BA (Hons) Sports Journalism · LJMUBachelor's degree · 3 years
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Liverpool John Moores University · Undergraduate

BA (Hons) Sports Journalism Bachelor's degree at Liverpool John Moores University

BA (Hons) Sports Journalism at LJMU is accredited by the National Council for the Training of Journalists (NCTJ), ensuring professional recognition within the industry.

BA (Hons)
Award
3
Years
Full-time
Study mode
90%
continuation

About this course

BA (Hons) Sports Journalism is a Bachelor's degree (BA (Hons)) at LJMU, based in City Centre Campus. It runs 3 years, studied full-time.

For Journalism graduates from this provider, typical earnings around £25,000. (HESA Graduate Outcomes / LEO, via Discover Uni.)

For the typical curriculum, specialisations, career paths and graduate earnings for Sport & Exercise Science, see the sections below.

Course evidence score

The arithmetic mean of the official measures available for this course: NSS satisfaction, graduate activity and continuation.

8.9
/ 10
2 of 3 official measures
Student satisfaction
What students say in the National Student Survey
Excellent89

Published threshold met NSS publication requires sufficient responses; small differences are not a rank. NSS mean of 7 published themes (Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)

Continuation
Students who continue past their first year
Exceptional90

Published threshold met Discover Uni suppresses continuation data below its publication threshold. Cohort 2022-23. Continuation 90% (2022-23; Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)

Curriculum & modules

Real modules published for this course, grouped only where the source gives a year, stage or level.

Year 1 6 modules
  • Understanding JournalismCore20 credits
    Module details

    You will develop basic knowledge of key issues affecting the journalism industry including how it has evolved over time, looking at issues such as the changing economics of journalism and the influence of technology.

  • Introduction to BroadcastCore20 credits
    Module details

    This module provides an introduction to broadcast. You will be taught current professional broadcast conventions and develop the basic technical skills necessary to produce material for radio and/or TV. You will learn how to write for broadcast and develop story treatments; you will become familiar with industry-standard software as you learn how to shoot and edit video and how to capture and edit audio.

  • Sports Journalism SkillsCore20 credits
    Module details

    This module will help you to develop the knowledge and skills required to produce match/event reports across a number of sports. You will work in a number of simulated environments that replicate those that a sports journalist would routinely face. During the module you will develop the skills and ethical awareness required to enable them to perform as responsible working sports journalists. You will reflect and analyse the journalistic processes undertaken in production elements and discuss iss

  • Newswriting for Sports JournalistsCore20 credits
    Module details

    This module will help you to acquire the introductory skills in sports news writing. You will have the opportunity to develop an awareness of editorial judgement on sports desks, and the importance of accuracy in use of language skills.

  • Introduction to Sports ReportingCore20 credits
    Module details

    This module aims to develop your skills required to identify and source sports news stories, including finding contacts, effective interviewing and first-class research skills. You will be taught in seminars in which students will practice conducting different types of interviews and develop practical skills, using appropriate sources of information and identifying contacts. Lectures will cover how to critically analyse good practice and sports journalism processes.

  • Essential Law and Ethics (Sports Journalism)Core20 credits
    Module details

    This module will prepare you for the NCTJ professional diploma examinations in Essential Media Law and Broadcast Regulation.

Year 2 7 modules
  • Audio-Visual Content CreationCore20 credits
    Module details

    In this module we aim to build on your previous learning in Level 4 and further develop your video and audio skills as journalists in an increasingly multi-platform industry. You will develop the ability to source original, inclusive and diverse stories and produce them ethically and accurately for audio and video hosting platforms. You will develop your skills in recording and editing audio and video and use industry-standard newsroom systems to create audio and video content including podcasti

  • Journalism IssuesCore20 credits
    Module details

    You will gain knowledge of key contemporary issues within the journalism industry and explore questions about the media's role in a modern, democratic society. This will include questions of diversity and inclusion such as changing attitudes towards the representation of different demographic groups and questions of inclusion within the media workforce. The module will include an examination of the international context of UK journalism and consideration of issues around decolonising journalism,

  • Magazine JournalismCore20 credits
    Module details

    This module develops planning skills, page design skills, editing, interviewing and feature writing. The skills learned in this module will help prepare students for news days at level six, where interviewing, writing and editing will be required.

  • Sports Media CommunicationCore20 credits
    Module details

    This module will provide you with an awareness of the sports PR and communication environment. Alongside this, you will develop industry focused practical skills and critical thinking. This will broaden your professional skillset to enhance your employability.

  • Sports Journalism for a Digital AudienceCore20 credits
    Module details

    This module will enable you to build on and develop your previous production and writing skills to produce and present digital sports content. This will allow you to develop some advanced writing skills and formulate ways users can be encouraged to generate news-orientated content. During the module you will work as a team in a live newsroom environment, covering stories in real-time. This will allow you to think in creative and original ways to source and tell compelling stories in an accurate,

  • Multimedia Sports ReportingCore20 credits
    Module details

    This module will allow you to develop your core sports reporting skills. In doing so, you will be required to replicate industry practice in various environments. This will produce a high standard of sports journalism content to deadline.

  • Study Year Abroad - JournalismOptional120 credits
    Module details

    The aim is to provide students with an additional year of study at an approved overseas partner that will complement their programme at LJMU. This is an additional year of full-time study at an approved higher education institution. The modules to be studied must be agreed in advance, and must be appropriate for the student's programme of study. Assuming successful completion of this year, mark-bearing credit will be awarded by the University Recognition Group. The grade conversion scale to be u

Year 3 8 modules
  • Journalism CareersCore20 credits
    Module details

    This module enables you to apply and evaluate their skills in a professional setting. It also provides you with the means to identify your skills and match them to the employment market. You are expected to provide evidence of a work placement or comparable work-based learning.

  • Advanced Sports Journalism PracticeCore40 credits
    Module details

    This module will help you to synthesise your skills of sports writing, reporting and production to produce journalism artefacts both in groups and individually that match or approach professional standards. You will build on previous multi-media practice working in a converged newsroom environment to develop their creativity and ability to work within a team. During the module you will develop storytelling across a range of digital and social media platforms to encourage audience engagement.

  • Features JournalismOptional20 credits
    Module details

    You will develop a critical understanding of the purpose of features and associated forms of writing such as reviews and opinion. You will construct and develop features/review ideas and write original material in a variety of specialist areas such as arts, lifestyle and culture. You will also analyse the impact of audience, market, available sources and other constraints on magazine production.

  • DissertationOptional40 credits
    Module details

    This module allows you to carry out a major project of private study and research. The dissertation is student led but supported by a series of lectures on methods and techniques followed by one-to-one supervision with a suitably qualified supervisor.

  • Final ProjectOptional40 credits
    Module details

    The Journalism Final Project gives you an opportunity to design and create individual innovative journalism products for a defined audience. You will build on skills developed at Level 4 and 5 to identify a suitable topic and market for your project and to produce an artefact matching professional standards. Examples include a magazine, website, video or audio documentary or a portfolio of professional journalism produced as part of an extended work placement to be agreed by the project supervis

  • PhotojournalismOptional20 credits
    Module details

    This module is designed to equip a student journalist with the photography skills required to produce images of publishable quality that meet news industry standards. It is an option which aims to build on the essential skills learned in L4 and L5 with more advanced techniques in producing professional still news and sports images. The way a photojournalist behaves is also central to their skills base. It is designed to equip candidates with an understanding of the legal and ethical issues which

  • Public Interest JournalismOptional20 credits
    Module details

    The court system; court reporting restrictions; contempt of court; anonymity rules in court reporting; defamation in court reporting; accessing court information; open justice; reporting inquests; a journalist rights in reporting councils, government and other public bodies; the application of the Freedom of Information Act.

  • Business of SportOptional20 credits
    Module details

    This module will provide a critical analysis of sport in a business context. You will be able to develop your ability to demonstrate an advanced awareness of the significance of sports business. This will enable you to demonstrate a sophisticated understanding of the specialist terminology used in the reporting of sports business stories.

Source: provider course page. Modules can change; required/optional status, credits, descriptions and assessment are shown only when explicitly published.

Course in depth

What this course covers, who it suits and where it leads.

What you'll study

This course combines journalism training with sports writing and reporting. You'll move from foundational reporting skills and sports industry knowledge in your first year, through applied journalism practice and multimedia storytelling in the second, to independent projects and specialist work in the final year. A course like this typically covers news writing, interviewing, digital media production, sports law and ethics, interview technique, and publication experience. You'll usually study specialisations such as broadcast journalism, online journalism or magazine features. Practical elements run throughout, often involving work with campus media, local newsrooms or sports organisations. The degree culminates in a portfolio or final project demonstrating your journalism abilities across your chosen medium.

Who it's for

This course suits those with a genuine interest in sports journalism and media communication. Most accepted students held A-levels or equivalent qualifications; the typical UCAS tariff among entrants was 112–127 points. You should be prepared for full-time study and ready to engage with both theoretical frameworks and practical newsroom work. The course welcomes students from diverse backgrounds who are motivated to develop professional journalism skills within the sports sector.

Careers & job market

Nationally, 90% of graduates in Sport & Exercise Science courses are in work or further study within 15 months of graduating. Of those working, 62% are in highly skilled roles or pursuing further study. Graduate earnings across the sector show a starting range of £22,000–£30,000 at 15 months post-graduation, rising to £23,375–£33,000 after five years. These figures reflect national labour-market data and are not university-specific guarantees. Your career prospects will depend on your individual performance, experience gained during study, and the opportunities you pursue.

University & format

This BA (Hons) in Sports Journalism is delivered full-time over 3 years at Liverpool John Moores University, a public university based at the City Centre Campus. Instruction is in English. The course is accredited by the National Council for the Training of Journalists (NCTJ), which recognises it as meeting professional journalistic standards. Liverpool John Moores is a recognised UK degree-awarding body, so your degree is nationally recognised. The university holds Silver for teaching quality in the Office for Students' Teaching Excellence Framework 2023.

Student satisfaction

How students on this course answered the National Student Survey, by theme.

The teaching on my course
88%
Learning opportunities
87%
Assessment and feedback
83%
Academic Support
96%
Organisation and management
93%
Learning resources
93%
Student voice
81%

Share of students responding positively.

Published threshold met NSS publication requires sufficient responses; small differences are not a rank. NSS mean of 7 published themes (Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)

Applicant information

The next application dates for this course, followed by facts the provider publishes.

Application timelineWhat happens next
  1. 2027 entryCompleted applications can be submitted

    Your application needs a reference before you can send it.

  2. 2026 entryFinal date for 2026 applications

    Applications must reach UCAS by 18:00 UK time.

  3. 2026 entryLast day to add a Clearing choice

    Check that this course still has a vacancy before adding it.

  4. 2027 entryEqual-consideration deadline

    18:00 UK time for most undergraduate courses.

Show 5 later dates
  1. 2027 entryUCAS Extra opens

    Applicants who used all five choices and hold no offer may be able to add another choice.

  2. 2027 entryLast day applications go directly to providers

    Applications received after 18:00 UK time are entered into Clearing.

  3. 2027 entryClearing opens

    Eligible applicants can see vacancies and release themselves into Clearing.

  4. 2027 entryFinal date for 2027 applications

    Applications must reach UCAS by 18:00 UK time.

  5. 2027 entryLast day to add a Clearing choice

    Check that this course still has a vacancy before adding it.

PlacementPublished placement option

Work placement. Availability, selection and pay can vary.

Open daysOpen days

See and book current events. Dates can fill or change.

Entry & how to get in

Most entrants held A-levels or equivalent97% of accepted students came in with A-levels or equivalent (entrants over recent years).
Typical UCAS tariff: 112 - 127 pointsThe most common UCAS tariff band among accepted students. This is what entrants had, not a stated requirement.
Professionally accreditedAccredited by the National Council for the Training of Journalists (NCTJ)
Entry requirements are set by the universityGrades, subjects and contextual offers vary. Check LJMU's official course page for the current offer.

Who gets in

What recently admitted students actually held, official admissions data, not a stated requirement.

UCAS tariff of entrants

Grades are the A-level equivalent of each points band. Tap a band to check your own chances below.

Qualifications held on entry

QualificationShare
A-levels or equivalent97%
another higher-education qualification3%

Entry & your chances

An honest read from the official entry data, plus your personal match.

Offer-based entry

Entry is set by the university and based on your offer. Use your predicted grades to see how you compare, then check the university's stated requirements.

Will you get in? Plot your grades

Pick your predicted A-levels and watch your UCAS points land on the real spread of students admitted to this course.

Each bar is the share of admitted students in that UCAS-points band (lower → higher). Grades show the A-level equivalent.

Add your grades to see where you land

Your points will drop onto the distribution above, with an honest above / within / below read.

Based on the official admitted-student tariff distribution. Many universities make contextual (reduced-grade) offers, so a result below the range doesn’t rule you out.

How to apply

Undergraduate applications go through UCAS. Here’s what matters for this course, the right deadline, the grades to aim for, and the steps in order.

Apply by13 January 2027, 18:00 UK timefor this course
Typical gradesBBBA-level equivalent admitted students held
UCAS codePP55quote this on your application
  1. 1
    Register on UCAS Hub

    Create your UCAS application and add this course (code PP55). One application covers up to five choices.

  2. 2
    Write your personal statement

    A single statement covers all your choices, so keep it broad enough for similar courses while showing genuine interest in this subject.

  3. 3
    Submit by 13 January 2027, 18:00 UK time

    UCAS equal-consideration deadline for most undergraduate courses. Source: UCAS 2027 dates.

  4. 4
    Reply to your offers

    When decisions are in, pick a firm (first) choice and an insurance (back-up) choice with slightly lower grades.

  5. 5
    Results day & confirmation

    On results day (mid-August) your place is confirmed if you meet the offer. Just missed? Talk to the university, or find a place through Clearing.

💡 Many universities make a contextual (reduced-grade) offer, for example based on your school’s results, time in care, or where you live. Ask LJMU whether you’re eligible before you apply; it can lower the grades you need.

Fees & funding

What this course costs and how UK student finance covers it.

Tuition per year

Homeup to £9,790 / yr
Internationalset by the university

Standard capped home fee at English providers (2026/27); Scotland, Wales & NI differ.

Check fees at LJMU →

For students who normally live in England

illustrative Maintenance Loan per year
£9,790tuition used per year, illustrative full-time England fee-cap scenario
illustrative borrowing over 3 years

2026/27 Student Finance England figures. Maintenance support is means-tested and this two-point view is not an entitlement calculator. The course total uses its published length and home fee where both are available; a missing full-time fee uses the clearly labelled England-cap scenario, while part-time fees and unknown lengths are never guessed. Use the official calculator. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland use separate systems: SAAS, Student Finance Wales, and Student Finance NI.

Starting on or after 1 January 2027?

The Lifelong Learning Entitlement is a separate system. A new learner’s tuition entitlement is currently stated as £39,160 (about 480 credits at 2026/27 fee levels), subject to prior study and eligibility. Check the official LLE guide.

Paying for it

  • Tuition Fee Loan: can cover eligible tuition up to the applicable limit and is paid straight to the provider.
  • Maintenance Loan: up to £10,830/yr away from home outside London (England, 2026/27), means-tested on household income.
  • Repayment: 9% of income above £25,000, nothing below it; written off after 40 years.
  • Earn alongside: most students work part-time in term, part-time roles on the StudySmarter job board.

England figures shown; Scotland, Wales & NI run their own schemes, check gov.uk.

Funding matched to this course

Scholarships & bursaries you could qualify for

All LJMU funding →
No verified named award is shown for this provider yet.

That does not mean no funding exists. Check the university directory for current amounts, eligibility and application dates.

We only display a named award when its provider source identifies the award and who it is for.

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Career quizApplication walkthroughSalary & CV check

Careers & earnings

What Sport & Exercise Science graduates actually earn, from real outcome data, 15 months, 3 years and 5 years after graduating.

Graduate earnings: this course

WhenMedianTypical rangeGraduates
15 months after£25,000£22,500 – £28,0001265
3 years after£20,000£17,000 – £24,00075
5 years after£26,000£21,500 – £29,50080

Nominal earnings for graduates of this course/subject at this provider. Stronger evidence. Published sample: 1,265. Cohort 2021-22.

Graduate outcomes, 15 months on: this course

90%
continue past their first year
  1. 1Graduate roleFirst role after the degree · 0–2 yrs
  2. 2Specialist / PractitionerWorking in sport & exercise science · 2–5 yrs
  3. 3Senior / LeadLeading work and people · 5–10 yrs
  4. 4Head of / ExpertSenior leadership or deep expertise · 10+ yrs

How pay grows: this course vs Sport & Exercise Science nationally

Starting (15 months) HESA GO
£25,000
£22,000 – £30,000
After 3 years LEO
£20,000
£19,125 – £27,000
After 5 years LEO
£26,000
£23,375 – £33,000
national rangethis course’s medianaxis £18,000 – £34,000

National figures for Sport & Exercise Science graduates, HESA Graduate Outcomes (15 months) and the Longitudinal Education Outcomes (LEO) dataset (3 & 5 years). These are national, not university-specific; actual pay varies by employer, region, role and experience. Different cohorts, so the bars are not one group over time.

Work out your pay

Headline figures hide a lot. Calculate realistic take-home pay for this field by role, region and experience, then check your CV before you apply.

What happened to 100 students?

Choose an outcome to translate the published percentage into a simple 100-person view. Each dot represents one percentage point, not an individual tracked student.

90 of 100

continued or completed

continued into the next year or completed their qualification

Source: Discover Uni, using Graduate Outcomes and continuation data. Cohorts: 2022-23. Stronger evidence. Published sample: 1,265. Cohort 2021-22. Each tab is a separate published measure; categories can overlap and should not be added together.

Value compared with similar courses

How this course’s 5-year median earnings compare with Sport & Exercise Science courses at the same study level.

This course £26,000Peer median £27,500Middle 50% £26,000–£30,000
24th percentile

Compared with 915 courses with compatible official earnings data. This is a course-value comparison, not a quality ranking.

Job market & outlook

How Sport & Exercise Science graduates fare in the labour market, and how AI is reshaping the work.

90%
in work or further study 15 months after graduating, across Sport & Exercise Science courses nationally.
Graduate Outcomes
62%
of working graduates are in highly skilled work or further study.
highly skilled
80%
of students continue past their first year (still enrolled or completed).
continuation

How AI is changing the work

AI doesn't replace the profession, it shifts it: routine tasks get automated, while judgement, working with people and using AI well become more valuable.

What AI takes off your plate

  • Routine information gathering
  • First-draft writing and summaries
  • Standard analysis and admin
  • Repetitive processing tasks

More human than ever

  • Judgement and original thinking
  • Working with and leading people
  • Owning and sense-checking AI output
  • Ethics and accountability

The strongest graduates pair subject depth with the ability to use AI tools critically.

Roles & employers

Where Sport & Exercise Science graduates typically go, indicative destinations from graduate career data. Each role links to live openings on the StudySmarter job board.

Where they work

  • Sports clubs & NGBs
  • Leisure providers
  • Schools
  • The NHS

Is this course right for you?

The essentials UK applicants ask about: finance, outcomes, entry and quality.

💷

Student finance

For comparison, the standard full-time England tuition cap is up to £9,790 per year in 2026/27; the actual fee varies by course and provider. If you normally live in England, eligible students can apply for a Tuition Fee Loan, plus a Maintenance Loan for living costs. Under Plan 5 you repay 9% of income above £25,000, nothing below that, and the balance is written off after 40 years.

📈

Where graduates go

Most graduates were in work or further study, with a median salary of £25,000. See the full breakdown in Careers & earnings above.

🎯

Your entry chances

Use the UCAS points calculator above to see how your predicted grades compare with admitted students, and whether a contextual offer could apply.

Official-data snapshot

Averaging the official measures published for it, this course scores 8.9 out of 10: NSS 88.7% · continued 90%.

Who studies here and in this subject?

Provider- and UK subject-level context.

Liverpool John Moores University

All students25,650
International8.3%
Aged 25+23.8%

Biological and sport sciences across the UK

Students111,380
Aged 25+16.5%

HESA student record 2024/25. Counts are rounded.

Local crime-data context

A neutral snapshot around the published teaching location.

Around City Centre Campus

5,301 street-level reports returned within roughly one mile across 2026-04 to 2026-06.

Violent Crime 1579Drugs 980Shoplifting 562Anti Social Behaviour 514Public Order 476

Police.uk street-level API. Approximate locations, not confined to campus. England, Wales and Northern Ireland; not Scotland.

Is Sport & Exercise Science right for you?

Tick what applies to you and see how good a fit it is.

International students

What applying to LJMU from outside the UK involves: fees, English, visa, funding and living costs.

Tuition fees

International tuition is set per course by LJMU; international fees are typically £12,000–£30,000/year for classroom subjects and higher for lab/clinical ones. You’re not eligible for UK Tuition Fee or Maintenance Loans, so plan for fees plus living costs upfront.

English language

Most UK undergraduate courses ask for around IELTS 6.0–6.5 (no band below 5.5–6.0), or an accepted equivalent. If you’re just short, most universities run a pre-sessional English course that counts towards the requirement.

Student visa

You’ll usually need a Student visa (Student Route). After you accept an offer the university issues a CAS; you then show funds for fees plus about £1,023–£1,334/month living costs and pay the Immigration Health Surcharge for NHS access.

Scholarships & funding

Many universities offer international/global scholarships (often £2,000–£6,000/yr), check LJMU’s funding pages.

Living costs

Budget roughly £1,100–£1,400/month outside London and £1,400–£1,800/month in London for rent, food and travel; the figure also matters for your visa.

Working while you study

A Student visa usually allows up to 20 hours/week in term time and full-time in holidays, useful alongside study, though not something to rely on for fees.

Visa rules and fees change. Always confirm the current requirements with LJMU and gov.uk before you apply.

Common questions

Entry is offer-based and set by the university. The most common tariff band among recent entrants was 112 - 127 UCAS points. Use the calculator on this page to see where your predicted grades would put you; many universities also make lower contextual offers.
Set by LJMU. Most accepted students held A-levels or equivalent. Check the university's course page for the exact offer.
For Journalism graduates from this provider, typical earnings around £25,000. (HESA Graduate Outcomes / LEO, via Discover Uni.)
For comparison, the standard full-time England tuition cap is up to £9,790 per year in 2026/27; the actual fee varies by course and provider. If you normally live in England, eligible students can apply for a Tuition Fee Loan, plus a Maintenance Loan for living costs. Under Plan 5 you repay 9% of income above £25,000, nothing below that, and the balance is written off after 40 years. See Fees & funding on this page to work out your numbers.
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