Journalism with Public Relations
Full-time
Three year
September 2025
In a nutshell
Journalism and public relations have entered a new digital age and this programme provides a fusion of traditional practice and new, emerging methods that are shaping the future of both subject areas.
You’ll learn how to research, write and edit news and features for online and print platforms – including our own hyperlocal news website Salford Now – while also developing the skills you need to work in the world of PR.
From podcasting to political journalism, content creation to crisis communications, you will gain a firm grounding in the theory and practice of both journalism and PR. You will also investigate how they can work together.
You’ll be based in our state-of-the-art campus at MediaCity, with access to cutting-edge facilities and close proximity to global organisations such as the BBC and ITV, as well as smaller independent creative industries and PR agencies.
On graduating from this degree, you will be ready to hit the ground running as a professional journalist or PR practitioner, armed with an arsenal of multimedia and digital skills. You’ll be well-equipped to take the first step in your career and make a real impact from the off.
To find out more about what it’s like to study journalism at Salford, follow us on Twitter, read Salford Now created by our students and follow our Instagram.
You will:
- Study in our state-of-the-art digital media campus at MediaCity, with access to industry-standard facilities
- Be taught by professional journalists and PR practitioners, who are experienced in their respective fields, and have the opportunity to complete work placements in the journalism and/or PR industries
- Study a foundation of core journalism and PR modules alongside module options including celebrity, magazine and sports journalism
students accepted
This is for you if...
You are passionate about starting a career as a journalist or PR professional.
You already have some experience in journalism or PR. This could be from a work placement, school newspaper or online publication.
You would like to develop transferrable skills that make you highly employable and able to hit the ground running in a variety of sectors.
All about the course
Over the course of three years, this journalism with public relations course will help you to grasp the fundamentals of these disciplines, while gaining an advanced understanding of the subject matter. You’ll learn practical skills that you will use almost daily in your professional career, as well as the theory underpinning it all.
While your first year will provide you with a broad overview of journalism and PR, your second and third years will allow you to delve deeper into the areas that interest you most. You’ll have the chance to study core PR modules in reputation management and PR campaigns and strategy alongside optional modules including sports journalism, music journalism and celebrity journalism. Your final year will include multi-platform news days in our MediaCity newsroom or in-house PR days where you will work on briefs for external clients. It will also incorporate work placements with our industry partners.
This programme includes optional shorthand tuition, as well as workshops in editing and the use of equipment, including cameras and recording devices. What’s more, you’ll also be offered the opportunity to take NCTJ (National Council for the Training of Journalists) examinations.
Read about Maxson's study experience of BA (Hons) Journalism and Public Relations
Find out what each individual module covers in our full course breakdown below.
Please note that in third year your core modules will be either Journalism Practice OR PR Practice, and then Journalism Major Project/Dissertation OR PR Major Project/Dissertation.
Asian Media Awards
The University of Salford is tremendously proud to have been the premier partner for the Asian Media Awards over the last ten years and is determined to play its part in inspiring the next generation of Asian talent to consider and pursue a career in the creative industries.
Creating Content
This module will introduce students to the tools, techniques and skills that are used by PR practitioners. It will involve learning about blogging, writing and multimedia storytelling for the web as well as CMS and SEO, analysis and evaluation of the production of online content for PR purposes.
Introduction to Public Relations
This module will look at the origins of PR and how it has, and continues to, evolve. You will also explore the role of the PR practitioner and the relationship between PR and journalism. There will also be an introduction to the terms commonly used in PR and various functions of PR, including devising campaigns and protecting reputation.
Law and Ethics
Understanding media law and ethical boundaries is essential learning for any aspiring journalist. For that reason, this module provides you with a basic understanding of the legal, regulatory and ethical frameworks to which journalists work, including visits to local courts.
Introduction to Journalism
This module takes you through the historical development of journalism in the UK. You will analyse this dynamic field within the wider social, political and economic frameworks of modern society, enabling you to identify the role of the industry in contemporary political and cultural life.
Essential Reporting
This module will enable you to identify the distinctive qualities of print, online and digital news journalism. You will learn how to source and produce stories for print and online platforms, providing you with fundamental editorial and technical skills such as news judgment, interviewing, writing and structuring news stories, and working to deadlines.
Multimedia Reporting
You will delve into various forms of digital journalism by developing your own blog and exploring the multitude of social media publishing outlets available to journalists today. By creating your own blog, you will also learn about the aesthetic values and content development of online journalistic applications.
PR Campaigns and Strategy
This module will focus on PR campaigns and strategy, exploring the motivation behind campaigns as well as the impact that they can have on aspects of society. You will further develop your analytical skills by critically evaluating a series of PR campaign case studies.
Reputation Management
This module will look more closely at the importance of reputation for individuals and organisations, and the role of PR in this. You will develop a critical awareness of the strengths and weaknesses of using different media platforms for reputation management and an understanding of the special skills involved in corporate communications and crisis management.
Multimedia Newsdays
You will develop as a networked journalist by developing your own online platform and exploring the multitude of digital platforms available to source and output journalistic content. You will also learn techniques of immersive storytelling.
Multimedia Journalism
Further enhancing your skills acquired in year one, this module introduces you to more advanced techniques in editing and camerawork, live reporting and studio skills. You will develop your editorial and creative skills in producing TV feature packages by working in our state-of-the-art studios.
The following optional modules may be offered:
Lifestyle Journalism
Lifestyle Journalism is an increasingly popular area of journalism, whether for newspaper supplements, magazines, lifestyle programmes or podcasts. Students taking this optional module will learn how to research and write stories about all aspects of lifestyle and how to bring them to life with eye-catching text, graphics and images.
Critical Journalism Studies
The main purpose of this module is to develop your understanding of the ways in which technological, social, political and cultural changes have impacted journalism. You will learn to analyse journalism practice and the contemporary trends emerging within the profession whilst improving your research skills and your ability to critically evaluate your own practice.
Feature Writing
You will learn how to write different types of features for newspapers and magazines in various markets. By the end of this module, you will have gained practical skills in the art of feature writing as well as enhanced your ability to formulate and pitch story ideas to commissioning editors.
Sports Journalism
The exciting field of sports journalism encompasses everything from football matches and rugby games to global Olympic events. In this elective module, you will learn essentials skills for writing clear and concise sports copy, interviewing players and officials, and producing match reports for print and online sports publications.
Court Reporting
Focusing on the law surrounding court reporting, this module will build upon your learning from the Law and Ethics module in year one. You will analyse court procedures used in the development of UK law and explore the effect of court reporting restrictions on the news gathering process.
Political Communication: Media and Democracy
This module explores the relationship between the media and politics in liberal democracies. You will focus on the nature of political media and reporting, the media's influence on politics, and how political actors use the media. You will also study the rise of the internet and new media technologies and what this means for democracy.
Music Journalism
This module provides an overview of journalistic methodologies as applied to the fields of music and the music industry. You will examine and construct a variety of forms of journalistic output as related to music as well as develop a critical understanding of the interrelationship between market, industry and culture.
Public Affairs
This module will raise your awareness of UK government systems, providing you with an overview of national, regional and local government and the relationship of each with the news media. You will learn how to report council meetings, parliamentary committees and understand the relationship between journalists and local and central government.
Celebrity Journalism
This module will provide you with an overview of how the media views and reports on the world of celebrity. You will learn the professional skills of celebrity journalism as well as develop a critical understanding of the challenges and constraints facing celebrity journalists today, including ethical dilemmas such as media bias, cheque book journalism and issues around privacy.
Podcasting
This module will explore podcasts as a form of journalistic storytelling. You will learn how to pitch, research, structure and produce podcasts for target audiences.
War and Conflict Reporting
This module aims to provide you with a broad history of war reporting from the Boer War to the present day. This will enable you to assess the role of technological developments in war reporting and the social, cultural and political trends affecting war reporters today.
University Wide Language Programme
Choose to study a world language in a friendly, supportive environment. Delivered over two semesters, with additional resources available via Blackboard, you will receive around 50 hours of supported learning to help you progress and consolidate your listening, reading, speaking and writing core skills. Available languages include Arabic, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Mandarin Chinese and Spanish.
Future Journalism
Journalism is always changing. This module tracks emerging trends in journalism and particularly the ways in which technological developments can be harnessed by journalists to create content and engage audiences. You will analyse and experiment with cutting-edge tools and techniques of journalistic storytelling to develop the practical skills involved in using new technologies and formats for creating journalistic content.
PR Practice
The core aim of this module is to provide you with professional PR experience by working on bespoke PR projects in-house, for external clients, which will sharpen your professional skills and further prepare yourself for the demands of working in a modern digitalised environment. The module also incorporates a work placement opportunity.
Journalism Practice
The core aim of this module is to provide you with professional journalism experience in our multimedia newsrooms. By working alongside professional journalists during multi-platform newsdays, you will sharpen your professional skills and further prepare yourself for the demands of working in a modern digitalised newsroom.
Major Journalism Project or Dissertation
You will produce an in-depth piece of online, print, radio or TV journalism with professional tutorial supervision or undertake a dissertation in a journalism-related area with academic support.
Major PR Project or Dissertation
You will produce an in-depth project relating to your chosen area of PR, with professional tutorial supervision, or undertake a dissertation in a PR-related area, with academic support.
You will then choose two optional modules, one in Semester 1, and one in Semester 2. Options may include:
Photojournalism
You will gain an in depth understanding of photojournalism by critically evaluating this specialised craft from technical, practical, aesthetic, ethical, legal, sociological and psychological perspectives. You will have the opportunity to enhance your expertise as a photojournalist by developing your own portfolio and engaging in a range of briefs.
Political and Campaigning Journalism
You will examine how journalists approach the reporting of political issues, gaining a broad understanding of techniques and practices used in regional, national and international contexts. You will also analyse the use of social media in political reporting as well as consider relevant ethical dilemmas around editorial control, spin and the lobby system.
Magazine Journalism
This module will develop your understanding of the entire process of creating a magazine publication in print and/or online. You will learn how to originate, write, assess and develop ideas and have the necessary organisational and practical skills to see them through to completion.
Interests, Power, and Media Policy
The purpose of this module is to provide you with a critical awareness of the ways in which influential interests and power can shape the nature of communication media policy. You will explore a range of policies as well as the main actors and institutions who devise and influence media policy creation.
Advanced Sports Journalism
Take this module to develop your sport journalism skills, particularly in a live environment for both broadcast and digital platforms. Industry guests will also help to expand your understanding of the role of journalists within sport, of issues such as racism and gender, and of the audience for sport across delivery platforms.
Investigative Journalism
This module examines the historical context of investigative journalism and the challenges faced by news organisations and by investigative journalists when publishing their work. It studies the specialist methods used by investigative journalists including secret recording and analysis of documentary evidence and the legal and ethical issues involved.
University Wide Language Programme
Choose to study a world language in a friendly, supportive environment. Delivered over two semesters, with additional resources available via Blackboard, you will receive around 50 hours of supported learning to help you progress and consolidate your listening, reading, speaking and writing core skills. Available languages include Arabic, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Mandarin Chinese and Spanish.
Please note that it may not be possible to deliver the full list of options every year as this will depend on factors such as how many students choose a particular option. Exact modules may also vary in order to keep content current. When accepting your offer of a place to study on this programme, you should be aware that not all optional modules will be running each year. Your tutor will be able to advise you as to the available options on or before the start of the programme. Whilst the University tries to ensure that you are able to undertake your preferred options, it cannot guarantee this.
Be a part of a creative, supportive community
All our Journalism courses are delivered by the Salford School of Arts, Media, and Creative Technology. Our focus is to ensure that you have the skills you need to pursue your dreams, and we encourage our students, past and present, to collaborate with each other and achieve great things.
Each year - through the Create Student Awards – our School rewards the incredible achievements and successes of our final year and postgraduate students.
Whatever you choose to study with us, you’ll be mentored and supported by experts. And once you graduate, it won’t end there. You’ll join a thriving alumni network across Greater Manchester and beyond, meaning you’ll be supported professionally and personally whenever you need it.
Journalism facilities
Our MediaCity facilities are industry-standard, so much so that they are used by our industry partners themselves.
When you study with us, you’ll learn from our experienced tutors and demonstrators, who’ll teach you how to use our facilities. These include:
- TV News studio - a state-of-the-art news set, including three HD cameras with teleprompters.
- This studio also can link up to the other two TV studios in the building based on the ground floor, enabling live feeds.
- TV studios - our TV studios have been used by the BBC for a variety of broadcasts, such as the Olympics and Christmas music concerts, and they’re equipped with the same audio-visual systems used by the ITV and Sky too.
- The studios have green screen facilities as well as basic props so you can design and build sets for a range of projects.
- Newsroom - you’ll use this space as a hub to simulate a full working day in a newsroom, covering breaking stories. Software available includes Avid iNews, Avid NewsCutter, Adobe Audition and Premier, all of which are used by the industry.
- Radio studios - we can offer you three cutting edge studios which have been used for live contributions to shows on talkSPORT and Capital.
- Equipment stores - cameras, tripods and mics – they’re all essential to media production. But don’t worry, you won’t need to spend thousands of pounds to get the set-up you need – we have a fully equipped equipment store available for you to use and take out industry-standard kit.
You’ll be able to shoot and record on location in the high quality you need to bring your vision to life.
What about after uni?
Employment
Studying a journalism and public relations degree in the UK will equip you with a variety of skills that provide plenty of career options in related fields. You’ll be able to apply for roles in the media, communications and information sectors, working as either a journalist or a PR professional. If you’re looking for a wider variety of work, a lot of the skills acquired during this degree are applicable to the advertising or marketing sectors – or practically any other area of the digital creative sectors.
Read about Junaid Sidat's work experience during his BSc (Hons) Journalism with Public Relations studies prepared him for his career.
Further study
Graduates showing strong academic and research skills can pursue a further postgraduate path through our postgraduate programmes on a full-time or part-time basis subject to a satisfactory proposal.
Career Links
Our location at the heart of MediaCity means that we are ideally placed to foster links with news outlets, organisations seeking content creators, PR teams and other creative digital media companies.
You will have the opportunity to secure work placements with our industry partners.
What you need to know
Applicant profile
We’re looking for applicants who are eager to pursue a career in journalism or PR, and who can demonstrate their ability to do so. This might be in the form of work experience or articles written for a school magazine or online publication. You will also need to have solid English and communication skills, which are vital for you to be successful on this degree.
To gain a place on this Journalism with Public Relations degree, you’ll have to submit a personal statement and meet our entry requirements when you apply.
Within your journalism with public relations degree personal statement (up to 4,000 characters), we’ll want to understand:
- What motivates you and what current experiences do you have in terms of journalism and public relations (PR)?
- How have you been involved and what did you do?
- Are you an evidence-based and creative thinker?
- How do you develop your ideas?
- Do you have any knowledge of the journalism and public relations sector; are there any brands or projects that inspire you?
- Why do you want to work in the journalism and/or public relations sector?
- Why is the University of Salford and this journalism with public relations course the right choice for your future goals?
For some applicants, you’ll be asked to provide us with a portfolio of work and potentially take part in an informal group seminar discussion or interview– either live or on camera – to demonstrate your skills.
Once you’ve made your application to study with us, we’ll contact you and let you know the next steps.
GCSE
English Language at grade C/level 4 or above (or equivalent). Maths at grade C/4 or above (or equivalent) is preferred but not essential.
You must fulfil our GCSE entry requirements as well as one of the requirements listed below.
UCAS tariff points
112 points.
A level
112 points.
T level
Merit
BTEC National Diploma
DMM
Access to HE
112 points including Media or Humanities subject area
Scottish Highers
120 points including Media or Humanities subject area
Irish Leaving Certificate
112 points
International Baccalaureate
29 points
European Baccalaureate
Pass in Diploma with 74% overall including Media or Humanities
International students
We accept qualifications from all around the world. Find your country to see a full list of entry requirements.
If you are an international student and not from a majority English speaking country, you will need IELTS 7.0, with a written element of 8.0 and no element below 6.0.
We also accept a range of other English language qualifications. If you do not have the English language requirements, you could take the Pre-Sessional English course to gain entry onto this degree.
Salford Alternative Entry Scheme (SAES)
We welcome applications from students who may not meet the stated entry criteria but who can demonstrate their ability to pursue the course successfully. Once we have received your application we will assess it and recommend it for SAES if you are an eligible candidate.
There are two different routes through the Salford Alternative Entry Scheme and applicants will be directed to the one appropriate for their course. Assessment will either be through a review of prior learning or through a formal test.
How much?
| Type of study | Year | Fees |
|---|---|---|
| Full-time home | 2025/26 | £9,250.00per year |
| Full-time international | 2025/26 | £17,650.00per year |
Additional costs
You should also consider further costs which may include books, stationery, printing, binding and general subsistence on trips and visits.
Scholarships for international students
If you are a high-achieving international student, you may be eligible for one of our scholarships. Explore our international scholarships.