Journalism Colleges in UK: Courses, Admissions, Fees, Scholarships and Placements

Journalism colleges in UK rank at top position according to QS World Subject Rankings. With BBC, ITV plc, CNN, The Daily Mail, Press Gazette like media giants in house, the UK is always in need of skilled journalists. The 2 years stay back policy of UK is an added perk for study abroad aspirants wanting to pursue a career in this field

  • Research shows that over three-quarters of journalism students are employed within six months of graduation. 
  • As per prospects.uk, almost one-fifth of graduates are working as journalists, newspaper and periodical editors with an average starting salary of 16,000 GBP/annum.
  • Arts, design and media employ the highest number of graduates having a degree from journalism universities in UK. 
  • A small fraction of journalism graduates go on to pursue postgraduate education. Employers value a relevant training course approved by the National Council for the Training of Journalists (NCTJ).

Study in the UK and Be Among Some of the Most Employable Global Graduates, Know How!

Best Journalism Colleges in UK

The UK houses few of the best universities for journalism studies offering degrees in various disciplines. If you are an international student planning to study in UK , go through the list given below which provides top journalism universities:

QS World Rankings 2022 University/ Colleges Courses Offered
#49 The London School of Economics and Political Science(LSE) 7 masters degree, masters double degree with partner universities, 2 doctoral degree
#92 University of Leeds 1 bachelor's degree, 4 masters degree, 1 doctoral degree
#95 The University of Sheffield 3 bachelors degree, 3 masters degree, 2 post graduate diploma, 1 doctoral degree
#151 Cardiff University 7 bachelor's degree, 10 masters degree, 3 doctoral degrees
#231 Loughborough University 1 bachelor's degree
#236 University of Leicester 3 bachelors degree, 1 masters degree, +doctoral degrees
#330 City, University of London 2 bachelors degree, 8 masters degrees, 1 doctoral degree
#461 Goldsmiths, University of London 6 bachelor's degree, 1 integrated bachelor's degree, 11 masters degree, 2 doctoral degree
#701-750 University of Westminster 1 bachelor's degree, 2 masters degrees, 2 doctoral degrees

Journalism Colleges in UK: Degree Types and Specializations

There is a vast array of specialization at different levels of higher education in journalism offered by best universities in the UK for international students. Few of the popular ones are tabulated below:

Specialization
Newspaper Journalism Broadcast Journalism
Television Journalism Magazine Journalism
Financial Journalism Interactive Journalism
Investigative Journalism International Journalism
Multimedia Journalism Journalism with Creative Writing
Promotional Media: PR Journalism, Media, Communication
History and Journalism Digital Journalism

The various types of degrees offered at a different level of higher studies in journalism universities of UK are given below: 

  • Undergraduate: 3-4 year long full-time bachelor's degrees as BA, BSc, and Integrated Bachelors. 
  • Postgraduate Courses: 1-2 years long master's degrees as MA, MSc and MRes.
  • Doctoral Courses: 3-8 years long doctoral degrees as MPhil, PhD.

Journalism Colleges in UK: Undergraduate Programs

Undergraduate degrees in journalism universities in the UK are offered as a bachelor of arts and bachelor of science. Few of the universities also offer integrated bachelor's degrees. Here’s a list of top journalism colleges in the UK offering bachelor's degrees: 

University/Colleges Program Offered Duration Tuition Fee/Annum (in GBP)
Goldsmiths, University of London BA(Journalism/ History and Journalism/ Media and Communication) 3 years 16,390-17,400
Integrated Bachelors(Media & Communications) 4 years (1 Foundation year + 3 years undergraduate degree) 17,400
University of Leeds BA(Journalism) 3 years 19,500
Cardiff University BA(Journalism and Communication/ Media, Journalism and Culture) 3 years 17,450-17,700
University of Westminster BA(Journalism) 3 years 14,000
University of Leicester BA(Journalism/ Journalism and Creative Writing/ Media and Communications) 3-4 years 17,450
Loughborough University BSc(Hons) (Media and Communication) 3 years/4 years with placement year 18,650
City, University of London BA(Hons) (Journalism )/ BSc(Hons) (Media, Communications and Sociology) 3-4 years 17,510/15,390
The University of Sheffield BA(Journalism Studies/ Digital Media and Society) 3 years 18,500-20,800

Journalism Colleges in UK: Fees and Funding for Bachelors

The average expense of pursuing undergraduate degrees in journalism colleges in UK is around 14,000 GBP to 20,800 GBP per annum. Studying in the UK can prove to be expensive but numerous bachelor scholarships for international students in UK are offered that you can apply for during your studies. 

Journalism Colleges in UK: Eligibility Criteria for Bachelors

Universities of the UK take in new applications for undergraduate courses around September and October. The actual deadlines may vary depending on the university or the concerned course. That’s why, applicants are advised to go through the university official website. International students can make their undergraduate application for journalism degrees through UCAS application process.

For Journalism courses in the UK, every university has different nationality specific eligibility criteria. However, these are few of the general eligibility that international applicants need to meet-

  • Qualifications: 75% to 80% in classes X and XII/Higher Secondary Certificate.
  • Language proficiency: IELTS- At least 7.0 (with a min of 6.0 in each subskill), TOEFL iBT- At least 100 (with a min of 20 in each subskill), PTE- At least 70 (with a minimum of 54 in all communicative skills)

Documents Required for Bachelors in Journalism in UK

In general, these are the documents you need to provide for your undergraduate admission in the universities of the UK

  • Complete Admission Form
  • A Personal Statement
  • Academic Transcripts
  • Letter of Recommendation

Journalism Colleges in UK: Postgraduate Program 

One of many perks of pursuing a Journalism degree from the UK is this country's 1 year-long masters program which saves both your money and time. However, the duration of the part-time master's course in journalism in UK is longer. Given below is the list of postgraduate degrees offered by journalism universities in UK: 

University/Colleges Program Offered Duration Tuition Fee/Annum (in GBP)
The London School of Economics and Political Science(LSE) MSc(Media and Communications, Politics and Communication)/MSc(Rescarch) Full time - 1 year/ Part time - 2 year 22,608
Goldsmiths, University of London MA/MSc(Journalism/ Digital Journalism / Television Journalism) Full time -1 year / Part time -2 year 15,500-20,360
MRes(Media & Communications) Full time -1 year / Part time -2 year 14,760
University of Leeds MA(International Journalism/ International Communication/ Political Communication) Full time -1 year / Part time -2 year 21,500
Cardiff University MA/MSc(Broadcast Journalism/ Magazine Journalism/ Computational and Data Journalism) 1 year 17,450-21,950
University of Westminster MA(Multimedia Journalism- Broadcast, Print and Online) Full time -1 year / Part time -2 year Full time - 17,000/ Part time -1,900
University of Leicester MA(Digital Media and Society) 1 year 18,175
City, University of London MA( Television Journalism/ Financial Journalism/ Newspaper Journalism/ Investigative Journalism) 10-12 months 20,810
The University of Sheffield MA(Journalism/ Magazine Journalism) 1 year 22,150

Journalism Colleges in UK: Fees and Funding for Masters 

Tuition fee for postgraduate degrees in journalism colleges in UK ranges between 14,000 GBP to 23,000 GBP per annum. Adding to tuition fee, there’s also cost of living expenses in UK that an international student needs to keep in the account. A few Scholarships for masters students in UK that you can apply for during your postgraduate study.

Journalism Colleges in UK: Eligibility Criteria

International students can apply through UCAS Portal for postgraduate journalism degrees in the UK. The intake season for most of the universities is September to October.

Below given are the general qualifications an international student needs to meet for pursuing a postgraduate degree from journalism universities in UK: 

  • Qualification: A first-class or strong upper second-class in undergraduate Journalism or related degree with an overall average of 55% or CGPA 6.0 out of 10.0. Some universities in the UK also ask for evidence of some journalism (or equivalent) experience.
  • Language proficiency: IELTS - At least 7.0(with at least 6.0 in each subskill), TOEFL iBT- At least 100(with a min of 20 in each subskill), PTE- At least 70(with no less than 54 in all communicative skills)

Documents Required for Masters in Journalism in UK

  • Academic Transcripts.
  • Curriculum Vitae, with academic and co-curricular achievements.
  • Statement of academic purpose
  • Two academic references
  • Letter of recommendation

**University of Westminster also asks for a link to one sample of the applicant's own published work in their personal statement. This could be a sample of writing (in English), video, or audio output (e.g. a blog post, a published news article, YouTube video or similar). 

Journalism Colleges in UK: Doctorate Program

Doctoral degrees in Journalism are delivered either as MPhil or PhD in universities of the UK. The degrees are offered over the course of 3-4 years. The time duration increases for part-time courses. Below given is a tabulated list of doctoral degrees offered by the top journalism universities of the UK.

University/Colleges Program Offered Duration Tuition Fee/Annum (in GBP)
The London School of Economics and Political Science(LSE) MPhil/PhD 3-4 years (minimum 2 years) 19,368
Goldsmiths, University of London MPhil/PhD(Media & Communications) Full time- 3-4 years / Part time- 6-8 years 14,760
University of Leeds PhD (Media & Communications) 3-5 years
Cardiff University MPhil/PhD (Journalism,Media and Culture/ Politics and International Relation/ Language and Communication) MPhil – Full time - 2 years/ Part-time - 2-3 years 10,975
Ph.D. – Full time – 3 years/ Part-time – 5-7 years
University of Westminster MPhil/PhD (Media and Communications) 33 months 13,700
University of Leicester MPhil/PhD (Media and Communication) Full time - 3-3.5 years/ Part-time - 6-6.5 years 15,520
City, University of London MPhil/PhD (Journalism ) 2-4 years Full time - 12,240/ Part time - 6,120
The University of Sheffield MPhil/PhD (Communication, Media or Journalism) Full time - 3-4 years / Part-time - 6-8 years 20,800

Journalism in UK: Fees and Funding for Ph.D. 

Pursuing a doctoral degree in Journalism colleges in UK costs around 14,000 GBP to 21,000 GBP. Most Of the doctoral courses offered by universities of the UK are fully funded and students are offered stipends during the course of their studies. Aside from that for financial aid students can always look for scholarships for international doctoral students in UK.

Journalism in the UK: Eligibility for Ph.D. 

Intake season in most of the universities of the UK in September to October. For specific information about deadlines, applicants are advised to go through the official website of the university. Application to doctoral degrees in journalism universities of the UK can be made through UCAS portal. 

General eligibility criteria that you need to fulfill to get enrolled in the doctoral program for Journalism studies in the UK are as follows -

  • Qualification: Good performance in a master's course in Journalism; and 

A first-class or strong upper second-class undergraduate degree with honors in Journalism or another approved subject. GPA of 3.3 out of 4.0 (60 to 64 percent).

  • Language proficiency: IELTS-6.5(with a min of 6.0 in each component), TOEFL iBT- 92 overall, PTE- 58 average(with 55 in each component), CAE- 176(with a min 169 in each component)

As a part of fulfilling the eligibility criteria, international applicants are also required to submit the scores for these tests required to study in the UK.

Documents Required for PhD in Journalism in UK 

  • Two references
  • CV
  •  A personal statement, 
  • Research Proposal with formal application
  • UK student visa

Journalism Colleges in UK: Scholarships Offered

Studying in universities in the UK can burn a hole in your pocket. However, there’s plenty of financial aid available for international students in the form of scholarships, student loans, etc. Scholarships for international students in the UK are generally of three kinds-global scholarships, country-specific scholarships, and university-specific scholarships. Following are the few general and university-specific scholarships that an international student can avail when planning to study at one of the Journalism Colleges in UK:

Scholarships Applicable for Scholarship Stipend(in GBP)
The Global Study Awards International students undertaking UG and PG programs at Universities of the UK 10,000
Great Scholarship International students in all UG and PG courses in universities of UK 10,000
Brokerfish International Student Scholarship International students in all programs in universities of UK 1,000
Chevening Scholarship International students in PG courses from any university in the UK Variable
Cardiff Vice Chancellor International Scholarship International students in UG and PG courses in Cardiff University 2485
Sheffield International Undergraduate Merit Scholarship international students in UG courses in university of Sheffield Variable
1st Formations Business Scholarship International students in all UG programs at Universities of the UK 647

Top Journalism Colleges in UK: Career Prospects

Completing a Journalism degree from universities of the UK opens up employment opportunities in a range of organizations such as:

  • National, regional and local newspapers (print and online)
  • Radio and television stations
  • Magazines
  • Media and broadcast companies
  • Creative digital media companies.

Outside of journalism and media, there are plenty of options for you to use your creativity and communication skills. Typical employers can include:

  • PR consultancies
  • Corporate communications agencies
  • Advertising and marketing companies
  • Charities.

Other common employers include the Civil Service and further and higher education institutions. One can also find work in law, management, public administration, and politics.

Below is a list of jobs in UK for any individual post completion of their higher education from journalism colleges of UK:

Job Position Average Salary (in GBP/Year)
Journalist, News 16,000-45,000
Journalist, Broadcast 18,000-45,000
Content Writer 17,000-30,000
Web Content Editor 17,000-32,000
Reporter 17,000-39,000
Public Relations (PR) Manager 25,000-49,000
Editorial Assistant 16,000-24,000
Editor 19,000-43,000
Digital Producer 22,000-44,000
Communications Manager 26,000-54,000

Journalism Colleges in UK: Placements

As per prospects, journalism graduates in UK are employed within 6 months of graduation, 1/5th of them are in mainstream journalism. Type of work and percentage employment in UK is as follows:

Type of Job %
Art, Design and Media 33
Marketing, PR and Sales 25.3
Retail, Catering and Bar Work 15.7
Government Jobs 4.9
Other 21.1

Journalism is an ever-expanding industry with huge demand for skilled professionals in its many sub-sectors like print media, television media, etc. A research study by the National Council for the Training of Journalists in 2018 revealed that the number of journalists across the UK has risen from 65,000 in 2012 up to 73,000 in 2018 and still increasing. To sum it up, it can be well concluded that journalism colleges in UK will offer you with better education to ace the competition around the world and also allow you a chance at getting jobs that are extremely well paid. 

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Northumbria University, Newcastle upon Tyne

England, Uk63%Acceptance Rate
Tuition:  ₹17.31L/Yr (£16,500/Yr)Living₹5.03L/Yr (£4,798/Yr)Admission B.A Interactive Media DesignSAT1280IELTS6.0PTE54₹17.31L/Yr
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