Media & Communication

Bachelor of Arts (Linguistics, Media & Communication)

The Bachelor of Arts (Linguistics, Media & Communication) is a four-year degree that integrates linguistic analysis, media studies, and communication theory, preparing graduates for careers in journalism, broadcasting, public relations, media production, and language consultancy. Students study linguistics, phonetics, syntax, semantics, sociolinguistics, mass communication, journalism, broadcasting, media ethics, public relations, digital media, and research methods.

Graduates find opportunities in media houses, broadcasting stations, public relations agencies, corporate communications, publishing, civil service, and international organisations. The programme is delivered over eight semesters at Moi University and Rongo University, both CUE-accredited public universities.

Teaching methods include lectures, seminars, media production practicals, language laboratory sessions, and fieldwork. Graduates work as journalists, broadcasters, communications officers, editors, public relations officers, and language consultants.

Media houses pay entry-level journalists KES 30,000–60,000/month, while corporate communications and PR roles range from KES 35,000–70,000/month. This programme suits students with interest in language, media, and communication, aptitude for analytical and creative work, and desire for versatile career options.

The three-route structure provides a comprehensive foundation for Kenya's growing media and communications sector. Skills RequiredLinguistic Analysis and TheoryPhonetics and Phonological AnalysisSociolinguistics and Discourse AnalysisMass Communication TheoryJournalism and News WritingBroadcasting and Media ProductionPublic Relations and Corporate CommunicationMedia Ethics and LawDigital Media and Online JournalismResearch Methods in Media and CommunicationKey SubjectsGeneral LinguisticsPhonetics and PhonologySociolinguisticsMass Communication TheoryJournalism and News WritingBroadcasting and Radio ProductionMedia Ethics and LawPublic RelationsDigital Media and Online JournalismResearch Methods in Media and CommunicationCertificationsMedia Council of Kenya (MCK) AccreditationPublic Relations Society of Kenya (PRSK) MembershipLinguistic Society of Kenya (LSK) MembershipSpecializationsLinguistics and Language AnalysisFocus on phonetics, syntax, semantics, sociolinguistics, and discourse analysis for careers in language research, media language analysis, and communication consultancy.

Journalism and News MediaFocus on news writing, reporting, editing, and multimedia journalism for careers in print, broadcast, and digital media houses. Broadcasting and Media ProductionFocus on radio and television production, scriptwriting, presentation, and studio operations for careers in broadcasting stations.

Duration: 4 years
Public, up to: Ksh 204,000
Private, up to: Ksh 242,800
Job market: High

The programme

What you study, how long it takes, and how it is delivered.

Practicalities

Study mode: Full-time
Attachment: 3 months
Average class: 35 students
Award: Bachelor

What you study

10 subjects

General Linguistics
Phonetics and Phonology
Sociolinguistics
Mass Communication Theory
Journalism and News Writing
Broadcasting and Radio Production
Media Ethics and Law
Public Relations
Digital Media and Online Journalism
Research Methods in Media and Communication

Modules

12 in the programme

Introduction to the Study of Language
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Foundational concepts in linguistics including the nature of language, linguistic levels, and introduction to phonetics, phonology, morphology, syntax, and semantics.
Introduction to Mass Communication
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Foundational concepts in mass communication including communication models, media systems, media effects, audience theory, and the role of mass media in society.
Phonetics and Phonology
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Articulatory phonetics, the International Phonetic Alphabet, speech sound production, phonetic transcription, and phonological theory including sound systems of English and African languages.
Journalism and News Writing
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Principles of journalism including news values, news writing, reporting, interviewing, and editorial skills — with practical exercises writing news stories.
Morphology and Syntax
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Word structure and formation, morphological processes, sentence structure, grammatical categories, and syntactic theory with structural analysis.
Broadcasting and Radio Production
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Radio broadcasting techniques including scriptwriting, voice training, presentation, studio operations, and programme production — with practical studio sessions.
Sociolinguistics
Year 2Semester 23 creditsCore
Language in social context including language variation, dialects, multilingualism, code-switching, language attitudes, and language in media and politics.
Media Ethics and Law
Year 2Semester 23 creditsCore
Media ethics, press freedom, media law in Kenya, defamation, privacy, copyright, and regulatory frameworks governing media practice including the Media Council Act.
Semantics, Pragmatics and Discourse Analysis
Year 3Semester 13 creditsCore
Meaning in language including lexical semantics, speech acts, implicature, and discourse analysis — examining language use in media, politics, and society.
Public Relations and Corporate Communication
Year 3Semester 13 creditsCore
Principles of public relations, corporate communication, stakeholder engagement, crisis communication, and strategic communication planning for organisations.
Digital Media and Online Journalism
Year 3Semester 23 creditsCore
Digital media production including online journalism, social media content, podcasting, digital storytelling, and content strategy for digital platforms.
Final Year Research Project
Year 4Semester 26 creditsCore
Final-year research project integrating linguistics, media, and communication, with fieldwork, media analysis, written dissertation, and oral defence.

Specialisations

Linguistics and Language Analysis
Focus on phonetics, syntax, semantics, sociolinguistics, and discourse analysis for careers in language research, media language analysis, and communication consultancy.
Journalism and News Media
Focus on news writing, reporting, editing, and multimedia journalism for careers in print, broadcast, and digital media houses.
Broadcasting and Media Production
Focus on radio and television production, scriptwriting, presentation, and studio operations for careers in broadcasting stations.
Public Relations and Corporate Communication
Focus on strategic communication, public relations, stakeholder engagement, and corporate communications for careers in PR agencies and corporate communications departments.
Digital Media and Online Communication
Focus on digital journalism, social media communication, content strategy, and online media for careers in digital media platforms and content agencies.
Media Ethics and Law
Focus on media law, ethics, press freedom, and regulatory frameworks for careers in media regulation, legal journalism, and media policy.

A day as a student

A typical day combines morning lectures on linguistics, communication theory, or media studies with afternoon practicals in journalism, broadcasting, or media production. Students analyse language data, write news stories, practise radio presentation, and develop communication strategies. Evenings involve reading set texts, writing articles, and preparing media production projects.

The trade offs

In its favour

The three-route structure — linguistics, media, and communication — provides a uniquely interdisciplinary education that differentiates graduates from single-subject media or linguistics degrees.
Linguistic analysis skills enhance media and communication practice — improving writing precision, audience understanding, and cross-cultural communication in journalism and PR.
Offered at two public universities with different fee levels, providing options for students with different budgets.
Kenya's growing media sector — radio, television, digital platforms, and corporate communications — has consistent demand for graduates with combined language and media skills.

Against it

The broad three-route scope means less specialisation depth compared to single-subject degrees in linguistics, journalism, or communication alone.
Rongo University's fee of KES 204,000/year is significantly higher than Moi University's KES 153,000/year, which may affect affordability.
Entry-level media positions can pay modestly (KES 30,000–50,000/month), with higher-paying positions requiring experience, portfolio, and professional accreditation.

What it costs

Tuition at both ends of the market, and how to pay for it.

What it costs, and where

Against 106 media & communication courses

Public189k to 204k

189k at University of Nairobi204k at Kenyatta University

Private105k to 243k

105k at Mount Kenya University243k at Daystar University

Annual tuition in Kenyan shillings, rounded. The upright tick is the median for this field, so a bar sitting entirely to its right is an expensive programme by the standards of its own subject.

The fine print

KU 204K, UoN 189K/yr (educationnewshub KUCCPS). Daystar 243K, MKU 105K/yr (KUCCPS).

Students can access HELB loans, county government bursaries, and university-specific scholarships and bursaries.

Funding options

HELB Undergraduate Loan
County Government Bursaries
University Scholarships and Bursaries

Scholarships

5 recorded

Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) Loan
LoanKsh 60,000Kenyan
Needy Kenyan students placed through KUCCPS in public universities.
Higher Education Fund (HEF)
BursaryKenyan
Kenyan undergraduate students placed by KUCCPS in public universities
Media Council of Kenya Journalism Training Fund
BursaryKenyan
Journalism and communication students accredited by the Media Council of Kenya
Nation Media Group Journalism Graduate Trainee Programme
ScholarshipKenyan
Recent journalism, media and communication graduates with strong digital skills
University Internal Bursaries
BursaryKsh 20,000Kenyan
Needy students enrolled at the respective university, applied through the financial aid office.

Getting in

The grades, the alternatives, and who accredits the award.

What you need

KCSE mean grade: C+
Alternative entry: KCSE mean grade C+ with a Diploma in Journalism, Media Studies, Communication, Linguistics, or a related field from a recognised institution. KACE with two principal passes and one subsidiary pass.

How you are assessed

4 components

Continuous Assessment Tests
Coursework25% of the mark
Written tests covering linguistics, communication theory, media studies, and journalism, assessed through mid-semester and end-of-semester examinations.
Media Production and Language Practical Assignments
Coursework30% of the mark
Journalism assignments, radio production exercises, phonetic transcription, discourse analysis, and digital content projects assessed through practical submissions.
Research Papers and Critical Essays
Coursework15% of the mark
Research papers, media analysis essays, linguistic analysis assignments, and literature reviews assessed throughout each semester.
Final Examinations and Research Project
Examination30% of the mark
End-of-semester written examinations and a final-year research project integrating linguistics, media, and communication, with written dissertation and oral defence.

Accreditation

Accredited by the Commission for University Education (CUE). The programme is offered at Moi University and Rongo University, both CUE-accredited public universities. The Media Council of Kenya provides professional accreditation for practising journalists.

Accredited by

Commission for University Education (CUE)
Academic accreditationRequired
Statutory accreditation for all Kenyan universities offering degree programmes.

Where it leads

The roles it opens, and what you leave with.

Where graduates go

5 roles

Journalist / Reporter
High demandKsh 30,000 to Ksh 60,000
Reports, writes, and edits news stories for newspapers, radio, television, and digital media platforms, applying linguistic precision and communication skills to audience engagement.
Broadcast Journalist
High demandKsh 35,000 to Ksh 70,000
Produces and presents radio and television programmes including news bulletins, current affairs, talk shows, and documentaries for broadcasting stations.
Communications Officer
High demandKsh 35,000 to Ksh 70,000
Develops and manages organisational communications, writes press releases, manages media relations, and coordinates content across platforms for organisations.
Public Relations Officer
Moderate demandKsh 35,000 to Ksh 65,000
Manages public relations, develops communication strategies, writes press releases, organises events, and maintains stakeholder relationships for organisations.
Civil Service Officer (CSG 10)
High demandKsh 42,970 to Ksh 59,120
Entry-level government position handling administrative duties, communications, media relations, and language services in ministries and county governments.

Graduate outcomes

Graduates work as journalists, broadcasters, communications officers, editors, public relations officers, and language consultants in media, corporate communications, publishing, and civil service.

Where these fields lead

8 careers

Tools you will learn

Adobe Creative Suite
SoftwarePrimary
Media production software including Premiere Pro for video editing, InDesign for print layout, Photoshop for image editing, and Audition for audio production — essential for media work.
Microsoft Office Suite
SoftwarePrimary
Productivity tools including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Access for content creation, data management, presentations, and professional communication.
Google Workspace
Software
Collaboration and productivity tools for document creation, project coordination, email communication, and team collaboration in media and communications work.
Praat
Software
Open-source phonetics software for speech analysis, acoustic phonetics, and phonetic transcription — supporting the linguistics component of the programme.
Canva
Software
Graphic design platform for creating social media content, infographics, presentations, and visual communications for media and corporate communications work.

Certifications

Industry links

Common misconceptions

This is just a journalism degree with some linguistics added.
The programme has three equal routes — linguistics, media, and communication — providing a comprehensive understanding of language, media systems, and communication theory. It is more interdisciplinary than a journalism degree alone.
Linguistics is not useful in media careers.
Linguistic analysis is essential for effective journalism, broadcasting, and content creation — understanding language structure, sociolinguistics, and discourse analysis improves writing, editing, and audience communication.
Media and communication degrees have no serious academic content.
The programme includes rigorous linguistic theory, communication research methods, media law, and critical analysis — it combines theoretical depth with practical media skills.
This degree only leads to working in a newsroom.
Graduates work in broadcasting, public relations, corporate communications, publishing, digital media, civil service, and international organisations — the combination of language, media, and communication skills is versatile.
There are too many communication graduates in Kenya.
While communication is popular, this programme's unique combination of linguistics with media and communication differentiates graduates — the language analysis component provides additional skills valued by employers.