BA (Hons) Journalism Studies · University of LincolnBachelor's degree · 3 years
Request information University profile
University of Lincoln · Undergraduate

BA (Hons) Journalism Studies Bachelor's degree at the University of Lincoln

BA (Hons) Journalism Studies at University of Lincoln balances core theory, research methodology, and applied work in real newsrooms, complemented by specialist options, independent projects and professional development.

BA (Hons)
Award
3
Years
Full-time
Study mode
90%
in work/study (15m)

About this course

Lincoln's BA (Hons) Journalism Studies aims to provide students with an informed understanding of the role of journalism in society, and the intellectual and practical skills required to succeed professionally as a journalist. From the provider’s course page.

BA (Hons) Journalism Studies is a Bachelor's degree (BA (Hons)) at the University of Lincoln, based in Lincoln Campus. It runs 3 years, studied full-time.

For Journalism graduates from this provider, 90% were in work or further study 15 months after graduating, 70% in highly skilled roles, typical earnings around £25,000. (HESA Graduate Outcomes / LEO, via Discover Uni.)

For the typical curriculum, specialisations, career paths and graduate earnings for Media & Communications, see the sections below.

Course evidence score

The arithmetic mean of the official measures available for this course: NSS satisfaction, graduate activity and continuation.

8.8
/ 10
Excellent
3 of 3 official measures
Student satisfaction
What students say in the National Student Survey
Excellent83

Published threshold met NSS publication requires sufficient responses; small differences are not a rank. NSS mean of 7 published themes (Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)

Graduate outcomes
In work or further study 15 months after graduating
Exceptional90

Limited evidence Published sample: 15; treat comparisons cautiously. Cohort 2022-23. Graduate Outcomes work or further study 90% (2022-23; Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)

Continuation
Students who continue past their first year
Exceptional90

Published threshold met Discover Uni suppresses continuation data below its publication threshold. Cohort 2022-23. Continuation 90% (2022-23; Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)

Curriculum & modules

Real modules published for this course, grouped only where the source gives a year, stage or level.

First Year 7 modules
  • Essential Journalism 1Core
    Module details

    Introduces students to journalism's most fundamental vocational skills and techniques, and guides them through effective real-world deployment and practical use of these competencies. Includes skills to identify news values and news factors; find original stories and generate exclusive content; interview and research effectively; and produce journalistic writing suitable for different media platforms. Provides knowledge of relevant industry codes to empower navigation of ethical dilemmas.

    Assessment: Two portfolios which students work towards throughout the module.

  • Essential Law & Crime ReportingCore
    Module details

    Introduces students to the legal system, to the operation of the courts, and examines the impact of legislation and codes of practice on the work of journalists when covering crime stories and the courts.

  • Introduction to Higher EducationCore
    Module details

    Provides foundational knowledge and skills across a range of areas, supporting transition into higher education. Covers essential study skills relating to communication (verbal and written), academic reading, and personal development. Explores topics such as equality, diversity, and inclusion; intercultural communication, ethical scholarship, and academic integrity.

  • Introduction to Journalism StudiesCore
    Module details

    Highlights journalism's vital role in democracy, from holding power to account to shaping public understanding of major events. Examines the economic, political and organisational pressures that influence how news is produced, alongside changing expectations of audiences and evolving relationships between journalists and sources. Explores diversity, representation, ethics and professional responsibility, and the transformative impact of social media and digital technologies on contemporary news

  • Journalism Production OneCore
    Module details

    Provides a strong foundation for the range of practical multiplatform skills that graduating students need to succeed in the journalism and communications industry. All teaching and assessments are based on current industry practices and production methods. Adapts as AI develops to new methods of story gathering and delivery.

  • Politics for JournalistsCore
    Module details

    Journalists need to understand how legislation is drafted and enacted in the UK and how journalism effects a check on Government and Parliament(s). Covers the political, democratic and administrative structure of the Monarch as head of state, Parliament, the Prime Minister, Central Government, local government, the judiciary and EU institutions. Topics include constitutional government, ministerial roles and cabinet government, political parties and MPs, the civil service, local government struc

  • Shorthand
    Module details

    Shorthand is a key skill for journalists and enables fast, accurate note taking in any situation. Students are taught the theory of the Teeline system and work on building their speed with the aim of achieving the NCTJ 'gold standard' 100 words per minute qualification.

Second Year 8 modules
  • Essential Journalism 2Core
    Module details

    Progresses the student journey through journalism's most fundamental skills while introducing a range of advanced and higher level techniques vital for a successful career in modern media. Includes advancing skills needed to find original news stories and generate exclusive content; interview and research effectively; and produce journalistic writing suitable for different media platforms. New advancements include producing data journalism, live reporting, and partaking in active press conferenc

    Assessment: Portfolio which students work towards throughout the module.

  • Journalism Production TwoCore
    Module details

    The range of practical multiplatform skills delivered in this production module ensure that graduating students can hit the ground running when they go to work in the industry. Having to deliver the same story across a number of different digital and media platforms is a vital skill for a modern journalist. All teaching and assessments are based on current industry practices and production methods.

  • Law, Ethics and RegulationCore
    Module details

    Builds on legal and administrative knowledge from Essential Law at Level One. Examines how criminal and civil legislation affecting print, online and broadcast journalists has developed; identifies areas of conflict and uncertainty; and requires students to apply knowledge of legislation and case law to given scenarios, including responses to actions in the civil courts.

  • Specialist Reporting and ProductionCore
    Module details

    Discover your journalistic voice by diving into the specialist pathway that excites you most. Whether you want to produce compelling TV or radio bulletins, bring sport to life through broadcast storytelling, design bold magazine layouts, capture the world through digital photography, craft engaging podcasts, or write powerful long-form features, this module gives you the freedom to specialise and the advanced tools to excel.

  • Ethics and International Human Rights for Journalists
    Module details

    Looks at how journalism connects with human rights and why ethics matter in the work journalists do. Students learn about important issues like freedom of speech, privacy, and fair representation, and think about the challenges journalists face when reporting on difficult or sensitive stories. Through examples, discussion, and practical tasks, students build skills in making ethical decisions and learn how to apply these ideas in real reporting situations.

  • Industry Placement
    Module details

    The University has a strong commitment to providing academic programmes with high vocational relevance, which is maintained through working links with local, national and international organisations and, in particular, through student work placements. The Placement Year aims to give students a continuous experience of full-time work within a journalism, media or communications organisation. The Placement Year constitutes a work placement during an academic year, funded by full-time paid employme

  • Journalism and Society
    Module details

    The role of the media as a 'mirror' of society means that journalists encounter cross-cultural issues in their newsgathering and news processing functions. This module aims to prepare students to write stories with cultural sensitivity, care and compassion.

  • Journalism International Exchange
    Module details

    Students who opt to take this module will have the opportunity to study for a term at one of the international institutions with which the School has a partnership arrangement. During the term abroad, students can share classes with local students. Students have the chance to live and socialise in another culture, providing opportunities to study their respective countries, and also examine the international journalism industry practice.

Third Year 6 modules
  • DissertationCore
    Module details

    Develops students' ability to carry out rigorous, independent academic research on a journalism-related topic of their choice. Students explore the key stages of the research process.

  • Journalism ProjectCore
  • Intro to PR for Journalists
  • Journalism Production Three: News and Sport Production Days
  • Journalists on the Screen
  • Peace and Conflict Reporting

Source: provider course page. Modules can change; required/optional status, credits, descriptions and assessment are shown only when explicitly published.

Course in depth

What this course covers, who it suits and where it leads.

What you'll study

This degree equips you with an informed understanding of journalism's role in society and the intellectual and practical skills needed to work professionally as a journalist. You'll usually begin with foundational theory, media power, audiences and representation, alongside practical production skills in camera, audio, editing and writing across platforms, and study of how media industries operate financially. In Year 2, you'll deepen your knowledge of digital cultures and social media, develop practical storytelling and journalism craft, and learn research methods including audience analysis and media ethics. Year 3 typically offers specialist options such as film & TV, social media, PR & advertising, games & interactive, or a production portfolio, alongside an industry project or placement and a dissertation or substantial media production of your own.

Who it's for

This course suits you if you're curious about how journalism shapes public debate and keen to develop both critical thinking and hands-on reporting skills. You should be comfortable with research, writing under pressure, and reflecting on journalism's ethics and impact. The blend of theory and practice, from lectures to live newsroom experience, appeals to those who want to understand the 'why' alongside the 'how'. Most entrants held A-levels or equivalent; typical tariffs ranged from 112–127 UCAS points among recent accepted students.

Careers & job market

Across Media and Communications degrees nationally, 90% of graduates were in work or further study 15 months after graduating. Starting salaries ranged from £22,000 to £28,000 at that point, rising to £22,525–£31,800 within five years. Around 60% of working graduates were in highly skilled roles or further study. These figures come from national Graduate Outcomes and Longitudinal Education Outcomes data, not university-specific guarantees.

University & format

This is a full-time 3-year BA (Hons) degree taught in English at the University of Lincoln, a public university located on Lincoln Campus. The University of Lincoln is a recognised UK degree-awarding body, and this course holds Gold for teaching quality in the Office for Students' TEF 2023. The university also offers bursaries and scholarships, consult the funding pages for details.

Student satisfaction

How students on this course answered the National Student Survey, by theme.

The teaching on my course
83%
Learning opportunities
82%
Assessment and feedback
80%
Academic Support
89%
Organisation and management
79%
Learning resources
94%
Student voice
75%

Share of students responding positively.

Published threshold met NSS publication requires sufficient responses; small differences are not a rank. NSS mean of 7 published themes (Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)

Applicant information

The next application dates for this course, followed by facts the provider publishes.

Application timelineWhat happens next
  1. 2027 entryCompleted applications can be submitted

    Your application needs a reference before you can send it.

  2. 2026 entryFinal date for 2026 applications

    Applications must reach UCAS by 18:00 UK time.

  3. 2026 entryLast day to add a Clearing choice

    Check that this course still has a vacancy before adding it.

  4. 2027 entryEqual-consideration deadline

    18:00 UK time for most undergraduate courses.

Show 5 later dates
  1. 2027 entryUCAS Extra opens

    Applicants who used all five choices and hold no offer may be able to add another choice.

  2. 2027 entryLast day applications go directly to providers

    Applications received after 18:00 UK time are entered into Clearing.

  3. 2027 entryClearing opens

    Eligible applicants can see vacancies and release themselves into Clearing.

  4. 2027 entryFinal date for 2027 applications

    Applications must reach UCAS by 18:00 UK time.

  5. 2027 entryLast day to add a Clearing choice

    Check that this course still has a vacancy before adding it.

Contextual offersPublished by this provider

The provider publishes contextual-offer information. Eligibility and any reduced offer are applicant-specific.

PlacementPublished placement option

Work placement. Availability, selection and pay can vary.

Open daysBook an Open Day

See and book current events. Dates can fill or change.

Entry & how to get in

Most entrants held A-levels or equivalent95% of accepted students came in with A-levels or equivalent (entrants over recent years).
Typical UCAS tariff: 112 - 127 pointsThe most common UCAS tariff band among accepted students. This is what entrants had, not a stated requirement.
Entry requirements are set by the universityGrades, subjects and contextual offers vary. Check the University of Lincoln's official course page for the current offer.

Who gets in

What recently admitted students actually held, official admissions data, not a stated requirement.

UCAS tariff of entrants

Grades are the A-level equivalent of each points band. Tap a band to check your own chances below.

Qualifications held on entry

QualificationShare
A-levels or equivalent95%
another higher-education qualification5%

Entry & your chances

An honest read from the official entry data, plus your personal match.

Offer-based entry

Entry is set by the university and based on your offer. Use your predicted grades to see how you compare, then check the university's stated requirements.

Will you get in? Plot your grades

Pick your predicted A-levels and watch your UCAS points land on the real spread of students admitted to this course.

Each bar is the share of admitted students in that UCAS-points band (lower → higher). Grades show the A-level equivalent.

Add your grades to see where you land

Your points will drop onto the distribution above, with an honest above / within / below read.

Based on the official admitted-student tariff distribution. Many universities make contextual (reduced-grade) offers, so a result below the range doesn’t rule you out.

How to apply

Undergraduate applications go through UCAS. Here’s what matters for this course, the right deadline, the grades to aim for, and the steps in order.

Apply by13 January 2027, 18:00 UK timefor this course
Typical gradesBBBA-level equivalent admitted students held
UCAS codeP590quote this on your application
  1. 1
    Register on UCAS Hub

    Create your UCAS application and add this course (code P590). One application covers up to five choices.

  2. 2
    Write your personal statement

    A single statement covers all your choices, so keep it broad enough for similar courses while showing genuine interest in this subject.

  3. 3
    Submit by 13 January 2027, 18:00 UK time

    UCAS equal-consideration deadline for most undergraduate courses. Source: UCAS 2027 dates.

  4. 4
    Reply to your offers

    When decisions are in, pick a firm (first) choice and an insurance (back-up) choice with slightly lower grades.

  5. 5
    Results day & confirmation

    On results day (mid-August) your place is confirmed if you meet the offer. Just missed? Talk to the university, or find a place through Clearing.

💡 Many universities make a contextual (reduced-grade) offer, for example based on your school’s results, time in care, or where you live. Ask University of Lincoln whether you’re eligible before you apply; it can lower the grades you need.

Fees & funding

What this course costs and how UK student finance covers it.

Tuition per year

Homeup to £9,790 / yr
Internationalset by the university

Standard capped home fee at English providers (2026/27); Scotland, Wales & NI differ.

Check fees at University of Lincoln →

For students who normally live in England

illustrative Maintenance Loan per year
£9,790tuition used per year, illustrative full-time England fee-cap scenario
illustrative borrowing over 3 years

2026/27 Student Finance England figures. Maintenance support is means-tested and this two-point view is not an entitlement calculator. The course total uses its published length and home fee where both are available; a missing full-time fee uses the clearly labelled England-cap scenario, while part-time fees and unknown lengths are never guessed. Use the official calculator. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland use separate systems: SAAS, Student Finance Wales, and Student Finance NI.

Starting on or after 1 January 2027?

The Lifelong Learning Entitlement is a separate system. A new learner’s tuition entitlement is currently stated as £39,160 (about 480 credits at 2026/27 fee levels), subject to prior study and eligibility. Check the official LLE guide.

Paying for it

  • Tuition Fee Loan: can cover eligible tuition up to the applicable limit and is paid straight to the provider.
  • Maintenance Loan: up to £10,830/yr away from home outside London (England, 2026/27), means-tested on household income.
  • Repayment: 9% of income above £25,000, nothing below it; written off after 40 years.
  • Earn alongside: most students work part-time in term, part-time roles on the StudySmarter job board.

England figures shown; Scotland, Wales & NI run their own schemes, check gov.uk.

Funding matched to this course

Scholarships & bursaries you could qualify for

All University of Lincoln funding →
No verified named award is shown for this provider yet.

That does not mean no funding exists. Check the university directory for current amounts, eligibility and application dates.

We only display a named award when its provider source identifies the award and who it is for.

StudyKit · free

Still deciding what to study?

StudyKit brings course choice, applications and funding together in one place, with a personal AI assistant. Find what really fits you and start your UCAS application step by step.

Career quizApplication walkthroughSalary & CV check

Careers & earnings

What Media & Communications graduates actually earn, from real outcome data, 15 months, 3 years and 5 years after graduating.

Graduate earnings: this course

WhenMedianTypical rangeGraduates
15 months after£25,000£23,000 – £29,00015
3 years after£22,000£18,500 – £24,50085
5 years after£28,000£23,500 – £33,00090

Nominal earnings for graduates of this course/subject at this provider. Limited evidence. Published sample: 15; treat comparisons cautiously. Cohort 2022-23.

Graduate outcomes, 15 months on: this course

90%
in work or further study 15 months on
70%
in highly skilled work or study
90%
continue past their first year
90%
find their work meaningful
80%
say work fits their future plans
  1. 1Graduate roleFirst role after the degree · 0–2 yrs
  2. 2Specialist / PractitionerWorking in media & communications · 2–5 yrs
  3. 3Senior / LeadLeading work and people · 5–10 yrs
  4. 4Head of / ExpertSenior leadership or deep expertise · 10+ yrs

How pay grows: this course vs Media & Communications nationally

Starting (15 months) HESA GO
£25,000
£22,000 – £28,000
After 3 years LEO
£22,000
£18,275 – £25,800
After 5 years LEO
£28,000
£22,525 – £31,800
national rangethis course’s medianaxis £17,000 – £33,000

National figures for Media & Communications graduates, HESA Graduate Outcomes (15 months) and the Longitudinal Education Outcomes (LEO) dataset (3 & 5 years). These are national, not university-specific; actual pay varies by employer, region, role and experience. Different cohorts, so the bars are not one group over time.

Work out your pay

Headline figures hide a lot. Calculate realistic take-home pay for this field by role, region and experience, then check your CV before you apply.

What happened to 100 students?

Choose an outcome to translate the published percentage into a simple 100-person view. Each dot represents one percentage point, not an individual tracked student.

90 of 100

were in work or further study

15 months after graduation

70% working10% working and studying10% in further study70% in highly skilled work or study

Source: Discover Uni, using Graduate Outcomes and continuation data. Cohorts: 2022-23. Limited evidence. Published sample: 15; treat comparisons cautiously. Cohort 2022-23. Each tab is a separate published measure; categories can overlap and should not be added together.

Value compared with similar courses

How this course’s 5-year median earnings compare with Media & Communications courses at the same study level.

This course £28,000Peer median £26,500Middle 50% £24,000–£30,000
59th percentile

Compared with 541 courses with compatible official earnings data. This is a course-value comparison, not a quality ranking.

UK occupations graduates enter

Published graduate destinations, joined conservatively to UK SOC 2020, ONS pay and Skills England demand.

  • Media ProfessionalsSOC 2020 249 · 25% of published destinations · ASHE median £40,895
  • Business and public service associate professionalsSOC 2020 35 · 20% of published destinations · ASHE median £38,760
  • Administrative occupationsSOC 2020 41 · 10% of published destinations · ASHE median £27,006
  • Elementary occupationsSOC 2020 9 · 10% of published destinations · ASHE median £19,087

Discover Uni JOBLIST/JOBTYPE; ONS ASHE 2025 provisional, all employee jobs; Skills England Occupations in Demand 2025. SOC is shown only for an exact normalised label match; demand is shown only at exact four-digit SOC. Published sample: 40; response rate: 55%. Pay describes the occupation across workers, not a guaranteed graduate salary.

Job market & outlook

How Media & Communications graduates fare in the labour market, and how AI is reshaping the work.

90%
in work or further study 15 months after graduating, across Media & Communications courses nationally.
Graduate Outcomes
60%
of working graduates are in highly skilled work or further study.
highly skilled
85%
of students continue past their first year (still enrolled or completed).
continuation

How AI is changing the work

AI doesn't replace the profession, it shifts it: routine tasks get automated, while judgement, working with people and using AI well become more valuable.

What AI takes off your plate

  • Routine information gathering
  • First-draft writing and summaries
  • Standard analysis and admin
  • Repetitive processing tasks

More human than ever

  • Judgement and original thinking
  • Working with and leading people
  • Owning and sense-checking AI output
  • Ethics and accountability

The strongest graduates pair subject depth with the ability to use AI tools critically.

Roles & employers

Where Media & Communications graduates typically go, indicative destinations from graduate career data. Each role links to live openings on the StudySmarter job board.

Where they work

  • Media companies
  • Agencies
  • In-house comms teams
  • Broadcasters & charities

Is this course right for you?

The essentials UK applicants ask about: finance, outcomes, entry and quality.

💷

Student finance

For comparison, the standard full-time England tuition cap is up to £9,790 per year in 2026/27; the actual fee varies by course and provider. If you normally live in England, eligible students can apply for a Tuition Fee Loan, plus a Maintenance Loan for living costs. Under Plan 5 you repay 9% of income above £25,000, nothing below that, and the balance is written off after 40 years.

📈

Where graduates go

90% were in work or further study 15 months after graduating, with a median salary of £25,000. See the full breakdown in Careers & earnings above.

🎯

Your entry chances

Use the UCAS points calculator above to see how your predicted grades compare with admitted students, and whether a contextual offer could apply.

Official-data snapshot

Averaging the official measures published for it, this course scores 8.8 out of 10: NSS 83.1% · in work or study 90% · continued 90%.

Who studies here and in this subject?

Provider- and UK subject-level context.

The University of Lincoln

All students19,560
International20.5%
Aged 25+35.1%

Media, journalism and communications across the UK

Students47,255
Aged 25+18.5%

HESA student record 2024/25. Counts are rounded.

Local crime-data context

A neutral snapshot around the published teaching location.

Around Lincoln Campus

1,962 street-level reports returned within roughly one mile across 2026-04 to 2026-06.

Violent Crime 605Anti Social Behaviour 554Shoplifting 231Public Order 139Criminal Damage Arson 105

Police.uk street-level API. Approximate locations, not confined to campus. England, Wales and Northern Ireland; not Scotland.

Is Media & Communications right for you?

Tick what applies to you and see how good a fit it is.

International students

What applying to University of Lincoln from outside the UK involves: fees, English, visa, funding and living costs.

Tuition fees

International tuition is set per course by University of Lincoln; international fees are typically £12,000–£30,000/year for classroom subjects and higher for lab/clinical ones. You’re not eligible for UK Tuition Fee or Maintenance Loans, so plan for fees plus living costs upfront.

English language

Most UK undergraduate courses ask for around IELTS 6.0–6.5 (no band below 5.5–6.0), or an accepted equivalent. If you’re just short, most universities run a pre-sessional English course that counts towards the requirement.

Student visa

You’ll usually need a Student visa (Student Route). After you accept an offer the university issues a CAS; you then show funds for fees plus about £1,023–£1,334/month living costs and pay the Immigration Health Surcharge for NHS access.

Scholarships & funding

Many universities offer international/global scholarships (often £2,000–£6,000/yr), check University of Lincoln’s funding pages.

Living costs

Budget roughly £1,100–£1,400/month outside London and £1,400–£1,800/month in London for rent, food and travel; the figure also matters for your visa.

Working while you study

A Student visa usually allows up to 20 hours/week in term time and full-time in holidays, useful alongside study, though not something to rely on for fees.

Visa rules and fees change. Always confirm the current requirements with University of Lincoln and gov.uk before you apply.

Common questions

Entry is offer-based and set by the university. The most common tariff band among recent entrants was 112 - 127 UCAS points. Use the calculator on this page to see where your predicted grades would put you; many universities also make lower contextual offers.
Set by the University of Lincoln. Most accepted students held A-levels or equivalent. Check the university's course page for the exact offer.
For Journalism graduates from this provider, 90% were in work or further study 15 months after graduating, 70% in highly skilled roles, typical earnings around £25,000. (HESA Graduate Outcomes / LEO, via Discover Uni.)
For comparison, the standard full-time England tuition cap is up to £9,790 per year in 2026/27; the actual fee varies by course and provider. If you normally live in England, eligible students can apply for a Tuition Fee Loan, plus a Maintenance Loan for living costs. Under Plan 5 you repay 9% of income above £25,000, nothing below that, and the balance is written off after 40 years. See Fees & funding on this page to work out your numbers.
No obligation

Request information about BA (Hons) Journalism Studies

Prospectus, key dates, entry and funding, free to your inbox.

No spam · unsubscribe anytime.