Journalism

Undergraduate degrees

Start your transformative journey in Journalism and become empowered to seamlessly balance effective writing, independence, accuracy, and ethical practice, with your love for story-telling. Foster your critical analysis of theoretical practices across multimedia, with hands-on experience in our state-of-the-art multimedia labs, providing you with firsthand exposure to cutting-edge equipment and software.

From day one, immerse yourself in addressing the challenges of the digital age, learning the skills to apply conventional journalism through to social media and mobile technology. Learn how to deliver trusted news and information while adapting to new technologies without compromising core professional values. Our degrees, shaped by the evolving needs of the industry, integrates these principles into our curriculum, program design, facilities, and staffing, ensuring you are equipped to thrive in a rapidly changing media landscape.

Career prospects

Studying journalism at Essex equips you with a vast array of transferable skills. Our graduates have gone on to the following jobs:

• Broadcast journalist
• Editorial assistant
• Magazine journalist
• Newspaper journalist
• Publishing copy-editor/proofreader
• Web content manager
• Writer
• Digital copywriter
• Market researcher
• Multimedia specialist
• Public relations officer

Masters degrees

Our postgraduate taught journalism degree is designed for students seeking to advance their journalism skills to a higher level. Whether you have a background in journalism or not, we welcome individuals eager to blend journalism expertise with academic knowledge.

Our program stands out for its flexibility, allowing students to customise their studies based on their interests and career goals. This flexibility is facilitated through a unique choice between two tracks: the Practice Track and the Theory Track. The Practice Track is ideal for individuals from diverse disciplines looking to enhance their knowledge with practical journalism skills. Conversely, the Theory Track caters to those considering a PhD. in journalism studies.

Our MA program is also at the forefront of innovation, pioneering cutting-edge training in Open-Source Journalism techniques – a first in the UK. Furthermore, students benefit from a valuable collaboration with Essex's esteemed Human Rights Centre. This collaboration provides a platform for direct engagement in contemporary issues through participation in the Digital Verification Corps, offering students an active role in addressing matters of significant societal relevance and amplifying the program's impact.

Research degrees

A PhD in Journalism at Essex promises an enriching academic journey with our Department of Literature, Film and Theatre Studies offering expert supervision from accomplished academics. Spanning topics such as journalism, public communication, and policy in the Middle East and North Africa, we approach critical issues including media, democracy, and propagandistic influences, war reporting, counter-terrorism, and the intricate interplay between news media, social platforms, and politics. Our commitment to interdisciplinary research connects journalism with creative writing, politics, and human rights, ensuring a comprehensive academic experience.

Throughout your research journey, you will be allocated a dedicated supervisor. This supervisor will guide you through the stages of your research degree, providing regular one-to-one meetings to discuss your progress. Our commitment to your success is evident in our regular staff-graduate seminars, providing a forum for students to present and discuss their ongoing work. Additionally, our supervisory board meetings, held twice a year, offer a more formal avenue to assess progress and plan for the future. With access to specialist facilities, including cutting-edge studios and equipment, our PhD in Journalism program at Essex ensures that you have the tools and support needed to make meaningful contributions to the field of international journalism.

Start your application with us

Explore our journalism research by theme or your area of interest and find a supervisor that can support your through your studies. More information can be found about research degrees on our school pages. Our courses below will help guide you through the various research degree programmes we offer.