Sport Journalism (with Foundation Year) BA (Hons) course

Program Overview

This Sport Journalism (with Foundation Year) BA (Hons) at Teesside University equips students with the skills and knowledge for a career in sports journalism. With industry connections and practical experience, students learn through hands-on reporting, industry-standard facilities, and guidance from experienced practitioners. Graduates have secured successful careers with leading media organizations.

Program Outline

Degree Overview:

Objectives:

This Sport Journalism (with Foundation Year) BA (Hons) at Teesside University is designed to equip students with the necessary skills and knowledge to pursue a career in the field of sports journalism.

Course Highlights:

• Industry connections with BBC, Newsquest, Reach PLC, and Middlesbrough Football Club.
• Learn by doing approach with opportunities to report on live football matches.
• Industry-standard facilities including two television studios, a radio station, and a multimedia newsroom.
• Guided by experienced practitioners and academics in the field of journalism.
• Opportunities to publish your stories through TUXtra.
• Creative UK membership benefits including networking events, workshops, and career guidance.

Outline:

Foundation Year:

• Creative Media:
Explores media fundamentals, including the making of images, video, sound, and audio-visual materials.
• Final Project:
Create original ideas and concepts for a creative project.
• Storytelling:
Explores the fundamentals of storytelling and its historical, social, cultural, and political contexts.
• Study Skills:
Develops key study skills in preparation for starting your degree.

Year 1:

• Collaboration Project:
Enhance skills in teamwork, communication, project management, and negotiation.
• Current Issues in Journalism and Media:
Understands the global and national media landscape and explore the impact of UK structures and systems on journalism.
• Introduction to the Creative Industries:
Learn about the structure of the creative industries and the interdisciplinary relationships between art, design, and media.
• Journalism: Principles and Practice (News and Sport):
Introduces core journalistic skills of news and sports reporting and story gathering techniques.

Year 2:

• Creative Research Project:
Develops critical thinking and analysis skills by exploring contemporary issues and debates related to the creative industries.
• Industry Project:
Explores a specific creative industry-based project in your chosen field, developing a professional portfolio.
• Practical Sports Journalism:
Simulates industry-standard practices in convergent newsrooms, learning to write and develop multimedia content and match reports.
• Working in the Creative Industries:
Researches challenges facing contemporary art, design, and media practices and develops understanding of enterprise in the context of the creative industries.

Optional Work Placement Year:

• Gain experience in the industry and develop technical and transferable skills.
• Improve your job prospects and enhance your employability.
• Opportunity to design and base your final-year project within a working environment.

Final Year:

• Major Project:
Produce a self-managed, individual extended piece of independent investigation and/or creative production or portfolio of work.
• Professional Practice:
Plan your departure from education to your first career or further study, developing a professional portfolio and exploring discipline-specific employability strategies.

Assessment:

Assessment methods may vary depending on the module but may include:

• Essays
• Portfolios
• Presentations
• Exams
• Practical projects
• Reflective journals
Assessment criteria will be based on the learning outcomes of each module and will assess your knowledge, understanding, and application of the subject matter.

Teaching:

• A range of teaching methods are used, including lectures, seminars, workshops, and practical sessions.
• Independent and student-centered learning are encouraged.
• You will be taught by experienced academics and practitioners who are experts in their field.

Careers:

Graduates of this program have secured successful careers with BBC, ITN News, Sky Sports News, Reach PLC, and Newsquest.

Other:

• The course is accredited by the National Council for the Training of Journalists (NCTJ).
• The university has invested £280 million in its facilities.
• Teesside University is Europe's first Adobe Creative Campus.
• Students may be eligible for an iPad and up to £300 credit for learning resources.

Tuition Fees and Payment Information:

• Full-time
• Entry to 2024/25 academic year
• Fee for UK applicants
• £9,250 a year
• Fee for international applicants
• £17,000 a year