Sports Journalism BA (Hons)

Program Overview

The Sports Journalism BA (Hons) program equips students with the skills and knowledge to thrive in the evolving sports media industry. It emphasizes experiential learning, collaborative projects, and practical application of skills in writing, broadcasting, and digital media. Graduates are prepared for careers as sports journalists, broadcasters, writers, and other professionals in the sports media sector. The program is located in Chester, providing access to sports clubs and a dedicated journalism newsroom for hands-on experience.

Program Outline

Degree Overview:

This Sports Journalism BA (Hons) program equips students with the skills and knowledge necessary for a career in the ever-evolving sports media industry.

Objectives:

The course focuses on the practices, contexts, and key theories within sports journalism, with a particular emphasis on the role of digital media. The program aims to develop students' skills in:

• Writing and broadcasting in multiplatform environments
• Understanding the wider context of sports journalism
• Building relationships and working collaboratively
• Producing original stories and content

Description:

The program delves into the practices, contexts, and key theories within the sports journalism industry. It explores the role of digital media and equips students with the skills needed to thrive in a range of areas within the expanding sports media industry.

Outline:

Foundation Year

• University Study Skills: Introduces essential skills for success in higher education, including academic writing, reading strategies, seminar skills, time management, meeting deadlines, understanding and responding to feedback, and referencing.
• Independent Project: Develops research and planning skills, allows students to explore topics within their undergraduate subject, and cultivates critical analytical skills.
• Global Perspectives: Explores issues of global significance, develops critical thinking and research skills, and fosters an awareness of global justice debates.
• Introduction to Marketing: Provides an introduction to marketing concepts and principles, focusing on the Marketing Mix and target market analysis.
• Visual Culture: History and Society: Explores visual language and its role in society, covering topics such as cinema, advertising, photography, and digital spaces.
• Narrative and Storytelling: Examines the importance of narrative and storytelling across cultures and contexts, developing skills in reading and interpreting texts.

Year 1

• Introduction to Journalism: Introduces students to journalistic practices, the current context of the industry, and basic academic skills.
• Journalism Regulation: Covers legal and ethical frameworks essential for journalists, including court reporting, defamation, privacy, and media ethics.
• Live Journalism: Simulates a newsroom environment, challenging students to generate news stories, conduct interviews, and produce content for a dedicated website.
• How to be a Journalist: Essentials: Focuses on hard news writing, mobile journalism, social media use, feature writing, basic photography, audio-visual skills, design, and multimedia content management.
• Sports Writing: Introduces fundamental sports journalism skills, including writing match reports, features, research, and generating ideas for various media platforms.

Year 2

• Experiential Overseas Learning (Optional): Prepares students for overseas experiential learning opportunities, enhancing their global citizenship, intercultural competence, and personal development.
• Year abroad study exchange (Optional): Allows students to undertake study at one of the University of Chester’s partner universities for a full academic year, fostering intercultural awareness and independent learning skills.
• Experiential Project (Optional): Offers students the opportunity to work on a major project in a professional, simulated real-world environment, developing practical skills and experience.
• Specialist Journalism: Develops expertise in researching, generating, and communicating news, enabling students to produce a portfolio of features, including news features, profiles, and investigations.
• Sports Publishing: Builds upon journalistic skills, introducing students to researching and generating sports reports and features across various platforms, including newspapers, magazines, and web-based content.
• Sports Broadcasting: Introduces broadcast media and develops audio and video skills required in a broadcast journalism environment, covering production, interviewing, shooting, editing, and scriptwriting.
• Research Methods for Journalists: Provides an overview of research methods in media, communication, and journalism studies, equipping students to analyze research and conduct primary and secondary research.
• Enhancing your Employability through Work Based Learning (Optional): Supports students in securing and undertaking work placements, enhancing their employability skills, and developing their understanding of workplace practice.

Year 3

• Negotiated Study (double) (Optional): Allows students to initiate and develop their own major project ideas, promoting independence, project management, and professional practice.
• Dissertation (Optional): Enables students to conduct in-depth research and write at length on a topic of their choice, developing advanced research and writing skills.
• Journalism in a Post-Truth World (Optional): Examines the ethical dimensions of contemporary journalism, exploring issues such as moral panic, risk, and the influence of social media and political populism on media coverage.
• Sustainable Journalism (Optional): Focuses on the 'crisis' in public communication and journalism, encouraging students to explore sustainable solutions and develop entrepreneurial skills.
• The Sports Business: Outlines the principles for producing reports that reflect the business-driven nature of contemporary sports, developing students’ understanding of the terminology and ethical considerations in this area.
• Sports Industry Project: Provides students with opportunities for practical journalistic practice, allowing them to consolidate skills and prepare for professional work in digital and multimedia contexts.

Assessment:

The assessment methods used in this program vary depending on the module but typically include:

• Coursework
• Presentations
• Essays
• Evaluations
• Major projects
• Dissertation (Optional)
• Work Based Learning (Optional)

Teaching:

• Teaching methods: The program combines a variety of teaching methods, including:
• Lectures
• Seminars
• Workshops
• Guest speakers
• Practical assignments
• Real-world projects
• Work-based learning opportunities
• Faculty: The program is taught by experienced journalism professionals and academics with a wealth of industry knowledge and expertise.
• Unique approaches: The program emphasizes experiential learning, collaborative learning, and practical application of skills.
Students have opportunities to participate in simulated newsroom environments, work on real-world projects, and undertake work placements.

Careers:

• Potential career paths: The program prepares students for a range of careers in the sports media industry, including:
• Sports journalist
• Sports broadcaster
• Sports writer
• Sports editor
• Sports commentator
• Sports content creator
• Sports marketing professional
• Sports public relations professional
• Opportunities: Graduates of this program have found employment with prominent organizations, including:
• FC Barcelona
• LFCTV
• Widnes Vikings
• The England and Wales Cricket Board
• Press Association
• The National League
• Wakefield Wildcats
• Chester FC
• The Anfield Wrap
• Outcomes: The program equips students with the skills, knowledge, and experience necessary to succeed in a competitive and fast-paced industry.
Graduates are highly sought after by employers in the sports media sector, and many have gone on to secure successful careers in journalism, broadcasting, and other related fields.

Other:

The program is ideally located in Chester, providing easy access to a range of sports clubs, including Premier League football teams, Super League rugby teams, and Chester Racecourse. Students have extensive opportunities to gain matchday experience and see their work published. The program also includes a dedicated journalism newsroom, where students can pursue stories, develop contacts, and build their professional portfolios.

Tuition Fees and Payment Information:

Home Students: £9,250 per year (2024/25) International/EU Students: £13,950 per year (2024/25) The tuition fees for international students studying Undergraduate programmes in 2024/25 are £13,950. This fee is set for each year of study. All undergraduate students are eligible for international and merit-based scholarships which are applicable to each year of study. For more information, go to our International Fees, Scholarship and Finance section. Irish Nationals living in the UK or ROI are treated as Home students for Tuition Fee Purposes.