Germany
Ghana
Greece
Guyana
Hong Kong
Hungary
Iceland
India
Indonesia
Iran
Iraq
Ireland
Israel
Italy
Jamaica
Japan
Jordan
Kazakhstan
Kenya
Kosovo
Kuwait
Latvia
Lebanon
Liechtenstein
Libya
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Macedonia
Malaysia
Malawi
Malta
Mexico
Moldova
Montenegro
Morocco
Namibia
Nepal
Netherlands
New Zealand
Nigeria
Norway
Oman
Pakistan
Palestinian National Authority
Philippines
Poland
Portugal
Qatar
Romania
Russian Federation
Saudi Arabia
Serbia
Sierra Leone
Singapore
Slovakia
Slovenia
South Africa
South Korea
Spain
Sri Lanka
Syria
Sweden
Switzerland
Taiwan
Tanzania
Thailand
Tunisia
Turkey
Uganda
Ukraine
United Arab Emirates
United States
Uzbekistan
Venezuela
Vietnam
Yemen
Zambia
Zimbabwe

We can help you meet our English language or academic entry requirements.

Visit our language centre

For English language preparation courses.

Visit our International College

For degree preparation courses.

Visas and immigration advice

Applying for a student visa

Check out our step-by-step guidance.

Flexible admissions

When you apply to Brighton we want to hear about who you are. Grades are never the whole picture; we're interested in things like creativity, resourcefulness, persistence and the capacity to think big and find new ways of doing things. And we recognise that not everyone has the same background. That's why we treat everyone who applies as an individual. We recognise many qualifications and we care about all of your achievements and the experiences you've had that set you apart.

Find out more

Graphic with the text 'Potential + possibility'

Course content

Course structure

Our journalism degree courses have three main strands – two shared and one distinctive.

  • Core journalism study (newswriting, law, shorthand, public administration, digital journalism, multimedia).
  • A work placement, research methods module and dissertation.
  • Option modules and applied subject modules, which allow you to specialise in an area of particular interest.

On top of these core elements, you learn skills in digital and multimedia journalism, which are becoming increasingly central to industry practice. You also take a work placement in the final year so you can experience a professional journalistic environment.

Making sure that what you learn with us is relevant, up to date and what employers are looking for is our priority, so courses are reviewed and enhanced on an ongoing basis. When you have applied to us, we will inform you of any improvements or innovations to the curriculum through Student View.

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Our journalism courses have moved from our Eastbourne campus to Brighton – see some of the students exploring the industry-standard facilities on offer and hear them talking about what they love about their degrees.

Year 1 

You will gain a thorough introduction to journalism, learning to write news and features, make podcasts and videos, and use shorthand. You will also study ethics, government, political theory and critical approaches to journalism.

Modules

  • Video Journalism

    The module introduces video journalism, teaching you how to produce video packages and accompanying social media activity suitable for the web. You will learn about basic multimedia recording and editing techniques and develop visual storytelling abilities on digital platforms.

  • News and Ethics

    This module develops fundamental skills for news reporting: newswriting, ethical practice and shorthand. You will learn to recognise, select and present news for specific audiences and platforms, and learn the techniques required to write publication-standard articles and apply them in defined scenarios. You’ll learn the theory of Teeline shorthand, develop speed to 60wpm and use it in the production of a news story. You'll also learn to locate news reporting practices in the context of specific regulatory and ethical codes.

  • Politics in Context

    In this module you will develop a working knowledge and critical understanding of public administration as it affects journalists. This includes central and local government structures. In addition, you will learn the journalistic skills required to make sense of, record and accurately report central and local government activities and issues.

  • Audio Journalism

    The module introduces audio journalism, teaching you how to produce audio reports, podcasts and accompanying social media activity suitable for the web. You will learn about basic multimedia recording and editing techniques and develop their audio storytelling abilities on digital platforms.

  • Introduction to Journalism Studies

    This module will introduce you to key debates in journalism studies. You will develop and apply your understanding of the central concepts and theories in journalism research, and examine journalism practice from a variety of perspectives. You will also develop graduate skills and a capacity for critical thinking and writing.

  • Power and the Public Sphere

    How is public opinion formed? What influence does communication have on the creation and perpetuation of power relations in society? What is the role of journalism in democracy, and is it working?

    This module will enable you to identify and explore key concepts and debates in the critical study of politics and communication.

Shorthand writing on a page

Year 2 

You will file reports from your own local news patch, design newspaper and magazine pages, edit websites, master social media and develop shorthand to professional speeds. You will also study media law and investigative journalism.

Modules

  • Specialist Journalism
  • News Portfolio and Shorthand
  • Media Law
  • Critical Issues in Journalism
  • Digital Journalism
Students working in the newsroom

Final year 

The climax of the course is the Critical Investigation: a lengthy piece of investigative journalism, developed in one-on-one tutorials over the whole year, with an accompanying essay. You'll be supported to complete a two-week placement in industry, where you'll gain valuable insight and experience before you graduate.

Modules

  • Critical Investigation
  • Professional Practice
  • Public Service Journalism
  • Magazine Journalism
  • Broadcast Journalism
Journalism student working at computer

Placements 

In your final year, the Journalism Work Placement module will take you out of the classroom and into a media or related environment. You’ll spend at least two weeks with the organisation.

Our employability hub will work with you to find a placement that meets your career aspirations. And we’ll support you leading up to the placement and keep in touch with you and your host during the placement.

As part of your placement you will keep a critically reflective learning log. Work you complete during your placement such as articles for print or web, videos, podcasts and radio or tv broadcasts will go towards your assessment.

Our media students have been on placement with organisations including:

  • Ricochet
  • Creative Assembly
  • BBC Good Food and Olive Magazine
  • Absolute Radio
  • Brighton and Hove Green Party
  • Lowkey Films
  • Drop4Drop
  • Integrity Music Europe
  • YDN Radio
  • Life Water
  • Electric Square
  • ITV Potato
  • Renewable World
  • Deluxe
  • ILOVEDUST
  • Bauer Media
  • Brighton Dome
  • Brighton Fringe.

Meet the team

Justine Fisher, course leader

Justine joined the University of Brighton after a 20-year career in radio and television, predominantly at the BBC and ITV. She started as a staff reporter at BBC Radio Cumbria, before producing and presenting Drivetime. She moved on to BBC1’s Consumer Unit and worked for Watchdog and Rogue Traders. She also produced video appeal films for Children In Need. She spent five years as a Producer/Director at ITV1’s This Morning programme.

Justine has a BA(Hons) in Drama and an NCTJ-accredited Postgraduate Diploma in Radio & Television. She has worked in academia since 2010, and now leads the first, second and MA modules in digital journalism. She has a particular interest in multimedia multiplatform journalism and the evolving social media newsroom. She is a self shooter and video editor.

Justine Fisher

Ben Parsons, principal lecturer

Ben Parsons joined the University of Brighton after a decade working for daily regional newspapers. He started out as an online sub-editor at sportinglife.com, before joining the North-West Evening Mail in Cumbria, becoming health reporter and then assistant news editor.

As crime reporter for The Argus in Brighton, he covered serial killer investigations and Old Bailey trials. His work has also appeared in The Daily Telegraph and Racing Post.

Ben has a BA in English, NCTJ certificate (qualifying as a Senior Journalist), PGCert in Learning and Teaching in Higher Education, and a Masters in Arts and Cultural Research. He lectures on modules in practical journalism, newswriting and law, teaches political philosophy for journalists, and supervises final-year projects. Ben also sits on the NCTJ Media Law examinations board. His research interests are in approaches to journalism training, and in public sphere theory.

Ben Parsons profile photo

Dr Simon Mcennis, principal lecturer

Simon has a professional background in both national and local newspapers. He was a sports journalist with The Sun for nine years and was previously deputy sports editor of the Colchester Evening Gazette. He has also contributed sports reports to the Daily Mirror, Daily Mail and the Press Association. Simon holds both the National Certificate qualification for senior newspaper journalists and the NCTJ pre-entry certificate.

Simon has worked in academia since 2009 with research interests in journalism professionalism. He has had scholarly work published in Digital Journalism, Journalism and Journalism Practice. He received his PhD by publication from University of Brighton in 2019, entitled ‘Sports journalists and the professional crisis’.

Simon has a close working relationship with Sky Sports News where he delivers a 20-session advanced journalism programme to industry professionals. Simon writes national examination papers on sports journalism for the industry training body, the NCTJ.

Simon Mcennis profile photo

Owen Evans, senior lecturer

Owen is a sports business academic and ex-professional sports journalist. He was editor for SportBusiness International magazine, the oldest magazine covering the business of sport, and covered major events including the 2012 London Olympics and the 2015 Rugby World Cup.

He was previously a news reporter for three years with Northcliffe Media, reporting mainly for the Surrey Mirror. He holds an MSc in Sport Management and the Business of Football from Birkbeck College, University of London, and completed his NCTJ pre-entry certificate from News Associates. Previously he has been a returning guest speaker on postgraduate programmes such as CIES (Centre for International Sports Studies) Fifa Master, The MESGO (Master of European Sport Governance) and Vrije Universiteit’s Master in Sport, Economics and Communication.

Owen is the Sport Journalism BA(Hons) course leader and lectures across the journalism degree courses. He is a PhD candidate with Brighton Business School, investigating Qatar's soft power approach to hosting the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

Owen Evans profile photo

Karen Dugdale, lecturer

Karen is an NCTJ-trained journalist and who leads the Public Administration module for the undergraduate courses in journalism and sports journalism. In addition to lecturing, tutoring and freelance journalism (she has written for a range of national and local publications including The Guardian, Observer, Marie Claire, The Times and Morning Advertiser) Karen sits on the NCTJ Public Affairs board that involves maintaining national industry standards for trainee journalists in response to the ever-changing world of political drama.

Karen also helps to deliver the undergraduate media law and court reporting and news-writing and ethics and teaches on the Journalism in Society MA module

Karen Dugdale

More about this subject at Brighton

Brighton secures national Silver Award for teaching excellence

The University of Brighton has been recognised for the quality of its teaching and student outcomes in a UK-wide evaluation of higher education institutions.

Welcome to the School of Art and Media!

Professor Tamar Jeffers Mcdonald welcomes you to the School of Art and Media.

Starting at uni with us in 2023?

Read our getting ready for university pages which are full of information you will find useful before you arrive.

Meet the staff: Dr Simon McEnnis, subject lead media

“I knew from a very young age that I was going to be a journalist because I loved creative writing at School.

Read more from our blog

Careers

Becoming a journalist 

In your career you need a combination of knowledge, skills, personal qualities and relevant experiences – and you’ll get all of this from your degree.

Our Journalism degree course is accredited by the National Council for the Training of Journalists (NCTJ) and you will study for the NCTJ Diploma alongside your degree. The diploma is considered the gold standard in the industry and an essential requirement for most journalism jobs.

The course provides subject knowledge and expertise, opportunities to put what you learn into practice and work-related experience. You'll also develop transferable personal skills in teamwork, and project and time management that will be valued wherever your career takes you.

Working and collaborating with fellow journalism students on web, broadcast and print content is a big part of your learning experience and we’ll provide lots of opportunities for you to develop and showcase your talent.

Female journalist in news room

Work-related experience 

Throughout your course you will be encouraged to get out and about and gain as much journalistic experience as possible. Our Journalism students have interviewed MPs in the House of Commons, visited arts venues and reported from court trials and council hearings.

You’ll gain insight during lectures and masterclasses from visiting editors, journalists and campaigners during guest lectures.

Recent guest speakers have come from Sky News, the BBC, Time Out, the Daily Telegraph, Johnston Press, the Balkan Investigative Reporting Network, Full Fact and Reporters Without Borders.

We have close links with the media industry and organise regular field trips. These have included the Sky News newsroom, and an expedition to France to practise travel writing.

Sport Journalism student reporting on cricket

Showcasing your talent 

We’ll provide you with lots of opportunities to showcase your talent to prospective employers.

Our online student magazine, Overtime, is the ideal place to showcase your journalism and you’ll also get involved in producing a 24-page print version each term. We’ll also encourage you, and support you, to set up your own blogs and build an online portfolio of work.

Overtime: Online student magazine
Overtime is run and produced by our journalism students. Originally developed with a focus on sports, Overtime now includes arts, current affairs and more. Check out the website, Overtime.

Students also produce a 24-page magazine each year as part of their course, which is offered in print and digitally.

What can I do on Overtime?
You can get involved in subediting, choosing pictures, writing headlines and uploading material. You can also learn to produce video and audio for the site, and develop your multimedia skills.

How will Overtime help me?
The work you produce is an excellent showcase for potential employers. Plus, practice makes perfect – the more you write, the better you get, and Overtime gives you the chance to hone your skills throughout your degree.

Facilities for learning 

Journalists in the digital age need to be able to multi-skill and our facilities ensure that you will gain all the skills you need.

You'll be able to explore photo editing, desktop publishing and audio and video editing.

The newsroom with live news and sports feeds gives you authentic real-life journalistic experience. And our sound, filming and editing equipment familiarise you with the latest technology and ensure that you graduate with the technical skills essential for your media career.

Graduate destinations 

The degree opens the door to career opportunities in online, newspaper, magazine, radio and television journalism as well as public relations and media management in sport organisations.

You will also acquire transferable skills suited to other graduate careers.

Previous journalism students include:

  • Alex Smith, news reporter for the Stoke Sentinel
  • Chad Nugent, news reporter for the Harwich and Manningtree Standard
  • Gareth Burton, press officer for Essex County Council
  • Giuseppe Muro, Evening Standard correspondent
  • Jon Vale, news reporter for Cambridge Evening News
  • Jon Walton, a broadcast assistant at Radio5Live
  • Matt White, news editor at Isle of Wight Radio
  • Michael Ruffles, content and social media manager at Virgin StartUp
  • Sunni Upal, sports writer at Daily Mail Online
  • Jack De Menezes, rugby and motor racing writer at The Independent
  • James Pugh, reporter at The Racing Post

Supporting your employability

Outside of your course, our Careers Service is here to support you as you discover (and re-discover) your strengths and what matters to you. We are here for you throughout your university journey as you work towards a fulfilling and rewarding career.

Connect with our careers team

  • Find part-time work that you can combine with your studies.
  • Find, or be, a mentor or get involved with our peer-to-peer support scheme.
  • Develop your business ideas through our entrepreneurial support network.
  • Get professional advice and support with career planning, CV writing and interview top tips.
  • Meet potential employers at our careers fairs.
  • Find rewarding volunteering opportunities to help you discover more about what makes you tick, and build your CV.

Whatever your career needs, we are here to help. And that's not just while you are a student, our support carries on after you've graduated.

Find out more...

Coloured background with the words Be More, Connected, Skilled, Employable

Fees and costs

Course fees

UK (full-time) 9,250 GBP

International (full-time) 15,300 GBP

The fees listed here are for the first year of full-time study if you start your course in the academic year 2023–24.

You will pay fees for each year of your course. Some fees may increase each year.

UK undergraduate and some postgraduate fees are regulated by the UK government and increases will not be more than the maximum amount allowed. Course fees that are not regulated may increase each year by up to 5% or RPI (whichever is higher).

If you are studying part-time your fee will usually be calculated based on the number of modules that you take.

Find out more

What's included

You may have to pay additional costs during your studies. The cost of optional activities is not included in your tuition fee and you will need to meet this cost in addition to your fees. A summary of the costs that you may be expected to pay, and what is included in your fees, while studying a course in the School of Art and Media in the 2022–23 academic year are listed here.

  • Typically, practice-based courses incur more costs than text-based subjects. For many courses you will need to budget for the cost of specialist materials, equipment and printing and are likely to spend between £50–£300 per year.
  • For some courses you may also need to budget up to £100 for specialist personal protective clothing which, with care, will last for the whole of your course and beyond.
  • For most courses you will have the opportunity to attend field trips and off-site visits, for example to galleries, exhibitions and studios both in the UK and overseas. These are optional and are not required to pass your course. The amount spent would be based on location and number of trips taken, and typically range between £100 and £700 across the duration of your course.
  • You will have access to computers and necessary software at City campus and Moulsecoomb campus and at other locations across the university. Specialist equipment is provided to cover essential learning. Students may choose to buy their own specialist equipment, these may include cameras, or computers and software, university/student discounts are available for some equipment and software. Budgets can range from £50–£2,000. Buying specialist equipment is best undertaken in consultation with our academic and technical staff. This expenditure is not essential to pass any of our courses.
  • For some courses you will need to budget up to £200 for printing and publishing. Photography courses may incur higher costs (£500–£2,000) when printing and framing images of professional standard for public presentation.
  • Course books, magazines and journals are available in the university libraries. You do not need to have your own copies, but if you wish to, you should budget up to £200 over your course to buy them.
  • For courses in which there is an optional placement year, you will need to budget for living costs (rent, food, travel etc) in that city/country, as if you were on site at the university.
  • For some courses you will need to budget up to £150 for stationery.
  • Final-year graduation shows are opportunities to present your final, independent project work to the public. Practice-based courses will typically incur higher costs. Depending on the specific nature of your final project you will need to budget between £20–£2,500.

You can chat with our enquiries team if you have a question or need more information. Or check our finance pages for advice about funding and scholarships as well as more information about fees and advice on international and island fee-paying status.

Location and student life

Campus where this course is taught

Moulsecoomb campus

Two miles north of Brighton seafront, Moulsecoomb is our largest campus and student village. Moulsecoomb has been transformed by a recent development of our estate. On campus you'll find new Students' Union, events venue, and sports and fitness facilities, alongside the library and student centre.

Over 900 students live here in our halls, Moulsecoomb Place and the new Mithras halls – Brunswick, Goldstone, Hanover, Preston and Regency.

Moulsecoomb has easy access to buses and trains and to all the exciting things happening in our home city.

Two people walking past Mithras halls

Accommodation

We guarantee an offer of a place in halls of residence to all eligible students. So if you applied for halls by the deadline you are guaranteed a room in our halls of residence.

Brighton: Moulsecoomb

Halls of residence
We have self-catered halls on all our campuses, within minutes of your classes, and other options that are very nearby.

You can apply for any of our halls, but the options closest to your study location are:

  • Mithras Halls are stylish new high-rises in the heart of the student village at our revitalised Moulsecoomb campus with ensuite rooms for more than 800 students.
  • Varley Park is a popular dedicated halls site, offering a mix of rooms and bathroom options at different prices. It is around two miles from Moulsecoomb campus and four miles from the city centre, and is easy to get to by bus.

Want to live independently?
We can help – find out more about private renting.

Relaxing in halls

Modern accommodation at Moulsecoomb

Mithras halls room with a view

Relaxing in halls near the campus

Student Union social space

Student Union social space at Moulsecoomb

Local area

About Brighton

The city of Brighton & Hove is a forward-thinking place which leads the way in the arts, technology, sustainability and creativity. You'll find living here plays a key role in your learning experience.

Brighton is a leading centre for creative media technology, recently named the startup capital of the UK.

The city is home to a national 5G testbed and over 1,000 tech businesses. The digital sector is worth over £1bn a year to the local economy - as much as tourism.

All of our full-time undergraduate courses involve work-based learning - this could be through placements, live briefs and guest lectures. Many of these opportunities are provided by local businesses and organisations.

It's only 50 minutes by train from Brighton to central London and less than 40 minutes to Eastbourne. There are also daily direct trains to Bristol, Bedford, Cambridge, Gatwick Airport, Portsmouth and Southampton.

Map showing distance to London from Brighton
Brighton Beach sunset

Maps

Moulsecoomb campus map

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Support and wellbeing

Your course team

Your personal academic tutor, course leader and other tutors are all there to help you with your personal and academic progress. You'll also have a student support and guidance tutor (SSGT) who can help with everything from homesickness, managing stress or accommodation issues.

Your academic skills

Our Brighton Student Skills Hub gives you extra support and resources to develop the skills you'll need for university study, whatever your level of experience so far.

Your mental health and wellbeing

As well as being supported to succeed, we want you to feel good too. You'll be part of a community that builds you up, with lots of ways to connect with one another, as well having access to dedicated experts if you need them. Find out more.

Sport at Brighton

Sport Brighton

Sport Brighton brings together our sport and recreation services. As a Brighton student you'll have use of sport and fitness facilities across all our campuses and there are opportunities to play for fun, fitness or take part in serious competition. 

Find out more about Sport Brighton.

Sports scholarships

Our sports scholarship scheme is designed to help students develop their full sporting potential to train and compete at the highest level. We offer scholarships for elite athletes, elite disabled athletes and talented sports performers.

Find out more about sport scholarships.

Students playing frisbee

Student views  

Lorenzo Ottone

"I chose the course as I wanted to learn the techniques of journalism and obtain a qualification that would enable me to work in such field; it will provide me with an asset of specific skills that can make a difference compared to self-taught bloggers.

"I enjoyed the intimacy of the course, the opportunity of having a close relationship with lecturers, quick feedback, the industry-level standards of teaching and having the opportunity to be taught by people who had previously worked in journalism. Staff were prepared, professional, inspiring and totally helpful - something I’m appreciating even more now that I’m on an MSc course in a bigger university.

"I had a one week placement at BBC Sussex Radio. It was a great experience in one of journalism’s top firms - not the closest to my dream job but a valuable experience to understand how a newsroom works from the inside.

"If you study on this course think of it as an opportunity not just to learn journalism but to practise it along the way. Set up your blog, develop your niche, and start contributing to as many publications as you can in order to have a portfolio of works that will demonstrate to future employers that you aren’t simply trained as a journalist but that you know how to do the job.

"Be creative and don’t simply do the tasks assigned. Use your free time to develop your journalism-related skills: review gigs, exhibitions, set up a fanzine, etc. It’ll be worth the effort."

Lorenzo Ottone profile photo

Stay in touch

Open days

Book your place:
Moulsecoomb campus open day

Open days are the best way to find out about your course, the campus where you'll be based, and get a feel for the University of Brighton.

Book your place

Ask a question about this course

If you have a question about this course, our enquiries team will be happy to help.

01273 644644

Statistics

Find out more about how the academic year and degree courses are organised, and about learning and assessment activities you might get to grips with at Brighton. More specific information about this course is detailed in the programme specification (linked below). You can find out also about the support we offer to help you adjust to university life.

Course and module descriptions on this page were accurate when first published and are the basis of the course. Detailed information on any changes we make to modules and learning and assessment activities will be sent to all students by email before enrolment, so that you have all the information before you come to Brighton.

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Programme specification

The programme specification is the approved description of each course. They give a detailed breakdown of the content and structure of the course, and are updated following course changes.

Programme specification

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