BA (HONOURS) Journalism, Public Relations with Media at Sheffield Hallam University

• Gain in-depth knowledge of journalism, PR and media.
• Research, plan, implement and manage successful journalism, PR and media campaigns.
• Use cutting-edge facilities for content creation and editing.
• Engage with current debates about the relationship between journalism, PR, media and wider society.
• Study flexibly — tailoring your learning to your career plans, while gaining a solid understanding of all three subjects.

On this course, you’ll examine key theories and issues relating to journalism, PR and media. You’ll learn with industry experts, and gain wide-ranging knowledge along with useful practical skills. You’ll graduate ready for a range of exciting positions within a dynamic sector.

How you learn

Your studies are led by a team that includes award-winning journalism, PR and media practitioners, along with internationally-recognised theorists. They have experience across a range of industries — including TV, health and charity — across the public and private sectors.

Throughout the course, you attend a combination of lectures, workshops and seminars where key topics and concepts are introduced and explored. This includes a mix of tutor-directed learning and discussions, and student-led exercises and tasks. You’ll engage in collaborative activities in person, and online.

You learn through

• essays
• practical work
• case studies
• reports
• group work
• concept maps
• research projects
• oral presentations
• portfolios

Work placements

You’ll have the opportunity to arrange a year-long work placement in between your second and third years. This gives you real-world experience to prepare you for your future career.

Recent students have worked with the BBC, regional newspapers, local and national PR agencies, Disney, Purple PR music agency, Mattel, Douwe Egberts, Dentsu Aegis, Top Cashback, South Yorkshire Police, Sheffield Children's Hospital, Sheffield Showroom and Sheff Doc/Fest, the international documentary festival. Students also work in the voluntary sector.

Networking opportunities

Our staff are active in the journalism, PR and media industries. As a result, experts from across the sectors are a core feature throughout your course. They cover topics from regional and national journalism, digital and social skills to search engine optimisation, crisis management, charity, sports and music PR.

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

You will gain automatic free student membership of the Public Relations Communications Association (PRCA). Benefits include exclusive access to work placements, internships, graduate schemes and entry-level jobs, free and unlimited online training, and free access to the industry-recognised PRCA Online Certificate.

We also work closely with the Chartered Institute of Public Relations and the Professional Publishers Association.

Field trips

We take student trips to regional, national and international events, including the Berlin Film Festival, where you get the chance to meet industry experts. 

You can also 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 is opportunity to study abroad as part of the international Erasmus programme (subject to the UK’s continued participation in the Erasmus programme following the Brexit transition period).

Future careers

This course prepares you for a career in

• journalism
• music and entertainment management
• in-house and agency public relations
• 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

• BBC World Service
• BBC local radio
• Sky
• TalkSport
• environmental lobbying positions
• social media campaigning
• Oxford University
• Diva Creative
• Edelman
• Nelson Bostock
• Liverpool FC TV
• TUI travel - head office PR team