Journalism courses in Kenya(Entry grades, where to study, etc)

Last updated on April 9th, 2024 at 04:46 am

Here are the colleges offering journalism courses in Kenya…..

Studying journalism opens many doors and gives you an opportunity to excel in a whole range of careers in TV, radio, print media, online journalism, advertising, etc.

The key skills required in the field include creativity, communication, writing, as well, as research skills.

To get you started, below we briefly introduce you to the best journalism courses in Kenya and the best institutions to study for journalism and mass communication in the country.

Journalism courses in Kenya – details, requirements, and where to study

1.     Certificate in journalism in Kenya

This is an entry mass communication course and you only require to have scored at least a mean grade of D plain to qualify (plus a D in Kiswahili/English).

That said, there are colleges that ask for a mean grade of D+ and a similar grade in Kiswahili/English.

For the most part, the course takes between two trimesters (6 months) to 1 year and you can study in institutions such as Zetech University,   NIBS, KIMC, East African School of media studies, and East Africa school of journalism, and many more.

I should add that KIMC (Kenya Institute of mass communication) offers a Certificate in Broadcast Journalism though you require a Mean Grade of C- and a C- in Kiswahili, English, and any other two subjects.

Other certificate courses:

·         Certificate in Film/Video Programs Production

Note: A KCSE Mean Grade of C- and a C- in English & Kiswahili and C- in any other two subjects is required for Film/Video Programs Production.

Lastly, those who are interested in working as professionals in areas such as coding news websites, developing news apps, and the like can take a Certificate in Media Technology course at KIMC.

You will need of Mean Grade of C- plus a C- in English & Kiswahili. You also need a mean grade of D plain in Mathematics together with a C- in any other two subjects.

Other colleges that offer mass communication and media studies that you can check out include Mohammed Amin Foundation, Andrew Crawford Media Training School, etc.

Diploma Journalism courses in Kenya

A great deal of journalism jobs in Kenya need at least a Diploma qualification and it’s advisable to consider taking a Diploma programme after graduating with a certificate (for those who started at the certificate).

Keep in mind that a Diploma takes about 2 years on average.

Popular Diploma Programmes

1.      Courses specializing in Information Training

Diploma in Journalism– The course covers professional training in researching, writing, and editing news for magazines, newspapers and broadcasting news for TV and radio.

Diploma in Broadcast Journalism– The course teaches students skills in areas such as gathering and communicating news stories and other types of stories to radio and television audiences.

Diploma in journalism and media studies– this covers journalism units  such as Broadcast Journalism, Sub-editing, Newspaper Reporting, Freelance and Feature Writing, and Media Law plus Ethics

2.      TV/Radio Programme Production Courses

• Diploma in TV Programmes Production– this prepares learners for a career as reflective practitioners in the film and TV industries or for self-employment in media arts.
• Diploma in Radio Programmes Production– here you specialize in radio and you’ll be trained in Audio production, Writing for radio, Radio broadcasting, Public speaking, and even Radio station management among others.

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3.      Film/Video Production training

Here the training covers the fundamentals of writing scripts, directing, producing, sound recording, cinematography, editing, besides the various business aspects of film & video industry.

The specializations on offer are:

• Diploma in Film/Video Programmes Production-Production & Directing option)
• Diploma in Film/Video Programmes Production-Editing option)
• Diploma in Film/Video Programmes Production-Camera option)
• Diploma in Film/Video Programmes Production-Sound option)

Minimum entry Requirements for Diploma Programmes

General Admission Requirements

KCSE Mean Grade: C plain

Additional requirements: C plain in English & Kiswahili plus any other two subjects

Alternative entry requirements:
A Relevant Certificate course from a recognized college.

You may be additionally required to have at least one years’ experience in media.

Admission Requirements for Film/Video Production Course

KCSE Mean Grade: C plain

Additional requirements: C (plain) in English language and C- in Kiswahili. You also need to have a D+ in Mathematics/Physics

Don’t forget that you’re required to have taken Computer Studies at the KCSE to be admitted into the Animation & Graphic Design course.

Media Engineering Training

Diploma in Media Technology-This diploma is designed for students wishing to build a career in the design and development of media technologies, including programming websites and mobile apps, editing digital videos, and managing all kinds of digital projects.

Admission Requirements for the Diploma in Media Technology programme
KCSE Mean Grade: Mean Grade C-

Additional requirements: C- in English, Mathematics, and Physics or Physical Sciences

 

Degree in mass communication

If you’re qualified to take journalism at the degree level- a minimum of C+ is required- we suggest that you check out any of the leading universities offering journalism in Kenya.

These include:

• Daystar University
• Multimedia university of Kenya
• University of Nairobi (one of the best media universities in Kenya)
• Moi University.
• Maseno University
• USIU

Alternative entry requirements for degree level journalism courses in Kenya

You can qualify for a BA (Bachelor of Arts) in Journalism with a KCSE mean grade C plain with at least a C+ in English/Kiswahili plus a Diploma in Journalism or equivalent from any recognized post-secondary institution.

Postgraduate Diploma in Mass Communication

This is the course for those who have graduated with a bachelor’s degree in other areas but need a journalism qualification maybe because they’re working in a media house or just to make their CVs more attractive.

The course takes between 1 year to 2 ½ years depending on your chosen mode of study and the best place to study the course is KIMC.

Admission Requirements
A Bachelors Degree from any recognised university

Digital journalism courses in Kenya

Digital journalism courses are recommended for those seeking to build a firm foundation in online journalism.

Any digital journalism course helps learners build relevant skills in digital media technologies and you’ll be able to work as an online journalist in media houses and other online-based news platforms.

Sadly, not many schools offering journalism in Kenya offer these types of media courses in Kenya perhaps because it’s still fairly new.

In fact, we only recommend the Agha Khan University for anybody looking to train as a digital journalist in Kenya at the moment.

 

Job Options for graduates of journalism courses in Kenya

Typical jobs directly associated with your course:

• Broadcast journalist
• Magazine features editor
• Editorial assistant
• Political analyst
• Magazine journalist
• Newspaper journalist
• Press sub-editor
• Web content manager
• Publishing copy-editor/proofreader
• Writer

Jobs where your course could be useful include:

• Advertising copywriter
• Market researcher
• Multimedia specialist
• Science writer
• Digital copywriter
• Public relations officer
• Translator

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