Multimedia Sports Journalism Degree BA (Hons)

Program Overview

The Multimedia Sports Journalism BA (Hons) degree at the University of Northampton provides students with the skills and knowledge necessary for a successful career in sports media. Accredited by the Broadcast Journalism Training Council, the program emphasizes practical experience, industry connections, and a comprehensive understanding of sports journalism across all platforms. Students are equipped with expertise in writing, video production, live reporting, and digital journalism, preparing them for careers in sports reporting, content creation, and other areas within the sports media industry.

Program Outline

Degree Overview:

The Multimedia Sports Journalism BA (Hons) degree at the University of Northampton is a three-year (full-time) program designed to equip students with the skills and knowledge necessary for a successful career in sports media. The program is accredited by the Broadcast Journalism Training Council (BJTC).

Objectives:

The program aims to:

• Develop students' audio and video production skills.
• Teach students how to write sports stories and understand the laws and ethics of sports reporting.
• Provide students with real-life experience working with sports clubs, bodies, and media companies in Northamptonshire.
• Prepare students for a career in sports media across all platforms, including local newspapers, newsrooms, commercial communication departments, and national broadcasters.

Description:

The program is structured to provide a comprehensive understanding of sports journalism, encompassing both traditional and emerging media formats. Students will learn to:

• Year 1: Master core audio, video, and mobile journalism skills, including interviewing, reporting, and publishing.
They will also learn how to write sports stories and features.
• Year 2: Enhance their skills in all areas, with extended teaching in magazine journalism, sports media regulation, sports commentary, and documentary making.
They will also prepare for their final year projects and dissertation.
• Year 3: Apply their skills to professional standards in multi-platform newsdays, developing their employment skills for future careers.
They will learn about future trends in journalism technology and storytelling. Their final year project will be either a documentary or a magazine, and their dissertation will analyze and question a key issue in sports media production, sports journalism, or sports ethics.

Outline:

Stage 1 (Year 1):

• Writing Skills for Sports Journalists (20 Credits): Introduces students to the writing skills of a sports reporter across platforms, including print, online, and broadcast.
• The International Sports Industry (20 Credits): Introduces students to the international sports industry, examining its structure, administration, regulation, and relationship with the media.
• Law and Public Affairs for Journalists (20 Credits): Covers key civic structures for the UK and essential elements of media law, preparing students to newsgather important public interest stories effectively and legally.
• Sports Newsgathering (20 Credits): Develops technical and editorial expertise across print, radio, television, and online journalism through guided instruction and practical assignments.
• Sports News Production (20 Credits): Develops technical and editorial expertise across radio, television, and online journalism through guided instruction and practical assignments.
• Sport Broadcast Skills (20 Credits): Develops professional journalistic skills in research, newsgathering, reporting, and production, culminating in Sports News Days module.
• Sports News Days (20 Credits): Provides students with real-world experience reporting on the news in a near-professional work environment with deadlines.
• Live Sports Reporting and Regulation (20 Credits): Enables students to convey the excitement of a live sports event through multimedia content generation, learning advanced radio, video, and text generation techniques.
• Design Skills for Sports Journalists (20 Credits): Develops hands-on page design, layout, sub-editing, and proofreading skills, using industry-standard graphic design and publishing software.
• Digital Skills for Sports Journalists (20 Credits): Develops awareness of digital toolsets and critical thinking on development of content on digital platforms.

Stage 3 (Year 3):

• Journalism Practical Project (20 Credits): Facilitates independent creative and critical work in a specified area of journalistic production, requiring students to initiate, discuss, and negotiate a body of work for the year.
• Launchpad: Careers in Sports Journalism (20 Credits): Prompts students to consider a specific role within sports journalism and investigate how this might become a future career path.
• International Sport and the Media (20 Credits): Develops a comprehensive understanding of the origins, development, and expansion of the contemporary sports media business and its relationship with governing bodies.
• Multiplatform Journalism (20 Credits): Establishes and manages a local journalism newsroom with outputs on digital, radio, and television.
• Future Trends in Journalism (20 Credits): Examines the development of future trends in journalism, critically examining changes and emerging trends.
• Journalism Dissertation (20 Credits): Provides an opportunity for students to develop a particular disciplinary interest at length.

Assessment:

Students are assessed through a variety of methods, including:

• Practical portfolios
• Essays
• Reports
• Presentations
• Practical projects
• Written examinations
• Timed tests

Teaching:

• The program is taught by a combination of lectures, seminars, and workshops, both face-to-face and online through blended learning.
• Students are taught by experienced journalists who are still working in the industry.
• The program emphasizes practical experience, with students attending press conferences and live events, working on a student sports show on NLIVE community radio, and interviewing sports people from the area.
• The program also features industry guest speakers, including well-known names in the sports media industry.

Careers:

Upon completion of the program, students will be equipped with the skills to work in any area and across all platforms within the sports media, including:

• Sports Journalist
• Club media officer
• Sports video content creator
• Sports commentator
• Esports reporter
• TV reporter
• Feature writer
• Magazine writer

Other:

• The program includes dedicated newsroom and specialist radio equipment.
• Students benefit from strong industry connections, such as BBC and ITN.
• The program offers learning trips to sporting events in the UK and abroad.
• Students are eligible for a guaranteed paid internship with the Northampton Employment Promise.
• Students receive an HP laptop and software included with the course (for eligible UK fee payers).

2024/25 Tuition Fees Fees quoted relate to study Sports Journalism in the Academic Year 24/25 only and may be subject to inflationary increases in future years. UK – Full Time: £9,250 UK – Part Time: £1,540 per 20 credit module UK – Integrated Foundation Year: £9,250 International – Full Time: £15,200 International – Integrated Foundation Year: £15,200 Additional Costs printing costs: £50+ per year external hard drive to store material: £50 travel on Newsdays to stories: No more than £50 2023/24 Tuition Fees Fees quoted relate to study Sports Journalism in the Academic Year 23/24 only and may be subject to inflationary increases in future years. UK – Full Time: £9,250 UK – Part Time: £1,540 per 20 credit module UK – Integrated Foundation Year: £9,250 International – Full Time: £14,750 International – Integrated Foundation Year: £14,750 Additional Costs printing costs: £50+ per year external hard drive to store material: £50 travel on Newsdays to stories: No more than £50