The School of Journalism, Media and Communication (previously the Department of Journalism Studies) was launched in 1994 and within 10 years became one of the major journalism teaching and research establishments in the UK.
The University of Sheffield is a proven academic centre of excellence and the school strives to provide both theoretical and professional teaching based on the highest journalistic and academic standards. Our academic staff comprise university teachers from prestigious professional backgrounds and lecturers with distinguished reputations for their research, as well as promising early career researchers.
As one of the few Russell Group universities offering journalism degrees, we offer students a powerful and distinctive combination of practical skills training with learning based in our outstanding academic research in media freedom, journalistic law and ethics, political communication and more. This unique blend of research-led teaching and vocational study has proved successful year on year: our most recent score in the National Student Survey rates us number 1 in the Russell Group for learning resources, student voice, assessment and feedback and learning opportunities. We also ranked 2nd in the Russell Group for academic support (NSS, 2023).
We have an excellent network of international contacts in both the media industry and the academic world, and our staff have built close ties with regional institutions and local print, broadcast and online media. We have also developed strong research and teaching links with other academic departments in the University.
We are dedicated to the highest professional and ethical standards in journalism and believe our graduates are reflective and able practitioners who will contribute to better journalism in the future.
We offer journalism education in print, radio, television and online, to undergraduates and postgraduates. Our undergraduate degree, BA Journalism Studies, is professionally accredited by both the National Council for the Training of Journalists (NCTJ) and the Professional Publishers Association (PPA).
At postgraduate level students can opt for our applied degrees, specialising in newspapers, broadcast or magazines (again, with accreditation from the NCTJ, PPA, and Broadcast Journalism Training Council). Two further degrees – in Global Journalism, and International Public and Political Communication – offer a more academic-based study focus with some practical content.
We are innovative teachers, committed to integrated, programme-level assessment (PLA) and the use of new technologies to enhance learning. Our digital newsrooms and broadcast facilities are upgraded regularly to keep pace with developments in the media industry.
We have strong industry links with major media players, which enhances our graduates' employability through work placement programmes and careers advice. Every year our students and graduates win prestigious media industry awards for their work. Graduate survey data reveals an excellent track record in the jobs market.
Our students come from around 30 countries across the world. We enjoy the creative mix of students from diverse backgrounds and are listening to and working with our BAME students to develop greater equality and inclusivity in the school.
Since its inception, the school has been committed to establishing an active research programme covering a wide range of topics within the fields of journalism, mass communications, and new communications technologies.
Today much of our research can be characterised under a number of themes, as follows:
The relationships between journalism, communication and democracy
Journalism and communication history
Conflict and crisis communication
The digital communication and media environment
European and comparative media law
The school is home to two research institutes: the Centre for the Study of Journalism and History and the Centre for Freedom of the Media (CFOM). Our head of department Professor Jackie Harrison chairs CFOM and holds a UNESCO Chair in Media Freedom, Journalism Safety and the Issue of Impunity.
In 2021, 91% of our research is rated in the highest two categories in the REF 2021, meaning it is classed as world-leading or internationally excellent. Our impact submission is also rated 7th nationally, showing our research is instrumental in tackling the greatest challenges of our time and making a real-world difference to people’s lives around the world. Find out about how our research is working to keep journalists safe by reading this research feature.
We were rated as 10th nationally for the quality of our research environment in the 2021 Research Excellence Framework (REF), demonstrating that the School of Journalism, Media and Communication is a vibrant, progressive and supportive place to undertake research. Our two doctoral programmes admit new postgraduate research students candidates each year and we are keen to see new research proposals which resonate with our areas of expertise across journalism, media and communication.