BA (Hons) Sports Journalism with Foundation and Industry Years

Turn your love of sports into a writing career. Join the longest running BJTC-accredited sports journalism degree in the UK, where graduates go into jobs with the biggest names in the industry.
Solent’s foundation year in media offers students a stimulating introduction to develop technical, creative and academic skills across a range of media platforms before beginning the BA (Hons) Sports Journalism undergraduate degree.

Understanding that students are joining the foundation year from a range of previous experiences, the course is specifically designed to acclimatise students to the university experience.

In the foundation year you will be encouraged to produce traditional media productions, then start to identify your own storytelling voice and signature style. You will lastly be introduced to the significance of the creative industries within the UK economy and will be encouraged to begin positioning yourself within this growing and exciting sector. Upon successful completion you can go on to the three-year degree.

Taught by professionally qualified staff, you will develop a strong understanding of the industry, and get opportunities to pursue valuable work experience in the real world for the placement year.

The sports journalism course gets you into the thick of the action straight away, reporting on local and national sports for both online and traditional media platforms. You will be a practicing journalist from day one – benefiting from outstanding teaching, facilities and contacts, along with plenty of opportunities to put your learning into practice.

The course has been developed to meet the needs of the modern sports journalism industry and is accredited by the Broadcast Journalism Training Council (BJTC), which ensures you are ready to work for their industry partners (BBC, Sky News, ITN, Channel 4 News, Global Radio, Associated Press, Reuters and National Union of Journalists. The degree boasts a broad spectrum of transferable skills - from print or broadcast to online and social media reporting – training you to produce a comprehensive news package that will engage and excite your audience.

The proof is in our graduates. Solent sports journalists operate at a range of top broadcast companies, including Sky Sports, BBC Sport, ESPN and talkSPORT, as well as national newspapers such as The Daily Mail and The Times. Other graduates work in the media offices of football, cricket and rugby clubs, as well as creative agencies and organisations.

At Solent, you'll have access to industry-standard software and work with real news agency material and interviews with the biggest names, via our partnership with Press Association (PA) and Independent Radio News (IRN). In a dedicated newsroom, you will engage in news productions using high-end media equipment, where you'll be encouraged to report on a variety of sporting events and stories.

And the south is a fantastic location to engage with sporting activity. Solent University is the official education partner of Championship side Southampton Football Club, while the nearby Ageas Bowl is home to Hampshire Cricket Club and hosts regular national and international matches. The Solent is a popular race sailing location, hosting major events such as the America’s Cup. Plus, the University has many successful sporting teams and athletes for you to create content from.

48 UCAS tariff points from: A-levels, a BTEC Extended Diploma at PPP or BTEC Diploma at MP, a T-Level Pass (D or E), or equivalent. We will consider mature students who have not recently undertaken a formal course of study at A-level, or equivalent, but can demonstrate relevant work or voluntary experience, that's indicative of their ability to complete the course successfully. IELTS minimum 6.0 overall with a minimum of 5.5 in each individual component TOEFL IBT minimum 80 with a minimum of 20 in each individual component