Program Overview

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BA (Honours) Journalism, Public Relations with Media

Course summary

Immerse yourself in the exciting and vibrant fields of Journalism and Public Relations. Get the skills and knowledge you need to be successful in this fast-developing sector.

How you learn

On this course your studies are led by a team that includes award-winning journalism, PR and media practitioners, alongside internationally recognised theorists with experience across a range of industries. These include TV, radio, newspapers, magazines and digital expertise across a range of sectors, from health and charity to finance and politics.

We’ll draw on the creative industries in Sheffield as well as broader national and international connections. Throughout the course you’ll respond to live PR briefs and/or engage with real-life journalistic stories. The course is outward looking and engages with real-life scenarios, with a special focus on underrepresented communities.

We’ll introduce key topics and concepts through a mix of tutor-directed learning and discussions, as well as student-led exercises and tasks. You’ll engage in collaborative activities both in person and online, supported by digitally enhanced teaching.

You learn through:

• lectures
• workshops
• seminars
• essays
• practical work
• case studies
• reports
• group work
• research projects
• presentations and pitches
• portfolios

Key themes

Your course begins with the basics of journalism and PR. You’ll learn how to manage a PR campaign and how to write and broadcast as a journalist, gaining vital recording and editing skills along the way.

During your second year, you’ll build on these skills with a firm grounding in the legal and regulatory requirements of industry, while also improving your research and investigation skills. The ‘content creation’ module gives you the cutting-edge industry-based skills to create PR or journalistic-based audio, video and written material.

Your final year is about preparing you for the workplace, whether that’s a traditional office, freelancing or being your own boss. You’ll also create a final piece of detailed work in your research project, with the support of a personal tutor. Previous students have researched the health impacts of social media, the representation of women’s cricket in the media, and investigations into whether young people are still interested in politics and voting.

Course support

We’ll support you every step of the way to help you fulfil your potential and personal ambitions. This might be through working with others in small groups, or by developing your own independent learning style. As this is a practical course, we’ll assess you through coursework rather than exams.

You’ll be supported in your learning journey towards highly skilled, graduate-level employment through a number of key areas. These include:

• access to specialist services to help with your personal, academic and career development
• access to our Skills Centre with one-to-ones, webinars and online resources, where you can get help with planning and structuring your assignments
• industry-specific employability activities such as live projects, learning in simulated environments and networking opportunities

Applied learning

Work Placement

You’ll be encouraged and supported to undertake a full-time work placement between your second and third year of the course. This valuable experience can have a transformative impact on your personal and professional development, which you can enhance further by completing Sheffield Hallam’s Applied Professional Diploma.

Your course is designed to give you the knowledge, confidence and readiness to secure and succeed in your placement. To complement this, you’ll have access to various support activities, resources, employer events and opportunities from our careers & employability team, helping you make the most of your work experience opportunities during your degree.

Recent students have worked with a wide range of organisations, from regional newspapers to the voluntary sector. These include the BBC, Disney, the Purple PR music agency, Mattel, Douwe Egberts, Dentsu Aegis, Top Cashback, South Yorkshire Police, Sheffield Children’s Hospital and Sheffield Showroom.

Live projects

During the course you’ll have opportunities to engage in real client-based projects. Previous students have undertaken projects for festivals and events such as Sensoria and Doc/Fest, as well as local and national PR agencies and organisations.

Networking opportunities

We often invite guests from across the journalism and PR sectors to speak to our students. In previous years, our visiting speakers have lectured on topics ranging from regional and national journalism to digital and social skills, search engine optimisation, crisis management, charity, sports and music PR.

Every year we hold industry events to link you with regional and national PR experts. Graduates return to share their experiences and top tips for finding jobs, and selected students are offered a chance to be mentored by PR professionals for a year.

You’ll also have the opportunity to join our award-winning PR and Journalism Society. The society has contacts in the industry and regularly organises networking events.

Field trips

You’ll have the opportunity to attend journalism and PR events where you can meet industry experts. Previous students have visited the Berlin Film Festival and Media City, The Branding Museum in London, and CIPR conferences. You’ll also have the chance to visit PR and media agencies to get an insight into what it’s like to work for one.

You can even apply for our Go Global student initiative – which has taken our students to destinations such as Malaysia and Paris – gaining new skills and a broader cultural insight into how journalism and PR are applied internationally.

There’s also an opportunity to study abroad, with the possibility of funding through the Turing scheme.

Modules

Year 1

• Broadcast Journalism (40 credits)
  • Module Aim: On this module, you will work collaboratively with an organisation to explore real-world challenges and professional roles. The applied project will allow you to apply practical broadcast journalism skills to create content. You’ll reflect on your strengths, recognise your professional behaviours, limitations, and experiences from the applied project to support your future preparation for a recruitment process including having the opportunity to publish material. You’ll also gain an understanding of practical production techniques using audio and video.
  • Indicative Content:
    • Story gathering and writing for broadcast
    • Digital fluency
    • Use of video and audio equipment
    • Video and sound editing using relevant software
    • Working with an organisation to create journalistic content
    • Applied project will allow students to present as a professional – understanding how to liaise and co-operate with individuals outside their cohort
• Campaign Management (20 credits)
  • Module Aim: This module will develop your communication, planning and management skills with a focus on working across multiple digital platforms. You’ll develop an understanding of and apply relevant professional research skills to questions of audiences and stakeholders, as well as to the broader political, economic, social and technical environments in which the campaigns are based.
  • Topics are likely to include:
    • Campaign planning
    • Applied research
    • Audiences and online behaviour
    • Working with journalists, ambassadors, influencers and across social media channels
    • Understanding organisational position and voice
    • Applying PESO model
    • Digital storytelling
    • Budgeting, paid use of social media; ambassador/influencer contracts
    • Campaign evaluation
• News Writing (20 credits)
  • Module Aim: This module will introduce you to the practices and theories of news journalism, including industry expectations and competencies. You'll explore strategies for finding relevant and engaging news items and practice writing stories for both print and online media.
  • Indicative Content:
    • Sources of news
    • Interviewing
    • Practical research
    • Understanding audiences
    • Media platforms (print and online)
    • Developing your voice and style
    • Self-reflection
    • Editing and revising work
• PR Essentials (40 credits)
  • Module Aim: On this module, you’ll explore the history of public relations and journalism. You’ll encounter key theoretical perspectives on media and strategies of persuasive writing. Consideration is also given to how public relations works in contemporary contexts, particularly in terms of shaping perception and managing reputations.
  • Topics are likely to include:
    • History and context of journalism and public relations
    • Significance of war, propaganda and ‘spin’
    • Media economics and ownership
    • Theories and definitions of PR and persuasion
    • PR practice
    • Key PR tools and skills

Year 2

• Content Creation (40 credits)
  • Module Aim: This module equips you with the skills, contextual knowledge, and confidence to produce multi-media journalistic and PR artefacts. You’ll be working alongside an employer or organisation to create content suitable for public relations and/or journalistic organisations, using written, video, audio, photographic and digital formats. This module will focus on your career aspirations and develop your understanding of a modern workplace, providing a basis for potential work placement and further industry-based modules at level 6.
  • Indicative content:
    • Gathering audio, video and photographic material
    • Project planning
    • Applied research
    • Audiences and online behaviour
    • Digital storytelling
• Crisis And Reputation Management (20 credits)
  • Module Aim: On this module, you’ll explore theoretical, conceptual and practical approaches to understanding, anticipating and analysing issues which threaten the reputation of individuals and organisations. You’ll learn how to establish priorities and strategies for managing these situations and develop contingency plans and action points.
  • Topics are likely to include:
    • Issue and crisis management
    • Online reputation management
    • Issues and areas of real and potential conflict between an organisation and its public
    • Key principles, concepts and theories related to the practice of PR issue and crisis management
    • Common issue and crisis management pitfalls
    • Case studies in issue and crisis management
    • Developing and applying issue and crisis management strategies
• Media Law, Regulation And Government (20 credits)
  • Module Aim: This module will introduce you to the key social, legal, governmental, and regulatory frameworks for professional journalism. We’ll focus on relevant local and national structures and processes and on key issues of media law. This is a fascinating area of journalism and one that demands critical awareness around questions of ethics and the role of journalists in exploring, explaining, and exposing legal and political processes.
  • Indicative Content:
    • The essential structures and processes of local and central government in England and Wales
    • Knowledge of the ECHR (Human Rights Act 1998) legislation in the context of journalistic practice
    • Essential media law for journalists: defamation, contempt of court, reporting restrictions, copyright and sources of UK law
    • The regulatory system and ethical codes of conduct within which UK journalists operate
• Research And Investigation Skills (40 credits)
  • Module Aim: This module will further develop your skills in research and journalistic investigation. You’ll reflect on your current understanding and explore different research methods relevant to journalism and public relations. In addition, you’ll enhance your ability to manage projects, work independently, and critically evaluate sources as well as your own work. This module will also prepare you for the ‘Research Project’ in your final year of study.
  • Indicative Content:
    • Quantitative research and analysis methods
    • Qualitative research and analysis methods
    • PR specific research and analysis methods
    • Ethics
    • Journalistic investigative skills
    • Time management
    • Working independently
    • Action planning
    • Evaluating critical sources

Year 3

• Entrepreneurship And Freelancing (20 credits)
  • Module Aim: This module equips you with the skills, contextual knowledge, and confidence to succeed in a flexible working environment and to understand the issues, problems and opportunities involved in freelancing or starting your own business. Working with external professional clients, you’ll apply academic learning, take responsibility for goal setting, and demonstrate professional behaviours.
  • Indicative content:
    • Ethical working practices
    • Entrepreneurship theory and practice
    • Financial competency for business and self-employment
    • Managing clients and stakeholders
    • Goal setting
    • Applied research and pitching skills
    • Branding and networking
    • Resilience
• Journalism, Pr With Media Research Project (40 credits)
  • Module Aim: On this module, you’ll undertake a project in an area of your choosing, focusing on your interests and ambitions. With dedicated support from a supervisor, you’ll develop, plan, and carry out a project that showcases research, writing and/or other production skills to create a dissertation or practical project. You’ll work closely with your colleagues as part of a learning community, providing and receiving feedback on your ideas and work in progress. As the ‘capstone’ for your course, this module will develop your confidence in your knowledge and skills as well as your awareness of the professional world of journalism, PR, and media.
  • Indicative Content:
    • Advanced research skills
    • Industry expectations
    • Ethics processes for research and writing
    • Understanding audiences
    • Project management
    • Planning, revising, and editing work
    • Providing and actioning feedback
    • Self-evaluation and reflection
    • Choosing appropriate formats
• Long Form Journalism (20 credits)
  • Module Aim: On this module, you will develop a deeper understanding and improved practical application of language, content, style and structure in long-form journalism. Working through contemporary examples and relevant professional models, you’ll consider your own interests and identify strengths and skills to support your practice.
  • Indicative content:
    • Advanced feature writing styles
    • Advanced interviewing skills
    • Understanding long form platforms
    • Establishing a multiplatform brand
    • Writing a business plan
• Workplace Practice And Ethics (40 credits)
  • Module Aim: This module supports your understanding and critical awareness of organisational responses to ethical issues, corporate social responsibility, and environmental and social governance. You’ll enhance your knowledge of different specialisms and hone your expertise in a range of core industry skills. Through an exploration of professional issues you will critically evaluate economic, political, and social factors affecting journalism and PR.
  • Indicative content:
    • Public relations practice and skills across a range of sectors
    • History and development of ethical and socially responsible corporate practice
    • Models, theories and key debates surrounding ethical and socially responsible practices
    • Organisational engagement with ethics, CSR and ESG
    • Legal requirements and regulatory guidelines
    • Combatting disinformation and fake news
    • Diversity in PR
    • Activism

Future careers

This course prepares you for a career in:

• journalism
• music and entertainment management
• in-house and agency PR
• media relations
• digital PR
• event management
• corporate communications
• lobbying and political communications
• radio
• film and TV production
• blogging
• social media
• content creation

Previous journalism and PR graduates have gone on to work in social media campaigning and environmental lobbying positions, as well as for:

• BBC World Service
• BBC local radio
• Channel 4
• Sky
• TalkSport
• Oxford University
• Diva Creative
• Edelman
• Nelson Bostock
• Liverpool FC TV
• TUI’s head office PR team

Equipment and facilities

On this course you work with:

• our PR Hub, a custom-designed flexible teaching and learning space
• our TV studio to broadcast news bulletins and learn about production
• our radio studios to gain skills for audio broadcast
• editing software and video/audio hardware
• our Creative Media Centre’s skilled support team

Where will I study?

You study at City Campus through a structured mix of lectures, seminars and practical sessions as well as access to digital and online resources to support your learning.

Entry requirements

• UCAS points: 112-120
• GCSE: English Language at grade C or 4, Maths at grade C or 4
• Access: an Access to HE Diploma with at least 45 credits at level 3 and 15 credits at level 2. At least 15 level 3 credits must be at merit grade or above, from a QAA-recognised Access to HE course, or an equivalent Access to HE certificate.
• International students: If English is not your first language you must have an IELTS score of 6.0 with a minimum of 5.5 in all skills or equivalent.

Fees and funding

• Home students: Tuition fees for 2026/27 are not yet confirmed. Our tuition fee for UK students on full-time undergraduate courses in 2025/26 is £9,535 per year (capped at a maximum of 20% of this during your placement year).
• International students: Our tuition fee for International/EU students starting full-time study in 2026/27 is £18,000 per year (capped at a maximum of 20% of this during your placement year)