Sports Journalism MA

Program Overview

Students develop practical skills in sports journalism, commentary, and punditry through hands-on workshops and industry connections. The program emphasizes employability and prepares graduates for careers in sports reporting, digital editing, and broadcast production.

Program Outline

Building on the success of our existing multi-platform courses, MA Sports Journalism specialises in digital storytelling for sports coverage in print, online and broadcast. The sports journalism marketplace has expanded exponentially, driven by technological change, with traditional media supplemented by web-based publishing, digital radio and TV. You will learn and develop a wide range of the practical skills of sports journalism, commentary and punditry for TV, radio, podcast, online and newspapers. As well as being the subject of sports coverage, the sport bodies and clubs increasingly employ in-house journalism teams to produce video and written content for their channels.

Outline:

• Course Content:
• Specializes in digital storytelling for sports coverage in print, online, and broadcast.
• Utilizes the university's journalism facilities: multi-platform digital newsroom and studios for television and radio.
• Covers a wide range of practical skills in sports journalism, commentary, and punditry for TV, radio, podcast, online, and newspapers.
• Focuses on employability and benefits from industry links with media companies and sporting organizations.
• Course Structure:
• One-year (full-time) course, starting in September and split into three trimesters.
• Teaching methods combine lectures with specialist workshops in newsrooms and independent study.
• Course Schedule:
• Starts in September.
• Modules:
• Commentary and Punditry in Sports (JAC11142):
Develops the necessary skills to work as a commentator or pundit in a broad range of popular sports. Includes industry standards, practical activities, critical appraisal of commentary, and production of commentary and punditry to a professional level. Covers developments in the modern sport industry, such as data analytics, tactics, and sports science. Examines the ethical and commercial dimensions and major issues faced in different global sports.
• Global Business of Sports (JAC11143): Offers a global perspective on the sports industry, considering the impact of different modalities and its effects on societies and communities.
Critically examines the world of sports and its multibillion industries across the globe, including the different formats of popular sports, penetration, and structure in different countries. Explores the history and social context of key popular sports, their global reach, and their cultural and political impacts on society. Investigates the individual characteristics of main leagues and international competitions. Critically appraises the financial aspect of sports industries by exploring regulations, stakeholders, and the emergence of governing bodies.
• Radio Bulletins (JAC11135): Introduces a variety of common radio formats and terminology used in specific broadcast environments.
Expands critical understanding of the radio environment in the UK and beyond. Enables students to realize story ideas through to completion in various formats suitable for broadcast and podcasting. Covers research, finding contributors, recording on location, broadcast journalism processes and paperwork, risk assessment, interview techniques, audio recorders, scripting, and editing software.
• Sports Journalism Rights and Regulations (JAC11144): Provides an overview of legislation and ethical codes of journalism in Scotland and the UK, contextualized for professionals working in the sports industry.
Critically appraises the legal and regulatory challenges facing sports media and sports governing bodies at Scottish, UK, European, and global levels. Examines how these issues are pertinent to individual journalists and media organizations and specific sports-related legislation. Covers areas like criminal law, civil law, business law, and employment law. Reflects on social media's legal impact on mainstream media, professionals, and governing bodies. Emphasizes the ethical and legal importance of inclusion, diversity, and human rights in the modern sports industry.
• Sports News Reporting (JAC11145): Introduces sports journalism and the sports industry.
Provides knowledge and understanding of current journalism practice in sports reporting and writing, interview techniques, feature writing, and creating digital, multimedia content for online sites and social media platforms. Develops experience in sports reporting and writing, and the ability to analyze and critically evaluate sports news stories. Includes newsdays that simulate industry standards for digital content production. Covers the language and jargon of different sports and effective communication with general and specialist audiences and viewers. Encourages students to seek press accreditation and attend matches and events to put their skills into practice.
• TV and Multimedia News (JAC11133): Develops video storytelling techniques for broadcast and online, with emphasis on devising creative treatments for specific audiences.
Covers professional skills required to film and edit visual sequences, write a broadcast script, conduct interviews, and present on camera. Includes group work on producing TV bulletins, understanding TV studio production, presenting styles, live interviewing techniques, and simulated work environment with deadlines. Analyzes conventional TV news narrative techniques and explores the evolving nature of creative digital video production, focusing on mobile journalism and social media platforms. Covers journalistic, ethical, and technical challenges of working in a TV newsroom. Discusses contemporary issues like privacy and consent, TV regulation, digital platforms, and the place of video within a converged and digital workplace.

Assessment:

• Continuous Assessment:
• 'Live' newsdays.
• Production of TV and radio bulletins.
• Major Project:
• In-depth piece of sports journalism, either video or audio, text or online.

Teaching:

• Teaching Methods:
• Lectures.
• Specialist workshops in newsrooms.
• Independent study.
• Faculty:
• Team of media professionals-academics with a background in broadcasting, newspapers, and online for media organizations like Sky Sports, BBC, talkSPORT, BT Sport, STV, The Scotsman, Olympic Broadcast Services, Channel 4, Sky News, Radio Clyde, Talk Radio, The Times, and The Sunday Times.
• Unique Approaches:
• Live "newsdays" that simulate the excitement of a day in the life of a multimedia digital newsroom.
• Field trips to live sport events (men and women's fixtures) and the associated press activities.
• Access to industry connections, with studies enhanced by guest lectures and work placements.
• Opportunities to develop industry contacts and work in publishing/broadcasting before graduation.

Careers:

• Potential Career Paths:
• Reporter
• Commentator
• News Editor
• Digital Editor
• Feature writer
• Sports correspondent
• Producer for broadcast and online
• Broadcaster
• Podcaster
• Analyst/Pundit
• Presenter

Other:

• Facilities:
• Digital newsroom.
• TV studio.
• Live radio studio (home to student station, ENRG Radio).
• Voiceover booth.
• Podcast studio.
• Field Trips:
• May incur additional transport costs.
• Work Placement:
• Students are encouraged to seek a minimum of 15 days work experience placements as part of the course.
• Course Leader:
• David Tanner MSc, who has presented live football on Sky Sports, hosted on BT Sport, STV News, Sky Sports News, and Sky News in London, covered sport in over 30 countries, including the Tokyo Olympics, and is talkSPORT's Scotland Correspondent.

| Fee | Amount | Currency | |---|---|---| | For Students From Scotland, England, Wales, Northern Ireland, and Republic of Ireland | £7,280 | N/A | | Overseas and EU | £18,800 | N/A |