Welcome to your Sports Journalism course

Welcome to University of Staffordshire

We know you're already passionate about your subject, which is why we're excited you've chosen University of Staffordshire as the place to turn possibility into reality.

To give you an insight into what life as a Sports Journalism student is like, your course leaders have prepared introductions to the course and further activities.

Welcome to Sports Journalism.

We are excited to welcome you to campus and we are sure that by now you will be planning for your start at Staffordshire University.

We wanted to make contact to give you some additional detail reading your course and what you can expect from your Welcome Week. We also want to offer some advice and guidance to make sure you are prepared for your course in advance.

First activity

In your first few weeks you will learn the practical basics of sports journalism and sports public relations as well as taking your first steps in writing from live sporting events.

Course delivery

In your first year, you will be attending a series of workshops, seminars and tutorials, carried out by practitioners.

You will be expected to develop your skills in your own time, often via a series of informal assessments, and put into practice the techniques you learn in sessions.

You will be examined via a variety of assignments, ranging from a law exam to live reports written at a football match.

You will be completing a series of modules during your time at university. Our academic year splits into two semesters, with Semester 1 running from September to January and Semester 2 from January to May.

Pre-learning

We recommend that you become regular consumers of sports media – in all its various forms.

There are many free newspaper websites which you should be reading on a daily basis. Similarly, we want you to become experts in the local sports scene – check the Stoke Sentinel online sports pages on a regular basis and do some preliminary research into local sports and sports clubs.

You should be aware of what is happening with our nearby professional teams – Stoke City, Port Vale, Crewe Alexandra, Burton Albion, Shrewsbury Town – but also start looking at our local non-league football scene.

Look into cricket in Staffs, and the Staffordshire County team, and local rugby clubs. In fact, start investigating any sports in which you have an interest. This is a sports journalism course, not a football journalism course!

In terms of broadcasting, if you have access, take a regular look at the output on Sky Sports News and national (Five Live) and local (BBC Stoke) radio stations.

Look at some of the great documentaries that are currently being made on sporting subjects on Sports channels and on social media.

In all cases, take a close look at all this material and think about how and why it has been created. Within a few months, we want you to be able to produce work of a similar standard!

Equipment and software

As a Sports Journalism student you will be able to access our Media Centre production facilities on campus with a range of software and hardware available for you to use in your creative work.

You may choose to invest in certain pieces of kit at some stage in your student career. However, we suggest that you hold-off making any decisions about further investments until you have settled into the course and know what is available to you.

Download software

Trips and activities

Throughout your time on Sports Journalism there will be opportunities for you to attend field trips. This has included visits to Port Vale FC, and Uttoxeter Racecourse, plus you will have the opportunity to take the first steps into the industry via some of our optional work placement opportunities.

Groups and societies

Wednesday afternoons are for students’ union clubs and societies and include:

Staffs TV

https://www.staffsunion.com/activities/society/staffstv/

OMG Radio

https://www.staffsunion.com/activities/society/omg/

LGBTQ+ Network

https://www.staffsunion.com/organisation/lgbtnetwork/

If you love sport, you might want to consider getting involved with on campus teams, from beginners to seasoned athletes, there's something for everyone.

All clubs and societies

Meet the team

Ian Whittell

Senior Lecturer

I am course leader for the BA and MA Sports Journalism Awards and also still an active national sportswriter, as founder and director of one of the country’s leading independent freelance sports editorial agencies.

Ian's profile

Ian Bayley

Senior Lecturer

.Ian is a Senior Lecturer and an award leader for the BA (Hons) Professional Sportswriting and Broadcasting degree. He previously worked in Sports PR, Sports Journalism and News Journalism

Ian's profile

Matthew Smith

P/T Lecturer (Hrly) - Journalism

Matt joined Staffs, on a part-time basis, in 2020 and has been passing on his experiences and expertise to our students. One of the country’s most prominent sports broadcasters, Matt is the face of BT Sport’s European football and cricket coverage.

Matthew's profile

Simon Humphreys

P/T Lecturer (Hrly) - Sound & Comms

Simon has extensive experience as a reporter and editor for BBC, Talksport and local radio.

Simon's profile

What to expect on Welcome Week

We're so excited for you to join us on campus and to welcome you to where you matter. During your welcome week you'll be able to meet our friendly student services teams, connect with new friends, join societies, explore on-campus venues attend club nights and much more.