BA (Hons) Sports Journalism Bachelor's degree at the University of Salford
BA (Hons) Sports Journalism at University of Salford. You'll study at the heart of Salford's MediaCity, where BBC Sport, ITV and dock10 Studios are based, alongside dozens of professional sports clubs within reach.
About this course
If you want to turn your passion for sport into a career, Sports Journalism could be the course for you. You’ll learn right at the heart of Salford’s MediaCity, home to BBC Sport, ITV and dock10 Studios, and close to dozens of professional clubs from football, both codes of rugby and more. From the provider’s course page.
BA (Hons) Sports Journalism is a Bachelor's degree (BA (Hons)) at the University of Salford. It runs 3 years, studied full-time.
For Journalism graduates from this provider, 86% were in work or further study 15 months after graduating, 80% in highly skilled roles, typical earnings around £24,000. (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.
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)
Limited evidence Published sample: 25; treat comparisons cautiously. Cohort 2022-23. Graduate Outcomes work or further study 86% (2022-23; Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Published threshold met Discover Uni suppresses continuation data below its publication threshold. Cohort 2022-23. Continuation 86% (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 one 6 modules
- Introduction to Sports JournalismCore
Module details
Learn about sport, the media and the role that both play in society. Analyse and discuss the history, development and future of sport and sports journalism in lectures, workshops and seminars. Understand key models and theories of sports media, and how to research and write academic work.
- Social Media for SportCore
Module details
Develop content creation skills to write and use multimedia tools to tell stories. Develop your own online portfolio of your best work.
- Audio and Video Journalism: StorytellingCore
Module details
Learn techniques of mobile journalism as well as basic broadcast editing and studio use from seasoned broadcast professionals.
- Law and EthicsCore
Module details
Understand the legal, regulatory and ethical frameworks in which all journalists work. Visit local courts to learn how to report on cases.
- Audio and Video Journalism: ProductionCore
Module details
Gain technical abilities needed to produce broadcast quality sports news. Learn camerawork, video and audio capture and editing, and how to write and structure packages for a variety of video and audio formats.
- Sports Essential ReportingCore
Module details
Introduce you to the fundamental practices, skills and professional standards of reporting within a sports journalism context. Develop core reporting competencies, including researching and generating story ideas, sourcing and interviewing, news writing, and producing accurate and ethical sports journalism.
Year two 8 modules
- Broadcast JournalismCore
Module details
Learn advanced techniques in editing and camerawork, live reporting and studio skills across radio, TV and online platforms. Develop editorial and creative skills in producing radio and TV feature packages in industry-standard studios.
- Sports NewsroomCore
Module details
Work individually and in a production team to plan and create sports journalism content across online, social, video and audio platforms. Participate in 15 newsdays to do live match reporting from grounds as well as presenting and producing outputs from studios.
- Sports Broadcasting and CommentaryCore
Module details
Develop on-air skills as a sports journalist. Work in studios and at sports fixtures on techniques of live reporting, presenting and voice skills, as well as in preparing and delivering match commentaries.
- Sport History, Culture and GovernanceCore
Module details
Explore the intertwined evolution of sport and journalism in the UK, charting the journey from its medieval origins to the modern, global phenomenon. Analyse the role of media in shaping sport as a cultural and economic force, focusing on sport development and its social and cultural impacts.
- Sports Longform StorytellingCore
Module details
Focus on the creation of in-depth, narrative-driven sports journalism. Move beyond immediacy and event-led reporting to explore sport through longer-form storytelling that provides context, depth and insight.
- PodcastingOptional
Module details
Explore podcasts as a form of journalistic storytelling. Learn how to pitch, research, structure and produce podcasts for target audiences.
- Future JournalismOptional
Module details
Track emerging trends in journalism, especially the ways in which technological developments can be harnessed by journalists to create content and engage audiences. Analyse and experiment with cutting-edge tools and techniques of storytelling.
- Sport in the Digital WorldOptional
Module details
Evaluate the relationship between sport and the media and allow you to critically evaluate the cultural, economic and political importance of sport to the global media landscape.
Year three 9 modules
- Sports Journalism PracticeCore
Module details
Move towards your chosen career in sports journalism in this demanding module, both in multimedia newsroom and by doing work experience in the sports media industry. Work alongside professional journalists during multiplatform newsdays and complete a work placement at a recognised sports journalism outlet or media team.
- Major Journalism ProjectCore
Module details
Produce an in-depth piece of written, audio or video journalism with professional tutorial supervision.
- DissertationOptional
Module details
Undertake research in a journalism-related area with academic support. Alternative to Major Journalism Project.
- Advanced Sports JournalismCore
Module details
Further develop sports journalism skills to make you industry ready, including the strategic PR and digital communication skills required to work in club media. Expand your understanding of the role of journalists within sport, of issues such as racism and gender within sport, and of the audiences for sport across delivery platforms.
- Globalisation of SportOptional
Module details
Develop a deep understanding of how the sports industry has become a truly global phenomenon. Learn key skills and understanding of the historical, geopolitical, economic, digital and media drivers in sport, as well as the importance of emerging markets.
- Magazine JournalismOptional
Module details
Develop your understanding of the entire process of creating a magazine publication in print and/or online. Learn how to originate, write, assess and develop ideas and have the necessary organisational and practical skills to see them through to completion.
- PhotojournalismOptional
Module details
Gain an in-depth understanding of photojournalism by critically evaluating this specialised craft from a wide range of perspectives - technical, practical, aesthetic, ethical, legal, sociological and psychological. Develop your own portfolio and engage in a range of live briefs.
- Political and Campaigning JournalismOptional
Module details
Examine how journalists approach the reporting of political issues, gaining a broad understanding of techniques and practices used in regional, national and international contexts. Analyse the use of social media in political reporting as well as consider relevant ethical dilemmas.
- Sports Club MediaOptional
Module details
Prepare for a career in sports club media and public relations. Explore the distinctions and overlaps between traditional sports journalism and PR roles within sports organisations. Gain practical skills in creating content for a targeted fanbase and learn how to build a sports club's brand.
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
You'll typically begin with foundations in journalism storytelling, sports writing and broadcast techniques. As you progress, you'll usually move into deeper sport-specific reporting, interview skills, and digital and social media platforms. In your final year, a course like this normally emphasises specialisation, such as live commentary, investigative sports reporting, or multimedia journalism, alongside portfolio development and industry placements. Throughout, you'll gain hands-on experience with real production environments and learn to cover sports across different media formats.
Who it's for
You're drawn to sport and want to tell its stories, through words, video, audio or digital platforms. You have a curiosity about current events and strong communication skills, and you're prepared to work in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment. You'll thrive if you're keen to build a portfolio of published or broadcast work during your studies, comfortable pitching ideas, and keen to learn both the craft and the ethics of journalism. This course suits you if you want practical experience alongside theoretical understanding of media and sports culture.
Careers & job market
Across Sport & Exercise Science graduates nationally, 90% are in work or further study within 15 months of graduating. Of those working, 62% are in highly skilled roles or undertaking further study. Starting earnings nationally for this field typically range from £22,000 to £30,000 at 15 months; after five years, graduates earn between £23,375 and £33,000. Your specific career trajectory will depend on your specialisation, experience and the sector you enter, broadcast, print, digital or sports communications.
University & format
The University of Salford is a public university founded in 1896, located in Salford. The BA (Hons) Sports Journalism is a 3-year full-time degree taught in English. The university is a recognised UK degree-awarding body; its teaching quality was awarded Silver in the Office for Students' TEF 2023. Bursaries and scholarships are available; check the university's funding pages for details.
Student satisfaction
How students on this course answered the National Student Survey, by theme.
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.
- 2027 entryCompleted applications can be submitted
Your application needs a reference before you can send it.
- 2026 entryFinal date for 2026 applications
Applications must reach UCAS by 18:00 UK time.
- 2026 entryLast day to add a Clearing choice
Check that this course still has a vacancy before adding it.
- 2027 entryEqual-consideration deadline
18:00 UK time for most undergraduate courses.
Show 5 later dates
- 2027 entryUCAS Extra opens
Applicants who used all five choices and hold no offer may be able to add another choice.
- 2027 entryLast day applications go directly to providers
Applications received after 18:00 UK time are entered into Clearing.
- 2027 entryClearing opens
Eligible applicants can see vacancies and release themselves into Clearing.
- 2027 entryFinal date for 2027 applications
Applications must reach UCAS by 18:00 UK time.
- 2027 entryLast day to add a Clearing choice
Check that this course still has a vacancy before adding it.
Work placement. Availability, selection and pay can vary.
Entry & how to get in
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
| Qualification | Share |
|---|---|
| A-levels or equivalent | 94% |
| another higher-education qualification | 2% |
| an Access course | 2% |
| a previous degree | 1% |
| a Baccalaureate | 1% |
| No / unknown prior qualifications | 1% |
Entry & your chances
An honest read from the official entry data, plus your personal match.
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.
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.
- 1Register on UCAS Hub
Create your UCAS application and add this course. One application covers up to five choices.
- 2Write 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.
- 3Submit by 13 January 2027, 18:00 UK time
UCAS equal-consideration deadline for most undergraduate courses. Source: UCAS 2027 dates.
- 4Reply to your offers
When decisions are in, pick a firm (first) choice and an insurance (back-up) choice with slightly lower grades.
- 5Results 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.
Fees & funding
What this course costs and how UK student finance covers it.
Tuition per year
Standard capped home fee at English providers (2026/27); Scotland, Wales & NI differ.
Check fees at University of Salford →For students who normally live in England
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.
Scholarships & bursaries you could qualify for
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.
Still deciding what to study?
StudyKit brings course choice, applications and funding together in one place, with a personal AI assistant. Find what really fits you and start your UCAS application step by step.
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
| When | Median | Typical range | Graduates |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15 months after | £24,000 | £23,000 – £25,000 | 25 |
| 3 years after | £22,500 | £18,500 – £25,500 | 135 |
| 5 years after | £27,500 | £23,500 – £32,500 | 140 |
Nominal earnings for graduates of this course/subject at this provider. Limited evidence. Published sample: 25; treat comparisons cautiously. Cohort 2022-23.
Graduate outcomes, 15 months on: this course
- 1Graduate roleFirst role after the degree · 0–2 yrs
- 2Specialist / PractitionerWorking in sport & exercise science · 2–5 yrs
- 3Senior / LeadLeading work and people · 5–10 yrs
- 4Head of / ExpertSenior leadership or deep expertise · 10+ yrs
How pay grows: this course vs Sport & Exercise Science nationally
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.
were in work or further study
15 months after graduation
Source: Discover Uni, using Graduate Outcomes and continuation data. Cohorts: 2022-23. Limited evidence. Published sample: 25; treat comparisons cautiously. Cohort 2022-23. 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.
Compared with 915 courses with compatible official earnings data. This is a course-value comparison, not a quality ranking.
UK occupations graduates enter
Published graduate destinations, joined conservatively to UK SOC 2020, ONS pay and Skills England demand.
- Media ProfessionalsSOC 2020 249 · 40% of published destinations · ASHE median £40,895
- Artistic, literary and media occupationsSOC 2020 341 · 15% of published destinations · ASHE median £33,824
- Elementary occupationsSOC 2020 9 · 10% of published destinations · ASHE median £19,087
- Business and public service associate professionalsSOC 2020 35 · 10% of published destinations · ASHE median £38,760
Discover Uni JOBLIST/JOBTYPE; ONS ASHE 2025 provisional, all employee jobs; Skills England Occupations in Demand 2025. SOC is shown only for an exact normalised label match; demand is shown only at exact four-digit SOC. Published sample: 85; response rate: 60%. Pay describes the occupation across workers, not a guaranteed graduate salary.
Job market & outlook
How Sport & Exercise Science graduates fare in the labour market, and how AI is reshaping the work.
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.
Roles graduates go into
Where they work
- Sports clubs & NGBs
- Leisure providers
- Schools
- The NHS
Jobs after this course
Current roles from the StudySmarter job board that suit Sport & Exercise Science graduates.
Sport CoachAspire PeopleSport Science LeadBiolyz FlexCoBTEC Tech Awards Sept 22 - Sport - ExaminerPearsonEquine Vet: Independent Clinic for Leisure & Sport HorsesBritish Veterinary LGBT+Learning Mentor (PE/Sport)Prospero TeachingCasual Youth Worker: Sport, Community Growth & BelongingActive Herefordshire & WorcestershireIs 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
86% were in work or further study 15 months after graduating, with a median salary of £24,000. 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 8.6 out of 10: NSS 85.7% · in work or study 86% · continued 86%.
Who studies here and in this subject?
Provider- and UK subject-level context.
The University of Salford
Biological and sport sciences across the UK
HESA student record 2024/25. Counts are rounded.
Local crime-data context
A neutral snapshot around the published teaching location.
Around Salford University
10 street-level reports returned within roughly one mile across 2026-04 to 2026-06.
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 University of Salford from outside the UK involves: fees, English, visa, funding and living costs.
Tuition fees
International tuition is set per course by University of Salford; 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 University of Salford’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 University of Salford and gov.uk before you apply.
Related courses
More at University of Salford
Common questions
How competitive is entry?
What are the entry requirements?
What do graduates go on to do?
What will it cost me?
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