Wits Journalism is a programme for aspirant and working journalists. Located in Johannesburg – at the heart of the country's media – it is well placed to work closely with the industry and working professionals to ensure a rich and exciting centre of teaching, training, research and public engagement.

The department is steeped in a tradition of independent, critical, quality journalism. Courses are taught by journalists with many years of experience and seniority in the profession including Prof Anton Harber, Prof Franz Kruger, Lesley Cowling, Jo-Anne Richards, Margaret Renn, Antony Kaminj, and Kevin Davie. Adjunct Lecturers include Irwin Manoim, Ruth Becker, Indra de Lanerolle and Glenn Penfold.

A special visiting lecturer programme brings some of the country's most prominent professionals to interact with students. This has included Tim Modise, John Perlman, Mark Gevisser, Ferial Haffajee, Justice Malala, Charlayne Hunter-Gault, Harald Pakendorf, Raymond Louw, Phillip Altbeker, Liz McGregor, Phylicia Oppelt and Tim Cohen.

Wits Journalism offers:

• a career-entry route for graduates who want to become journalists,
• a mid-career route for working journalists who wish to develop their skills and knowledge,
• a Masters option with specialisations in financial and investigative journalism.
• A number of certificate courses in areas such as newspaper design, media law and ethics, as well as specializations such as financial and investigative journalism
• a Development Communication programme

Students will find the course a rich mix of practical and academic training, designed to give them both the skills they need to operate in a newsroom and the analytic and critical knowledge so important to good journalism.

Our experiential learning model means that career-entry students will work under the mentorship of experienced professionals on the following outlets:

• Our weekly campus newspaper and website, Vuvuzela

• The campus radio station Voice of Wits (VOW)

• An in-depth research project presented online (see the 2011 students' website on the Johannesburg CBD and the 2012 students' website about Main Reef Road).

Mid-career journalists will find opportunities to upgrade their skills, and branch into new areas.

The Radio Academy teaches a wide range of radio skills at Honours, Masters and certificate level. Courses are offered in areas such as radio journalism, production, presentation and management. Students can also combine these courses for an Advanced Certificate in Radio.

The Development Communication programme, pitched at Honours NQF level 8, investigates new ways for interacting with journalists, as well as utilising social media, speeches and publications to directly involve people in development initiatives. 

We hold a number of annual conferences and workshops of interest to working professionals. These include Power Reporting – the African Investigative Journalism Conference; FinWrite, a financial journalists’ gathering, and Radio Days, which draws radio experts from across the continent and globe.

Through partnerships with Media 24, Reuters, Primedia, Independent News and Media and others, there are a range of scholarships and internships available to students.

Wits Journalism also includes a number of projects, awards and fellowships that have a substantial impact on the South African media industry. These include Africa’s most prestigious investigative journalism fellowship and awards, Taco Kuiper, the Ruth First fellowship, the HIV/Aids and the Media Project and the Justice Project.