Sports Journalism Degrees

[OldBlueLady]

Friend's son looking to go to Uni to do sports journalism, I know we have a few on here with experience, would anyone like to give an opinion on where is thought to be the best? They're thinking of Preston or Portsmouth atm.

He's a bright kid and has a good work ethic, doing all the right A levels so prospects are good.

 

[Tangled up in Blue]

Friend's son looking to go to Uni to do sports journalism, I know we have a few on here with experience, would anyone like to give an opinion on where is thought to be the best? They're thinking of Preston or Portsmouth atm.

He's a bright kid and has a good work ethic, doing all the right A levels so prospects are good.

Tell him not to go wherever ESB went(Portsmouth IIRC).:winking:

 

[Pubey]

I know someone who's doing that course in Preston, he really likes it and sounds like it's one of the best places to go for it.

Isn't there an argument behind doing a standard journalism degree and then specialising? I know someone who did that and did plenty of sports journalism stuff with the BBC/Sky Sports/Echo and now is working for the Daily Mail as a reporter.

 

[Grayson]

I know someone who's doing that course in Preston, he really likes it and sounds like it's one of the best places to go for it.

Isn't there an argument behind doing a standard journalism degree and then specialising? I know someone who did that and did plenty of sports journalism stuff with the BBC/Sky Sports/Echo and now is working for the Daily Mail as a reporter.

That's certainly the advice I received when I looked into it 2-3 years ago. I chose to do Advertising in the end though.

 

[Strike Force]

I am about to finish a degree in Sports Journalism degree in London, and the only advice I can offer the boy is to go and do something else more worthwhile and academic.

 

[Tangled up in Blue]

I am about to finish a degree in Sports Journalism degree in London, and the only advice I can offer the boy is to go and do something else more worthwhile and academic.

Sound like good advice to me.:winking:

 

[Strike Force]

I've enjoyed my course, but the fact that I've been paying 3 grand a year for it makes me feel very sad. With the impending rise in tuition fees the thought of somebody spending 4, 5, or 6 grand a year studying something like Sports Journalism is pretty mad. It's such a niche course, and I'd bet that there are less legit sports journo jobs out there than there are graduates of the degree each year, and considering that the degree is only found in about 9 universities that's not a very inspiring stat.

Plus, more importantly, does this lad wanna turn into certain people who study Sports Journalism who are actually pretty average writers, but feel like they need to share their opinions on everything, despite it rarely being interesting, relevant or true.

 

[Tangled up in Blue]

I've enjoyed my course, but the fact that I've been paying 3 grand a year for it makes me feel very sad. With the impending rise in tuition fees the thought of somebody spending 4, 5, or 6 grand a year studying something like Sports Journalism is pretty mad. It's such a niche course, and I'd bet that there are less legit sports journo jobs out there than there are graduates of the degree each year, and considering that the degree is only found in about 9 universities that's not a very inspiring stat.

Plus, more importantly, does this lad wanna turn into certain people who study Sports Journalism who are actually pretty average writers, but feel like they need to share their opinions on everything, despite it rarely being interesting, relevant or true.

No names,no packdrill!:winking:

 

[OldBlueLady]

Martin, thank you for the comments. Trouble is, as you will probably identify with, if your mind is set on something then you're more likely to succeed at it if it's something you really want to do rather than going off and doing, say, an English degree, which you're not really committed to.

Pubey, the other attraction for Preston for him is that his father's family live in Blackburn and he is a staunch Rovers supporter!!!

 

[Rob Noxious]

No names,no packdrill!:winking:

I know your philosophy is "an eye for an eye," but I feel that you're undermining your recent complaints about cyber-bullying here. :thumbdown:

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

No names,no packdrill!:winking:

Polly Toynbee?

 

[Tangled up in Blue]

I know your philosophy is "an eye for an eye," but I feel that you're undermining your recent complaints about cyber-bullying here. :thumbdown:

He's quite happy to aim a low blow.Just returning the compliment.:winking:

 

[Firestorm]

My son, who posts on hear occassionally did sports journalism at Preston, If he comes on he will explain it better than me but I think that he found it was more Journalism with a sports module added and he didn't take to it at all. Its actually words when he jacked it in were, "Dad , after 18 months all i have learnt is that all journalists are ****s " That said, he did admit that after 2 years of reporting on Southend games , he did find it difficult to report on games or sports he did not have a lot of affinity with so probably it was just not the thing for him.

 

[EastStandBlue]

Tell him not to go wherever ESB went(Portsmouth IIRC).:winking:

Brighton actually, Petal, and it is (or at least was) the only SJ course in the country that's NCTJ accredited, taught by some quite esteemed sports hacks.

Brighton, for what my opinion is worth, is a well structured SJ course and it's the longest running sport-specific course. They've a good after-education employment rate too and plenty of the modules are industry-related i.e. instead of it just being a journalism course with a sport module, there are sports writing and sports history modules. Another option would be, as Pubey says, to do a standard journalism degree and then get the new NCTJ Sports Accreditation... Less demanding than the standardised accreditation as there's no Public Administration module.

Whichever course he goes on to study, I'd suggest that he packs his summers with work experience and to start writing for as many sites as possible to build up a portfolio. It's the experience that gets you work (especially online, where CMS experience is essential for most positions) and that's something I fell back on until last year. Does he live in Blackburn or is he willing to commute to London? I could probably put him in touch with some establishments that take on work experience students.

 

[Firestorm]

He should also be aware of the difference between Journalists and Feature writers, It was the imposition on other peoples lives in the Journalism side of the course which I don't think impressed my son too much

 

[OldBlueLady]

Does he live in Blackburn or is he willing to commute to London? I could probably put him in touch with some establishments that take on work experience students.

Thanks for the comments, no, he's local, and at Tommy More's in 6th form. He did his y10 work experience in London so would probably be more than willing, I'm sure he'd be very grateful.

 

[EastStandBlue]

Thanks for the comments, no, he's local, and at Tommy More's in 6th form. He did his y10 work experience in London so would probably be more than willing, I'm sure he'd be very grateful.

Most nationals are either based in London or have offices there and have work placement programmes, particularly in summer months. I'd suggest getting on the lists of as many papers as possible ASAP. The Guardian and Observer are particularly good and a number of people I know have gone to them. Don't discredit the free papers, either... CityAM, Sport and the London Standard all have sport desks and are generally happy to entertain free help, he just can't expect to write much.

Outside of that, sports agencies are always open and he probably stands a good chance of writing in that kind of environment. Something like Hayters (http://www.hayters.com/) would be useful for him.

As an aside, don't send just one letter and get downhearted if you don't hear anything. Send a letter, wait 2/3 weeks and then send another if he hasn't heard. Follow up the letter with a phonecall to ensure they've received it and it'll put the lad on their radar.

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

If someone wants to experience what it's like being a work placement journalist, I can probably offer a similar experience at my place.

You won't get the contacts because I'm not in journalism/media, but you'll gain valuable transferable skills such as using a photocopier/printer, fetching drinks and not being paid that I suspect will stand you in good stead when you do get that journalism internship.

 

[OldBlueLady]

Thanks guys, I've passed this thread onto the lad's mum and she's very grateful for all the advice :clap: