Why choose the School of Arts and Creative Industries
Opportunities for practical professional live sports coverage (radio, TV, print and online) including through our Education Partnerships with Luton Town FC and Bedford Blues RFC.
Work experience opportunities with the BBC, Luton Town FC, MK Dons FC, Bedford Blues RFC, to name a few.
Strong track record of placing our graduates in the sports industry including roles at FIFA, UEFA, the Daily Mail, Tottenham Hotspur, Luton Town FC and more.
About the course
Sport journalism has emerged as a graduate profession because it calls for both critical and practical skills alongside an understanding of sports’ complex political, economic, social and technological dimensions. Sport journalists need to be able to cover the off-field stories in areas such as sports law and governance as well as on-field sporting developments. This course equips you with the knowledge and abilities to be a successful sport journalist, giving you transferable multimedia communication skills that are also highly valued in related industries such as public relations and marketing.
Industry links
We are the official Education Partners of Luton Town FC and Bedford Blues RFC Foundation, giving you opportunities to put your journalism skills into practice covering live events.
Facilities and specialist equipment
- Mac-equipped newsroom with radio news booth and transmission gallery
- High-spec multi-camera television studios
- Industry-standard radio facilities
- Award-winning, Ofcom-licensed radio station, Radio LaB
- Outside broadcast (OB) recording equipment
- Netflix-approved Sony FX6 cameras for broadcast-quality film and television content
- Sony FX3 Cinema Line camera with full-frame sensor and enhanced mobility for easy solo hand-held shooting
- Industry-standard sound and lighting equipment
- Digital video-editing suites with Adobe Creative Cloud software
Student experience
Benefit from studying with a team of industry specialists in both sports reporting and general journalism, across a range of platforms.
Acquire the core practical and critical skills of a sport journalist, culminating in a four-week industry work placement in your final year.
Learn practical skills in the areas of radio, TV, podcasting, digital design, written sports journalism, social media content creation, and sports PR and marketing.
Thanks to the University's partnership with Luton Town FC, you get the opportunity to report live on Hatters’ matches.
Take up opportunities to supplement your learning with practical real-life experience in the sports’ media.
Extend your experience at our in-house sports TV channel, Bulls TV, and provide sports coverage for our University’s Bedfordshire Bulls sports teams.
Report from your first year for our news website and present your own show on Radio LaB, our University’s community radio station.
Hear from leading academics, sports participants and masterclass speakers from both the worlds of sport and media. Past guest speakers include Keanu Rattray, Digital Content Manager at FIFA, and Mick Payne, Match of the Day producer.
Take advantage of field trips to studios and course-related destinations including MKFM, Luton Town FC, MK Dons FC, BBC Broadcasting House, BT Sport, and Sky.
with Professional Practice Year
This course has the option to be taken over four years which includes a year placement in industry. Undertaking a year in industry has many benefits. You gain practical experience and build your CV, as well as being a great opportunity to sample a profession and network with potential future employers.
There is no tuition fee for the placement year enabling you to gain an extra year of experience for free.
*Only available to UK/EU students.
with Foundation Year
A Degree with a Foundation Year gives you guaranteed entry to an Undergraduate course.
Whether you’re returning to learning and require additional help and support to up-skill, or if you didn’t quite meet the grades to pursue an Undergraduate course, our Degrees with Foundation Year provide a fantastic entry route for you to work towards a degree level qualification.
With our guidance and support you’ll get up to speed within one year, and will be ready to seamlessly progress on to undergraduate study at Bedfordshire.
The Foundation Year provides an opportunity to build up your academic writing skills and numeracy, and will also cover a range of subject specific content to fully prepare you for entry to an Undergraduate degree.
This is an integrated four-year degree, with the foundation year as a key part of the course. You will need to successfully complete the Foundation Year to progress on to the first year of your bachelor’s degree.
Why study a degree with a Foundation Year?
- Broad-based yet enough depth to give you credible vocational skills
- Coverage of a variety of areas typically delivered by an expert in this area
- Gain an understanding of a subject before choosing which route you wish to specialise in
- Great introduction to further study, and guaranteed progression on to one of our Undergraduate degrees
The degrees offering a Foundation Year provide excellent preparation for your future studies.
During your Foundation Year you will get the opportunity to talk to tutors about your degree study and future career aspirations, and receive guidance on the most appropriate Undergraduate course to help you achieve this; providing you meet the entry requirements and pass the Foundation Year.
Course Leader - Jon Boyle
Jon is a creative, competent and enthusiastic sports journalism lecturer who joined the University of Bedfordshire in May 2014 after five years as course leader of foundation degree journalism at Milton Keynes College.
He started his journalism career as a news reporter for the Leighton Buzzard Observer – covering crime, council news, cinema, music, computer game reviews and features – before progressing to the role of senior reporter at its larger sister newspaper The Milton Keynes Citizen.
Course Leader - Jon Boyle
Jon is a creative, competent and enthusiastic sports journalism lecturer who joined the University of Bedfordshire in May 2014 after five years as course leader of foundation degree journalism at Milton Keynes College.
He started his journalism career as a news reporter for the Leighton Buzzard Observer – covering crime, council news, cinema, music, computer game reviews and features – before progressing to the role of senior reporter at its larger sister newspaper The Milton Keynes Citizen.
Course Leader - Jon Boyle
Jon is a creative, competent and enthusiastic sports journalism lecturer who joined the University of Bedfordshire in May 2014 after five years as course leader of foundation degree journalism at Milton Keynes College.
He started his journalism career as a news reporter for the Leighton Buzzard Observer – covering crime, council news, cinema, music, computer game reviews and features – before progressing to the role of senior reporter at its larger sister newspaper The Milton Keynes Citizen.
What will you study?
Year 1
Writing for media - Learn to research and write news stories, features and creative content for various media platforms. Sport in society - Introduction to sport and its place in our world, now and in the past. Content creation and post-production - Develop storytelling through audio/video recording, editing and online publishing. Podcasting - Understand podcasting as a medium and movement while producing articulate, idea-driven content.
Year 2
Practical sports journalism - Learn and practise a range of sports reporting, broadcasting, writing and editing skills in live situations. Digital design – Design print and digital layouts using modern publishing tools. Radio, audio and podcasting - Build skills in audio production, podcasting and live/studio broadcasting. Public relations and marketing - Explore PR’s role in brand management and its place in marketing strategy.
Year 3
Special project – Independently research, design and deliver a final project that showcases your knowledge and understanding of sport journalism and the world of sport.
Industry work placement – Gain hands-on experience during a four-week placement in a sports media environment.
How will you be assessed?
Assessment methods vary across the course enabling students to develop strategies for a range of tasks methods of evaluation and presentation giving them valuable employability experience. At all stages students receive formative feedback with every formative assignment and summative feedback is given within 20 working days of submission for level 4 and 5 and within 15 working days for level 6.
Individual tutors all offer the opportunity to discuss any feedback in more detail at each level of study. As student skills and subject knowledge develop over the duration of their course it is expected that they will develop increasingly sophisticated responses to assessment and employ increasingly effective methods of peer and self-review.
Careers
Career opportunities for graduates of this course include sports journalism, publishing, copywriting, public relations, media research and digital media.
Our sport journalism graduates have gone on to work at FIFA, UEFA, the BBC, Reuters, the Daily Mail, Badminton England, Luton Town FC, Tottenham Hotspur and Benfica, with some even winning national awards for their work.
Course graduate Rosie Bonass went on to be Women's Football Social Lead at UEFA. Rosie says, "I was given the opportunity to work at Luton Town FC as part of my course, which helped me land a job as Media Executive at Tottenham Hotspur FC and then my current role as Women's Football Social Lead at UEFA. I can't thank the University of Bedfordshire enough."
In the film on the right, find out more about the exciting opportunities offered by our partnership with Luton Town Football Club.
Entry Requirements
- 112 UCAS tariff points including 96 from at least 3 A-levels or equivalent
Entry Requirements
Entry Requirements
- 112 UCAS tariff points including 96 from at least 3 A-levels or equivalent
Fees for this course
UK
The full-time standard undergraduate tuition fee for the Academic Year 2025/26 is £9,535 per year. You can apply for a loan from the Government to help pay for your tuition fees. You can also apply for a maintenance loan from the Government to help cover your living costs. See www.gov.uk/student-finance
Excellence Scholarships
Worth £2,500 per year of study over three years when you score a defined number of UCAS tariff points from specified qualifications*
» If you don’t qualify for an Excellence Scholarship but have 120 UCAS tariff points, you have enough points for one of our Achievement Scholarships offering £500 per year of study**
» Other scholarships, bursaries and financial support packages are available
* Points requirements vary depending on type of qualification.
** Threshold is 120 UCAS tariff points across all awarding bodies and qualifications.
International
The full-time standard undergraduate tuition fee for the academic year 2025/26 is £16,900 per year.
There are range of Scholarships available to help support you through your studies with us.
A full list of scholarships can be found here.
Fees for this course
UK
The full-time standard undergraduate tuition fee for the Academic Year 2025/26 is £9,535 per year. You can apply for a loan from the Government to help pay for your tuition fees. You can also apply for a maintenance loan from the Government to help cover your living costs. See www.gov.uk/student-finance
Excellence Scholarships
Worth £2,500 per year of study over three years when you score a defined number of UCAS tariff points from specified qualifications*
» If you don’t qualify for an Excellence Scholarship but have 120 UCAS tariff points, you have enough points for one of our Achievement Scholarships offering £500 per year of study**
» Other scholarships, bursaries and financial support packages are available
* Points requirements vary depending on type of qualification.
** Threshold is 120 UCAS tariff points across all awarding bodies and qualifications.
International
The full-time standard undergraduate tuition fee for the academic year 2025/26 is £16,900 per year.
There are range of Scholarships available to help support you through your studies with us.
A full list of scholarships can be found here.
Fees for this course
UK
The full-time standard undergraduate tuition fee for the Academic Year 2025/26 is £9,535 per year. You can apply for a loan from the Government to help pay for your tuition fees. You can also apply for a maintenance loan from the Government to help cover your living costs. See www.gov.uk/student-finance
Excellence Scholarships
Worth £2,500 per year of study over three years when you score a defined number of UCAS tariff points from specified qualifications*
» If you don’t qualify for an Excellence Scholarship but have 120 UCAS tariff points, you have enough points for one of our Achievement Scholarships offering £500 per year of study**
» Other scholarships, bursaries and financial support packages are available
* Points requirements vary depending on type of qualification.
** Threshold is 120 UCAS tariff points across all awarding bodies and qualifications.
International
The full-time standard undergraduate tuition fee for the academic year 2025/26 is £16,900 per year.
There are range of Scholarships available to help support you through your studies with us.
A full list of scholarships can be found here.
Virtual Tour
