Everything you need to know...
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What is the fee?
Home: £9,250 per year (£1,200 for placement year)
International/EU: £16,655 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 is the UCAS code?
B018
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When do I start?
September 2024
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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.
Teaching Quality
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
All our courses are designed around a set of key principles based on engaging you with the world, collaborating with others, challenging you to think in new ways, and providing you with a supportive environment in which 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.
Entry requirements
All students
We will offer flexibility on our usual entry requirements for clearing applicants. Please call us on 0330 024 6390 to discuss your options and apply.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
Digital Skills And Client Management
History Of Communication
Introduction To Pr
Making Media
Media Law And Democracy
Pr And Persuasion
Year 3
Compulsory modules
Brand Management And Entrepreneurship
Reputations, Issues And Crisis Management
Research Skills
Researching And Reporting
Elective modules
Digital Communications In Practice
Feature Writing
Foreign Language (French, Spanish, Italian)
Global Communications Strategy And Critique
Life And Style Journalism
Radio And Sound Production
Tv And Video News Skills
Year 4
Optional modules
Placement Year
Final year
Compulsory modules
Contemporary And Professional Issues In Public Relations
Dissertation/Applied Project
Pr Specialisms
Elective modules
Corporate Communications: Strategy And Critique
Foreign Language (French, Spanish, Italian)
Magazine Creation
Magazine Publishing
Moral Panics
Pr And Power
Tv2: Tv Journalism And Production
Fees and funding
Home students
Our tuition fee for UK students starting full-time undergraduate study in 2024/25 is £9,250 per year. These fees are regulated by the UK government and are therefore subject to changes in government policy. 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 2024/25 is £16,655 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
This link allows you to view estimated costs associated with the main activities on specific courses. These are estimates and, as such, are only an indication of additional course costs. Actual costs can vary greatly depending on the choices you make during your course.
Additional costs for Media, PR and journalism courses (PDF, 333KB)Legal information
Any offer of a place to study is subject to your acceptance of the University’s Terms and Conditions and Student Regulations.
