Does BA Journalism include NCTJ examinations?

The degree is aligned with the NCTJ Diploma in Journalism syllabus — particularly the media law and public affairs modules. NCTJ examinations are sat alongside the degree (optional, additional fee) so graduates can leave with both credentials.

How does BA Journalism compare to a Master's in Journalism?

BA Journalism is the broad three-year foundation. A Master's adds a specialism (investigative, international, financial, broadcast) and a deeper portfolio. Many BA Journalism graduates work in a newsroom for a year or two before doing a Master's.

Can BA Journalism be done online?

Yes. Online students join live newsdays remotely, file to the same deadlines as on-campus students, and complete the same portfolio. Distance learners set their own pace within structured deadlines and can attend optional on-campus intensives.

What kind of stories do BA Journalism students publish?

From Year 1: local news on the LSJHML student news site; from Year 2: contributions to community newsletters and specialist publishers; final year: portfolio pieces pitched to professional outlets, with several published in regional press and online nationals each cohort.

Is BA Journalism suitable for someone planning to work in international journalism?

Yes — it is the standard foundation. Students planning an international career typically take international affairs electives in Years 2 and 3 and progress to our MA International Journalism or to a foreign-correspondence postgraduate course elsewhere.

BA Journalism in London | LSJHML | Harold International College of London

Course Overview

The BA Journalism at the London School of Journalism, Humanities & Modern Languages (LSJHML) is a three-year UK honours degree designed to take you from interested reader to working junior journalist. You will report and write across print, online, broadcast and podcast formats; learn the media law and editorial standards that govern UK newsrooms; and graduate with a portfolio of published or publication-standard work.

This is the core journalism degree — the broad foundation specialists branch from later. You will leave with the NCTJ-aligned skills regional newsrooms recruit for, the multi-platform craft national titles expect, and the editorial discipline to be trusted with a story your first week in the job.

Key Features

UK honours degree — three years full-time, with online and distance routes for international and working students.
NCTJ-aligned modules in news writing, media law and public affairs, with optional NCTJ examinations sat alongside the degree.
Multi-platform craft — print, online, broadcast, podcast and social-first formats taught with current professional kit.
Live newsday programme from Year 1 — write, file and publish to a working deadline every week.
Industry-led masterclasses from working reporters and editors at UK regional and national titles, the BBC, ITN and online publishers.
Graduating portfolio — twelve to twenty published or publication-standard pieces across formats, ready to show editors at interview.

What You Will Learn

The BA Journalism is structured around the working life of a junior reporter — find a story, verify it, write it accurately, file under deadline, and defend it if a complaint lands. You finish able to walk into a UK regional newsroom or an online national, take a brief, and file copy that needs editing rather than rewriting.

News writing — intro, structure, attribution, the inverted pyramid, the longer feature.
Reporting craft — finding stories, interviewing, vox-pops, on-the-record management.
Media law — defamation, contempt, privacy, harassment, court reporting under the NCTJ syllabus.
Public affairs — Westminster, local government, the courts, the public sector at NCTJ standard.
Broadcast and podcast — scripting for the ear, voicing, package construction, interview craft.
Digital and social — SEO basics, social distribution, analytics-aware writing without chasing clicks.
Data journalism foundations — spreadsheets, FOI-released datasets, basic visualisation.
Editorial standards — the Editors' Code, IPSO, BBC Editorial Guidelines, accuracy logging.

Who This Course Is For

School leavers committed to a journalism career rather than a generic media degree.
International students seeking a UK honours degree in the city most UK newsrooms are run from.
Career-changers from teaching, the civil service or other sectors moving into reporting formally.
Mature applicants with informal writing or reporting experience wanting a UK degree to formalise it.

Career Pathways

BA Journalism graduates move into reporting, production and editorial roles across the UK media — regional newspapers, online national titles, broadcast news, magazine publishing, in-house communications and the third sector. Typical first roles include:

News Reporter (regional newspaper, online news brand)
Staff Journalist (specialist title, magazine)
Multimedia Journalist (broadcaster regional team, online national)
Press Officer (NHS trust, charity, local authority, government department)
Editorial Assistant (national newspaper, magazine, publisher)
Podcast Producer (entry-level at a podcast network or longform publisher)

Graduates progress to a Master's in Journalism with a specialism (investigative, international, broadcast) or to NCTJ Senior Examination standard alongside their first newsroom job.

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.