Overview

About the department

Our research in the Department of Journalism Studies at the University of Sheffield is interdisciplinary with our members of staff coming from politics, history, sociology, law and many other areas. We have a vibrant research culture, high REF ranking and an impactful policy agenda.

Our departmental research centre - Centre for Freedom of the Media - is internationally recognised for its research excellence, its powerful advocacy and its impact – the UNESCO Chair on Media Freedom, Journalism Safety and the Issue of Impunity is a genuine testament to CFOM’s standing.

CFOM also hosts the Hub for the Study of Hybrid Communication in Peacebuilding which brings together academics and non-university organisations that share a deep interest in the fundamental role of communication in peaceful cooperation.

Joining us means joining a vibrant research community, becoming part of an international and multicultural PhD cohort and maybe even having the opportunity to work with our departmental research centre. You will gain an invaluable set of research skills to build your career on – within or beyond academia.

Programme Structure

Our supervision expertise lies in the following areas:

Data journalism
Humanitarian crisis communication
Journalistic (un)freedoms, journalism safety and the issue of impunity
The role of unmediated communication, the visual and performative arts as well as the factual and fictional media in peacebuilding
Journalism in crisis, conflict and post-conflict/peacebuilding
Mediated identity narratives, memorialisation and collective memory
The role of news journalism in society and political regimes past and present
Strategic communication and public diplomacy
The mediation of terrorism and extremism as well as of conflict, peace and reconciliation
Polarization and depolarization in public discourse
The use of the visual in news reporting such as the pocket cartoon
Humour in political communication and international relations
Public perception of international politics
Environmental communication/journalism

Key information

Duration

Full-time
- 48 months
Part-time
- 96 months

Start dates & application deadlines

Starting 2026-09-28 00:00:00
- Apply before 2026-09-01 00:00:00 , International
- Apply before 2026-09-04 00:00:00 , National

More details

Although we advise students to start in September/October, it's often possible to start postgraduate research at any point in the year.

Language

English

TOEFL^® IBT

88

Schedule TOEFL®

Delivered

On Campus

Campus Location

Sheffield, United Kingdom

Disciplines

Journalism View 16 other PhDs in Journalism in United Kingdom

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Academic requirements

GPA

Upper Second Class

English requirements

TOEFL^® IBT

88

Schedule TOEFL®

Other requirements

General requirements

You'll need a strong masters degree (or to be working towards a masters degree at the time of application), with an overall grade of merit, from a UK institution (or equivalent from an overseas university).
We ask for a minimum grade of 60% in your masters research project/dissertation. If your programme does not include a research project/dissertation, we will ask that you submit a writing sample.

Tuition Fees

Tuition fees are shown in and the most likely applicable fee is shown based on your nationality.

International Applies to you

Applies to you

Non-residents

26960 GBP / year

≈ 26960 GBP / year
Domestic Applies to you

Applies to you

Citizens or residents

5006 GBP / year

≈ 5006 GBP / year

Additional Details

Home: £5,006 to £5,506

Overseas: £26,960 to £30,790

Living costs

Sheffield

United Kingdom

555 - 977 GBP / month

The living costs include the total expenses per month, covering accommodation, public transportation, utilities (electricity, internet), books and groceries.

Funding

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Scholarships Information

Below you will find PhD's scholarship opportunities for Journalism Studies.

Available Scholarships

You are eligible to apply for these scholarships but a selection process will still be applied by the provider.

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