MA Sports Broadcasting (Full Time)

This MA is aimed at students who are interested in working as broadcasters – either in front or behind the camera in television, in radio or in multi-platform media organisations.

It teaches the practical skills needed to work in the sports media, with advanced television and radio production and project management, at the heart of the MA. The course is based around work both in studio and on location, with coverage of live sporting events at its core.

As well as exploring advanced production techniques, the course also develops the skills needed for critical analysis of a thriving industry.You will have access to industry-standard broadcast equipment, including television, radio and online facilities that replicate professional practice, and learn how to produce, report and present to broadcast standard.

This MA is taught by a talented team of sports journalism professionals, including editors, freelancers and award-winning journalists, who maintain their professional practice and industry links by continuing to work in the industry. Industry professionals provide regular feedback in workshop sessions designed to give you an appreciation of professional standards and expectations.

We also have our own e-learning facilities, social networking sites and blogs to enrich your learning experience. The majority of course material will be available electronically via our online learning platform, myCourse.

Industrial focus

Work experience is crucial to your development and you will be encouraged to carry out a number of placements throughout the course. These will be facilitated by our strong links with industry, and we will actively support you to establish contacts. The Professional Practice unit has been designed to help you plan for your future career.

Course content

You will study compulsory and specialist optional units as listed below:

The Broadcasting of Sport: National and International Perspectives: This theoretical unit analyses the historical, political and cultural factors that have shaped the development of the broadcasting of sport, both in the UK and globally. You will study historical factors from the early twentieth century which defined the relationship between the broadcasting of sport and national political cultures and identities. You will also look at more current themes and issues in the global dynamics of the industry.

Sports Broadcasting: You will acquire the skills to succeed in an industry where high production values are aligned with technical and editorial excellence to produce quality content. You will take part in the broadcast of live sporting events. Using university, amateur and semi-professional sport, you will develop contacts and produce programming to support online magazine content. In TV, you will work with camera crews, planning, producing and then editing shoots in a variety of styles, learning studio disciplines and how to manage on location. Writing and production will be developed in tandem with your analytical and critical skills and understanding of the range of theories in sports broadcasting. These skills will also be applied to producing industry-standard radio content, including sports commentary and reporting.

Cultural Influences on Writing and the Media: This unit offers a broad introduction to late twentieth-century cultural theory framed by the notion of ‘post’ thinking, incorporating postmodernism, postfeminism, postcolonialism, posthumanism and poststructuralism. Drawing on these theories, you will examine the triangular relationship between societal discourses (relating to gender, sexuality and ethnicity, for example), cultural production and audience. The focus will be on analysing a wide range of fictional, non-fictional and promotional cultural texts, emphasising their complex, fluid and ambiguous nature.

Professional Practice: This unit has been designed to enable you to plan your long-term career. You will explore and critically analyse the media, publishing and creative industries in the UK and around the world. You will also research the opportunities in your chosen industry and produce reflective and relevant professional development plans. You will be required to secure a work placement, freelance assignments or relevant work-related experience for one month in order to strengthen your knowledge of the industry and refine your skills. The unit is complemented by a programme of guest lectures by representativesfrom the media, publishing and creative industries.

Master’s Project: You will design, execute and present a demanding piece of work that deploys a systematic and in-depth understanding of the skills and debates relevant to your discipline of study. The project can take a number of different forms, depending on your discipline, and you will negotiate its structure and template with your supervisor. Your project should synthesise approaches and methodologies in the field and demonstrate initiative and autonomy in its execution.

Assessment

This MA is taught and assessed using a wide variety of methods that mirror industry practice. In addition to lectures and seminars, you will take part in workshops and production sessions using the Faculty’s industry-standard media production facilities.

Key career skills

Communication, creativity, teamwork, time management, presentation.

Projects/work experience

Excellent working relationships with national and local sporting
clubs provide invaluable opportunities for you to gain an insight into what provides the buzz of being a sports journalist.

Why Solent is special

• You will benefit from the expertise of high-profile guest lecturers. Recent speakers include: Phil McNulty (Chief Football Writer for BBC Sport), Ben Gallop (Head of BBC Sport Interactive and BBC Sport’s Formula One coverage), freelance sports journalists such as Graham Nickless and David Llewellyn, and sports stars such as Iwan Thomas, Sean Udal and Matthew Le Tissier.
• You will become part of a creative faculty, working alongside students studying photography, film, graphic design, visual arts and fashion. The shared units in the School of Communications aim to foster discussion and debate across disciplines and will enable you to develop a broader appreciation of media and culture. This will be invaluable when working in an industry that reflects the fast-changing nature of our society.
• You will study in an environment that reflects industry practice. Facilities include two television studios with control room, digital video editing suites, four radio studios and digital audio editing suites. We have two dedicated newsrooms equipped with internet-linked PCs and Apple Macs which are also equipped with Quark, Photoshop and other industry-standard software.

Course length

September intake: 12 months full-time