Undergraduate Course

Course details

Study options

Full-time: 4 Years

UK fee

£9,250 per year (2024/25)

International fee

£14,900 per year (2024/25)

UCAS points

72 (September 2024 entry)

UCAS code

P501

Course level

Undergraduate

Qualification

BA (Hons)

Start date

September

Location

Kedleston Road and Markeaton Street, Derby Campus

Course description

We teach the next generation of talented journalists. This degree gives you all the skills you need to go behind the headlines and build a career as a journalist in the age of the internet.

We've developed this course with your future in mind. New technologies are revolutionising the industry and the ways in which people receive their news. We’ll equip you to be a multi-skilled multimedia professional who can rise to the challenge.

Your Foundation Year provides you with a firm grounding in the skills and knowledge you need and introduces you to the subject of journalism, enabling you to achieve your full honours degree in four years.

New skills for a new era

In an age of digital news, there has never been a more exciting or challenging time to study journalism. This dynamic course enables you to produce compelling content for both traditional and emerging media platforms.

You'll gain the core journalistic research and writing skills as well as studying media law, ethics and public administration. At the same time, you’ll develop a multi-platform mindset - producing print, radio and TV reports as well as creating blogs and podcasts, digital photos, audio/video stories and content for websites and external devices.

Hone your expertise in news gathering

Throughout your studies, you’ll have significant hands-on experience of newsgathering and reporting - developing your news values and working across a designated ‘news patch’ to source, research and produce original stories.

You’ll visit courts and public meetings, make your own contacts, cover community issues, conduct interviews and produce fair, balanced and accurate reports.

Exciting work experience opportunities

As part of your course, you’ll gain practical work experience with a media organisation, in the UK or overseas. All our students are expected to have completed at least 15 days of work placement by the time they graduate.

Drawing on our strong partnerships with local and national media, you can choose a range of work-based modules to expand your professional know-how and boost your CV. We also encourage you to work with charities and arts organisations to gain an insight into why media matters so much. In addition, you can work for various print, radio and online news outlets at the University, which is itself a rich source of news, debate and topical comment.

Outstanding facilities

You'll be based at the main campus at Kedleston Road and at our Markeaton Street site where you'll study in our excellent facilities including three radio studios, a fully equipped television studio, video editing suites, Mac suites and a newsroom featuring the latest software.

We're an Apple accredited centre and you’ll work with the industry standard recording and editing software that is used worldwide. It means you’ll be both confident and competent with up-to-the-minute technology - giving you a real advantage when you're looking for a job.

Top30for Journalism**The Guardian University Guide 2023
Journalism student in radio suite

Variety and versatility

Our emphasis is on developing creative, versatile journalists with expertise in a variety of production techniques. You'll also have the chance to concentrate on a journalistic genre that particularly interests you.

Alongside your traditional reporting skills, we want you to develop a passion for ideas and creative communication, to seek out people and find the human stories behind the headlines. You'll also focus on intellectual and critical development, study research techniques and gain an understanding of audience theory.

Study in America

You can choose to study part of your degree at one of our partner universities in America:

Foundation Year - helping you to achieve more

Including a foundation year as part of your four-year study programme will give you a head start in your academic and professional life. The foundation year offers the chance to strengthen your skills, knowledge and confidence – with extensive support from our expert staff – before you advance to stage one of your honours degree. It could also be beneficial if you are planning a career change and want to get to grips with aspects of subjects which are new to you.

Our degrees with a foundation year are continuous, meaning that you won’t need to apply again once you have successfully completed the first year.

What you will study

Please note that our modules are subject to change - we review the content of our courses regularly, making changes where necessary to improve your experience and graduate prospects.

Kedleston Road, Derby Campus entrance

Undergraduate Open Days

The best way to find out if studying at Derby is right for you is to experience an Open Day. Get a feel for the city and campus, tour our first-class facilities and see where you could be living.

Book your Undergraduate Open DayBook your Undergraduate Open Day

How you will learn

During your foundation year you will be assessed mainly by coursework, and with some in-class tests.

For the rest of your degree you’ll be assessed in several ways, including academic essays, audio and video reporting, case studies, editing skills, examinations, extended reports, journalistic writing, presentations, process analyses, production design and content production, production skills in image manipulation, reflective diaries, report writing and self-evaluation. 

Personal academic tutoring

Your personal academic tutor will work with you to help you get the most out of your time at university. Having someone to talk to about your academic progress, your university experience and your professional aspirations is hugely valuable. We want you to feel challenged in your studies, stretched but confident to achieve your academic and professional goals.

Find out more about personal academic tutoring

Who will teach you

Alex Canner presenting

Alex Canner
Programme leader

Alex is a Senior Lecturer in Journalism and specialises in broadcast media, teaching all aspects of writing, recording and editing techniques across TV, radio and Multimedia. 

View full staff profileView full staff profile

Entry requirements

2024 entry

These are the typical qualification requirements for September 2024 entry. Contextual offers may apply to students who meet certain criteria.

RequirementWhat we're looking for
UCAS points72
A LevelDDD
T LevelPass
BTECMMP
GCSEGCSE Maths and English are preferred, however if you don't have these qualifications you will be able to undertake Maths and English at Level 2 as part of your course of study
Access to HEPass Access to HE Diploma with 60 credits: 45 at Level 3 with a minimum of Distinction: 0, Merit: 24, Pass: 21

Offers will be made initially based on your application, including predicted grades and/or grades you have already achieved. You may be given the opportunity, within your offer letter, to submit a portfolio. If you submit a strong portfolio we will make you an unconditional offer, to reflect the quality of your work and your potential.

Additional entry requirements

English language requirements

IELTS: 7.0 (with at least 6.5 in each skills area)

Fees and funding

2024/25

 Full-timePart-time
UK

£9,250 per year

N/A

International

£14,900 per year

N/A

Further information about our fees and support you may be entitled to.

Additional costs and optional extras

How to apply

Please look at our application deadlines before you apply.


UK students

If you are in Year 13 and applying for a full-time undergraduate course (including our joint honours courses), we recommend that you apply through UCAS.

Apply through UCAS

If you are applying to study part-time, or already have your qualifications, or wish to join at Year 2 or 3, you should apply directly to the University.

Apply directly to the University

Careers

This course develops the broad range of knowledge and skills you need to become a multimedia professional, adept in the production of content for print, online and broadcast outlets. Our graduates have gone on to work for magazines and local newspapers; BBC, commercial and community radio; and BBC and commercial TV. Others have set up their own digital businesses or worked for online agencies.

You’ll be prepared not only for a career in journalism, online or broadcast media production but also for roles in PR, advertising, corporate communications, law and public administration or politics. The research and communication skills of a journalist are highly transferable to a huge variety of graduate level jobs.

Ensuring you’re ‘work-ready’

Our Careers and Employment Service will provide you with support from day one of your course to ensure you leave Derby as a ‘work-ready’ graduate - industry aware, motivated and enterprising. Throughout your studies, you’ll also benefit from our Personal Development Planning (PDP) scheme which enables you to reflect on your learning and develop your career ambitions. The support continues once you’ve completed your course too: you are entitled to further help and guidance from the Careers and Employment Service for up to three years after leaving the University.

Contact us

If you need any more information from us, eg on courses, accommodation, applying, car parking, fees or funding, please contact us and we will do everything we can to help you.

Contact us Contact us

† Additional information about your studies

5 Years with optional placement year

Teaching hours

Like most universities, we operate extended teaching hours at the University of Derby, so contact time with your lecturers and tutors could be anytime between 9am and 9pm. Your timetable will usually be available on the website 24 hours after enrolment on to your course.

Additional costs and optional extras

We’re committed to providing you with an outstanding learning experience. Our expert teaching, excellent facilities and great employability prepare you for your future career. As part of our commitment to you we aim to keep any additional study costs to a minimum. However, there are occasions where students may incur some additional costs.

The information provided on this page is correct at the time of publication but course content, costs and other individual course details do change from time to time and are updated as often as possible, so please do check these pages again when making your final decision to apply for a course. Any updated course details will also be confirmed to you at application, enrolment and in your offer letter.

Included in your fees
Mandatory costs not included in your fees
Optional costs not included in your fees

Please note: Our courses are refreshed and updated on a regular basis. If you are thinking about transferring onto this course (into the second year for example), you should contact the programme leader for the relevant course information as modules may vary from those shown on this page.

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