Overview
Join us for a PhD in Journalism and Public Relations. You’ll become part of the Media and Cultural Studies team contributing to a vibrant learning community. You’ll have access to quality-assured supervision. You’ll get opportunities to deliver lectures and produce articles for various media.
We’re a leading research unit at Newcastle University with a strong PhD culture. Our research environment supports world-leading, internationally excellent scholarship. Our approach is distinct and interdisciplinary, focusing across theoretical and applied areas.
Our research is characterised by a critical cultural studies approach. PhD supervision is normally available in the following research areas:
- journalism work in transition; the political economy of local media; new understandings of ‘local’; widening diversity in the news workforce; journalism education (Dr David Baines)
- social media; intimacy and changing social relationships; changing media technologies and personal life; gender, media and culture (Professor Deborah Chambers)
- public relations; corporate social responsibility; ePR (Ms Laurel Hetherington)
- journalism; discourse; ideology; political communication; media theory; national identity; war, politics and propaganda (Dr Darren Kelsey)
- critical discourse analysis; discourse analysis of new (social) media; national identity; political discourse analysis; ethnicity and immigration; international politics; the Middle East (Dr Majid Khosravinik)
- financialisation; the political economy of Britain since the 1970s; political and financial elites; the UK Treasury; political rhetoric and its construction; the rhetoric of economics; heterodox economics
- data journalism; infographics; news values; newswork ethnography; online journalism; search engine optimisation; social media (Dr Murray Dick)
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Important information
We’ve highlighted important information about your course. Please take note of any deadlines.
Your course and study experience – disclaimers and terms and conditions
Please rest assured we make all reasonable efforts to provide you with the programmes, services and facilities described. However, it may be necessary to make changes due to significant disruption, for example in response to Covid-19.
View our Academic experience page, which gives information about your Newcastle University study experience for the academic year 2024-25.
See our terms and conditions and student complaints information, which gives details of circumstances that may lead to changes to programmes, modules or University services.
How you’ll learn
Delivery and teaching methods
Attendance is flexible and agreed between you and your supervisors depending on the requirements of the research project.
Assessment methods
Depending on your modules, you’ll be assessed through a combination of:
- Thesis
- Viva
Postgraduate research student support
Our mission is to help you:
- stay healthy, positive and feeling well
- overcome any challenges you may face during your degree – academic or personal
- get the most out of your postgraduate research experience
- carry out admin and activities essential to progressing through your degree
- understand postgraduate research processes, standards and rules
We can offer you tailored wellbeing support, courses and activities.
You can also access a broad range of workshops covering:
- research and professional skills
- careers support
- wellbeing
- health and safety
- public engagement
- academic development
Find out more about our postgraduate research student support
Your development
During your studies you’ll have the opportunity to:
- present papers at conferences
- write articles for academic journals
- contribute articles to edited collections alongside other publications
Additionally, you’ll have the opportunity to enrol on a nationally recognised Teaching in Higher Education qualification. This allows you to host undergraduate and postgraduate seminars.
Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences (HaSS) researcher development programme
Each faculty offers a researcher development programme for its postgraduate research students. We have designed your programme to help you:
- perform better as a researcher
- boost your career prospects
- broaden your impact
Through workshops and activities, it will build your transferable skills and increase your confidence.
You’ll cover:
- techniques for effective research
- methods for better collaborative working
- essential professional standards and requirements
Your researcher development programme is flexible. You can adapt it to meet your changing needs as you progress through your doctorate.
Find out more about the Researcher Education and Development programme
Doctoral training and partnerships
There are opportunities to undertake your PhD at Newcastle within a:
- Centre for Doctoral Training (CDT)
- Doctoral Training Partnership (DTP)
Being part of a CDT or DTP has many benefits:
- they combine research expertise and training of a number of leading universities, academic schools and academics.
- you’ll study alongside a cohort of other PhD students
- they’re often interdisciplinary
- your PhD may be funded
If there are currently opportunities available in your subject area you’ll find them when you search for funding in the fees and funding section on this course.
The following centres/partnerships below may have PhD opportunities available in your subject area in the future:
- ESRC Northern Ireland/North East (NINE) Doctoral Training Partnership
Your future
Our Careers Service
Our award-winning Careers Service is one of the largest and best in the country, and we have strong links with employers. We provide an extensive range of opportunities to all students through our ncl+ initiative.
Visit our Careers Service website
Quality and ranking
- 42% of our research is classified as 4* world-leading research – Research Excellence Framework 2021
- 65% increase in research power since 2014 – Research Excellence Framework 2021
- Global Top 130 University – QS World University Rankings 2025
- Global Top 170 University – Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2024
- Top 25 in the UK and Top 100 in the world for sustainable development – Times Higher Education Impact Rankings 2024
Recognition of professional qualifications outside of the UK
From 1 January 2021 there is an update to the way professional qualifications are recognised by countries outside of the UK
Check the government’s website for more information.
Facilities
As a postgraduate research student in multimedia journalism and public relations you’ll benefit from the Culture Lab facilities. Culture Lab is the University’s interdisciplinary research and practice centre.
Entry requirements
The entrance requirements below apply to 2025 entry.
Academic entry requirements
A 2:1 honours degree and preferably a merit master’s degree, or an international equivalent.
