Communications Schools and Programs in Spain

Communications Studies in Spain

Communication today is a much wider field than newspaper, radio and television journalism. It covers advertising, public relations, audiovisual production and corporate and institutional communication, and the internet has multiplied both the channels and the jobs. In Spain it is studied mainly through official university bachelor's degrees (grados) in Journalism, Audiovisual Communication and Advertising and Public Relations, alongside newer degrees such as Corporate Communication or Audiovisual Creation.

Besides the communication faculties of public and private universities, business schools, design schools and image and sound schools offer master's programmes, their own qualifications and vocational training.

How the degrees are organised

Under Royal Decree 822/2021, Spanish bachelor's degrees generally have 240 ECTS credits, official master's degrees 60, 90 or 120 credits, and a doctorate is open to students who have completed 300 credits across both stages. In practice, a communication degree takes four years. The Universidad de Salamanca, for example, says its Grado en Comunicación y Creación Audiovisual lasts 4 years at 60 ECTS a year, organised in semester-long subjects.

These degrees belong to the social sciences and law branch and mix theory with practice. The Universidad de Málaga, for example, says its degree in Advertising and Public Relations also gives basic knowledge of law, economics and psychology, and the Faculty of Communication of the Universidad de Sevilla offers curricular and extracurricular placements with companies in the audiovisual sector.

Where to study communication in Spain

Among the schools in this directory, Barcelona and Madrid have most of the options, followed by Seville, Salamanca, Valencia and other university cities. Some examples of degrees in Spain:

• Universidad de Navarra (Pamplona): an official 240-credit Grado en Periodismo over 4 years, taught on campus in Spanish and English, with 50 places; its Faculty of Communication also teaches degrees in Audiovisual Creation, Marketing and Corporate Communication, master's degrees and a doctorate in Communication
• Universidad de Sevilla: its Faculty of Communication teaches degrees in Journalism, Advertising and Public Relations and Audiovisual Communication, and a double degree in Journalism and Audiovisual Communication; according to the faculty, its exchange programmes include more than two hundred agreements with institutions worldwide
• Universidad de Málaga: a 240 ECTS degree in Advertising and Public Relations over 4 years, taught in Spanish at the Teatinos campus, with 130 places according to the degree's verification report
• Blanquerna, Universitat Ramon Llull (Barcelona): its School of Communication and International Relations offers Advertising, Journalism, Audiovisual Communication, Digital Communication, Global Communication Management and International Relations, with some studies in English
• Universidad de Salamanca: a Grado en Comunicación y Creación Audiovisual focused on how digitalisation changes the way content is created and consumed

Most degrees are taught in Spanish. In regions with a second official language, such as Catalonia, check the language of each subject before enrolling.

Admission and recognition

Students who finished secondary school outside Spain usually apply for accreditation from UNEDasiss, the UNED service that assesses international students' academic records and runs the tests needed for entry to Spanish bachelor's degrees. You then apply for a place at each university within its deadlines.

Journalism and advertising are not regulated professions in Spain; the Universidad de Málaga states this on its degree page. According to the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities, recognition (homologación) only gives the right to practise a regulated profession. If you hold a foreign communication degree that does not match one, you can apply for a declaration of equivalence (declaración de equivalencia), which certifies its academic level.

Non-EU citizens who come to study for more than 90 days need a study visa from the Spanish consulate. Among other documents, it requires acceptance at an authorised centre, financial means equal to 100% of Spain's IPREM income indicator and health insurance with no co-payments.

Careers

The Universidad de Sevilla gives these examples of careers for its Journalism graduates: newspaper, radio and television reporter, press photographer, press or communication office officer, press archivist, content editor for print, radio, audiovisual and digital media, and teacher or researcher in communication. Other paths include advertising agencies, internal and external communication departments in companies and institutions, audiovisual production and social media management.

Frequently asked questions

How long is a Journalism degree in Spain?

Four years and 240 ECTS credits. This is the general length of bachelor's degrees under Royal Decree 822/2021, and the length given by, for example, the Universidad de Navarra and the Universidad de Málaga for their communication degrees.

Can I study communication in English in Spain?

Yes, at some institutions. The Universidad de Navarra teaches its Journalism degree in Spanish and English, and Blanquerna (Universitat Ramon Llull) offers studies in English at its communication school.

Do I need to get a foreign Journalism degree recognised to work in Spain?

No, because journalism is not a regulated profession. Homologación only applies to regulated professions; to certify the level of a foreign communication degree you can apply for a declaration of equivalence.

Which cities have the most communication schools?

Among the schools in this directory, Barcelona and Madrid have most of the options, followed by Seville, Salamanca and Valencia.