Journalism with Media Studies

UCAS code: P5P3

Here's what University of Portsmouth says about its Journalism with Media Studies course.

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

Are you a budding critic, publisher, or journalist?

Our BA (Hons) Journalism with Media Studies degree course gives you a critical understanding of the media field while providing a grounding in journalism disciplines and techniques.

You'll learn from published media researchers and expert journalists, as well as using professional-grade media analysis and production facilities. You’ll also develop transferable skills you'll be able to use in any profession.

With the option of taking industry placements and the National Council for the Training of Journalists (NCTJ) qualifications, you can tailor your study on this course to fit your ideal journalistic or media career.

Course highlights

• Get further professional qualifications by taking National Council for Training Journalists (NCTJ) exams

• Refine your practice by learning from published media researchers and journalists with written and broadcast experience in local, regional, national and international journalism

• Learn more about the journalism and media industries by meeting visiting professionals from industry bodies – past guests include Dream Team FC, The Times, Novara Media, Sky News, and the Cabinet Office at 10 Downing Street

• Gain valuable industry experience by taking optional placements throughout your degree

• Enhance your teamworking skills by collaborating with other students on other courses within the Faculty of Creative and Cultural Industries

• Capture information at up to 100 words per minute 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 Writers, journalists, and media professionals are needed across a wide range of sectors, with communications and marketing being the most popular. Due to the shift to digital and online platforms to adapt to the pandemic, this demand has grown. The non-specialist skills you'll graduate with will also help widen your career options.

The majority of our graduates are in professional roles within two years of graduating, with some progressing to postgraduate study or taking further teacher training to become educators.

Graduate areas

Our graduates have gone on to work in areas such as:

• online, newspaper, magazine and broadcast journalism

• social media

• public relations

• marketing

• corporate communications

• publishing

• teaching (with further study)

Graduate roles

Job roles our graduates have taken on include:

• campaign assistant

• editorial assistant

• PR and marketing assistant

• trainee reporter

• journalist

After you leave the University, you can get help, advice and support for up to 5 years from our Careers and Employability service as you advance in your career.

The University of Portsmouth is passionate about creating career-focused modules that do more than support your studies, they empower your academic journey and prepare you for what comes next.

We design modules that have:

• Clear themes and skills development as you progress through each year • Assessments that feel meaningful, often based on real-world tasks rather than isolated exams • Career-enhancing opportunities such as placements, live projects, enterprise and volunteering

For a full list of the modules you will study on this course, please visit https://www.port.ac.uk/study/courses/undergraduate/ba-hons-journalism-with-media-studies#modules

You’ll be assessed through:

• essays and close textual analysis
• in-class tests
• media artefacts
• seminar presentations
• a 10,000-word dissertation
• 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: 17% by practical exams and 83% by coursework
• Year 3 students: 10% by practical exams and 90% by coursework