Program Overview

BA (Hons) Sports Journalism

The BA (Hons) Sports Journalism course is a specialist, industry-accredited program that offers students the opportunity to develop core journalistic skills in producing sports news, reports, and features content for print, online, or broadcast platforms.

Course Overview

This course is accredited by the National Council for the Training of Journalists (NCTJ) and teaching is delivered by experienced industry professionals and academics. The course explores what it takes to be a journalist in the sports industry, covering the core journalistic skills of newsgathering, writing, use of social media, media law, public affairs, ethics, interviewing, and match and event reporting.

Key Information

• Campus: Brayford Pool
• Typical Offer: See More
• Duration: 3 years
• Part-time: 6 years
• Validation Status: Subject to Revalidation
• UCAS Code: P503

Academic Year

The course is continually revised to reflect advances in digital news and features production.

Course Structure

First Year

• Essential Journalism 1
• Essential Law
• Journalism Production 1
• Politics for Journalists
• Sport and the Media
• Sport Writing and Reporting
• Shorthand (Option)

Second Year

• Essential Journalism 2
• Journalism Production 2: News Days
• Journalism Production 2: Project
• Law, Ethics and Regulation
• Research methods
• Sport and Society
• Industry Placement (Option)
• Journalism International Exchange (Option)
• Shorthand (Option)

Third Year

• Journalism Independent Study
• Journalism Production 3: Major Project
• Professional Journalism Production
• Sport, PR and Communication
• The Business of Sport

Modules

Each module has a detailed overview, including:

• Essential Journalism 1: Develops key journalistic skills needed to tell stories on the most appropriate platform.
• Essential Law: Introduces students to the legal system and the impact of legislation on the work of journalists.
• Journalism Production 1: Introduces students to the editorial and production skills required for web-based multiplatform news production.
• Politics for Journalists: Studies the political, democratic, and administrative structure of the UK.
• Sport and the Media: Explores the development of organised sport and its relationship with the media.
• Sport Writing and Reporting: Develops the essential skills of writing and reporting for sports.
• Shorthand: Enables fast, accurate note-taking in any situation.

Assessment

The way students are assessed on this course may vary for each module, including coursework, practical exams, and written exams.

Specialist Facilities

Journalism students benefit from a suite of newsrooms, with associated workstations and specialist print production software. Broadcast students have exclusive access to radio and television presentation studios.

Work Placements

Work experience forms an integral part of the course, and students are encouraged to seek placements as soon as possible.

Student Media Platforms

Students can get involved with a range of media outlets, including the print and online school magazine, student-run Linc news site, and Cygnet PR.

Career Opportunities

University of Lincoln journalism and sports journalism graduates have gone on to work at regional and national journalism and PR outlets.

Entry Requirements

• United Kingdom: 96 to 104 UCAS Tariff points, with a minimum of 2 A Levels or equivalent Level 3 qualifications.
• International: Non-UK qualifications are considered, with English language proficiency equivalent to IELTS 6.0 overall.

Fees and Scholarships

A full breakdown of the fees associated with this program can be found on the course fees pages. Scholarships and bursaries are available to help cover costs.