Will BA Sports Journalism get me press accreditation?

Press accreditation is granted by governing bodies and clubs to working journalists, not to students. BA Sports Journalism students gain access to lower-tier matches under tutor supervision and use live broadcasts for higher-tier reporting practice. Accreditation comes with the staff role you take after graduating.

How much football vs other sports does BA Sports Journalism cover?

Football is the dominant sport in UK sports journalism so it gets significant attention, but BA Sports Journalism covers cricket, rugby (union and league), athletics, tennis and emerging sports such as women's sport, e-sports and Olympic disciplines. Students elect a personal specialism in year three.

Does BA Sports Journalism cover sports broadcasting?

Yes. The broadcast sports module covers TV commentary support, radio package production and sports podcasts. BA Sports Journalism students typically build multi-platform portfolios across print, digital and broadcast.

Can I study BA Sports Journalism online?

Yes. The degree runs on-campus, fully online with cohort seminars, and as distance learning. Live match reporting for online and distance students uses broadcast and streaming feeds with the same deadline discipline as on-campus students.

What fees and scholarships are available?

Fees for BA Sports Journalism vary by mode, intake and student status. LSJHML offers instalment plans, an early-application discount and a small sports-journalism scholarship pool. Contact admissions for the current schedule.

BA Sports Journalism in London | LSJHML | Harold International College of London

Course Overview

The BA Sports Journalism at the London School of Journalism, Humanities & Modern Languages (LSJHML) is a three-year UK honours degree for students who want a serious working career in sports journalism — match reporting, features, sports investigations and broadcast sports — across print, digital, podcast and television. You will report live games under deadline from your first term, write profile features under tutor supervision, build a multi-platform portfolio, and graduate ready to take a junior staff role at a regional title, a sports website or a broadcaster.

The degree is built in dialogue with the Sports Journalists' Association of Great Britain and the National Union of Journalists. London is home to two of football's biggest clubs, the home of cricket, the All-England Club an hour away, and World Athletics on its doorstep — the city is the work.

Key Features

UK honours degree — three years full-time, with online and distance routes available.
Live match-reporting module from year one — file from press tribunes (or live broadcasts for online students) to deadline.
Sports feature writing — long-form profiles, immersive features, sports investigations.
Broadcast sports module — TV commentary support, radio package, podcast production.
Sports law and ethics module — defamation in sports, betting integrity, athlete welfare, contempt during proceedings.
Published portfolio — at least fifteen published sports pieces across print, digital and broadcast.

What You Will Learn

The BA Sports Journalism is structured around the working life of a sports reporter — match, feature, broadcast, investigation — under deadline conditions across multiple platforms. You finish able to file a match report from the final whistle, write a 2,000-word athlete profile, cut a radio package and stand by a sports investigation in front of a lawyer.

Match reporting — running copy, intro paragraph, the running report and the wash-up.
Sports feature writing — profile, scene-setting, the long-form sports feature.
Sports interviewing — press conferences, one-on-ones, vox pops, podcast interviews.
Broadcast sports — commentary support, TV package, radio package, podcast production.
Data in sports — basic statistical literacy, expected-goals models, performance analytics at a working level.
Sports investigations — corruption, doping, athlete welfare, financial irregularity.
Media law for sports — defamation, contempt, privacy, betting and gambling integrity.
Sports industry — governance bodies (UK Sport, FA, ECB, RFU, World Athletics), the economics of broadcast rights.

Who This Course Is For

School leavers who can name the FA Cup winners going back a decade and want to make a career of it.
International students seeking a UK sports journalism degree taught in London.
Career-changers from coaching, athlete management or fan-media backgrounds moving into accredited sports journalism.
Working bloggers and podcasters in sports media ready for a formal degree credential.

Career Pathways

BA Sports Journalism graduates compete for entry-level roles across regional press, national sports desks, sports websites and broadcast newsrooms. Typical first roles include:

Sports Reporter (regional daily, sports-only website)
Match Correspondent (regional broadcaster, news agency)
Sports Features Writer (digital long-form publisher, weekend supplement)
Broadcast Sports Journalist (BBC local sport, commercial radio sport)
Sports Editor (junior role, regional or specialist title)
Sports Podcast Producer (independent network, fan-media publisher)

Graduates progress to a Master's in Sports Journalism, Broadcast Journalism or a specialism such as Sports Business or Sports Investigations.

Entry Requirements

Three A-Levels at BBC or above (or international equivalent — IB 28 points, BTEC DMM, or accepted national qualification).
GCSE English Language at grade 5 or equivalent English proficiency test.
IELTS 6.0 overall (no band below 5.5) for non-native English speakers.
A short personal statement; sports writing samples or fan-media portfolios are welcomed.
Mature applicants (21+) without standard qualifications may apply with a portfolio and short interview.

Why Study at LSJHML

The London School of Journalism, Humanities & Modern Languages is a specialist higher-education provider based in central London. Our programmes are designed in dialogue with working professionals — journalists, translators, civil servants, academics, broadcasters, editors, publishers and policy researchers — so what you learn in seminar on Monday is what your future employer is using on Tuesday. We deliberately keep cohorts small, give every student named tutor support, and treat employability as a structural part of every programme rather than an optional add-on.

London is the work — politics, courts, capital markets, theatre, broadcasting, publishing, public service, the global press. Your studies are taught in the same square mile where the stories you read about happen. Whether you join us on-campus, online or by distance learning, the city is your classroom and our industry network is your launchpad.