Graduate careers advice: you and your journalism degree

Graduate careers advice for what career options you can pursue with your journalism degree.

Related jobs include:

• Advertising copywriter
• Broadcaster
• Editor
• Journalist
• Picture researcher/editor
• Presenter, radio and television
• Press officer
• Public relations officer
• Publishing copy-editor/proofreader
• Translator
• Writer, radio/TV/film

Work experience

Building a portfolio of work and gaining relevant experience is essential if you wish to work directly within journalism. Seek out work on a student newspaper or your college radio station. Start your own blog to hone your writing and interviewing skills.

Take up any work placements offered as part of your course. This will help you gain experience and make industry contacts.

Contact local TV studios, radio stations, magazines and newspapers for work experience opportunities, paid or voluntary. You can also build your portfolio by writing voluntarily for websites, print publications and other media outlets.

More information on work experience can be found here.

What sectors?

Employment can be found with such organisations as:

• radio and TV stations;
• local and national newspapers, print and online;
• magazines;
• digital media;
• broadcasters.

The creativity and communication skills you acquire are valued by such employers as:

• charities;
• PR consultancies;
• advertising and marketing companies;
• corporate communications agencies.

Opportunities also exist with the civil service and educational institutes.

Alternative sectors include law, politics, management and public administration.

Your journalism CV

The core journalistic skills a journalism degree provides include researching, writing, interviewing, investigating and reporting. You will also develop technical skills like shorthand, editing, video, audio, web design and content management.

Transferable skills include:

• intuition and resourcefulness;
• critical analysis;
• leadership;
• communication, both written and oral;
• time management;
• flexibility;
• teamwork.

Postgraduate study

The majority of journalism students won’t pursue further study if they wish to enter a direct career in journalism. If you choose to pursue other career areas, you can take postgraduate courses in areas like law, teaching, marketing and PR.

Completing a course won’t guarantee you employment but it will develop your skills and increase your employability. If choosing a postgraduate course, consider your career plan, the degree taken and your academic interests.

More information on postgraduate courses can be found in our Further Study section.