Sports Media Production

This practice-based degree covers a wide range of aspects of Sports Production across broadcast media and digital platforms. You'll gain firsthand experience in the exciting and fast-paced world of sports broadcasting, with real-world training for careers in the sports industry. You'll learn valuable skills in reporting, presenting, shooting, editing, writing and creating, and have the opportunity to work directly with sporting organisations.

As well as graduating with in-depth sports production knowledge, you'll also learn key transferable skills such as creative content making, project management, client experience and journalistic research.

Year one
Alongside an introduction to sports journalism and studio-based sports production, you'll be trained in the elements of shooting and editing sport. You’ll also explore key concepts including critical thinking and analysis, digital creativity and content development. Questions around commissioning, management, leadership and inclusivity, along with an understanding of communication platforms and methods, will also inform your learning.

Year two
You'll be introduced to a wider range of sport production practices including outside broadcasting, sports presentation, commentary and interviewing skills. You'll also be introduced to the ethical and legal aspects of sport production. Optional modules give you the chance to develop one or more specialisms, such as e-sports, podcasting, sports documentaries, social media or digital marketing.

Year three
Your final year culminates in a year-long, specialist project, which will form your portfolio. You'll apply all that you've learned to nurture your professional aspirations, and be guided by regular contact with sport and industry practitioners. A range of optional modules will provide further opportunities to specialise, with options including outside broadcasting, studio broadcasting, radio sports, editing and graphics. 

You'll be taught through a combination of workshops, lectures, seminars, training events and project-based work. You’ll learn from lecturers who are active practitioners in industry.

Sports production is collaborative and group learning is a key part of the course. Participation and engagement in group activity will be a requirement of some of the assessment tasks. A variety of general and specialist teaching spaces, including classrooms, studios, galleries, edit suites, on and off-campus locations will be used.

To find out more about how we teach and how you'll learn, please read our Learning and Teaching Delivery Statement. 

The course will include diverse module content and learning approaches, with a firm emphasis on digital technologies, which will be assessed using a variety of analogue and digital formats using writing, making, presentational and production skills.

Assessments are designed to enable you to apply your learning, skills, creativity, originality, critical and analytical thinking. They’ll test your understanding of the subject matter, your ability to apply creative approaches to problem solving, and your production skills and competences.

As part of your degree, you could study abroad on a placement at one of Bath Spa’s partner universities.

Field trips are planned as an integral part of the course experience. Destinations may include key sports production facilities and venues.

Working with a wide range of local, regional and national sporting and broadcasting organisations, the course is developing several partnerships, including work placements and internships, to provide students opportunities to apply their learning to client projects, working to industry-level expectations and professional standards.

Graduate employability will be a key area of focus throughout the course. You'll receive advice from the course team, industry professionals, and the University’s Careers and Employability service.

Assessments are designed to help you build a professional portfolio and equip you for entry level positions in the Sports Production sector.

There will be opportunities to enter your work into competitions and festival spaces as appropriate.

If you’re a full-time undergraduate student starting your first year at Bath Spa University, you can apply for the Certificate in Global Citizenship, which you’ll study alongside your degree.

You’ll gain global awareness and add an international dimension to your student experience, and funding is available. On successful completion of the programme, you’ll be awarded a Certificate in Global Citizenship. This is in addition to your degree; it doesn’t change your degree title or results.

You'll be taught at Newton Park campus. Your learning will take place at a variety of facilities and locations, which could include:

• Commons building
• State of the art TV production studios and gallery
• Editing suites
• Post production facilities
• Sound editing and arrangement facilities
• Digital creativity spaces, including Mac and PC labs
• Live locations
• Newton Park library

The Newton Park studio complex provides two TV studios and a gallery which allows for live vision mixing. The studio has a number of HD digital cameras and a variety of lighting rigs. 

In addition there is a series of TV production suites consisting of post-production rooms for editing news/VT strands for inclusion in live multi camera studio-based programmes.

You’ll have access to resources such as camera and sound recording equipment and multi-camera outside broadcasting kit for external use. For location based, single camera shooting, you can hire out equipment using SISO, Bath Spa University’s free equipment loan service.

The Professional Placement Year (PPY) provides you with the opportunity to identify, apply for, and secure professional experience, normally comprising one to three placements over a minimum of nine months. Successful completion of this module will demonstrate your ability to secure and sustain graduate-level employment.

By completing the module, you'll be entitled to the addition of 'with Professional Placement Year' to your degree title.

Before your PPY, you'll work to identify roles of interest and secure a placement. The Placements Team will support through timetabled sessions and 1:1 appointments.

As well as completing a minimum of 900 placement hours, you will complete two assessments demonstrating your skill development, growth in professional behaviours and how the PPY has impacted your future career aspirations.