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Solent Unviersity Southampton logo

BA (Hons)Sports Journalism

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Starting in2024
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UCAS code: SJ01
Institution code: S30
Campus: Southampton City CentreView on Google Maps

Why study a sports journalism degree at Solent University

Turn your love of sports into a writing career. Join the longest running BJTC-accredited sports journalism degree in the UK, where graduates go into jobs with the biggest names in the industry.

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  • This course is accredited by the Broadcast Journalism Training Council (BJTC), which works with the biggest broadcasters in the UK to ensure the highest professional standards of journalism training.
  • You’ll be a practising journalist from day one, developing skills across print, broadcast, online and social media.
  • Taught by award-winning professionals with combined experience of more than 200 years, you'll benefit from outstanding teaching and contacts from people who still work in the industry.
  • You'll gain work experience throughout your studies. Our students have recently completed placements at prestigious organisations including the BBC, Sky Sports, TalkSport, Capital FM, LBC, Daily Mail, Daily Echo as well as Southampton FC, Reading FC, and Hampshire Cricket Club.
  • The course is constantly refined to meet the needs of the modern sports journalism industry, training you to produce a comprehensive news package that will engage and excite your audience.
  • Our graduates work at top broadcasting companies including Sky Sports, BBC Sport, ESPN and talkSPORT, national newspapers such as The Daily Mail and The Times, and in the media offices of football, cricket, and rugby clubs.
  • You’ll have the opportunity to work with local and national sports clubs and teams including Southampton FC, Eastleigh FC, AFC Totton and Hampshire County Cricket Club.
  • Access to industry-standard broadcast facilities including television and radio studios, editing and production facilities, as well as professional grade camera, audio and lighting equipment.
  • Solent University is the official education partner of Southampton Football Club, while the nearby Ageas Bowl is home to Hampshire Cricket Club and hosts regular national and international matches.
Video transcript, with a description of visuals available.

Course overview

The sports journalism course gets you into the thick of the action straight away, reporting on local and national sports for both online and traditional media platforms. You will be a practicing journalist from day one – benefiting from outstanding teaching, facilities and contacts, along with plenty of opportunities to put your learning into practice.

The course has been developed to meet the needs of the modern sports journalism industry and is accredited by the Broadcast Journalism Training Council (BJTC), which ensures you are ready to work for their industry partners (BBC, Sky News, ITN, Channel 4 News, Global Radio, Associated Press, Reuters and National Union of Journalists. The degree boasts a broad spectrum of transferable skills - from print or broadcast to online and social media reporting – training you to produce a comprehensive news package that will engage and excite your audience.

The proof is in our graduates. Solent sports journalists operate at a range of top broadcast companies, including Sky Sports, BBC Sport, ESPN and talkSPORT, as well as national newspapers such as The Daily Mail and The Times. Other graduates work in the media offices of football, cricket and rugby clubs, as well as creative agencies and organisations.

At Solent, you'll have access to industry-standard software and work with real news agency material and interviews with the biggest names, via our partnership with Press Association (PA) and Independent Radio News (IRN). In a dedicated newsroom, you will engage in news productions using high-end media equipment, where you'll be encouraged to report on a variety of sporting events and stories.

And the south is a fantastic location to engage with sporting activity. Solent University is the official education partner of Championship side Southampton Football Club, while the nearby Ageas Bowl is home to Hampshire Cricket Club and hosts regular national and international matches. The Solent is a popular race sailing location, hosting major events such as the America’s Cup. Plus, the University has many successful sporting teams and athletes for you to create content from.

Any questions?

Contact UK admissions

Email: admissions@solent.ac.ukCall: 023 8201 5066

Contact international admissions

Email: admissions.international@solent.ac.ukCall: +44 (0)23 8201 5066

Accredited by:

British Journalism Training Council (BJTC) logo

Student work

Our creative degrees allow our students to develop a critical eye for design with a knowledge of different design approaches and problem solving techniques. Take a look at some of the great work they produce.

Course features

  • Foundation year available

    If you're not quite ready for a full undergraduate degree, there's alternative entry through one of our foundation years

  • Specialist facilities

    This course has access to specialist facilities

  • Further studies

    After successfully completing your studies, there's an opportunity to continue your studies at Solent

  • Placement year

    If you apply for this course with a placement year, you have the opportunity to undertake a year in industry between your second and third years

  • Study abroad

    You have the opportunity to study abroad in one of our partner universities for a semester on this course

Who is this course for?

Solent’s sports journalism degree is ideally suited for people with a passion for sport, excited by the prospect of working in a demanding, deadline-driven environment, and looking to build experience in state-of-the-art facilities and using the kind of professional-grade equipment you will find out in the industry. If you want to make an impact on the world, sports journalism at Solent could be the best choice you make.

What does this course lead to?

Graduating with hands-on experience as a practising journalist, you will find many doors open to you when looking for work in sports media. From film making, TV and radio presenting, to writing, editing, creative social media, or media officer roles, graduates have gone on to hugely diverse careers. We have former students working in the media teams of football clubs, presenting TV and radio bulletins on Sky Sports and talkSPORT, creating videos for social media giants, writing for broadsheet newspapers/magazines and much more.

Solent stories

Hear from Solent alumni about where their careers have taken them and how studying at Solent prepared them for their future.

Read more stories
Lecturers had plenty of industry experience and provided expertise as well as insightful anecdotes from the sector.

Headshot of Adam Whyte

Adam Whyte

Social Media Lead

Meet the team

Teaching staff for the BA (Hons) Sports Journalism degree have extensive experience of working in the journalism industry as practitioners and/or are actively engaged with current research within the creative industries.

The University cannot guarantee any particular members of staff will teach specific aspects of the course in the future, but will endeavour to ensure the teaching team maintains their balance of experience and qualifications.

Facilities

Sports journalism students benefit from multi-million-pound investment in state-of-the-art media facilities. That means four TV studios and eight radio studios, a wide range of TV, photography and video equipment freely loaned to students, an industry-standard newsroom and dedicated edit suites with the latest software.

Our vibrant campus brings state-of-the-art facilities to enhance your learning and elevate your student experience. Our award-winning teaching building, The Spark is centred around students and offers a stimulating study environment with flexible learning spaces. Away from studying, why not try out the gyms, fitness studios and sports halls in our £28 million Sports Complex, or watch a blockbuster film at our student-run cinema with Dolby Atmos audio.

    International opportunities

    Broaden your horizons by adding an international dimension to your CV – essential to achieving success in today’s fast-changing, global environment.

    Studying, working or volunteering in another country could be the experience of a lifetime. Enhance your degree by developing important global skills such as knowledge of other countries, language skills, intercultural awareness, adaptability and confidence.

    For more information, please email international.mobility@solent.ac.uk.

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