Sports Journalism Degrees and Courses
The field of sports journalism includes writing about sports for newspapers, magazines and websites, as well as broadcasting for sports events. Learn about the education options for sports journalism training, including common course topics.
What You Need to Know
Pursuing a career in sports journalism can begin with a degree in journalism or sports management. Focusing on journalistic writing and interviewing along with issues unique to the world of sports, these programs are available at the undergraduate and graduate levels, including online options.
<table border="1"><tr><td> <b>Courses</b> </td><td> Interviewing, sports writing, photojournalism, legal and ethical issues in sports</td></tr>
<tr><td> <b>Degrees</b> </td><td> Bachelor's and master's degrees in journalism or sports management</td></tr>
<tr><td> <b>Online</b> </td><td> Online degrees and courses are available</td></tr>
</table><h3 id="section---WhatKindsOfUndergraduateDegreesWillPrepareMeForSportsJournalism">What Kinds of Undergraduate Degrees Will Prepare Me for Sports Journalism?</h3><p>Many schools offer a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism program with a concentration in sports journalism. An alternative to journalism school is to earn a degree in sports management. A sports management program might bring to mind athletes' agents, but these programs can benefit anyone who wants to work in a commercial aspect of sports, including journalists. These can be offered as Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science degrees.
</p><h3 id="section---WhatKindsOfGraduateDegreesWillPrepareMeForSportsJournalism">What Kinds of Graduate Degrees Will Prepare Me for <a href="https://learn.org/articles/Masters_Degrees_in_Sports_Journalism_Online_and_Campus-Based_Program_FAQs.html">Sports Journalism</a>?</h3><p>No matter which undergraduate major you choose, you might want to continue your education in graduate school. Master's degree programs in sports management typically require the completion of around 30-36 credits, which is about two years of study. Journalism master's degree programs also require around 36 credits, though shorter 1-year programs and accelerated dual BA/MA programs are also available. Master's-level sports journalism programs offer advanced courses in sports reporting, broadcasting and online journalism.
</p><h3 id="section---WhatCoursesWillITake">What Courses Will I Take?</h3><p>A sports journalism curriculum will give you the chance to earn college credit by studying something you already love: sports. You'll also master the communication skills needed to report on sporting events, statistics and participants. You can expect to take courses such as:
</p><ul><li>Sports feature writing
</li><li>Multimedia reporting
</li><li>Sports television and field production
</li><li>Sports media relations
</li><li>Communication law, ethics and culture
</li><li>Live sports reporting
</li><li>Photography
</li><li>Sports business and marketing
</li><li>Sports in American life</li></ul>