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BA (Hons) Journalism with Integrated Foundation Year

Learn essential journalism skills and produce content for print and online platforms. Be a journalist from day one, working for our award-winning radio station and websites in our mediaHUB. You'll cover news, sport, fashion, arts, and entertainment. Study for the NCTJ diploma.

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Journalism staff and students working in the media hub on a news day
UCAS codeP502
Duration4 years
Fee (UK)£9,790
LocationOn campus

Course summary

On the BA (Hons) Journalism course, you'll learn how to:

  • Write and research news stories and feature articles
  • Create video and interactive content
  • Design newspaper, web, and magazine pages
  • Use the latest digital tools for storytelling on websites and social media.

You’ll also study how journalism has developed over time, along with the key principles and ethics that guide it. You'll learn from professional journalists who've worked for The Mirror, Grazia, Private Eye, and more.

You’ll work towards the National Council for the Training of Journalists (NCTJ) diploma. This is an industry-recognised qualification.

You’ll also be able to choose from a range of optional modules to build your experience. These include sports writing, fashion journalism, public relations, and investigative journalism.

This degree prepares you for a wide range of careers in newspapers, magazines, radio, TV, public relations, and digital media. Our graduates have gone on to work for organisations including:

  • Sky News
  • The Guardian
  • The Daily Mirror
  • BBC
  • Reach
  • JPIMedia
  • Newsquest.
Why Sunderland for Journalism

Integrated Foundation Year

This course is available with an Integrated Foundation Year, an extra year of your degree. This route offers a supportive way of transitioning into university study. It may be suitable for you if you:

  • Have valuable work or life experience but no formal qualifications
  • Are returning to education after a break
  • Want to change direction or explore a new career path
  • Have just missed the entry requirements for the three-year course.

We’re enhancing our Integrated Foundation Year to give you an even stronger start to your degree. The updated modules will align more with your chosen subject area. This will help you build the knowledge, confidence, and skills you need for your studies. We'll share full details soon and can't wait to tell you more.

Please note, this route isn’t available to international students.

Accreditations and approvals

This course is accredited by the National Council for the Training of Journalists (NCTJ).

National Council for the Training of Journalists (NCTJ) logo(opens in new tab)

What you'll study

Many of our courses include a range of modules you can choose from. Some options may only be available if you’ve already studied specific modules. If you’re not sure what you need before picking a module, your course leader can help.

Undergraduate module credits should total 120 credits per academic year. If optional modules are available, choose an amount that totals 120 credits.

How you'll learn

In your first year, you'll explore different types of journalism. You’ll learn the basics of media law and discover the latest digital storytelling techniques. It’s a great chance to find out what kind of journalism suits you best.

In your second and final year, you’ll build on your skills. You’ll work in our newsroom, learning about newspaper, web, and magazine design. You'll try video, audio, and social media journalism, while developing your online skills. You’ll take a shorthand course too, at no extra cost.

As you progress, you can choose from a range of optional modules to shape your learning.

In your final year, you’ll complete a work placement with a journalism or communications organisation. You’ll create a large-scale piece of journalism – a great addition to your portfolio to help you stand out to employers.

Teaching methods includ

  • Lectures
  • Newsdays
  • Seminars
  • Workshops
  • Group projects.

Our teaching staff are experienced journalists with strong industry links. We also welcome guest speakers from across the industry.

Assessment methods include portfolios of practical work, essays, exams, reports, and presentations.

Entry requirements

Fees and finance support

UK£9,790

The tuition fee includes the NCTJ exam fees. It covers the cost of one attempt at all seven exams required for the NCTJ Diploma, including each shorthand speed.

Undergraduate fees are set according to rules from Government in line with forecast inflation. If you're a Home fee-paying student, the fee for your first year of study for 2026/27 will be £9,790. You'll pay tuition fees for every year of study. Fees may increase every year based on the Retail Price Index.

Check your fee status(opens in new tab).

See all course tuition fees.

Full-time UK/Irish/EU settled/EU pre-settled students may be eligible for financial support. This would cover your fees for the full four years. UK and EU settled students may also be eligible to receive a maintenance loan.

Apply now

UK students

Disclaimer

We want to make sure you have clear and accurate information about our courses. Our website always shows the latest updates. If you’ve applied and you're offered a place, we’ll contact you in writing if anything important changes.

For more information, view our programme specifications. These include course content, learning outcomes, and the skills you'll gain.

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