This specialist, industry-accredited course offers students the opportunity to develop core journalistic skills in producing sports news, reports, and features content for print, online, or broadcast platforms in preparation for careers in the media, working within local, national, and international sport.
The course is accredited by the National Council for the Training of Journalists (NCTJ), and teaching is delivered by experienced industry professionals and academics. The course explores what it takes to be a journalist in the sports industry, covering the core journalistic skills of newsgathering, writing, use of social media, media law, public affairs, ethics, interviewing, and match and event reporting.
Equipped with mobile technology and print production and design software, our newsrooms provide the perfect opportunity for you to hone these journalistic skills in a practical setting. You can also produce broadcast content in digital radio and television studios.
The programme is continually revised to reflect advances in digital news and features production.
Course accredited by the NCTJ
Links with local sports clubs including Lincoln City Football Club
Work placement opportunities throughout
Get involved with student-run media platforms
A suite of newsrooms and specialist equipment
A range of optional modules
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Through this course, students can examine sports journalism and the sports media, as well as exploring essential ethical and legal considerations. Students may have the opportunity to contextualise their learning by producing sports reports, news, and features content across print, online, radio, and television platforms. Taking a multiplatform approach from the outset, students are able to explore the fundamental principles of sports journalism practice and produce sports news and feature items on a regular basis. This multiplatform approach enables students to focus on aspects of the sports industry that align with their specific interests and career aspirations.
An understanding of the commercial aspects of sports reporting forms an important part of the course. Students can gain an insight into the financial and business elements of national and international sport, as well as the cultural and social implications of reporting sport in the contemporary world.
When they have progressed to their second year, students are able to take part in news days, replicating industry practice in a range of media. There is also the choice to begin to follow a specialist broadcast, digital or magazine route.
In the final year of the degree students can produce sport-related individual projects, including a dissertation.
The school's journalism and sports industry links can help students secure work placements with media organisations. Please note students are expected to cover their own transport, accommodation, and general living expenses while on placements.
This course is accredited by the industry recognised National Council for the Training of Journalists (NCTJ). The University of Lincoln pays for students to take the NCTJ Diploma in addition to their course. However, students are responsible for any exam retake fees. Passing the NCTJ Diploma has no bearing on the outcome of the BA (Hons) Sports Journalism degree.
† Some courses may offer optional modules. The availability of optional modules may vary from year to year and will be subject to minimum student numbers being achieved. This means that the availability of specific optional modules cannot be guaranteed. Optional module selection may also be affected by staff availability.
We want you to have all the information you need to make an informed decision on where and what you want to study. In addition to the information provided on this course page, our What You Need to Know page offers explanations on key topics including programme validation/revalidation, additional costs, contact hours, and our return to face-to-face teaching.
Kieron Curtis, BA (Hons) Sports Journalism
Kieron always wanted to work in the media department for sports teams and made the most of the University's connections with Lincoln City Football Club to get the skills needed to step into a career as a Communications Assistant for the football club.
One thing that sets the BA Sports Journalism course above the rest for me is the exceptional teaching. Mostly comprised of industry professionals and experienced academics, the teaching staff support and guide you throughout every lesson and assessment, making each lecture engaging and relevant.
Ella Witcher
BA Sports Journalism
The University of Lincoln's policy on assessment feedback aims to ensure that academics will return in-course assessments to students promptly - usually within 15 working days after the submission date.
The way students are assessed on this course may vary for each module. Examples of assessment methods that are used include coursework, such as written assignments, reports or dissertations; practical exams, such as presentations, performances or observations; and written exams, such as formal examinations or in-class tests. The weighting given to each assessment method may vary across each academic year. The University of Lincoln aims to ensure that staff return in-course assessments to students promptly.
Journalism students benefit from a suite of newsrooms, with associated workstations and specialist print production software. Broadcast students have exclusive access to radio and television presentation studios and opportunities for output on the University’s digital audio platform. Students also have access to a TV studio where they can use the latest virtual studio technology to produce television news programmes.
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Work experience forms an integral part of the course, and students are encouraged to seek placements as soon as possible. In the final year, there is a compulsory module in which students are expected to reflect on work placement experience. A personal tutor is available to guide students on where to apply, and to help with putting together a CV. Students are expected to cover their own transport, accommodation, and general living expenses while undertaking placements.
The school has established industry links which can help students to secure placements with media organisations, and there are opportunities with student media platforms too.
You can get involved with a range of media outlets at Lincoln, including our print and online school magazine, student-run Linc news site, and Cygnet PR. These are excellent opportunities to collaborate with other students, showcase your work, and apply your skills in a variety of contexts.
University of Lincoln journalism and sports journalism graduates have gone on to work at regional and national journalism and PR outlets, including the BBC & BBC Sport, ITV News & ITV Sport, the Daily Mail, Sky Sports News, The Times, Lincolnshire Live, Leicestershire Live, Essex Live, Proactive PR, Lincoln City FC, Manchester City FC, Arsenal FC, Radio Times, and The Sun.
Danyal Khan, BA (Hons) Journalism
Danyal’s role at Sky Sports News sees him reporting on Premier League football, conducting interviews with players, managers, coaches, and people out in the community. Danyal looks back fondly at his time at Lincoln, where alongside his undergraduate degree, he undertook work placements, got involved in the student newspaper, and joined a sports team.
The BA Sports Journalism course provided me with valuable skills I now use regularly in my career. There were plenty of opportunities, through the course and extra-curricular activities, to put the skills I gained into practice, while building a portfolio and meeting industry contacts.
Finley Cannon
BA Sports Journalism graduate
104 UCAS Tariff points from a minimum of 2 A Levels or equivalent qualifications.
BTEC Extended Diploma: Distinction, Merit, Merit.
T Level: Merit
Access to Higher Education Diploma: 45 Level 3 credits with a minimum of 104 UCAS Tariff points.
International Baccalaureate: 28 points overall.
GCSE's: Minimum of three at grade 4 or above, which must include English. Equivalent Level 2 qualifications may be considered.
The University accepts a wide range of qualifications as the basis for entry and do accept a combination of qualifications which may include A Levels, BTECs, EPQ etc.
We may also consider applicants with extensive and relevant work experience and will give special individual consideration to those who do not meet the standard entry qualifications.
Non UK Qualifications:
If you have studied outside of the UK, and are unsure whether your qualification meets the above requirements, please visit our country pages https://www.lincoln.ac.uk/studywithus/internationalstudents/entryrequirementsandyourcountry/ for information on equivalent qualifications.
EU and Overseas students will be required to demonstrate English language proficiency equivalent to IELTS 7.0 overall, with a minimum of 6.5 in each element. For information regarding other English language qualifications we accept, please visit the English Requirements page https://www.lincoln.ac.uk/studywithus/internationalstudents/englishlanguagerequirementsandsupport/englishlanguagerequirements/
For further advice on IELTS and the support available, please contact the International College by email at internationalcollege@lincoln.ac.uk.
For applicants who do not meet our standard entry requirements, our Arts Foundation Year can provide an alternative route of entry onto our full degree programmes:
https://www.lincoln.ac.uk/course/afyafyub/
If you would like further information about entry requirements, or would like to discuss whether the qualifications you are currently studying are acceptable, please contact the Admissions team on 01522 886097, or email admissions@lincoln.ac.uk
Going to university is a life-changing step and it's important to understand the costs involved and the funding options available before you start. A full breakdown of the fees associated with this programme can be found on our course fees pages.
For eligible undergraduate students going to university for the first time, scholarships and bursaries are available to help cover costs. To help support students from outside of the UK, we are also delighted to offer a number of international scholarships which range from £1,000 up to the value of 50 per cent of tuition fees. For full details and information about eligibility, visit our scholarships and bursaries pages.
Students are expected to cover their own transport, accommodation, and general living expenses while undertaking work experience.
The best way to find out what it is really like to live and learn at Lincoln is to visit us in person. We offer a range of opportunities across the year to help you to get a real feel for what it might be like to study here.
