About the Department
Journalism at City
Wherever you are in the world, on any given day you are likely to see, hear or read journalism from graduates of City’s Department of Journalism.
Each year hundreds of people from diverse backgrounds apply to us who want the best education to enable them to get a great job in the media.
Here at City, we provide an intense and highly focused education to help you acquire the up-to-date journalism skills needed to enter your chosen area of the media.
We have nine MA courses and a three-year BA course all tailored to your needs in online, data, broadcast and print journalism.
And alongside the journalism skills, we will push you intellectually during your time with us. City offers the opportunity to study at a celebrated journalism school, in one of the world’s media capitals, with amazing opportunities to meet world famous journalists and join our global network of alumni.
Study
Our courses
The department offers a range of courses at undergraduate, postgraduate taught and research degree level
See which course is right for you:
Undergraduate
Postgraduate
- MA Broadcast Journalism
- MA Data Journalism
- MA Global Financial Journalism
- MA Interactive Journalism
- MA International Journalism
- MA Investigative Journalism
- MA Journalism, Media and Globalisation (Erasmus Mundus)
- MA Magazine Journalism
- MA Newspaper Journalism
- MA Television Journalism
Research degrees
Related subjects
Research
City’s Department of Journalism is an internationally distinguished, research-driven environment for the study of journalism.
Our academics conduct research into important topics such as journalistic products and practices related to science, crime, intelligence, humanitarian, crisis and international reporting; and the impact of issues related to gender, diversity, innovation, freedom of information and media ethics.
The department is ranked in the top twenty in the UK for overall research and seventh for research power, a measure based on both quality and volume.
In our debut submission to the national Research Excellence Framework (REF) exercise in 2014, an overwhelming majority of our publications were judged to be either 'world leading' (4*) or 'internationally excellent' (3*). 100% of our research impact submissions were rated at either 3* or 4*, a success rate that places the department in the UK top 12.
In addition to highlighting our publications with leading book publishers and in a wide range of internationally prominent journals, our submission to REF2021 features two new Impact Case Studies.
One highlights our success in instigating changes in broadcast news, with a dramatic increase in the number of women used as on-air experts. The other features our ground-breaking work to improve reporting on humanitarian crises around the world.
City journalism scholars serve on numerous editorial boards, routinely present their work at leading international conferences and regularly publish in top-tier academic journals such as:
- Journalism: Theory, Practice and Criticism (co-edited by City Journalism’s Howard Tumber)
- Journalism Studies
- Journalism & Mass Communication Quarterly
- International Journal of Press/Politics
among many others.
Our PhD students also are active scholars and integral to our research community; alumni hold prestigious academic and industry positions around the world.
City Journalism also is home to the European Journalism Observatory, a network of 13 independent, non-profit media research institutes in 11 countries. The EJO seeks to bridge journalism research and practice across Europe, as well as to foster professionalism and press freedom.
Academics
Featured academics
Academic staff
- Jason Bennetto, Senior Lecturer in Journalism
- Dr Lindsey Blumell, Senior Lecturer
- Yuen Chan, Senior Lecturer of Journalism
- Colette Cooney, Lecturer
- Glenda Cooper, Senior Lecturer
- Dr Richard Danbury, Senior Lecturer in Journalism
- Richard Evans, Senior Lecturer in Journalism
- Dr Ben Falk, Lecturer in Journalism
- Professor Suzanne Franks, Professor of Journalism
- Dr Zahera Harb, Reader
- Dr Lea Hellmueller, Lecturer in Journalism
- Jonathan Hewett, Director of Postgraduate Journalism
- Dr Mark Honigsbaum, Senior Lecturer in Journalism
- Professor Lis Howell, Professor Emeritus of Journalism
- Coral James O'Connor, Senior Lecturer
- Dr Paul Lashmar, Reader
- Dr Sarah Lonsdale, Senior Lecturer in Journalism
- Professor Jane Martinson, Marjorie Deane Professor of Financial Journalism
- Dr James Morris, Lecturer in Digital Journalism
- Glyn Mottershead, Senior Lecturer in Journalism
- George Negas, Lecturer in Journalism
- Johanna Payton, Lecturer in Journalism
- Dr Colin Porlezza, Lectureship in Journalism
- Dr James Rodgers, Reader in International Journalism and Assistant VP (Global Engagement)
- Dr Barbara Rowlands, Honorary Research Fellow
- Professor Jane Singer, Professor of Journalism Innovation
- Paul Solman, Lecturer in Journalism
- Dr Abdullahi Tasiu Abubakar, Senior Lecturer
- Dr Neil Thurman, Honorary Senior Research Fellow
- Professor Howard Tumber, Professor
- Sandy Warr, Lecturer in Journalism
- Sally Webb, Senior Lecturer in Journalism
Facilities
Newsrooms and studios
Our accommodation and facilities were developed in consultation with experts from the BBC and ITN, and include:
- a television studio: enabling simultaneous multi-media broadcast and a major expansion in the number of news and current affairs programmes produced
- 4 radio studios: enabling an increase in output and the potential to explore a permanent radio station
- 2 radio broadcast newsrooms: high-tech facilities that enable you to learn how to produce a radio programme
- 2 digital newsrooms: impressive modern facilities that enable you to learn the skills required to produce newspapers, magazines and websites
- 2 TV editing and production newsrooms: state-of-the-art facilities that enable you to learn about TV production
- In 2019 we added an interactive news room in collaboration with vSolution MATRIX from WolfVision costing £42,000.
Included within the space is a green screen zone, as well as a radio studio integrated with a Dante audio system.
In the Newsroom the emphasis is on replicating the professional workplace, with interactive technology on each group table where students produce newspaper articles, magazines pieces and TV and radio programmes about live issues.
Where our graduates work
Our students have been graduating from City into long, successful and interesting jobs in journalism for almost 40 years.
Over 5,000 City Journalism graduates now work in the media in the UK and internationally, with many now at the top of their profession - including national newspaper editors, news anchors, magazine editors, and award-winning writers.
Take a look at some of our leading alumni below and what they have achieved since leaving City.
Leading alumni
Over 5,000 City Journalism alumni are working as reporters, broadcasters, anchors, feature writers and in many other roles in the UK and internationally.
Gary Younge
The Guardian
Newspaper Journalism, 1993
Sophie Raworth
Presenter, BBC News
Broadcast Journalism, 1992
Ben Preston
Editor, Radio Times
Newspaper Journalism, 1987
Simon Rogers
Editor, Guardian Datablog
Newspaper Journalism, 1991
Tania Hershman
Writer
Periodical Journalism, 1994.
More leading alumni working in newspapers
- John Aglionby - Financial Times (Indonesia correspondent) | Newspaper Journalism, 1995
- Kamal Ahmed - Business Editor, Sunday Telegraph | Newspaper Journalism, 1991
- Decca Aitkenhead - The Guardian | Newspaper Journalism, 1995
- Ian Birrell Columnist | Dip Journalism, 1985
- Alice Fisher - Deputy Editor at The Observer Magazine | Periodical Journalism, 1995
- Stephen Foley - Associate Business Editor, The Independent | Newspaper Journalism, 1999
- James Harding - Editor, The Times | Newspaper Journalism, 1995
- Ian King - Business & City Editor, The Times | Newspaper Journalism, 1994
- Will Lewis - Management and Standards Committee, News Corporation | Periodical Journalism, 1991
- John Mullin - Editor, Independent on Sunday | Dip Journalism, 1985
- George Parker - Political Editor, Financial Times | Newspaper Journalism, 1988
- Alexis Petridis - Guardian's head rock and pop critic and the music editor of GQ | Periodical Journalism, 1995
- Laura Topham - Daily Mail | Periodical Journalism, 2005
- Matt Wells - Blogs editor and presenter of Media Talk, The Guardian | Newspaper Journalism, 1995
- Gary Younge - Feature writer, The Guardian | Newspaper Journalism, 1993.
More leading alumni working in broadcasting
- Samira Ahmed - Freelance | Newspaper Journalism, 1990
- Richard Arnold - GMTV | Periodical Journalism, 1993
- Mark Chapman - BBC Sport | Broadcast Journalism, 1996
- Ellie Crisell - BBC News | Broadcast Journalism, 2000
- John Escolme - History Manager, BBC (Director General's office) | Broadcast Journalism, 1992
- Adam Fleming - Political Reporter, BBC Westminster | Broadcast Journalism, 2002
- Faisal Islam - Political Editor, Sky News | Newspaper Journalism, 2000
- Andrew Harding - BBC News (Africa correspondent) | Broadcast Journalism, 1990
- Gillian Joseph - Sky News | Broadcast Journalism, 1991
- Richard Klein - Head of Factual, ITV | Dip Journalism, 1985
- James Landale - BBC News | Broadcast Journalism, 1992
- Liliane Landor - Editor, BBC World Service news and current affairs | International Journalism, 1989
- Kirsty Lang - BBC | Dip Journalism, 1985
- Dermot Murnaghan - Sky News | Dip Journalism, 1986
- Ramita Navai - Channel 4 Unreported World | Broadcast Journalism, 2003
- Bridgid Nzekwu - Channel 4 News | Broadcast Journalism, 1997
- Keme Nzerem - Channel 4 News | Broadcast Journalism, 2000
- Sophie Raworth - BBC News | Broadcast Journalism, 1992
- Johnny Saunders - BBC Radio 2 | Broadcast Journalism, 1998
- Barbara Serra - Al Jazeera | Broadcast Journalism, 1999
- Caroline Wyatt - BBC News | Periodical Journalism, 1990
- Jo Whiley - BBC Radio 1 | Radio Journalism, 1987.
More leading alumni working in magazines
- Sarah Bailey - Deputy Editor, Harper's Bazaar | Periodical Journalism, 1989
- Jane Bruton - Editor, Grazia | Periodical Journalism, 1990
- Anna Cook - Commissioning Editor, Woman's Own | Periodical Journalism, 2004
- Mark Dinning - Editor, Empire | BA Journalism, 1999
- Celia Duncan - Associate Editor, Vogue | Periodical Journalism, 1994
- Phil Hebblethwaite - Editor, The Stool Pigeon | Periodical Journalism, 2001
- Helen Lewis - Deputy Editor, New Statesman | Newspaper Journalism, 2005
- Miranda Levy - Editor, Mother & Baby | Periodical Journalism, 1992
- Barry McIlheney - Chief Executive, PPA | Newspaper Journalism, 1984
- John Mulvey - Deputy Editor, Uncut | Periodical Journalism, 1990
- Fuad Nahdi - Publisher, Q News | International Journalism, 1984
- Fraser Nelson - Editor, Spectator | Newspaper Journalism, 1996
- Catherine Pepinster - Editor, The Tablet | Dip Journalism, 1981
- Ben Preston - Editor, Radio Times | Newspaper Journalism, 1987
More leading alumni working in online and digital
- James Ball - Data editor, The Guardian | Investigative Journalism, 2008
- Szu Ping Chan - Online reporter, Telegraph Media Group | Newspaper Journalism, 2010
- Caroline Crampton - Web editor, News Statesman | Newspaper Journalism, 2010
- Kate Day - Social media and engagement editor, Telegraph | Newspaper Journalism, 2007
- Shona Ghosh - Digital media journalist, StrategyEye | Newspaper Journalism, 2009
- John Jelley - Created Sky News for iPad | Broadcast Journalism, 2005
- Laura Oliver - Community coordinator, news, Guardian.co.uk | Newspaper Journalism, 2007
- Sebastian Payne - Online editor, The Spectator | Investigative Journalism, 2011
- Conrad Quilty-Harper - Interactive news editor, Telegraph | Investigative Journalism, 2010
- Katherine Robinson - Deputy Editor Online, HELLO! Magazine | Journalism BA Hons program, 2003
- Simon Rogers - Data Editor, Twitter | Newspaper Journalism, 1991
- Martin Stabe - Producer, FT.com interactive desk | International Journalism, 2005
- Anthony Thornton - Digital Development Director, IPC Media | Periodical Journalism, 1997
- Gemma van der Kamp - iPad app editor, RTL Nederland | International Journalism, 2011
- Ben Whitelaw - Communities editor, The Times (and co-founder, WannabeHacks) | Newspaper Journalism, 2011
- Tom Whitwell - Editorial director, Times Digital | Newspaper Journalism, 1996
More leading alumni working as writers and other fields
Writers
- Chris Ayres - War Reporting for Cowards | Death By Leisure: a cautionary tale
- Patrick Neate - Winner of 2001 Whitbread Novel Prize and 2004 National Book Critics Circle Criticism Award - Jerusalem | Twelve Bar Blues | City of Tiny Lights | The London Pigeon Wars | Musungu Jim and the Great Chief Tuloko | Where You're At: Notes from the Frontline of a Hip Hop Planet
- James Meek - The People's Act of Love | We are Now Beginning Our Descent | Drivetime
- Ellie Levenson - The Noughtie Girl's Guide to Feminism
- Justine Picardie - Coco Chanel | Daphne | If The Spirit Moves You: Love and Life After Death | My Mother's Wedding Dress: The Life and Afterlife of Clothes | Wish I May | Truth or Dare
- Imogen Edwards-Jones - Hotel Babylon | Pop Babylon | Beach Babylon | Wedding Babylon | Air Babylon | Fashion Babylon
- Richard Benson - (former editor of The Face), The Farm
- JoJo Moyes - Silver Bay | Foreign Fruit | The Ship of Brides | The Peacock Emporium | Sheltering Rain
- Catherine Townsend - Sleeping Around: Secrets of a Sexual Adventuress
- Tania Hershman - Commended, Orange Award for New Writers, 2009. The White Road and Other Stories
- Julia Llewellyn Smith - The Love Trainer | If I Were You | Amy's Honeymoon
Other fields
- Robert Chote - Chairman, Office for Budgetary Responsibility
- Meg Hillier MP - MP for Hackney South and Shoreditch
- Sharon Maguire - Director, Bridget Jones' Diary
- Shaun Pye - Writer and actor
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