Develop media and PR skills through theoretical and practical subjects
Course Overview
The MA in Sports Communication and Journalism offers you a rigorous curriculum that brings together the practical and theoretical approaches to contemporary professional communication, journalism, and public relations within the world of sport.
This programme is designed to equip you with the skills necessary to pursue a career as a sports communications professional. Throughout the programme, you will have the opportunity to develop the ability to identify compelling stories, construct engaging narratives, and enhance these with multimedia elements such as videography and still imagery, before acquiring the skills to drive traffic to the content.
Through hands-on experience in filming, editing and producing content, and an advanced appreciation of promotional techniques, you will be able to gain a comprehensive understanding of how you can effectively distribute content to both existing and potential sporting fanbases.
The course further enables you to cultivate a diverse set of highly sought-after skills in professional communication, journalism, and digital media. These competencies will prepare you for careers in a range of sectors, including sports management, journalism, public relations, broadcasting, advertising, and marketing. Additionally, you will have the opportunity to build a robust portfolio of work, showcasing your abilities to prospective employers in these dynamic industries.
If you are already an industry professional, this course offers dynamic new media skills and qualifications to boost your continuing professional development.
Why Sports Communication and Journalism at Swansea?
Swansea University benefits from having a leading Media and Communications Department that consistently ranks within the top ten in the UK across national league tables. You will be taught by experts that have a rich understanding of the media and associated industries.
With more than 60 sports teams and excellent facilities on both of our campuses, we can offer you everything you need for a healthy, active lifestyle; allowing you to immerse yourself in the world of sport. The Swansea Bay Sports Park, next to the Singleton Park Campus, includes a 50m national pool, athletics track, pitches, gym, and much more, while our Bay Campus has several sports courts, a sports hall and gym. There are regular fitness classes on both campuses, with dedicated staff to help with your training needs.
In 2018, Swansea University was awarded Accredited Status with Sport England’s Talented Athletes Scholarship Scheme (TASS), making us the first Welsh University to gain Accreditation. In addition we offer a more general sports scholarship programme available to postgraduate as well as undergraduate students, highlighting our commitment to, and connections with, high-level sport.
Your Sports Communication and Journalism Experience
The programme is located on our stunning Singleton Park Campus, overlooking Swansea Bay, on the edge of the Gower Peninsula.
You will begin your course by studying three 20-credit modules in each academic semester (a total of six modules in part one), that cover key elements of sporting journalism and communications, in depth, refining your skills and knowledge in these areas.
As in any master’s level programme, the key element of this course is the final major project or dissertation that is worth 60 credits, which enables you to develop your expertise in a specific area of interest.
Part two of the course allows you to either:
Research and write a 16,000-word dissertation on a specialist topic that will be jointly decided on by you and your supervisor,
Independently research and prepare a promotional campaign, writing a full campaign document, and also undertaking a short work placement, or
Prepare a Sports Journalism Portfolio, compiling several journalistic pieces around a central sporting theme, including multi-media items, and again undertaking a short work placement.
It is important that you give this some thought before beginning your course. It would also be beneficial for you to have a general idea of what part of communications, media, PR or creative practice that interests you most. This will ensure that you have a good starting point from where to refine your dissertation or project, with the help of your supervisor, so the course best serves you in working towards achieving your aspirations.
We pride ourselves in preparing you for life beyond university, and we are able to do this by using our connections to industry, and through the emphasis we put on providing you with the particular interpersonal skills that our industry panel identify as key within their recruitment processes.
Sports Communication and Journalism Employment Opportunities
The Department's close links to a variety of media and communications organisations mean that we are in the position to offer a range of work experience opportunities and internships to you. We regularly get requests from local organisations offering paid and voluntary work placements, where employers need well-equipped students in a short-term communications role.
Additionally, internships can provide you with the opportunity to apply theory studied in lectures to real-world situations, while also providing valuable opportunities to network with professionals, mentors, and potential future colleagues; connections which have led to full-time job offers or recommendations for our graduates. This proactive approach to employability helps to ensure that our graduates can develop an impressive CV, ready for life after university.
Our graduates have gone on to develop successful careers in:
Journalism
Media
Business
Public Relations and Marketing
Digital Marketing
TV and Radio
Publishing
In addition to developing excellent oral and professional writing skills, improving your ability to work with digital media, and learning to present ideas in a range of formats, you will have opportunities to undertake work experience opportunities with major sporting organisations including Swansea City FC, The Ospreys and The Scarlets.
Modules
We're currently reviewing our curriculum to enhance your learning experience and embed skills that will benefit your future career. This means that some modules may be subject to change.
Modules
MA
1 Year
Full Time
Year 1 (Level 7T)
FHEQ 7 Taught Masters / PGDip / PGCert
Students choose 120 credits from the following:
Compulsory Modules
Module Name
Module Duration
Credits
Module Code
MA Project and Dissertation Preparation (Module data currently unavailable)
MS-M11
Breaking the News: Newswriting and Reporting (Module data currently unavailable)
Dissertation or Project (Module data currently unavailable)
MS-M10
Entry Requirements
We consider all applicants on their own merits and welcome applications from students with a wide range of qualifications.
Entry Requirements
Note for international and European applicants:
details of how your qualification compares to the published academic entry requirements can be found on our Country Specific Entry Requirements page.
The typical entry requirement is 2:2 degree (55% minimum) or overseas equivalent. A detailed Personal Statement providing media interest is also required for assessment.
For applicants whose first language is not English, we require IELTS 6.5 overall (with a minimum of 5.5 in each component) or equivalent English test. Please see further information about our English Language requirements.
At Swansea, you will benefit from a high-quality, research-informed education that combines a range of effective and inclusive teaching methods, carefully tailored to suit the needs of your course. This course is taught in person, on campus, giving you the opportunity to actively engage with other students, academic staff, and the wider university community.
The core of this degree is the combination of theory and practice. You can typically expect a mix of lectures, seminars, workshops, tutorials, studio-based practical sessions, guest speakers and industry visits. These sessions are designed to encourage active participation, collaboration, and the development of both subject-specific and transferable skills. Digital learning tools are also used to enhance your learning experience. These may include:
Recorded lectures to support flexible study and revision.
Online resources on the university’s virtual learning environment (Canvas), including videos, reading materials, quizzes, and discussion forums.
This approach enables you to engage with and review content at your own pace while benefiting from the structure and support of in-person teaching.
N.B If you are an international student studying with a Student Route Visa, please note that your timetabled activity, along with any additional supervisory activity (with Swansea University staff present) will take place on campus. In line with UKVI protocol, these sessions will be monitored and data made available on request.
Unfortunately, there is currently no formal Welsh-medium provision on this
course. If you would like to let us know that you are interested in pursuing an
element of your course through the medium of Welsh, please email astudio@abertawe.ac.uk to indicate
your interest along with your year of entry and we will do our best to see what
is possible.
Whilst this course does not offer academic content delivered in Welsh, the
University can provide you with the following, and Academi Hywel
Teifi is here to support you:
An interview through the medium of Welsh when applying for a place.
Personal correspondence in Welsh, English or bilingually.
The opportunity to create and submit your coursework or sit your exams through the medium of Welsh (even if you have chosen to study in English), and your work will be assessed in Welsh.
A Welsh-speaking Personal Tutor.
One-to-one support to improve your academic Welsh language skills.
The opportunity to gain an additional free qualification that serves as evidence of your Welsh language ability for future employers.
Tuition fees for years of study after your first year are subject to an increase of 3%.
You can find further information of your fee costs on our tuition fees page.
You may be eligible for funding to help support your study.
To find out about scholarships, bursaries and other funding opportunities that are available please visit the University's scholarships and bursaries page.
Current students: You can find further information of your fee costs on our tuition fees page.
You may be eligible for funding to help support your study.
If you're a UK or EU student starting a master’s degree at Swansea University, you may be eligible to apply for Government funding to help towards the cost of your studies.
To find out more, please visit our postgraduate loans page.
To find out about scholarships, bursaries and other funding opportunities that are available please visit the University's
scholarships and bursaries
page.
Academi Hywel Teifi at Swansea University and the Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol offer a number of generous scholarships and bursaries for students who wish to study through the medium of Welsh or bilingually.
For further information about the opportunities available to you, visit the Academi Hywel Teifi Scholarships and Bursaries page.
The School of Culture and Communication also offers a Creating Futures Scholarship for postgraduate taught students who have an offer to study at the School*. This scholarship is for one academic year, and the award is automatically deducted from tuition fees. The scholarship package encourages students to develop a number of professional skills whilst working with the School throughout the academic year.
*The Creating Futures Scholarship cannot be combined with any other bursary/scholarship, please see the webpage for more information.
Access to your own digital device/the appropriate IT kit will be essential during your time studying at Swansea University. Access to wifi in your accommodation will also be essential to allow you to fully engage with your programme. See our dedicated webpages for further guidance on suitable devices to purchase, and for a full guide on getting your device set up.
You may face additional costs while at university, including (but not limited to):
Travel to and from campus
Printing, photocopying, binding, stationery and equipment costs (e.g. USB sticks)
As well as subject specific support by college teaching staff and your
personal tutor, the Centre for Academic
Success provides courses, workshops and one-to-one support in areas
such as:
Academic writing
Maths and statistics
Critical thinking
Time management
Digital skills
Presentation skills
Note taking
Revision, memory and exam techniques
English language skills (if English is not your first language).
In addition, if you have a Specific Learning Difficulty (SpLD), disability,
mental health or medical condition, the Centre for Academic Success have
Specialist Tutors to support your learning, working alongside the Disability Office and Wellbeing Service to support all your needs and
requirements whilst studying at Swansea University.
We recommend that you submit your application to our courses as early as you can in advance of our application
deadlines. Courses will close earlier than the application deadlines listed if all available places are filled. You can
find further information on our Application Deadlines webpage.
