BA (Hons) Sports Journalism with Media and Communications Foundation Year Bachelor's degree at the University of Lincoln
BA (Hons) Sports Journalism with Media and Communications Foundation Year at University of Lincoln is accredited by the National Council for the Training of Journalists (NCTJ) and recognised as a nationally accredited UK degree.
About this course
The course is accredited by the National Council for the Training of Journalists (NCTJ), and teaching is delivered by experienced industry professionals and academics. From the provider’s course page.
BA (Hons) Sports Journalism with Media and Communications Foundation Year is a Bachelor's degree (BA (Hons)) at the University of Lincoln, based in Lincoln Campus. It runs 4 years, studied full-time.
For Journalism graduates from this provider, 90% were in work or further study 15 months after graduating, 70% in highly skilled roles, 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.
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: 15; treat comparisons cautiously. Cohort 2022-23. Graduate Outcomes work or further study 90% (2022-23; Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
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.
First Year 7 modules
- Essential Journalism 1Core
Module details
Introduces students to journalism's most fundamental vocational skills and techniques, including identifying news values, finding stories, interviewing, researching effectively, and producing journalistic writing for different media platforms. Covers ethical dilemmas and industry codes. Teaching uses highly practical and vocational methods with emphasis on student involvement and engagement.
Assessment: Two portfolios which students work towards throughout the module.
- Essential Law & Crime ReportingCore
Module details
Introduces students to the legal system, operation of the courts, and examines the impact of legislation and codes of practice on journalists when covering crime stories and the courts.
- Journalism Production OneCore
Module details
Provides a strong foundation for the range of practical multiplatform skills that graduating students need to succeed in the journalism and communications industry. Teaching and assessments are based on current industry practices and production methods.
- Politics for JournalistsCore
Module details
Journalists need to understand how legislation is drafted and enacted in the UK and how journalism effects a check on Government and Parliament. Study of political, democratic and administrative structure including the Monarch, Parliament, Prime Minister, Central Government, local government, judiciary and EU institutions. Topics include constitutional government, ministerial roles, cabinet government, political parties, MPs, civil service, local government structures, councillors, and governmen
- ShorthandCore
Module details
Shorthand is a key skill for journalists and enables fast, accurate note taking. Students are taught the theory of the Teeline system and work on building speed with the aim of achieving the NCTJ 'gold standard' 100 words per minute qualification.
- Sport and the MediaCore
Module details
Takes students through the development of organised sport in Victorian Britain, development of sport media including work of Hazlitt and Egan, through to the Sky Sport revolution in football broadcasting. Covers major historic moments in sports history, relationship between sport and media, how we watch sport, and how sport has impacted everyday life.
- Sport Writing and ReportingCore
Module details
Introduces students to the essential skills of writing and reporting for sports. Develops skills in writing news, asking important questions, writing creative live reports and producing imaginative features. Sports journalists may report on topics ranging from drug scandals in sport to live sports events.
Second Year 8 modules
- Essential Journalism 2Core
Module details
Progresses student journey through journalism's fundamental skills while introducing advanced and higher level techniques vital for successful careers in modern media. Includes advancing skills for finding original news, interviewing, researching, and producing journalistic writing for different platforms. New advancements include data journalism, live reporting, and active press conferences. Uses highly practical and vocational teaching methods.
Assessment: Portfolio which students work towards throughout the module.
- Journalism Production TwoCore
Module details
Delivers practical multiplatform skills ensuring graduating students can work effectively in the industry. Students learn to deliver the same story across different digital and media platforms. Teaching and assessments based on current industry practices and production methods.
- Law, Ethics and RegulationCore
Module details
Builds on legal and administrative knowledge from Essential Law at Level One. Examines how criminal and civil legislation affecting print, online and broadcast journalists has developed, identifies areas of conflict and uncertainty, and requires students to apply knowledge of legislation and case law to given scenarios.
- Specialist Reporting and ProductionCore
Module details
Allows students to discover their journalistic voice by diving into the specialist pathway that excites them most. Options include producing TV or radio bulletins, broadcast storytelling, magazine layouts, digital photography, podcasts, or long-form features. Guided by industry-experienced staff with hands-on workshops to develop professional-level skills.
- Sport and SocietyCore
Module details
Examines how sport has impacted British society at every level for centuries, from folk sport tradition in medieval Britain, through Victorian health revolution and mass spectator spectacle of Olympic Games. Looks at how sport has affected lives and been shaped by social attitudes including racism, sexism and gender equality.
- The Business of SportCore
Module details
Allows students to explore relationships between sport, media, finance, public relations, marketing and business. Incorporates expertise from visiting lecturers and staff. Explores role of marketing and PR in sports organisations and international sports events. Examines how sport combines with finance and business in multi-million pound transfers, foreign ownership and media franchising.
- Industry PlacementOptional
Module details
The University has strong commitment to providing academic programmes with high vocational relevance through working links with local, national and international organisations. The Placement Year aims to give students continuous experience of full-time work within a journalism, media or communications organisation. Constitutes a work placement during an academic year, funded by full-time paid employment, taking place between Level 5 and Level 6. Minimum duration of placement is 39 weeks.
- Journalism International ExchangeOptional
Module details
Students who opt to take this module have the opportunity to study for a term at one
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 a foundation year, delivered by industry professionals and academics accredited by the National Council for the Training of Journalists (NCTJ). You'll move from foundational study in media and communications in the foundation year into specialist sports journalism across the subsequent three years. A course like this typically progresses from core journalism skills, reporting, interviewing and news writing, through to multimedia production, sports coverage techniques and editorial practice. As you advance, you'll usually encounter specialisations such as broadcast journalism, digital media and investigative sports reporting. The structure typically culminates in a final project or portfolio demonstrating your professional competence in sports journalism practice.
Who it's for
This course suits students entering with A-levels or equivalent qualifications. Recent accepted students typically held A-levels or equivalent (95% of entrants), with a common UCAS tariff band of 112–127 points. The foundation year is designed to prepare you for honours-level study in sports journalism and media communications.
University & format
University of Lincoln is a public university located on Lincoln Campus. This is a 4-year full-time Bachelor's degree (BA Hons) taught in English. The course is accredited by the National Council for the Training of Journalists (NCTJ), ensuring professional recognition. The University holds Gold for teaching quality in the Office for Students' TEF 2023, and is a recognised UK degree-awarding body with nationally recognised degrees.
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.
The provider publishes contextual-offer information. Eligibility and any reduced offer are applicant-specific.
Work placement. Availability, selection and pay can vary.
See and book current events. Dates can fill or change.
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 | 95% |
| another higher-education qualification | 5% |
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 (code P503). 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 Lincoln →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 | £25,000 | £23,000 – £29,000 | 15 |
| 3 years after | £22,000 | £18,500 – £24,500 | 85 |
| 5 years after | £28,000 | £23,500 – £33,000 | 90 |
Nominal earnings for graduates of this course/subject at this provider. Limited evidence. Published sample: 15; 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: 15; 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 · 25% of published destinations · ASHE median £40,895
- Business and public service associate professionalsSOC 2020 35 · 20% of published destinations · ASHE median £38,760
- Administrative occupationsSOC 2020 41 · 10% of published destinations · ASHE median £27,006
- Elementary occupationsSOC 2020 9 · 10% of published destinations · ASHE median £19,087
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: 40; response rate: 55%. 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
90% were in work or further study 15 months after graduating, 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 8.8 out of 10: NSS 83.1% · in work or study 90% · continued 90%.
Who studies here and in this subject?
Provider- and UK subject-level context.
The University of Lincoln
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 Lincoln Campus
1,962 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 Lincoln from outside the UK involves: fees, English, visa, funding and living costs.
Tuition fees
International tuition is set per course by University of Lincoln; 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 Lincoln’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 Lincoln and gov.uk before you apply.
Related courses
More at University of Lincoln
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Common questions
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