Studies & Degrees in Journalism
Journalism Study Programs
Journalism is the work of finding, checking and reporting news. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) describes journalists as people who keep the public updated about current events and who report international, national and local news for newspapers, magazines, websites, television and radio.
A journalism degree combines practice and theory. Students learn to research a subject, interview sources, write and edit for different media, and produce audio, video and digital stories. Law and ethics are part of the core: the study plan of the Grado en Periodismo at the Universidad de Navarra, for example, includes history of journalism, theory of journalism, information law and journalistic ethics. Newer subjects are data analysis and digital tools, including artificial intelligence. Many programmes end with a piece of work of publishable standard and include a placement in a newsroom.
Qualifications and levels
- Spain. An official bachelor's degree (grado) has 240 ECTS credits, and official master's degrees have 60, 90 or 120. The Grado en Periodismo of the Universidad de Navarra is an official degree of 240 credits over 4 years, taught on campus in Pamplona in Spanish and English, with 50 places. The Universitat Oberta de Catalunya (UOC) teaches journalism online: its Grado en Comunicación has 240 credits and a specialisation (mención) in journalism, and its Máster universitario en Periodismo y Comunicación Digital is an official master's degree of 60 ECTS credits. Both are offered in Spanish and in Catalan.
- United Kingdom. Journalism is commonly taken as a BA (Hons) degree. Industry bodies accredit individual courses. London Metropolitan University states that its Journalism BA is accredited by the Professional Publishers Association (PPA) and that it is applying for accreditation by the Broadcast Journalism Training Council; the course includes a placement of fifteen working days.
- United States. Journalism is a major within a bachelor's degree, usually in a college of communication. At The Pennsylvania State University, the Department of Journalism states that its primary goal is to educate students for careers as writers, reporters, editors and photographers, and that courses in the major emphasise an ethical approach. Programmes may hold accreditation from the Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communications (ACEJMC), which is recognised by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation.
- Australia. The University of the Sunshine Coast (UniSC) offers a three-year Bachelor of Communication in which students can major in journalism. Only the full-time option is open to international students on a student visa.
Accreditation is not the same in every country, and not every course has it. Ask the school which body, if any, has accredited the course you are interested in.
Where to study journalism
SpainExchange lists 263 active schools for journalism. The United States has 100, Spain 45 and the United Kingdom 18. Australia and Argentina have seven each, Chile and Brazil six each, Canada five, and Ireland, Mexico and Bulgaria four each.
In Spain the list includes the Universidad de Navarra in Pamplona and the UOC in Barcelona. In London it includes the University of Westminster, London South Bank University and London Metropolitan University. In the United States it includes Penn State, The Ohio State University, The University of Texas at Austin, San Diego State University and Purdue University.
Journalism is tied to language. Students normally train in the language they will publish in, so the choice of country is also a choice of working language. Some degrees mix languages: the Navarra degree is taught in Spanish and English.
Careers
Graduates work as reporters, editors, producers, correspondents and photojournalists in newspapers, magazines, online media, radio and television. Journalism training is also used outside newsrooms. Penn State notes that some journalism majors work in a variety of communications and public relations roles.
The job market for traditional news roles is tight. In the United States, the BLS counted 47,100 jobs for news analysts, reporters and journalists in 2025 and projects employment to decline 6 percent from 2025 to 2035. It still expects about 3,400 openings a year, as workers move to other occupations or retire. The BLS adds that these workers typically need a bachelor's degree in journalism, communications or a related field, and that an internship or experience on a college newspaper, radio station or television station may help.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a journalism degree to become a journalist?
It is the usual route, and practical experience counts as well. According to the BLS, journalists in the United States typically need a bachelor's degree in journalism, communications or a related field such as English.
How long does a journalism degree take?
It depends on the country. In Spain an official grado has 240 ECTS credits, taken over 4 years at the Universidad de Navarra. The Bachelor of Communication with a journalism major at UniSC in Australia takes 3 years.
Can I study journalism online?
Yes. The UOC teaches fully online an official bachelor's degree in communication with a journalism specialisation and an official 60 ECTS master's degree in journalism and digital communication, in Spanish and in Catalan.
Are journalism jobs declining?
In the United States, yes: the BLS projects a 6 percent decline in employment of news analysts, reporters and journalists from 2025 to 2035, with about 3,400 openings a year to replace people who leave.