Multimedia Sports Journalism

Why choose this course?

Working alongside the many sports clubs, bodies and media companies based in Northamptonshire, your first year will see you learning and starting to apply key audio and video production skills. You will also learn how to write sports stories and understand laws and ethics which apply to sports reporting.

The second year will see you apply those production and writing skills in live newsdays; attending press conferences and live events* and reporting on our own FM radio station, NLive. You will learn how to report in the growing world of esports and develop skills in sports magazine production and sports commentary.

In the final year you will apply your skills to professional standards in multi-platform newsdays, as well as develop your employment skills ready for that future career. You will learn about future trends in journalism tech and storytelling. Your final year project will be either a documentary or a magazine and your dissertation will analyse and question a key issue in sports media production, sports journalism or sports ethics. With regards to employment, 90% of students
go on to work and / or study within 15 months after the course.*

By studying at the University of Northampton, you can be sure that:

• You will experience student life at the University’s £330 million Waterside Campus. Come along to an Open Day and find out more.

• Students enrolling on this course at Northampton will be provided with their own brand new laptop** to keep at no additional cost. All sports clubs and societies are free to join at Northampton and every essential course text book is available via the library, meaning you won’t have to purchase copies. For more information on this visit our website (northampton.ac.uk/benefits).

• At UON we guarantee a room in our Halls of Residence for all new full-time, first year students who apply and accept their room offer by June 2025 - and we won't ask for a deposit for September 2025***.

• Our expert academics teach in small groups supported with one to one assistance. Our academics and students form a tight bond, providing individualised support and guidance whilst challenging students academically.

• Whatever your ambitions, we’re here to help you to achieve them. We’ll support you to identify the skills you’re learning during your course, find your strengths and secure practical experience so that when it comes to applying for jobs or further study you’ll feel confident in standing out from the crowd.

The Northampton Employment Promise

• In fact, we’re so confident in our careers and employability support that if you achieve at least a 2:2 degree and complete either our Employability Plus Gold programme or achieve a Changemaker Gold Certificate during your time studying with us, but still haven’t secured full-time employment 12 months after graduating, we will secure a three – six month paid internship for you or support you into postgraduate study.

✱ National Student Survey (NSS) 2023
✱✱ eligibility criteria and terms and conditions apply. See northampton.ac.uk/benefits for more information
✱✱✱ eligibility criteria apply. See northampton.ac.uk/student-life/accommodation/ for more information

STAGE 1:
• Writing Skills for Sports Journalists (Compulsory)
• The International Sports Industry (Compulsory)
• Specialist Sport (Compulsory)
• Law and Public Affairs for Journalists (Compulsory)
• Sports Newsgathering (Compulsory)
• Sports News Production (Compulsory)

STAGE 2:
• Live Sports Reporting and Regulation (Compulsory)
• Sports Broadcast Skills (Compulsory)
• Academic and Long Form Journalism Skills (Compulsory)
• Sports News Day (Compulsory)
• Design Skills for Sports Journalists (Compulsory)
• Digital Skills for Sports Journalists (Compulsory)

STAGE 3:
• Journalism Dissertation (Compulsory)
• Journalism Practical Project (Compulsory)
• Launchpad: Careers in Sports Journalism (Compulsory)
• International Sport and the Media (Compulsory)
• Multiplatform Journalism (Compulsory)
• Future Trends in Journalism (Compulsory)

Module information is quoted for 24/25 entry. Please note that modules run subject to student numbers and staff availability, any changes will be communicated to applicants accordingly. 25/26 entry modules will be released in June 2025.

You will be assessed through a variety of methods including:

• Practical portfolios

• Essays

• Reports

• Presentations

• Practical projects

• Written examinations

• Timed tests