Home Courses Creative Industries BA (Hons) Sports Media
Sports Media students in press box

Gain a comprehensive insight into the world of sports media

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PC36
3 years full-time
Bognor Regis Campus

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5th

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5 star

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Overview

Explore all aspects of contemporary sports coverage

Our BA (Hons) Sports Media degree provides you with a complete insight into the world of sports media, as you gain the broad range of specialist skills you will need to pursue a career within the industry.

Build your skillsets across a range of specialisms

This highly-practical degree combines hands-on experience, technical understanding, and contextual theory to develop the high level of industry skills you need to pursue a career in sports media.

You will explore topics including sports journalism, camera operations, editing, commentary, graphics and more, and graduate ready to have an impact on the industry.

Explore topics including:

  • Journalism
  • Camera and equipment operations
  • Video editing and production
  • Social media management
  • Presenting and commentary
  • Graphics
  • Audio recording and delivery
  • Interview skills and techniques
  • Directing and producing

Understand the place of sports media

You will study the media coverage of sport, reflect on the cultural and social significance of sport, explore interdependent relationships between sport and the media, and examine sports communication in the digital landscape.

Gain practical experience of working in sports media

Throughout the course, you will have opportunities to work with local sports clubs including the University’s teams and Chichester City FC, as well as work with external clients to help find your place in the diverse sport media industry.

Work by previous students has been published in local media outlets and even broadcast on the BBC and BT Sport.

Develop employable skills

As well as graduating with in-depth industry knowledge you will have key transferable skills such as creative problem solving, project management, critical thinking, and knowledge of appropriate research practices. These skills are essential within and outside media-sport related industries.

Learn from industry-experienced tutors and professional guest speakers

During the course, you will learn from industry experienced lecturers and visiting sports journalists, professionals in television sport and radio, digital media specialists and sports marketers. Previous guest speakers include Match of the Day commentator Steve Wilson and BBC Boxing and Athletics correspondent Mike Costello.

On this course you will:

  • Explore topics including sport journalism, sports photography, social media and camerawork.
  • Learn from industry professionals and guest speakers.
  • Engage in commissioned projects and work placements.
  • Report on local sports including University BUCS fixtures.

Partnerships

As part of the Department of Creative Industries you will benefit from our industry partnerships with companies including HyperX, DXRacer, Twitch, ARRI, and AVID, and be able to access to industry standard software such as Nuke, Maya and Houdini.

The Course

Gain skills in a range of sports media specialisms

Year One

In your first year, you will gain a strong foundation into the world of sports media as you explore key areas including television, journalism and news culture, and camera operation.

Year Two

Your second year allows you to being to specialise in areas that interest you, with options in media production, journalism, and multi-camera events and operations.

Year Three

In your final year you will engage in a range of independent and group projects and work on client-led sports media productions and commissions.

These projects will help prepare you for your future career by improving your self-promotion skills, providing networking opportunities and supporting your portfolio to help you showcase talent to prospective employers.

This list is indicative and subject to change.

Select a year

Introduction to Sports Media

This module supports you as you transition into higher education. You will examine sport in various forms to consider the complex relationships between sport, media and society.

You will explore:

  • Sports journalism
  • Televised sport
  • Sport and radio
  • Sport in film
  • Advertising
  • Marketing
  • Branding and sport
  • Sport magazines
  • Sport in other literature
  • Sport and the digital landscape.

Practice Toolkit

This module is designed to provide a foundation ‘toolkit’ of practical skills to aid understanding of current creative media industries.

You will be introduced to a range of technical and procedural skills including audio, video, photography, web and digital design. These skills will develop your understanding of the processes involved in the manufacture and delivery of audio-visual presentations within the creative industries.

It aims to develop transferable skills in information technology.

Sound and Vision

This module engages you in fundamental practice and principles of camera and microphone operation.

You will learn about:

  • Camera setup and preparation
  • Camera audio setup
  • Connectivity and microphone preparation
  • Eyepiece function and the graticule
  • Tripod and safe practice
  • Safe camera handling
  • White balancing and exposure
  • Basic picture composition and shot types
  • Audio metering
  • Monitoring and level adjustment
  • Microphone placement
  • Method and discipline of camera craft
  • In-camera shot sequencing
  • Basic coverage.
Assessments

You will be assessed through a short documentary film shot in a small team.

Sport and Television

This module explores various relationships between sport and television. You will use a range of critical approaches within television studies to examine sports broadcasting, television culture and the global media sport network. You will be assessed through two case studies.

Sports Journalism and News Culture

This module considers developments in sports journalism.

You will examine the significance of sport for newspapers, address news values, explore news production and consumption, and reflect on sports reporting in new mediascapes.

This module tackles the way sports narratives are organised, structured and shared and aims to enable you to both analyse and construct sports stories.

Sports Media: Video Journalism

This module helps you develop a range of professional, technical and procedural skills in video journalism.

Journalism and Content

This module will examine the nature of contemporary media, how it operates and how it differs from traditional journalism.

You will explore online information dissemination, the technologies involved, and how they may be manipulated.

You will explore the interview process as a journalistic tool and develop this as a transferable skill alongside design, online presentation, writing and understanding site traffic.

MediaSport 2.0 and Beyond

This module examines the significance of the internet and new media technologies in sports media.

Key issues concerning:

  • Production
  • Consumption
  • Identity
  • Political economy
  • Co-optation
  • Participatory culture
  • User-generated content
  • Convergence
  • Commerce
  • Social media
  • Gaming

Will be examined in relation to relevant networks, practices and relationships that shape the twenty-first century sports media landscape.

Multi-Camera Operations

This module explores the use of multi-camera recording techniques and the management of various events. It aims to provide you with a range of technical experiences and knowledge of events practice, while developing transferable skills in creating material to a client’s requirements.

Sport and Film

In this module, you will examine films and documentaries that focus on sport, an athlete or a particular sports event. You will locate films in relevant contexts and tackle a range of approaches in film studies, cultural studies and narrative studies.

Assessments

The assessment features an essay about a specific sport film alongside a textual analysis, shot list and critical evaluation of a short sequence from a tutor-selected sport drama.

Sports Media Production One: Indoor Sport

This module covers a range of aspects of sports broadcasting.

You will develop appropriate industry skills in sports media production processes such as directing, camerawork, lighting, sound recording and production management. You will develop post-production skills in editing, graphics, visual effects and sound design as well as learning about reporting, researching, script supervision, anchoring, commentating and television production management as sport is transformed in the studio and across platforms.

Assessments

The assessment is a portfolio of work which includes a sportscast and a critical reflection on the production/post-production process, studio experience and specific practice.

Sports Media Production Two: Outdoor Sport

This module builds on knowledge gained in Sports Media Production One to develop your skill sets in sports media production and sportscasting.

Commissioned Project: External Client

In this module, you will have the opportunity to gain experience working in client-led sports media production.

You will gain a range of necessary skills including knowledge of self-promotion, networking, career portfolio management and ways to showcase talent appropriately.

Commissioned Project: Internal Client

This module provides you with opportunities to gain experience of client-led production in other dimensions in the world of sport, for instance the sport awards show.

It also equips you  with further skills in events practice and marketing.

Independent Project

This module enables you to plan and execute an individual project over two semesters. It allows you to build on knowledge developed through the course as well as the opportunity to work on a research project independently to pursue specialist interests and enhance your knowledge of media-sport relations.

Sports Broadcasting: Series Development and Commissioning

This practice-based module builds on your previous post-production experiences. You will develop advanced industry-standard skills in editing, sound design and the addition of music, graphics and other visual insertions to projects.

Sports Broadcasting: Studio Production

This practice-based module builds on your previous production experiences. You will develop advanced industry-standard skills associated with television studio production and project management.

Delivering Sport and Physical Activity in the Community

This module examines the importance of staging community sport events or projects in the context of modern sports development. It addresses the role of the practitioner or manager in these types of events and further highlights the fluid and interconnected functions that exist between the coach and sport managers. In essence, the module seeks to allow potential coach and sport managers the opportunity to understand, in part through practical engagement, the complexity of staging community sport events or projects at all levels and the management and administrative processes associated with them.

Sports Broadcasting Skills

This is a practice-based module that builds on students’ Level 4 and 5 production experiences to develop advanced industry-standard skills in television production and project management.

Teaching and Assessment

Feel the support of our expert and experienced staff

Teaching

You will be taught by a range of experts in sports media with extensive and successful careers in the industry.

Classes include lectures, seminars, skills sessions, technical classes, and practical workshops. You will need to complete independent study outside scheduled teaching and will take on practical individual and group work throughout your degree.

Smaller class sizes to help your development

Our commitment to smaller class sizes allows you to feel more confident to discuss your ideas in a supportive environment and allows your tutors get to know you and how best to aid your development.

Meet programme coordinator Ian Worden

Ian Worden

Subject Leader: Media

Ian is an active sports journalist with contacts in the industry including BBC sports commentators, correspondents, social media officers and key figures in television graphics, marketing and communications, media operations and event management.

Many of his contacts regularly visit the university to share their world with students in the series of Sports Media Industry Talks.

Assessment

You will be assessed through a range of assignments, including:

  • Project work
  • Presentations
  • Essays
  • Seminar discussions

Experience

Discover industry standard software and equipment

Discover our £35 million Tech Park

Our Bognor Regis Campus boasts the £35m Tech Park and brings together science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics courses on one state-of-the-art site.

  • 300sqm film studio
  • 80 square-metre green screen stage for motion capture and Chroma work
  • Professional standard post-production facilities and recording studios.
  • Animation and VFX labs
  • Gaming Centre
  • Mac and PC editing suites

Guest Speakers

Gain unique insights from industry professionals

During the course, you will learn from industry experienced lecturers and visiting sports journalists, professionals in television sport and radio, digital media specialists and sports marketers.

Previous guest speakers include:

  • Steve Wilson – Match of the Day Commentator
  • Ryan Morgan – Social Media Executive, Bristol City FC
  • Ben Welch – Writer, Editor, Producer and Head of Video, FourFourTwo and Lead Channel Manager, SPORTbible
  • Vivien Morgan – Pioneer in video and mobile journalism
  • Sam Mason – Chelsea TV, Sky Sports and television sport graphics company Reality Check Systems
  • Mike Costello – BBC Boxing and Athletics Correspondent
  • Steve Bone – Chichester Observer Sports Editor.

Study Abroad

Explore the opportunity to study part of your course abroad

As a student at the University of Chichester, you can explore opportunities to study abroad during your studies as you enrich and broaden your educational experiences.

Students who have undertaken this in the past have found it to be an amazing experience to broaden their horizons, a great opportunity to meet new people, undertake further travelling and to immerse themselves within a new culture.

You will be fully supported throughout the process to help find the right destination institution for you and your course. We can take you through everything that you will need to consider, from visas to financial support, to help ensure that you can get the best out of your time studying abroad.

Careers

Prepare for you career within the sports media industry

This BA (Hons) Sports Media degree gives you the necessary skills to succeed in the workplace after you graduate. Sports media is a broad area with a thriving job market. When you graduate you could take part in graduate programmes, trainee schemes or apprenticeships presented by key broadcasters across a range of positions.

Most sports organisations have media officers and there are many additional roles in marketing, branding, sponsorship, or advertising.

You could work in:

  • Graphics
  • Social media
  • Journalism
  • Marketing and advertising
  • Photography
  • Television/film production

Further Study

You may decide to continue your studies with a postgraduate journalism qualification or something else.

Postgraduate study options available at the University of Chichester include PGCEs and masters degrees:

  • MA Screen Acting
  • MA Composition for Film, TV and Games
  • PGCE
  • PhD Research

University of Chichester alumni who have completed a full undergraduate degree at the University will receive a 15% discount on their postgraduate fees.

Course Costs

Course Fees 2024/25

UK fee
£9,250
International fee
£15,840

For further details about fees, please see our Tuition Fees page.

For further details about international scholarships, please see our Scholarships page.

To find out about any additional costs on this course, please see our Additional Costs page.

Entry Requirements

Typical offer:

UCAS
104 – 112
tariff points from A levels or combination with AS / EPQ / BTEC/ Cambridge Technical.
A Levels
BBC - BCC
BTEC/Cambridge Technical
DMM - MMM
Access to HE Diploma
Pass
International Baccalaureate
28 points
IELTS
6.0 overall
with no element lower than 5.5

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