Bachelor of Arts in Communication Journalism

Introduction to Communication Theory

Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore

Foundational communication theory — covering models of communication, mass media theory, the role of media in society, and the historical development of journalism and communication as disciplines.

News Writing and Reporting

Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore

Journalism fundamentals — covering news values, news writing, reporting techniques, interviewing skills, feature writing, and the practical skills of print and online journalism.

Broadcast Journalism

Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore

Radio and television journalism — covering broadcast reporting, studio production, news anchoring, video editing, radio production, and the technical and creative aspects of broadcast news.

Digital Media and Online Journalism

Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore

Digital journalism and content creation — covering social media journalism, multimedia storytelling, podcasting, digital content strategy, and the use of digital platforms for news and communication.

Media Ethics and Law

Year 2Semester 23 creditsCore

Ethical and legal frameworks for journalism — covering media ethics, codes of conduct, defamation law, copyright, privacy, freedom of expression, and the regulatory framework for media in Kenya.

Editing and Publishing

Year 2Semester 23 creditsCore

Editorial processes — covering copyediting, sub-editing, layout and design, headline writing, editorial decision-making, and the editorial management of print and digital publications.

Photojournalism and Visual Communication

Year 3Semester 13 creditsCore

Visual storytelling through photography — covering photojournalism techniques, documentary photography, image composition, photo editing, visual ethics, and the use of photography in news.

Research Methods in Communication

Year 3Semester 13 creditsCore

Research methodology for communication and journalism — covering quantitative and qualitative research, content analysis, survey design, audience research, and the application of research methods t...

Development Communication

Year 3Semester 23 creditsCore

Communication for social change — covering development communication theory, participatory communication, health communication, advocacy campaigns, and the use of media for community development.

Media Management and Entrepreneurship

Year 3Semester 23 creditsCore

Management of media organisations and media entrepreneurship — covering media business models, content management, audience engagement, digital media monetisation, and media start-up development.

Investigative and Data Journalism

Year 4Semester 13 creditsCore

In-depth investigative reporting and data journalism — covering research methods, data analysis, source development, document analysis, and the production of data-driven investigative stories.

Journalism Project or Research Thesis

Year 4Semester 26 creditsCore

Final-year journalism project or research thesis — demonstrating mastery of communication and journalism theory and practice through a media production project or original research study.

Print and Online Journalism

Focus on print and digital news media — covering news writing, feature writing, investigative reporting, online journalism, content management, and the editorial processes of print and digital news platforms.

Broadcast Journalism

Focus on radio and television journalism — covering broadcast reporting, studio production, news anchoring, video editing, radio production, and the technical and creative aspects of broadcast news.

Digital Media and Online Journalism

Focus on digital journalism and content creation — covering social media journalism, multimedia storytelling, podcasting, digital content strategy, and the use of digital platforms for news and communication.

Photojournalism and Visual Communication

Focus on visual storytelling — covering photojournalism, documentary photography, visual editing, image ethics, and the use of photography and visual media in news and communication.

Development Communication

Focus on communication for social change — covering development communication theory, participatory communication, health communication, advocacy campaigns, and the use of media for community development.

Media Management and Entrepreneurship

Focus on the business of media — covering media business models, media entrepreneurship, content management, audience engagement, digital media monetisation, and media start-up development.

HELB Undergraduate Loan

University Scholarships and Bursaries

County Government Bursaries

Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) Loan

LoanKsh 60,000Kenyan

Needy Kenyan students enrolled in accredited university programmes.

University Internal Bursaries

ScholarshipKsh 50,000Kenyan

Merit-based and need-based scholarships offered by individual universities, applied through the financial aid office.

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

Continuous Assessment Tests

Coursework25% of the mark

Written tests covering communication theory, media law, journalism principles, and media ethics — assessed through mid-semester and end-of-semester examinations.

Practical Media Assignments

Coursework30% of the mark

News writing, broadcast production, photojournalism, digital content creation, and editing — assessed through portfolio review and practical evaluation.

Industry Attachment Reports

Coursework20% of the mark

Reports from industry attachments in media houses, production companies, or corporate communication departments — documenting practical experience and professional reflection.

Final Examinations and Journalism Project

Examination25% of the mark

End-of-semester written examinations and a final-year journalism project or research thesis demonstrating mastery of communication and journalism theory and practice.

Commission for University Education (CUE)

Academic accreditationRequired

Statutory accreditation for all Kenyan universities offering degree programmes. The Bachelor of Arts in Communication Journalism is CUE-accredited at Kenya Methodist University (2012), Maasai Mara University (2016), and Meru University of Science and Technology (2022).

Journalist / News Reporter

Moderate demandKsh 35,000 to Ksh 60,000

Gathers, writes, and reports news for print, broadcast, or online media — covering news stories, conducting interviews, writing articles, and producing content for media houses.

Broadcast Producer / Reporter

Moderate demandKsh 35,000 to Ksh 55,000

Produces and reports for radio or television — covering studio production, field reporting, news anchoring, video editing, and the creative and technical aspects of broadcast news.

Digital Content Creator

High demandKsh 35,000 to Ksh 60,000

Creates digital media content for media platforms and organisations — covering social media journalism, multimedia storytelling, podcasting, and digital content strategy.

Editor / Sub-Editor

Moderate demandKsh 40,000 to Ksh 65,000

Manages editorial content for publications and media platforms — covering copyediting, sub-editing, layout, headline writing, and editorial decision-making.

Communication Officer

High demandKsh 40,000 to Ksh 65,000

Manages communication for organisations — covering corporate communication, media relations, content creation, internal communication, and stakeholder engagement.

Adobe Creative Suite (Premiere Pro, Photoshop, InDesign)

SoftwarePrimary

Media production software for video editing, photo editing, and print layout — essential for journalism, photojournalism, and media production.

Microsoft Office Suite

SoftwarePrimary

Productivity tools including Word for news writing and scripts, Excel for data journalism, and PowerPoint for story pitches and presentations.

Content Management Systems (WordPress)

Software

Web publishing platforms for online journalism — covering content management, digital publishing, SEO, and the management of online news content.

Social Media Management Tools (Hootsuite, Buffer)

Software

Social media management platforms for scheduling posts, monitoring engagement, and managing social media journalism content.

SPSS (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences)

Software

Statistical analysis software for communication research — covering audience research, content analysis, and media research statistics.

Communication Journalism is just about reading news on TV.

The programme covers communication theory, news writing, broadcast production, digital media, editing, photojournalism, and media management — it is a comprehensive discipline combining theory with practical journalism skills.

Journalism graduates can only work in media houses.

Graduates work in corporate communication, digital media, NGOs, government communication, education, and as independent content creators — with diverse career paths across all sectors requiring communication expertise.

Communication Journalism is the same as Mass Communication.

Communication Journalism combines communication theory with practical journalism skills, while Mass Communication is broader — covering PR, advertising, and communication theory alongside journalism.

There are no jobs in journalism in Kenya.

Demand for journalism and communication professionals is growing — digital media has created new platforms and formats, with every organisation needing content creators and communication officers.

Journalism is dying because of social media.

Journalism is evolving, not dying — social media has created new platforms and formats for journalism, with growing demand for multimedia content creators who can produce credible, ethical content.