Sports Journalism MA



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Overview

Scotland’s historic capital city is home to the long-established journalism programme at Âé¶¹ÉçÇø. Building on the success of our existing multi-platform courses, MA Sports Journalism specialises in digital storytelling for sports coverage in print, online and broadcast. The course utilises the university’s journalism facilities: our multi-platform digital newsroom and studios for both television and radio. 

The sports journalism marketplace has expanded exponentially, driven by technological change, with traditional media supplemented by web-based publishing, digital radio and TV. Broadcast sport schedules and print sections have been extended and new media like podcasts, video platforms and websites have driven an expansion of user-generated content, including fan media. 

You will learn and develop a wide range of the practical skills of sports journalism, commentary and punditry for TV, radio, podcast, online and newspapers. 

Âé¶¹ÉçÇø focusses on employability and our journalism programme benefits from industry links with media companies and with sporting organisations. As well as being the subject of sports coverage, the sport bodies and clubs increasingly employ in-house journalism teams to produce video and written content for their channels.  

If you have any questions, please email programme leader David Tanner at d.tanner@napier.ac.uk

 
Audience in the football stadium

Mode of Study:

Full-time

Duration:

1 years

Start date:

Sep

Course details

Scotland enjoys a global reputation as a sports nation: it is the home of golf and the birthplace of both international rugby and international football; this university operates in the centre of a country where sport matters. 

If you have a passion for the world of sport and you have an interest in media, Âé¶¹ÉçÇø will provide you with the foundation on which to enter and build a career in the sports media sphere. 

Our broadcast studios and multimedia newsrooms provide an industry setting for students to experience the thrill of sports and sports news journalism. You will learn how to operate recording and editing equipment for television (Avid), radio (Burli) and podcasts. 

You will participate in live “newsdays” which simulate the excitement of a day in the life of a multimedia digital newsroom.  

You will develop your analytical and critical skills to hone your writing, communication and research techniques. 

You will gain access to our industry connections, with your studies enhanced by guest lectures and work placements. You will be given opportunities to develop industry contacts and to work in publishing/broadcasting before you graduate. 

Your understanding of the sports media landscape will be broadened on field trips to live sport events (men and women’s fixtures) and the associated press activities.  

The course is taught by a team of media professionals-academics with a background in broadcasting, newspapers, online for such media organisations as Sky Sports, BBC, talkSPORT, BT Sport, STV, The Scotsman, Olympic Broadcast Services, BBC World Service, BBC News channel, BBC World, Sky News, Radio Clyde, Talk Radio, The Times and The Sunday Times.   

*Field trips may incur additional transport costs 
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    How you’ll be taught

    This is a one-year (full-time) course, starting in September and split into three trimesters. Teaching methods combine lectures with specialist workshops in our newsrooms and independent study.  

    You will be taught to use software such as Burli (audio), Avid (video) to edit and broadcast and have access to Radio ENRG and our TV studio. 
  • note and pen

    Assessments

    You will be continuously assessed and given feedback on ‘live’ newsdays, producing an online news website along with TV and radio bulletins.  

    You will complete the programme by producing a Major Project, an in-depth piece of sports journalism, either video or audio, text or online. 
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    Work placement

    To help you develop industry contacts and the opportunity to publish and broadcast, students are encouraged, in consultation with their lecturers, to seek a minimum of 15 days work experience placements as part of the course. 
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    Facilities

    Our Merchiston campus, situated in the heart of Edinburgh, is home to the School of Creative Industries, as well as engineering and computing students.  

    We have excellent facilities including a digital newsroom, a TV studio, a live radio studio (home to our student station, ENRG Radio), a voiceover booth and a podcast studio. 

Modules

Modules that you will study* as part of this course

Commentary and Punditry in Sports ( JAC11142 )

In this module you will develop the necessary skills to work as a commentator or pundit in a broad range of popular sports. It checks on the industry standards and encourages you to pursue on practical activities to develop your abilities. You will critically appraise commentary and produce your own commentary and punditry to a professional level. You will develop the skills and ability to commentate with authority and credibility at both a written and video / audio level. The module also includes developments in the modern sport industry, such as data analytics, tactics, sports science. They will be studied along with the ethical and commercial dimension and major issues faced in different global sports.You will see that keeping abreast of rolling news is essential to develop an in-depth knowledge of the game. So, you will critically engage with various platforms and understand demand for commentators and pundits. In addition, you will learn the opportunities they provide for a freelancer sports journalist.

Global Business of Sports ( JAC11143 )

This module offers a global perspective on the sports industry: considering the impact of different modalities and its effects on societies and communities. It critically examines the world of sports and its multibillion industries across the globe, including the different formats of popular sports, the penetration, and structure in different countries to understand their singularities.In this module you will learn and critically analyse the history and social context of key popular sports: how they reached various parts of the world, and their cultural and political impacts on society. You will explore the individual characteristics of the main leagues and international competitions, enabling you to investigate the areas and specialism you are passionate about. The module challenges you to critically appraise the financial aspect of sports industries by exploring regulations, stakeholders, and the emergence of the governing bodies which control them.

Journalism Major Project ( JAC11137 )

The Journalism Major Project needs a strong subject, one that sells to editors and publishers as a work destined for prime airtime or publication.The Journalism Major Project gives you the chance to mobilise the skills and academic understanding you have acquired on the taught part of the programme to produce a journalistic artefact or series of artefacts of publishable and / or broadcast quality, which is to be accompanied by a professional pitch, with accompanying documentation and a critically reflective essay of 4000 words.The artefact / series of artefacts produced by you must represent a substantial piece of original investigative research which can be dealt with through print, broadcast or online-journalism of a high-quality professional standard. The total volume of this journalistic artefact / series of artefacts will be equivalent to 11000 words, or technical equivalents (for broadcast, or work presented in InDesign etc). This word-count volume can be found in the Journalism Major Project Handbook.

Radio Bulletins ( JAC11135 )

This module will introduce you to a variety of common radio formats as well as the terminology used in specific broadcast environments. You will expand your critical understanding of the radio environment in the UK and beyond and will understand how news values apply to radio journalism. The module will enable you to realise story ideas through to completion in a variety of formats suitable for broadcast and podcasting. You will research stories and find contributors, record on location, and understand the processes and paperwork required of a broadcast journalist including risk assessment and interview techniques. You will also be taught how to use audio recorders, and scripting and editing software.

Sports Journalism Rights and Regulations ( JAC11144 )

This module offers an overall view on the legislation and ethical codes of journalism in Scotland and in the UK, contextualised to a perspective for professionals working in the sports industry. On this module, you will critically appraise the legal and regulatory challenges facing sports media and the sports’ governing bodies at a Scottish, UK, European and global level. You will also study how these issues are pertinent to the individual journalist and media organisations and specific sports related legislation.The module will examine how aspects of the law apply in the following areas: • Criminal (disorder, hooliganism, hate crime, drugs, health & safety)• Civil (defamation, privacy, copyright) • Business (liquidation, sponsorship, media rights) and Employment (contracts, visas). You are also expected to reflect on social media’s legal impact on both mainstream media, professionals, and governing bodies. Underpinning this will be an understanding of the ethical and legal importance of inclusion, diversity, and human rights in the modern sports industry.

Sports News Reporting ( JAC11145 )

This module will present an introduction to sports journalism and to the sports industry. You will gain knowledge and understanding of current journalism practice in sports reporting and writing, interview techniques, feature writing and creating digital, multimedia content for online sites and social media platforms.The Sports News Reporting module is designed to provide you with an in-depth understanding of the principles, techniques, and practices of sports journalism. This module is focused on writing techniques, where you will learn fundamental skills to become a sports journalist. The module aims to develop your experience in sports reporting and writing, and to provide you with the ability to analyse and critically evaluate sports news stories. You will have the chance to engage in newsdays, that simulate the industry standards for digital content production. You will also learn from the work of established sports journalists and get inspired to produce your own pieces. Sports writing is a varied and broad area which includes events reporting, news writing, tactical analysis, live social media presentation, and the coverage of different sports industries. The module will equip you to understand and use the language and jargon of different sports and to effectively communicate with both general and specialist audiences and viewers.The module also supports and encourages you to seek press accreditation at different clubs and organisations and attend matches and events to put your skills to practice. You will receive ongoing guidance from your tutors, and you are expected to pro-actively engage in sports reporting and other sort of sport related news content production to build a portfolio.

TV and Multimedia News ( JAC11133 )

This module develops video storytelling techniques for broadcast and online, with emphasis on devising creative treatments for specific audiences. You will learn the professional skills required to film and edit visual sequences, write a broadcast script, conduct interviews, and present on camera. Working in a group you will also engage with professional newsroom workflows by producing a number of longer TV bulletins. In this way, you will develop an understanding of TV studio production, incorporating presenting styles and live interviewing techniques. These ‘news-days’ enable you to learn in a simulated work environment, where deadlines for regular bulletins and extended news programmes must be met. The module is closely linked to the industry and mirrors real industry workflows. You will analyse conventional TV news narrative techniques as well as explore the evolving nature of creative digital video production with an emphasis on mobile journalism and social media platforms. This module ensures you will experience first-hand industry pressures and develop a knowledge of the journalistic, ethical, and technical challenges of working in a TV newsroom. There will be extensive discussion and critical analysis of contemporary issues such as privacy and consent, TV regulation, digital platforms and the place of video within a converged and digital workplace.

* These are indicative only and reflect the course structure in the current academic year. Some changes may occur between now and the time that you study.

Meet the course leader

Course leader David Tanner

The course leader is David Tanner MSc. David presented live football on Sky Sports. He has also hosted on BT Sport, STV News, and Sky Sports News and Sky News in London. David has covered sport in over 30 countries, including the Tokyo Olympics. He is talkSPORT’s Scotland Correspondent.

Disclaimer

mentioned above are indicative only. Some changes may occur between now and the time that you study.

Full information is available in our .

Entry requirements

What are the entry requirements for Sports Journalism?

The entry requirement for this course is a Bachelor (Honours) Degree at a 2:1 or above in any discipline.

We may also consider lesser qualifications if you have sufficient professional experience in sports or the media industries.

You may also be asked to attend an interview with one of our staff team. This could happen online or in person at our Merchiston campus.

Can I get admission into Sports Journalism based on my working experience in this sector?

This course has academic entry requirements which are assessed alongside relevant work experience. Full details of any relevant work experience, including references should be submitted with your application and may be considered for entry where the minimum academic entry requirements are below those required.

Usually, unrelated work experience is not considered sufficient for entry without meeting the minimum academic entry requirements. Please contact us with your specific circumstances by submitting an enquiry form above and we will be happy to discuss your options.

Can I make an appointment with an advisor to discuss further about the admission process?

If you want to get more information on the admission process, please get in touch with the Postgraduate admissions team by submitting an enquiry form above.

 

If your first language isn't English, you'll normally need to undertake an approved English language test.  The English Language requirements for this programme are IELTS (Academic) with an overall score of 6.5 with no individual component score of less than 6.0.  For guidance on the acceptability of other English Language tests please contact pgadmissions@napier.ac.uk

This may not apply if you have completed all your school qualifications in English, or your undergraduate degree was taught and examined in English (within two years of starting your postgraduate course). Check our  to find out if this applies to you.

We welcome applications from students studying a wide range of international qualifications.
Entry requirements by country

Please note that international students are unable to enrol onto the following courses:
  • BM Midwifery/MM Midwifery
  • All Graduate Apprenticeship courses.

See who can apply for more information on Graduate Apprenticeship courses.

We’re committed to admitting students who have the potential to succeed and benefit from our programmes of study. 

Our admissions policies will help you understand our admissions procedures, and how we use the information you provide us in your application to inform the decisions we make.

Undergraduate admissions policies
Postgraduate admissions policies

Fees & funding

The course fees you'll pay and the funding available to you will depend on a number of factors including your nationality, location, personal circumstances and the course you are studying. We also have a number of bursaries and scholarships available to our students.

Tuition fees
Students from 2024/25 2025/26
Scotland, England, Wales, Northern Ireland, and Republic of Ireland £7,280 £7,650
Overseas and EU £18,800 £19,750
Tuition fees are subject to an annual review and may increase from one year to the next. For more information on this and other tuition fee matters, please see our Fees and Funding links above.
The University offers a 20% discount on Postgraduate Taught Masters programmes to its alumni. The discount applies to all full-time, part-time and online programmes. The discount can only be applied to year one of a full-time Postgraduate degree, any additional years are exempt from the discount. For part time Postgraduate degrees the discount will apply to years one, two and three only and any additional years will be exempt from the discount. Please read our full T&C here
Please note that the tuition fees liable to be paid by EU nationals commencing their studies from 1 August 2021 will be the Overseas fee rate. The University offers a range of attractive Tuition Fee bursaries to students resident in specific countries. More information on these can be found here.


Careers

What can you do with a MA Sports Journalism course?

You can step into the press box with our immersive programme designed for aspiring sports journalists. Through a blend of theory, practice and real-world experience, you'll learn to cover the action, analyse the game and tell compelling stories that resonate with sports fans and enthusiasts. After completing this course, you can expect a career in one of the following roles:

  • Reporter
  • Commentator
  • News Editor
  • Digital Editor
  • Feature writer
  • Sports correspondent
  • Producer/asst producer for broadcast and online
  • Broadcaster
  • Podcaster
  • Analyst/Pundit
  • Presenter

Throughout the course, you'll explore the principles of journalism, learn to research and report on sports events. You’ll develop your skills in areas such as sports writing, broadcasting, and multimedia storytelling. Through fieldwork, and collaborations with sports media organisations, you'll gain practical experience covering a variety of sports and events, from local games to international tournaments.

After graduating from this MA programme, you'll emerge as a skilled and versatile sports journalist, ready to pursue a career in sports media. Whether you aspire to work as a reporter, commentator, producer or multimedia journalist, our MA in Sports Journalism will provide you with the knowledge, skills and connections to succeed in the fast-paced and competitive world of sports media.

The MA Sports Journalism programme is led by former-Sky Sports presenter and correspondent David Tanner. Students benefit from the university’s close relationships with media outlets and sporting organisations.

What does a sports correspondent do?

As a sports correspondent, you will cover the thrilling world of sports where your passion for the subject and your storytelling skills will bring the excitement of games and competitions to fans around the world. In this role, you'll serve as a journalist, commentator and analyst, providing in-depth coverage and analysis of sporting events and athletes.

Your responsibilities will span from researching and reporting on sports news and events to conducting interviews and delivering live broadcasts. Picture yourself in stadiums and arenas, capturing the action as it unfolds, and providing insights and commentary that enrich the viewing experience for audiences.

By leveraging your expertise in sports journalism and your knowledge of athletic competitions and strategies, you will provide informed and engaging coverage. Whether you're covering major tournaments, analysing game highlights, or profiling athletes, your focus will be on delivering content that informs, entertains, and inspires sports fans. Your passion for sports and your ability to connect with audiences through compelling storytelling will set you apart as a trusted voice in sports media, shaping conversations and perspectives in the world of sport.

Journalists asking questions to an athlete