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Studies & Degrees in Journalism and Audiovisual Communication (dual degree)

Journalism and Audiovisual Communication is a dual degree: one study programme that leads to two separate university degrees, one in Journalism and one in Audiovisual Communication. It is a typically Spanish formula. Students who want to work in the media take both degrees together in five years instead of taking them one after the other.

The two halves complement each other. Journalism trains students to find, check and tell the news in text, audio, video and data. Audiovisual Communication covers the making of content: scriptwriting, directing, camera, sound, editing and production for film, television, radio, podcasts and online platforms. Newsrooms now publish in all of these formats, which is why the combination exists.

How the dual degree works

In Spain a bachelor's degree (grado) has 240 ECTS credits, organised as 60 credits per academic year, under Royal Decree 822/2021. The same decree allows universities to offer programmes in which students follow two degrees at the same time on a specific study plan. A student who passes all the subjects receives each of the two official degrees. A programme cannot combine three or more degrees.

Because the two degrees share basic subjects, the total is well below twice 240 credits. At the Universidad CEU Cardenal Herrera, for example, the single degree in Journalism takes 4 years and 240 ECTS, while the dual degree in Journalism and Audiovisual Communication takes 5 years and 347 ECTS. Each university sets its own study plan, so the number of credits and the timetable differ from one university to another.

What students typically do during the programme:

  • News writing and reporting for press, radio, television and digital media
  • Audiovisual narrative, scriptwriting and directing
  • Camera, lighting, sound and editing with professional software
  • Work in television studios, radio studios and a student newsroom
  • Work placements and a final project for each degree

Other levels

Students who want only one of the two fields can take a single four-year degree in Journalism or in Audiovisual Communication and add a master's degree afterwards. Outside Spain the dual formula is uncommon. Universities in other countries more often offer one degree in journalism, communication or film and media, with optional subjects from the other field.

Where to study

SpainExchange lists 2 active schools under this subject, one in Spain and one in Mexico.

The Universidad CEU Cardenal Herrera (CEU UCH) is a private university in the Valencian Community. It teaches the Doble Grado en Periodismo + Comunicación Audiovisual at its campus in Alfara del Patriarca, near Valencia. The programme is taught in Spanish and on campus, and the university lists 75 places. The university describes both degrees as official and states that graduates receive two university degrees, not one combined diploma. On fees, it explains that the dual degree does not cost twice as much as one degree: if a single degree cost 100, the dual degree would cost 130. Students work in television and radio studios and with editing software such as Avid, Adobe Premiere and DaVinci. The university's Pioneros scholarship programme is open to Spanish students only, so international applicants should ask about other funding. CEU UCH also combines Journalism with Advertising and Public Relations or with Political Science.

CINEMA - Escuela de Cinematografía y Medios Audiovisuales, in Puebla, Mexico, covers the audiovisual side. Its Licenciatura en Cinematografía y Medios Audiovisuales lasts 8 semesters and is incorporated into the Mexican education ministry (SEP) with an official recognition number (RVOE), according to the school. It is a film and media degree, not a journalism programme.

Both programmes are taught in Spanish. Applicants with a foreign secondary school certificate should ask the admissions office which recognition procedure applies to them.

Careers

Graduates work on both sides of the camera and the microphone. Typical roles are reporter, editor, presenter, scriptwriter, producer, director, camera operator, video editor, and content creator for digital media or for the communication department of a company or public body. CEU UCH describes its graduates as able to create audiovisual content for film, television, podcasts and social media and to report current affairs.

The news industry is changing. In the United States, the Bureau of Labor Statistics counted 47,100 jobs for news analysts, reporters and journalists in 2025 and projects a 6% decline from 2025 to 2035. It still expects about 3,400 openings a year as people leave the occupation. It also notes that television and radio stations continue to publish content online and on mobile devices. This is the reason to learn audiovisual and digital production alongside reporting.

Frequently asked questions

Do I get one diploma or two?

Two. A Spanish dual degree programme leads to each of the official degrees that form it, in this case a degree in Journalism and a degree in Audiovisual Communication.

How long does the dual degree take?

Usually one year more than a single degree. At the Universidad CEU Cardenal Herrera it takes 5 years and 347 ECTS, compared with 4 years and 240 ECTS for Journalism alone.

Is the dual degree taught in English?

The two schools listed here teach in Spanish. International students need a good level of Spanish to follow the classes and to write and present in the language.

Does a dual degree cost twice as much?

Not necessarily. CEU UCH states that its dual degree costs about 30% more than one degree, not double. Ask each university for its current fees.