Journalism and Public Relations, B.A.
The Bachelor's degree in Journalism and Public Relations combines two training courses that were previously offered separately in Germany: training as a journalist and training as a public relations worker.
Programme facts
| Degree | Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) |
|---|---|
| Duration | 6 semesters, 180 ECTS |
| Language of instruction | German |
| Required German | C1 |
| Study mode | Full-Time, Double Degree |
| Start | Winter semester |
| Application | Via uni-assist, winter semester until 15.07 |
| Admission | Admission restriction (NC): a competition of school grades |
| Tuition fee | €0 per semester for international students |
| Semester contribution | €334.38 per semester |
What the tuition fee consists of
Will I get in
The programme has an admission restriction: the average grade of your certificate, converted to the German scale, decides. The cut-off changes every year — last year's value shows the order of magnitude, not a promise.
How the selection works and how strong the competition is — we go through it against your certificate when we select programmes for you.
Programme selection →What you study
The aim of the bachelor's degree is to train communication experts who can convey complex issues to different target groups in an understandable way via print, radio and online media. In the first semesters, the theoretical basics of journalism and public relations, journalistic writing and methodological knowledge are taught. This takes place, among other things, in writing workshops and courses on topics such as the basics of communication and media ethics and law. Basic business knowledge, offers in subject-specific English and handling the software required in the job are also an integral part of the first phase of the study. In addition, teaching editorial teams and events on methodological skills are offered. One of the most important key qualifications in both journalism and public relations is the ability to obtain targeted information and convey it in a comprehensible and audience-oriented manner. From the fourth semester onwards, students are given the opportunity to set individual study focuses and apply them practically in extensive projects. From the fifth semester onwards, students choose either a focus on journalism or focus on PR. The course is completed with the Bachelor thesis in the sixth semester.
The full curriculum and the programme's parameters are part of programme selection: we compare them with your profile.
Pick programmesCareer
The job market for journalists and public relations workers has grown continuously over the past decades.
Read moreShow less
There are at least 100,000 full-time journalists and public relations workers in Germany.
The job market for journalists has been in a state of upheaval for a few years. While the print media are losing circulation and importance, the online media are gaining in reach and importance.
And although one or the other print medium has been discontinued, the total number of full-time journalists in Germany has risen from 60,000 to 70,000 over the past ten years, according to the Federal Employment Agency!
Despite declining circulation, newspapers and magazines will continue to offer most of the volunteer work for years to come and will therefore remain the main gateway into journalism for university graduates.
Journalists, however, can hardly count on uninterrupted careers in a permanent position with a medium. It is certain that the proportion of freelancers compared to employees will increase. It is also certain that the proportion of women in journalism has been increasing for years.
The current development in public relations looks more positive. Access to the profession is still uncomplicated for PR specialists: They are welcome as trainees or volunteers, especially if they start with a good and practical training like our graduates. The transition to permanent and well-paid full-time positions is then no longer that easy. Especially in companies that see PR as part of marketing, the competition from specialized business economists is fierce. However, companies with their own communications departments, associations, administration and non-profit organizations prefer to recruit employees with know-how from journalism and PR.
Cost of study
| Tuition fee of the federal state (North Rhine-Westphalia), international students | €0 |
|---|---|
| Semester contribution | €334.38 |
Requirements and application
| Previous education | A school certificate that gives access to university in Germany — directly or after a Studienkolleg. |
|---|---|
| Language | German C1 — confirmed by a certificate when you apply |
| Application | Via uni-assist, winter semester until 15.07 |
The procedure and the set of documents depend on your certificate. We check the university's requirements against your documents and give you a list: what to submit, how to certify and translate it, where and when to apply.
Check the requirementsHow to get into this programme
- 1Check your certificate and its recognitionDirect admission, a year at a university at home, or Studienkolleg first — this decides the whole plan.
- 2German up to C1 and a certificateDSH or TestDaF has to be passed before you apply.
- 3Documents and translationsCertified translations of the certificate and transcript, an APS if required. 3–4 weeks.
- 4Application via uni-assist until 15.07uni-assist checks documents for 4–6 weeks — send them well before the deadline.
- 5Admission, visa, movingPlan 2–3 months for the visa and the blocked account in parallel.
How to apply
You can submit the application yourself or with our help — the university decides on admission in both cases.
Applications go through the university's portal or uni-assist. Typical mistakes:
- ×incorrectly made certified copies and translations
- ×a wrong set of documents
- ×the application submitted the wrong way
- ×errors or gaps in the application form
- ×the application submitted at the wrong time — too early or too late
An incomplete or incorrectly prepared application is excluded from the selection — it can no longer be corrected after the deadline.
StudyInFocus does not represent the university and does not influence the admission decision. We do not sell study places and do not guarantee admission — this is a service for preparing and submitting documents on the applicant's side.
If your level is not enough yet
The two most common stoppers are a language level below the requirement and a certificate without direct admission. Both can be solved, but they take months — plan them now, not after a rejection.
Video about the programme
Questions about this programme
How much does the programme cost?
What language level do I need?
When do I need to apply?
Don't postpone the application
The deadline is 15.07.2027 (274 days left). Language, translations and the document check take months, not weeks. In 30 minutes we will build a plan backwards from the deadline and tell you honestly whether you can make it.