Journalism, Public Relations with Media with Foundation Year BA (Hons)

Sheffield Hallam University

Please check the Sheffield Hallam University website for the latest information.

Course summary

• Get ready for a full degree by taking an extra foundation year at the start.
• Learn the practical, technical, writing and research skills that you'll need for undergraduate studies.
• Choose from a wide range of digital media, media arts and communications topics.
• Develop your portfolio and professional and academic skills.

The foundation year is designed especially for students who need additional skills or experience to begin a full BA Journalism, Public Relations and Media degree. The course is suitable if you don’t meet the entry requirements for our full degree course, or you want extra preparation before starting degree-level study. You'll learn with experienced practitioners and develop your interests. After completing your foundation year, you’ll have the skills and knowledge you need, and progress directly onto the full degree.

How you learn

All our courses are designed around a set of key principles based on engaging you with the world, collaborating with others, challenging you to think in new ways, and providing you with a supportive environment in which you can thrive.

After your foundation year, your studies will be led by a team that includes award-winning journalism, PR and media practitioners, along with internationally-recognised theorists. They have experience across a range of industries — including TV, health and charity — across the public and private sectors.

Throughout the full degree course, you attend a combination of lectures, workshops and seminars where key topics and concepts are introduced and explored. This includes a mix of tutor-directed learning and discussions, and student-led exercises and tasks. You’ll engage in collaborative activities in person, and online.

You learn through

• essays
• practical work
• case studies
• reports
• group work
• concept maps
• research projects
• oral presentations
• portfolios

Applied learning

Work placements

You will have the opportunity to arrange a year-long work placement in between your second and third years of the full undergraduate degree. This gives you a real-world experience to prepare you for your future career.

Networking opportunities

Our staff are active in the journalism, PR and media industries. As a result, experts from across the sectors are a core feature throughout the degree course. They cover topics from regional and national journalism, digital and social skills to search engine optimisation, crisis management, charity, sports and music PR.

Every year we hold industry events that link you with regional and national PR experts. Graduates return to share their experiences and top tips for finding jobs. Selected students are offered a chance to be mentored by PR professionals for one year.

You will gain automatic free student membership of the Public Relations Communications Association (PRCA). Benefits include exclusive access to work placements, internships, graduate schemes and entry-level jobs, free and unlimited online training, and free access to the industry-recognised PRCA Online Certificate.

We also work closely with the Chartered Institute of Public Relations and the Professional Publishers Association.

Field trips

On the full degree, we take student trips to regional, national and international events, including the Berlin Film Festival, where you get the chance to meet industry experts.

You can also apply for our Go Global student initiative, which has taken our students to destinations such as Malaysia and Paris, gaining new skills and a broader cultural insight into how journalism and PR are applied internationally.

There is opportunity to study abroad with the possibility of funding through the Turing Scheme.