Is the BA Communication Studies the same as a PR degree?

PR is part of it but not all of it. The BA Communication Studies covers communication theory, media history, audience research and digital practice alongside applied PR. A pure PR degree typically weights more heavily toward agency practice; this degree gives you both the theory and the practice.

Does the BA Communication Studies include digital and social media?

Yes — substantially. The digital-and-platform module covers paid social, influencer relations, owned content and the regulatory framework the major platforms sit inside. Digital is treated as core, not as an add-on.

Can I take the BA Communication Studies online?

Yes. The online route mirrors the on-campus curriculum with synchronous seminars, recorded masterclasses and the same annual live-brief requirement. Distance-learning students complete on extended deadlines with named tutor support.

Will the BA Communication Studies prepare me for CIPR membership?

The BA's applied PR strand is mapped against the CIPR's professional standards. The degree is not itself a CIPR qualification, but graduates regularly join CIPR as affiliate or associate members on entering practice and many sit CIPR Continuing Professional Development qualifications later in their careers.

What does the BA Communication Studies dissertation look like?

An independent 8,000–10,000 word research project with either primary data (interviews, surveys, content analysis) or secondary data (existing datasets, archival material). Recent topics have included framing in UK climate coverage, employee comms during organisational change, and influencer-disclosure regulation.

BA Communication Studies in London | LSJHML | Harold International College of London

Course Overview

The BA Communication Studies at the London School of Journalism, Humanities & Modern Languages (LSJHML) is a three-year UK honours degree for students who want to understand how messages move, who they move, and what they cost — politically, commercially and ethically. You will work across communication theory, media history and applied practice, run live campaign briefs across the academic year and graduate with a dissertation that contributes to communication research.

The BA Communication Studies is taught in dialogue with the International Communication Association's research framework and the CIPR's professional standards for public relations. By the end, you can read communication theory, design a campaign that respects it, and explain to a client why the right approach is rarely the loudest one.

Key Features

UK honours degree in communication studies — three years full-time, with online and distance-learning routes.
Annual live brief — design a campaign for a real or simulated client each year, with industry-mentor review.
Media theory core — agenda setting, framing, gatekeeping, two-step flow, current digital-platform research.
CIPR-aligned applied PR strand covering media relations, public affairs, internal comms and crisis response.
Research methods module — content analysis, survey design, focus-group facilitation, interview-based research.
Dissertation — an independent 8,000–10,000 word communication research project with primary or secondary data.

What You Will Learn

The BA Communication Studies is structured around the working competences of a graduate communicator — theory literacy, audience insight, channel strategy, ethical practice and measurement. You graduate able to read a communication problem accurately, design a credible response, run it, and account for its results.

Communication theory — classical and contemporary; mass-media frameworks and digital-platform research.
Media history — the British press, broadcasting, the platform economy and the regulatory landscape they sit in.
Audience research — segmentation, behavioural insight, qualitative and quantitative methods.
Public relations practice — media relations, public affairs, employee comms, third-sector campaigning.
Strategic planning — OASIS, GCS frameworks, message-house construction, channel mix.
Crisis communication — pre-mortems, holding lines, escalation thresholds, recovery planning.
Digital and platform communication — paid social, influencer relations, owned content, platform-policy literacy.
Measurement and ethics — AMEC framework, behaviour-change metrics, professional codes of practice.

Who This Course Is For

School leavers with strong A-Levels considering a graduate career in communications, public relations or media.
International students seeking a UK honours degree in communication taught in the centre of the UK media industry.
Mature applicants from communications, marketing or campaigning ready to formalise practice with an undergraduate qualification.
Career-changers from teaching, charity work or politics moving into structured communications careers.

Career Pathways

Communication is one of the most resilient graduate career markets in the UK, spanning agency, in-house, public-sector and third-sector roles. Typical post-BA destinations include:

Communications Officer (charity, public body, FTSE, university)
Public Relations Account Executive (agency, in-house comms team)
Internal Comms Lead (corporate, NHS trust, central government)
Campaigns Manager (advocacy organisation, political campaign, third sector)
Digital Communications Specialist (publisher, brand, public body)
Public Affairs Account Manager (consultancy, in-house government-relations team)

Graduates progress to a Master's in Strategic Communication, Public Relations or International Journalism at LSJHML or a partner university.

Entry Requirements

Three A-Levels at BBC or above (or international equivalent — IB 28 points, BTEC DMM, or accepted national qualification).
GCSE English Language at grade 5 or equivalent English proficiency test.
IELTS 6.0 overall (no band below 5.5) for non-native English speakers.
A short personal statement; some courses request a portfolio or interview.
Mature applicants (21+) without standard qualifications may apply with a portfolio and short interview.

Why Study at LSJHML

The London School of Journalism, Humanities & Modern Languages is a specialist higher-education provider based in central London. Our programmes are designed in dialogue with working professionals — journalists, translators, civil servants, academics, broadcasters, editors, publishers and policy researchers — so what you learn in seminar on Monday is what your future employer is using on Tuesday. We deliberately keep cohorts small, give every student named tutor support, and treat employability as a structural part of every programme rather than an optional add-on.

London is the work — politics, courts, capital markets, theatre, broadcasting, publishing, public service, the global press. Your studies are taught in the same square mile where the stories you read about happen. Whether you join us on-campus, online or by distance learning, the city is your classroom and our industry network is your launchpad.