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Sports Journalism BA(Hons)

2024-25 (also available for 2025-26)

It’s not too late to apply for September.
It’s not too late to apply for September.

Start date

16 September 2024

Duration

3 years full-time
4 years inc. placement year

Entry requirements

A Level - BBC-BCC

BTEC - DMM-MMM

See full entry requirements

Places available (subject to change)

30

About the course

Reasons to study

1. Gain skills such as match reporting under pressure, and how to break stories on social media. 
2.Get behind the mic and be taught by working sports commentators. 
3. Begin your career in sports journalism: recent graduates work for BBC Sport, ITV, and talkSPORT, as well as football and rugby league clubs, the English Football League (EFL), and news websites, newspapers and magazines*. 

Considering a journalism degree? Our Sports Journalism BA(Hons) helps you refine your journalism education to a topic you’re passionate about: sport. Sports media is a global entertainment industry – and via this exciting course, it’s our job to get you ready to enter this exciting world.

You’ll gain a huge range of technical and creative skills, from match coverage and in-depth research, analysis, and interviewing, to club and sports promotion – across online, social, video and audio.

We’ll nurture your passion for the sports you love, while developing your understanding of the forces behind the headlines. You’ll think about the power of digital media and fan culture and become fully equipped for a great career.

Why study Sports Journalism BA(Hons)

On this course, you’ll:

  • Learn everything from writing a match report to producing a podcast and presenting your own TV sports show.
  • Our academics include industry experts, such as reporters, broadcasters, and commentators, who will help you develop a deep understanding of key issues in sport, culture, and the media.
  • Work experience opportunities in sports media, facilitated by our strong relationships with professionals in the field, will help you turn your passion into a career.

Whether you’re keen to head into a career in broadcasting, digital or print media, this degree is ideal. Past graduates have gone on to work for BBC Sport, ITV, and talkSPORT, as well as football and rugby league clubs, the English Football League (EFL), and news site. newspapers and magazines**.

*** Source: LinkedIn

Course detail

Core modules:

Analysing Content

Analysing Content introduces you to the analysis of fiction and non-fiction visual media, from Hollywood films and television series to news and advertising. You will learn how to conduct more complex analysis of the meaning conveyed through media texts as well as their connection to cultural ideology.

Digital Communication Technology

Your phone screen may be the first thing you see in the morning and the last thing you check at night, and in this module we look at the role of technology in shaping our world. We combine critical analysis of key platforms and technologies, from Google and YouTube to Facebook and Twitter, with teaching you the skills to use those tools to create professional media content.

Journalism Law Ethics and Policy

This module introduces you to essential media law, ethics and policy knowledge needed for a career in journalism. It will help you understand the structures in which journalists and their employers operate, and the ways in which specific legal, ethical and regulatory frameworks impact the material created and published by media companies. You will learn about these so you can begin to effectively apply them in the context of creating journalism content.

Digital Audio Production

The module introduces you to a range of audio formats and technologies: mobile, online, radio and podcast. You will be provided with the essential recording, editing and studio skills necessary to produce an audio output, and to understand the language and concepts required to critically evaluate audio content.

Writing for Journalism

Telling stories is at the heart of all kinds of journalism jobs, from news reporting to music reviewing and covering live sport. Here, we help you improve your writing, so you’re comfortable researching and writing pieces in a range of styles. Analysing professional examples will help you get a handle on what you’ll be aiming to match as your skills develop.

Digital Video Production

The module introduces you to a range of video formats and technologies: mobile, online, television and video. You will be provided with the essential recording and editing skills necessary to produce a video output, and to understand the language and concepts required to critically evaluate video content.

Entry requirements

BBC-BCCat A Level .

112-104 UCAS tariff points from a combination of Level 3 qualifications.

Merit at T Level.

DMM-MMM in BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma.

  • Access to Higher Education Diploma with 45 Level 3 credits at Merit or above.
  • 112-104 UCAS tariff points from International Baccalaureate qualifications.

Applicants who meet the entry criteria will be invited to interview to meet BJTC accreditation requirements.

Applicants with prior learning or prior experiential learning will be considered individually by the School of Arts and Humanities Accreditation and Validation Panel, to assess whether it is appropriate to grant general or specific credit towards the course.

Applications from international students will be considered on an individual basis, and with advice from the University's International Office.

If your first language is not English, you will need to meet the minimum requirements of an English Language qualification. The minimum for IELTS is 6.0 overall with no element lower than 5.5, or equivalent. Read more about the University’s entry requirements for students outside of the UK on our Where are you from information pages.

Other suitable experience or qualifications will be considered. For further information please see the University's minimum entry requirements.

Placements


Our Sports Journalism degree includes two exciting placement opportunities. Students are encouraged to undertake an optional one-year (48 weeks) placement in Year 3. We support our students in finding suitable placement opportunities in the Sports and Media Industries and beyond. During the placement year you will be supported by an academic tutor and have the opportunity to build professional experience invaluable for your final year of study and future career.

The final year compulsory placement module also gives you the chance to put your skills into practice over a 80 hour period. You'll spend time working with an external client, such as a newspaper, broadcaster or production company, or in the press office of a professional football or rugby league side.

Previous placement providers have included ITV Calendar and Granada, Halfords Media Sportsbook Social Media, a range of newspapers and magazines, Badminton Europe and clubs including Sheffield Wednesday, Rotherham United, Bradford Bulls RLFC, Huddersfield Giants and Castleford Tigers.

Going into a working environment once a week taught me the scale of work and planning that goes into Formula One PR. I was given a good level of responsibility, allowing me to learn as I went along, and develop my own style.

tom errington

Tom Errington, Sports Journalism BA(Hons)

Your Career


A selection of companies that have employed Huddersfield graduates in recent years include BBC Sport, ITV, BT Sport and talkSPORT, as well as leading football and rugby league clubs including Liverpool, Derby and Huddersfield Giants. Graduates have also made their mark with a range of sports magazines, on the football desk of the Daily Mirror and in exciting roles in the media offices of governing bodies including the Professional Darts Corporation, British Cycling and the PSA World Squash Tour.**

*Percentage of our undergraduate students from these subject areas go on to work and/or further study within fifteen months of graduating (HESA Graduate Outcomes 2019/20, UK domiciled, other activities excluded).

**Source: LinkedIn

90-95% Graduates employed*

Student support

At the University of Huddersfield, you'll find support networks and services to help you get ahead in your studies and social life. Whether you study at undergraduate or postgraduate level, you'll soon discover that you're never far away from our dedicated staff and resources to help you to navigate through your personal student journey. Find out more about all our support services.

Our technical services team have many years of higher education and industry support experience and provide practical “hands on and online support ” expertise to students in television and film production such as demonstrating camera techniques, sound, lighting and editing in post-production. We also guide students in the use of film, broadcast, and IT software applications as well as access to support guidance information.

Research excellence

Research plays an important role in informing all our teaching and learning activities. Through research our staff remain up-to-date with the latest developments in their field, which means you develop knowledge and skills that are current and highly relevant.

The subject area of Media, Journalism, Film and Drama at the University of Huddersfield is home to one of Europe's leading centres for the study of participatory culture, fans and popular media. The Centre for Participatory Culture brings together preeminent researchers in the study of popular culture with specialism such as screen industries and branding, media sport in the digital age, music festivals and music tourism, science fiction fandom, Regional Reality TV Drama, identity and globalisation, and the rise of fandom and anti-fandom in politics. The centre also explores the rise of digital media technologies and platforms, including social media and their impact on media industries and media representations, including on forms of journalism. We also assess the role of these technologies in changes to political participation and democracy.

Important information

We will always try to deliver your course as described on this web page. However, sometimes we may have to make changes as set out below.

Changes to a course you have applied for

If we propose to make a major change to a course that you are holding an offer for, then we will tell you as soon as possible so that you can decide whether to withdraw your application prior to enrolment.

Cancellation of a course you have applied for

Although we always try and run all of the course we offer, we may occasionally have to withdraw a course you have applied for or combine your programme with another programme if we consider this reasonably necessary to ensure a good student experience, for example if there are not enough applicants to ensure you have a good learning experience. Where this is the case we will notify you as soon as reasonably possible and we will contact you to discuss other suitable courses with us we can transfer your application to. If we notify you that the course you have applied to has been withdrawn or combined, and you do not wish to transfer to another course with us, you may cancel your application and we will refund you any deposits or fees you have paid to us.

Changes to your course after you enrol as a student

We will always try to deliver your course and other services as described. However, sometimes we may have to make changes as set out below:

Changes to option modules

Where your course allows you to choose modules from a range of options, we will review these each year and change them to reflect the expertise of our staff, current trends in research and as a result of student feedback or demand for certain modules. We will always ensure that you have a range of options to choose from and we will let you know in good time the options available for you to choose for the following year.

Major changes

We will only make major changes to the core curriculum of a course or to our services if it is necessary for us to do so and provided such changes are reasonable. A major change in this context is a change that materially changes the services available to you; or the outcomes, or a significant part, of your course, such as the nature of the award or a substantial change to module content, teaching days (part time provision), classes, type of delivery or assessment of the core curriculum.

For example, it may be necessary to make a major change to reflect changes in the law or the requirements of the University’s regulators; to meet the latest requirements of a commissioning or accrediting body; to improve the quality of educational provision; in response to student, examiners’ or other course evaluators’ feedback; and/or to reflect academic or professional changes within subject areas. Major changes may also be necessary because of circumstances outside our reasonable control, such as a key member of staff leaving the University or being unable to teach, where they have a particular specialism that can’t be adequately covered by other members of staff; or due to damage or interruption to buildings, facilities or equipment.

Major changes would usually be made with effect from the next academic year, but this may not always be the case. We will notify you as soon as possible should we need to make a major change and will carry out suitable consultation with affected students. If you reasonably believe that the proposed change will cause you detriment or hardship we will, if appropriate, work with you to try to reduce the adverse effect on you or find an appropriate solution. Where an appropriate solution cannot be found and you contact us in writing before the change takes effect you can cancel your registration and withdraw from the University without liability to the University for future tuition fees. We will provide reasonable support to assist you with transferring to another university if you wish to do so.

Termination of course

In exceptional circumstances, we may, for reasons outside of our control, be forced to discontinue or suspend your course. Where this is the case, a formal exit strategy will be followed and we will notify you as soon as possible about what your options are, which may include transferring to a suitable replacement course for which you are qualified, being provided with individual teaching to complete the award for which you were registered, or claiming an interim award and exiting the University. If you do not wish to take up any of the options that are made available to you, then you can cancel your registration and withdraw from the course without liability to the University for future tuition fees and you will be entitled to a refund of all course fees paid to date. We will provide reasonable support to assist you with transferring to another university if you wish to do so.

When you enrol as a student of the University, your study and time with us will be governed by a framework of regulations, policies and procedures, which form the basis of your agreement with us. These include regulations regarding the assessment of your course, academic integrity, your conduct (including attendance) and disciplinary procedure, fees and finance and compliance with visa requirements (where relevant). It is important that you familiarise yourself with these as you will be asked to agree to abide by them when you join us as a student. You will find a guide to the key terms here, along with the Student Protection Plan, where you will also find links to the full text of each of the regulations, policies and procedures referred to. You should read these carefully before you enrol. Please note that this information is subject to change and you are advised to check our website regularly for any changes before you enrol at the University. A person who is not party to this agreement shall not have any rights under or in connection with it. Only you and the University shall have any right to enforce or rely on the agreement.

The Office for Students (OfS) is the principal regulator for the University.

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