Everything you need to know...
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What is the fee?
Home: See fees section below
International/EU: £17,155 per year (£1,200 for placement year) -
How long will I study?
4/5 Years
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Where will I study?
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What are the entry requirements?
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What is the UCAS code?
B018
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When do I start?
September 2025
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Placement year available?
Yes
Course summary
- Get ready for a full degree by taking an extra foundation year at the start.
- Learn the practical, technical, writing and research skills that you'll need for undergraduate studies.
- Choose from a wide range of digital media, media arts and communications topics.
- Develop your portfolio and professional and academic skills.
The foundation year is designed especially for students who need additional skills or experience to begin a full BA Journalism, Public Relations and Media degree. The course is suitable if you don’t meet the entry requirements for our full degree course, or you want extra preparation before starting degree-level study. You'll learn with experienced practitioners and develop your interests. After completing your foundation year, you’ll have the skills and knowledge you need, and progress directly onto the full degree.
Top 10 in the UK
This course is ranked 10th in its subject area in the Guardian University Guide 2024.
View our students' work
Find out more about the Media Arts and Communications department and view the work of some of our students.
How you learn
Student success story
"Initially I was worried about having to complete a foundation year, but it was invaluable in helping me get onto my chosen BA course (Journalism, Public Relations and Media). It really helped to bridge the gap between A Levels and an undergraduate degree, as well as helping to prepare me for my degree, through developing my creativity, writing skills and overall confidence."
Liv Cooper, BA Journalism, Public Relations with Media with Foundation Year
At Sheffield Hallam, all our courses are designed to engage you with the world and challenge you to think in new ways. You’ll get to collaborate with others, and you’ll be taught in a supportive environment where you can thrive.
After your foundation year, your studies will be 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 full degree 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
Course leaders and tutors
Peter Spence
Senior Lecturer in Film and TVCurrently teaching a number of film theory modules on the BA (Honours) Film and Media Production course, Peter is also an award-winning film-maker whose work has scr … Read more
Applied learning
Work placements
You will have the opportunity to arrange a year-long work placement in between your second and third years of the full undergraduate degree. This gives you a real-world experience to prepare you for your future career.
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 the degree 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
On the full degree, 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 with the possibility of funding through the Turing Scheme.
Teaching Quality
Sheffield Hallam University is ranked 8th amongst UK providers for journalism in the Guardian University Guide 2023 league table.
Future careers
The full degree course prepares you for a career in
- music and entertainment management
- in-house and agency public relations
- journalism
- 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
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.
City Campus
City Campus is located in the heart of Sheffield, within minutes of the train and bus stations.
City Campus map | City Campus tour
Adsetts library
Adsetts Library is located on our City Campus. It's open 24 hours a day, every day.
Learn moreLearn more about your department
Media, Arts and Communications Facilities Tour
Take a look around the media, arts and communication facilities at Sheffield Hallam University with lecturer Saskia Wilson.
Equipment and facilities
Entry requirements
All students
UCAS points
- 80
With at least 32 points from one A level or equivalent BTEC National qualifications. For example:
- CDD at A Level.
- MMP in BTEC Extended Diploma.
- Pass overall from a T level qualification with C from core.
- A combination of qualifications which must include an A level grade C or BTEC grade M.
GCSE
- English Language or Literature at grade C or 4 or equivalents*
- Maths at grade C or 4 or equivalents*
You can find information on making sense of UCAS tariff points here and use the UCAS tariff calculator to work out your points.
• 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.
We may also accept you, if you have limited qualifications but can show evidence of ability and a genuine commitment to studying Journalism, Public Relations with Media.
We treat the foundation year as part of the Journalism, Public Relations with Media degree programme. Offers made to students will be for four years of study (or five years of study including a placement). This is made up of the foundation year plus one of our Journalism, Public Relations with Media degrees.
Some applicants may be invited to attend an informal interview with the course leader to ensure that the programme is suitable for themselves and their aspirations.
If English is not your first language, you will need an IELTS score of 6.0 with a minimum of 5.5 in all skills, or equivalent. If your English language skill is currently below IELTS 6.5 we recommend you consider a Sheffield Hallam University Pre-sessional English course which will enable you to achieve an equivalent English score.
Additional information for EU/International students
If you are an International or non-UK European student, you can find out more about the country specific qualifications we accept on our international qualifications page.
For details of English language entry requirements (IELTS), please see the information for 'All students'.
Modules
Important notice: The structure of this course is periodically reviewed and enhanced to provide the best possible learning experience for our students and ensure ongoing compliance with any professional, statutory and regulatory body standards. Module structure, content, delivery and assessment may change, but we expect the focus of the course and the learning outcomes to remain as described above. Following any changes, updated module information will be published on this page.
You will be able to complete a placement year as part of this course. See the modules table below for further information.
Year 1
Compulsory modules
Creative Synergies In Media Production
Media In Context
Media Project
Preparing For Independent Practice And Study
Year 2
Compulsory modules
Broadcast Journalism
Campaign Management
News Writing
Pr Essentials
Year 3
Compulsory modules
Content Creation
Crisis And Reputation Management
Media Law, Regulation And Government
Research And Investigation Skills
Elective modules
Study Abroad - Creative Industries
Year 4
Optional modules
Placement Year
Final year
Compulsory modules
Entrepreneurship And Freelancing
Journalism, Pr With Media Research Project
Long Form Journalism
Workplace Practice And Ethics
Fees and funding
Home students
Our tuition fees for UK students starting full-time undergraduate study in 2025/26 are regulated by the UK government and are yet to be confirmed. For an indication, our tuition fee for UK students starting full-time undergraduate study in 2024/25 is £9,250 per year. During your placement year you will pay a reduced fee of £1,200.
If you are studying an undergraduate course, postgraduate pre-registration course or postgraduate research course over more than one academic year then your tuition fees may increase in subsequent years in line with Government regulations or UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) published fees. More information can be found in our terms and conditions under student fees regulations.
International students
Our tuition fee for International/EU students starting full-time study in 2025/26 is £17,155 per year. During your placement year you will pay a reduced fee of £1,200.
Financial support for home/EU students
How tuition fees work, student loans and other financial support available.
Additional course costs
The links below allow you to view estimated general course additional costs, as well as costs associated with key activities on specific courses. These are estimates and are intended only as an indication of potential additional expenses. Actual costs can vary greatly depending on the choices you make during your course.
General course additional costs
Additional costs for Media, PR and journalism courses (PDF, 331.5KB)Legal information
Any offer of a place to study is subject to your acceptance of the University’s Terms and Conditions and Student Regulations.
