How is BA Editorial Studies different from a BA in Journalism?

BA Journalism trains writers and reporters. BA Editorial Studies trains the people who shape, commission and publish their work. There is overlap in core craft and ethics, but the BA Editorial Studies has more weight on sub-editing, commissioning and editorial-team leadership.

Will BA Editorial Studies prepare me for book publishing as well as newsrooms?

The core craft transfers — copy editing, commissioning, production discipline. Book publishing has its own conventions and many graduates supplement BA Editorial Studies with the Society of Young Publishers or PPA training, or one of LSJHML's publishing-specific courses.

Can I study BA Editorial Studies online?

Yes. The online route mirrors the on-campus syllabus with live editing workshops, recorded craft seminars and structured production exercises. The student newsroom runs in a hybrid model so distance students contribute alongside on-campus peers.

Is BA Editorial Studies suitable for someone who wants to be a writer rather than an editor?

It is the wrong fit if writing is your priority. Strong writers benefit from editorial training, but BA Journalism or BA Magazine Journalism centres the craft of writing more directly. BA Editorial Studies is for the people who care most about shaping the final piece.

What sort of dissertation will I write on BA Editorial Studies?

A 10,000-to-12,000-word study on a topic in editorial practice — examples include the impact of analytics on newsroom decisions, the management of corrections at UK national titles, and the editorial standards challenges of generative-AI contributions.

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

Course Overview

The BA Editorial Studies at the London School of Journalism, Humanities & Modern Languages (LSJHML) is a three-year UK honours degree for students who want to make editing — not writing — their professional craft. You will learn the sub-editor's eye, the commissioning editor's nerve, the production editor's discipline and the head of output's strategic view. By the end you can take raw copy from a contributor and turn it into a publishable piece that fits a brief, a style guide and a deadline.

The degree is built around Society of Editors and Royal Television Society practice. Editing in 2026 spans print, digital, broadcast and platform-native publishing — and a competent editor needs to move between them without losing their nerve or their house style.

Key Features

Three-year working newsroom — produce a student publication across print, digital and audio every term.
Sub-editing module — Hart's Rules, house-style enforcement, fact-checking discipline.
Commissioning workshops — briefing writers, setting budgets, managing copy through to publication.
Editorial standards and law — Editors' Code, IPSO, defamation, contempt at a working level.
Output and audience module — analytics-informed editing, audience segmentation, retention.
Final-year dissertation on a topic in editorial practice you negotiate with your supervisor.

What You Will Learn

The BA Editorial Studies is structured around the working life of an editor — text, structure, fact, standards, audience, deadline. You graduate able to sub a piece of copy to publication standard, brief and commission a contributor, run a small editorial team to a daily or weekly cycle, and defend an editorial decision under pressure.

Sub-editing — copy editing, headline writing, picture captioning, style enforcement.
Commissioning — the brief, the writer relationship, the budget, the deadline.
Production editing — page planning, digital templating, broadcast running orders.
Editorial law and standards — Editors' Code, IPSO complaints, defamation, contempt.
Audience and analytics — GA4, social referrals, retention, the analytics-informed edit.
Editorial leadership — running a small team, conducting a conference, taking the difficult call.
The economics of editorial — paywalls, subscription, supplements, branded-content boundaries.
Editorial ethics — the duty of accuracy, the duty to publish, the right of reply.

Who This Course Is For

School leavers drawn to editing rather than writing — the people who tighten the copy, not just produce it.
International students seeking a UK honours degree in editorial practice taught in the heart of London publishing.
Career-changers from teaching, law or publishing moving into newsroom editing.
Bloggers and self-publishers looking to formalise their editorial practice for the professional market.

Career Pathways

Editorial roles span print newspapers, digital newsrooms, magazines, broadcast operations and platform-native publishers. Graduates of the BA Editorial Studies move into entry-level production, sub-editing and editorial-assistant roles, with progression to commissioning and section-editing within a few years. Typical first roles include:

Editorial Assistant (national title, digital publisher)
Sub-Editor (regional daily, magazine, newsletter franchise)
Production Editor (online publisher, broadcast operation)
Junior Commissioning Editor (B2B title, indie magazine)
Newsroom Editor (small publication, local title)
Output Producer (broadcast newsroom, current-affairs strand)

Graduates progress to an MA in Journalism, Editorial Practice or Media Production, or directly into senior editorial roles within five years of starting.

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 and a short writing sample.
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.