BA (Hons) Sports Journalism

You will develop basic knowledge of key issues affecting the journalism industry including how it has evolved over time, looking at issues such as the changing economics of journalism and the influence of technology.

This module provides an introduction to broadcast. You will be taught current professional broadcast conventions and develop the basic technical skills necessary to produce material for radio and/or TV. You will learn how to write for broadcast and develop story treatments; you will become familiar with industry-standard software as you learn how to shoot and edit video and how to capture and edit audio.

This module will help you to develop the knowledge and skills required to produce match/event reports across a number of sports. You will work in a number of simulated environments that replicate those that a sports journalist would routinely face. During the module you will develop the skills and ethical awareness required to enable them to perform as responsible working sports journalists. You will reflect and analyse the journalistic processes undertaken in production elements and discuss issues involved in the practice of sports journalism.

This module will help you to acquire the introductory skills in sports news writing. You will have the opportunity to develop an awareness of editorial judgement on sports desks, and the importance of accuracy in use of language skills .

This module aims to develop your skills required to identify and source sports news stories, including finding contacts, effective interviewing and first-class research skills. You will be taught in seminars in which students will practice conducting different types of interviews and develop practical skills, using appropriate sources of information and identifying contacts. Lectures will cover how to critically analyse good practice and sports journalism processes.

This module will prepare you for the NCTJ professional diploma examinations in Essential Media Law and Broadcast Regulation.

In this module we aim to build on your previous learning in Level 4 and further develop your video and audio skills as journalists in an increasingly multi-platform industry. You will develop the ability to source original, inclusive and diverse stories and produce them ethically and accurately for audio and video hosting platforms. You will develop your skills in recording and editing audio and video and use industry-standard newsroom systems to create audio and video content including podcasting.  

You will gain knowledge of key contemporary issues within the journalism industry and explore questions about the media's role in a modern, democratic society. This will include questions of diversity and inclusion such as changing attitudes towards the representation of different demographic groups and questions of inclusion within the media workforce. The module will include an examination of the international context of UK journalism and consideration of issues around decolonising journalism, for example questions of stereotyping in reporting of the developing world, and questions of universal news values. Students will develop an understanding of the ways in which the historical development of journalism continues to shape and influence the modern industry (for example through regulation, ownership, economic and technological factors).

This module develops planning skills, page design skills, editing, interviewing and feature writing. The skills learned in this module will help prepare students for news days at level six, where interviewing, writing and editing will be required. 

This module will provide you with an awareness of the sports PR and communication environment. Alongside this, you will develop industry focused practical skills and critical thinking. This will broaden your professional skillset to enhance your employability.

This module will enable you to build on and develop your previous production and writing skills to produce and present digital sports content. This will allow you to develop some advanced writing skills and formulate ways users can be encouraged to generate news-orientated content. 'During the module you will work as a team in a live newsroom environment, covering stories in real-time. This will allow you to think in creative and original ways to source and tell compelling stories in an accurate, clear, vigorous and balanced way.

This module will allow you to develop your core sports reporting skills. In doing so, you will be required to replicate industry practice in various environments. This will produce a high standard of sports journalism content to deadline.

The aim is to provide students with an additional year of study at an approved overseas partner that will complement their programme at LJMU. This is an additional year of full-time study at an approved higher education institution. The modules to be studied must be agreed in advance, and must be appropriate for the student's programme of study. Assuming successful completion of this year, mark-bearing credit will be awarded by the University Recognition Group. The grade conversion scale to be used will be made available in advance of the year abroad.

This module enables you to apply and evaluate their skills in a professional setting. It also provides you with the means to identify your skills and match them to the employment market. You are expected to provide evidence of a work placement or comparable work-based learning.

This module will help you to synthesise your skills of sports writing, reporting and production to produce journalism artefacts both in groups and individually that match or approach professional standards. You will build on previous multi-media practice working in a converged newsroom environment to develop their creativity and ability to work within a team. During the module you will develop storytelling across a range of digital and social media platforms to encourage audience engagement

This module allows you to carry out a major project of private study and research. The dissertation is student led but supported by a series of lectures on methods and techniques followed by one-to-one supervision with a suitably qualified supervisor.

The Journalism Final Project gives you an opportunity to design and create individual innovative journalism products for a defined audience. You will build on skills developed at Level 4 and 5 to identify a suitable topic and market for your project and to produce an artefact matching professional standards. Examples include a magazine, website, video or audio documentary or a portfolio of professional journalism produced as part of an extended work placement to be agreed by the project supervisor. You will also reflect on the production of the project and their personal skills development.

You will develop a critical understanding of the purpose of features and associated forms of writing such as reviews and opinion.

You will construct and develop features/review ideas and write original material in a variety of specialist areas such as arts, lifestyle and culture. You will also analyse the impact of audience, market, available sources and other constraints on magazine production.

This module is designed to equip a student journalist with the photography skills required to produce images of publishable quality that meet news industry standards. It is an option which aims to build on the essential skills learned in L4 and L5 with more advanced techniques in producing professional still news and sports images.

The way a photojournalist behaves is also central to their skills base. It is designed to equip candidates with an understanding of the legal and ethical issues which confront journalists in their day-to-day work when taking photographs. You will learn skills using more advanced photographic kit, producing imagery for digital and print platforms, various forms of photography including live action, photo-calls, location work, creative lighting, and multiple imagery for slideshows. And you will learn about the commercial importance of stills photography within industry and roles of freelance and staff photographers.

The court system; court reporting restrictions; contempt of court; anonymity rules in court reporting; defamation in court reporting; accessing court information; open justice; reporting inquests; a journalist rights in reporting councils, government and other public bodies; the application of the Freedom of Information Act.

This module will provide a critical analysis of sport in a business context. You will be able to develop your ability to demonstrate an advanced awareness of the significance of sports business. This will enable you to demonstrate a sophisticated understanding of the specialist terminology used in the reporting of sports business stories.