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Launch your career as a sports journalist for top-end multimedia sports platforms such as Sky Sports News, BBC Sport or national newspapers, or join the media teams of Premier League clubs, Formula One teams or golf's DP World Tour. Gain the skills to work with, and for, the best in the business on this NCTJ-accredited course.
Sky Sports News, BBC Sport, Manchester United FC, Liverpool FC, Everton FC, Newcastle United FC, golf’s Ryder Cup and DP World Tour, the Williams F1 team, national newspapers – just a few examples of careers that all started with this course.
Report from the press box at Wembley Stadium, interview club executives, visit some of Europe’s finest football stadia, report on professional county cricket, produce your own website, sports TV episode or series of investigative sports articles – all while learning the latest techniques in digital, video and broadcast production sports journalism and studying for UK journalism’s gold standard qualification, the NCTJ Diploma.
You'll gain thorough training for life at sports media’s cutting edge while studying Sports Journalism at Sunderland. Working in the mediaHUB, you'll build your practical experience and portfolio of published work on SportsByte, our student-run website covering sport across the North East. Develop cutting-edge sports production techniques using our state-of-the-art TV studios and outside broadcast equipment. Learn about the day-to-day media operations of major sporting organisations in the Club Journalism module.
Get to know Spark, Fashion North and Sportsbyte, our students' award-winning websites for local news, local sport, fashion and arts and entertainment.
During the first year, we’ll set you up with the core skills of sports journalism, including training in writing styles, research and Media Law. You’ll look at both traditional sports reporting techniques and the contemporary skills of digital sports journalism. In the second and third years, you’ll study topics in more depth, sampling our state-of-the-art facilities and tackling Multimedia Sports Journalism, Advanced Sports Reporting, and Media Ethics, while training in shorthand – a skill hugely valued by employers such as Sky Sports News - free of charge.
Throughout your course, you can build both your practical experience and portfolio of published work by taking on reporting and/or editing roles on SportsByte, our student-run website covering sport across the North East, in our innovative mediaHUB - BBC Newcastle’s home in Sunderland and host to visiting journalists from organisations such as Reach PLC and JPI Media. You can also benefit from our exclusive link-ups with Durham County Cricket Club, Newcastle Falcons rugby club and Sunderland AFC – where a part-time internship is available each year to one third-year student - to gain invaluable match day and behind-the-scenes reporting experience of big sporting stages.
In your final year, you can have your sports content published by JPI Media each week for an entire semester, and go on work placement – putting what you’ve learnt into practice and also building crucial workplace relationships. You’ll undertake a practical project, which will add significantly to the portfolio of work you can present to prospective employers.
Teaching methods include lectures, demonstrations, seminars, workshops, group projects and practical skills work. All our teaching staff have worked as journalists and have strong links with regional employers and industry organisations. We also invite experienced industry professionals to carry out regular guest lectures and classes.
Assessment is split between portfolios of practical work, essays, examinations, reports and presentations.
Our typical offer is:
| Qualification | Minimum grade |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma along with one of the following at the required grade - SAT I and SAT II, ACT or Advanced Placement | GPA 3.0 or above and: |
| Sat score of 1250/1600 from SATs | |
| AP (Grades 3+ in at least 3 subjects) | |
| ACT (score of 30+) |
If you don't meet our standard entry requirements, you can take one of the foundation pathways at our partners ONCAMPUS Sunderland. Find out more information and whether your course is eligible on our ONCAMPUS page.
If your qualification is not listed above, please contact the Student Administration team at studentadmin@sunderland.ac.uk for further advice.
Our admissions policy uses a range of flexible options to support you to study with us. This may include a reduced offer of up to 16 UCAS tariff points, (or equivalent). Find out if you are eligible.
If English is not your first language, please see our English language requirements.
If you are studying an HND or Foundation Degree you may be able to enter the final year of our degree courses. For more information, please contact studentadmin@sunderland.ac.uk.
As part of our NCTJ accreditation, we will also invite you to an informal interview. We’d like to hear about you, why you’re interested in sports journalism, and tell you a bit more about our course and what makes us special.
The annual full-time fee for this course is:
The tuition fee includes the NCTJ exam fees. It covers the cost of one attempt at all seven exams required for the NCTJ Diploma, including each shorthand speed.
Tuition fees for part-time students are £6,935 per 120 credits. Please note that part-time courses are not available to international students who require a Student visa to study in the UK.
Read more about EU fees and funding in our Help and Advice article.
Take a look at the scholarships and bursaries that may be available to you.
This information was correct at the time of publication.
This degree prepares you for writing and talking about sports in newspapers, magazines, radio, TV and online media, as well as for clubs or brands.
Recent journalism graduates from Sunderland have gained experiences with employers such as Sky, Sky Sports, NFL, 4ThePlayer, The Racing Post, MTV, The Guardian, ITV, regional newspapers and PR companies.
Rub shoulders with BBC Newcastle Journalists, get advice from former Sky News Journalists and see a Newsroom in action in our innovative mediaHUB.
You’ll be actively involved in the Sportsbyte website and have the opportunity to get involved in Spark Sunderland, the 24/7 community radio station based in the Media Centre. Spark has won many awards and holds the Nations and Regions Award for Best Radio Station in the North East. Students are responsible for all news-gathering, programme production and advertising.
You’ll be taught in some of your classes by visiting lecturers who are current sports writers, editors and football club media managers. Other opportunities for real-world experience include Spark online magazine and Fashion North, which are linked to our Journalism and Media courses.
Our academics are industry experts and have excellent relationships across sports including PFA (Professional Footballers Association) magazine, 4ThePlayer, Sky Sports, ITV and BBC.
Broaden your horizons with inspiring trips – recently students have enjoyed trips to Barcelona, press access to Wembley finals and Europa league games at FC Schalke 04 in Germany.
Our students have attended Premier League matches in the press box to see sportswriters at work and have interviewed sports celebrities themselves. Two of our students even had a FIFA tournament on the pitch at SAFC with Jordan Pickford and Duncan Watmore.
In addition, our students have also covered tennis, golf, boxing, American Football, F1, hockey, gymnastics and many other sports.
You'll undertake a work placement module in your final year, though many of our students arrange placements across three years. The placement can be at a sports newsdesk, sports magazine or sports club of your choice.
All students studying this course can take up a CV-enhancing work placement, a University-led industry initiative, or a professional and business development boot camp. A placement offers you a taste of the industry and can last anything from two days to four weeks, on a part-time basis.
Our students and graduates have been making a splash, winning awards and prizes across the board.
I came to Sunderland, 300 miles away, and found another place to call home
