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A one-year practical sports journalism course that is professionally accredited by the National Council for the Training of Journalists (NCTJ). 

  • Students can acquire the NCTJ Diploma in Journalism in addition to a Master's degree
  • Named the best postgraduate journalism degree in the country by the NCTJ (April 2021)
  • Excellent employability record for graduates finding work within the industry
  • Students are taught by award winning journalists, broadcasters and academics

Why study Sports Journalism?

If you have a passion for sport and want to become a journalist, you need to acquire the skills and knowledge employers are looking for today. Our comprehensive training programme is taught in partnership with award winning journalists who can give you the head start you need.

Why St Mary's?

Each year we select 20 students who will embark on a demanding training course taught by professional journalists, broadcasters and academics. 

Our course offers one of the best routes into the industry. We will train you to become a journalist for the digital age covering everything from the traditional match report to the latest skills in multimedia journalism. Our graduates work in every sector of the industry.

You will find them at:

  • BBC Sport
  • Sky Sports News
  • ESPN
  • Talksport
  • CNN International
  • The Times
  • Premier League Productions
  • Sportsbeat
  • SNTV
  • and more.

We were the first Sports Journalism MA degree course to be professionally accredited by the NCTJ. In the last three years (2016-2019), the NCTJ Student Sports Journalist of the Year has been won by a St Mary's student.

Editors and sports journalists recommend our course because we train our students to industry standards. They visit the campus regularly to offer career advice, talk about work placements and to keep you up to speed with the latest developments in sport and the media. We guarantee every student a work placement and there are often opportunities to earn while you learn.

We are also committed to diversity in journalism. We have trained more women sports journalists that any other course in the UK.

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Useful information

Course lead

Dr Daragh Minogue headshotDr Daragh Minogue
Associate Professor and Course Leader - Sport Journalism

Entry requirements

2:1 Previous degree

We normally require a good degree in any discipline.

Additional requirement information

In exceptional circumstances, we may accept a student without such a qualification if they demonstrate an aptitude and commitment to sport and/or journalism.

All candidates selected for interview will be asked to submitted samples of their journalism and sit a short one-hour entrance test. You can do this online or in person. The entrance test assesses your media skills, creativity, sporting knowledge, sub-editing and writing.

International requirements

International students should check our country-specific pages for equivalents. If English is not your first language you will need to achieve an IELTS score of 7.0 overall with no less than 7.5 in writing (or equivalent).

We now accept IELTS Indicator test results as proof of your English language level.

Further information

For more information about entry requirements please email apply@stmarys.ac.uk.

Course content

Modules

  •  Core
  •  Core
  •  Core
  •  Core
  •  Core
  •  Core
  •  Core
  •  Core

Please note: it is possible that a module listed on the website will not be able to run due to reasons beyond our control. For more information please refer to our course information disclaimer.

Career opportunities

Our graduate success stories are what we are most proud of. During your studies you will have opportunities to secure work placements and gain valuable industry experience.

You will meet some of our most successful graduates, currently working at:

  • the BBC
  • Sky Sports News
  • Talksport
  • The Cricketer
  • The Evening Standard
  • The Chronicle
  • The Irish Times
  • Wimbledon
  • Harlequins
  • Brentford FC.

You will have the opportunity to meet prospective employers and some of our graduates who are successful freelancers.

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What our students say...

Emma Paton

I thoroughly enjoyed my time at St Mary’s and it’s safe to say I wouldn’t be in my dream job without the course.

Read Emma Paton's story

How the degree is taught

Teaching methods

You'll be taught on our beautiful and historic campus located in Twickenham, London.

Our course is very practical and interactive reflecting the realities of a typical newsroom rather than a traditional classroom.

We teach four days a week (Tuesdays to Fridays) between September and April. The contact hours are approximately six hours per day. After April you will have an industry placement or internship and will be working on your final project.

Our teaching will include regular guest speakers from the sports media and study trips to Sky Sports News, Premier League Productions and sporting venues in London. Some of your classes will take place at News Associates and Sportsbeat, who have recently relocated to Twickenham.

In the summer term, you will work with a supervisor on a project of your choice. This could be a documentary, a website, a multimedia sports story or a professional placement.

Assessment methods

Our approach to assessment reflects industry practice. There is plenty of scope to be creative. Tasks include writing regular stories for immediate publication, sub-editing, participating in editorial meetings and working in teams on live news days. We work to strict deadlines and you will get the opportunity to present your work to editors at Sky Sports News.

You will also sit the NCTJ Diploma Exams in Sports Journalism, Reporting, Media Law, Public Affairs, Shorthand, and Court Reporting.

Facilities

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Fees and funding

Tuition fees

September 2023

  • Home: £10,500
  • International: £16,800

The tuition fees listed are for the duration of the course. Students will be charged for the modules undertaken per academic year. Module prices are calculated as a percentage of credits against the total credits and cost of the degree. Please see clause 5.15.2 of the Tuition Fee Regulations for further information.

Tuition fees are subject to an inflationary increase each year, meaning if your course runs over more than one academic year you may pay an increased fee per module for each subsequent year of study. Tuition fee increases for returning students will be capped at the higher of 5% per annum or the rate of Consumer Price Index inflation in the United Kingdom.

Alumni discount

A 10% tuition fee discount is available for our alumni (undergraduate and PGCE) planning to study this Master's degree. Those studying for a PGDip of PGCert are not eligible for the discount.

Funding

A non-refundable deposit of £500 is required for Home/EU students to confirm their place.

The Journalism Diversity Fund is available to applicants without the financial means to attend an NCTJ training course.

Additional costs

Your tuition fees cover the cost of all core elements of your degree course including all your NCTJ exam fees (approximately £350). We don't pay for resits. You can also incur travel costs as part of the course.

For further information about additional costs please contact daragh.minogue@stmarys.ac.uk

Teaching staff

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Further information

Sports Gazette

As part of the Sports Journalism programme you will write content for Sports Gazette. Examples of previous student writing includes: