Do I need a finance degree for the MA Business Journalism?

No — but you do need either an undergraduate degree in a related field (journalism, economics, business) or significant relevant work experience. The accounts and financial-law content is taught at postgraduate level on the assumption you can build on a working base.

How does the MA Business Journalism dissertation work?

You propose a 12,000–15,000-word dissertation on a business-journalism topic in your first term — typically a long-form investigation, a major corporate or sectoral analysis, or a research piece on the business journalism field itself. Supervision is by a working business journalist or relevant academic.

Can I take the MA Business Journalism part-time?

Yes — over 24 months. Online and distance routes support working journalists with evening tutorials and weekend masterclasses. The dissertation runs across the final six to nine months and can be built around stories you are already working on.

Is the MA Business Journalism recognised by UK and international business titles?

Yes — it is a UK master's degree taught in London, the European capital of business journalism. Graduates have moved into roles at UK national titles, wire services and specialist publishers. As with any journalism credential, your published work and contacts carry weight alongside the qualification itself.

Does the MA Business Journalism cover climate and ESG reporting?

Yes — a dedicated strand covers climate journalism, ESG disclosure, greenwashing and transition-finance literacy. It is one of the fastest-growing specialisms in business journalism and the MA treats it accordingly.

MA Business Journalism in London | LSJHML | Harold International College of London

Course Overview

The MA Business Journalism at the London School of Journalism, Humanities & Modern Languages (LSJHML) is a one-year UK postgraduate degree for journalists, finance professionals and graduates moving into specialist business reporting. The course pushes beyond Bachelor's-level training into accounts forensic work, advanced corporate reporting, financial law and the long-form business journalism that drives the most consequential coverage UK and international titles produce.

You finish with a substantial business journalism portfolio, a 12,000-to-15,000-word dissertation on a business-journalism topic, and the methodological grounding to take on senior beat work or specialist investigations.

Key Features

Advanced business reporting — long-form corporate journalism, profile, longform analysis.
Accounts forensic module — going beyond reading accounts to identifying patterns the company isn't reporting cleanly.
Financial law strand — market abuse, insider information, defamation in business reporting, embargoes.
Specialist beats rotation across personal finance, tech, energy, climate finance and macroeconomics.
Industry-led masterclasses from senior business journalists at UK and international titles.
12,000–15,000 word dissertation on a business-journalism topic, supervised by working business reporters or academics.

What You Will Learn

The MA Business Journalism assumes you can already write basic business news. It exists to take you from competent reporter to specialist — able to read a regulatory filing with forensic attention, write the long-form piece that explains a complex story to a general audience, and contribute analysis that holds up under scrutiny from sources and lawyers.

Advanced business news writing — long-form, analytical, deeply sourced corporate journalism.
Accounts forensics — going-concern signals, audit qualifications, restatements, accounting policy choices.
Corporate disclosure deep dive — proxy battles, AGMs, rights issues, complex M&A coverage.
Financial law — market abuse, insider information, embargo discipline, defamation in business contexts.
Macroeconomic reporting — central-bank watching, policy framework, sovereign debt, currency.
Climate and ESG journalism — disclosure regimes, greenwashing, transition-finance literacy.
Data journalism for business — beyond basic spreadsheets into SQL, scraping, regulatory dataset interrogation.
Dissertation research methods — qualitative, quantitative, document-led research design.

Who This MA Is For

Working business reporters at UK or international titles ready to specialise further.
Bachelor's graduates in journalism, finance, economics or business preparing for City-track journalism roles.
Finance professionals (bankers, accountants, analysts) moving into business journalism mid-career.
NGO and policy researchers shifting into business and financial reporting.

Career Pathways

The MA Business Journalism positions graduates for senior beat and specialist roles at UK and international business newsrooms. Typical destinations include:

Senior Business Reporter (national business desk, specialist publication)
City Correspondent (national title, broadcaster business team)
Markets Journalist (financial newswire, specialist publisher)
Financial Investigations Reporter (longform investigative outlet, broadcaster current affairs)
Economic Affairs Reporter (national title, public-service broadcaster)
Senior Business PR Director (City consultancy)

The MA also opens doctoral routes in business journalism scholarship or progression into senior in-house communications at financial institutions.

Entry Requirements

A UK 2:2 honours degree (or international equivalent) in a related subject, OR a 2:2 in any subject with two years of relevant professional experience.
IELTS 6.5 overall (no band below 6.0) for non-native English speakers.
Personal statement (max 1 page) outlining your motivation, relevant experience and intended specialism.
Two academic or professional references.
Applicants without a related undergraduate degree may be considered with significant industry experience and a written sample.

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.