Sports Media
This 2-year programme will equip students with the knowledge and skills for a career or further study in the ever-expanding industry of sports media. The course will cover core media production skills as well an introduction to journalism in the context of the sports media industry. This new two-year programme is the first of its kind in Northern Ireland and will include core modules in media production techniques such as camera operation, audio recording and video editing, as well as modules on Live Sports and eSports Broadcast Production, Photojournalism, Sports Journalism, the Sports Broadcast Industry, and more.
| Award Name | Degree - Foundation at UK Level 5 |
|---|---|
| NFQ Classification | |
| Awarding Body | Open University |
| NFQ Level |
| Award Name | NFQ Classification | Awarding Body | NFQ Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Degree - Foundation at UK Level 5 | Open University |
Duration
2 years full-time.
Entry Requirements
Higher Education Entry Criteria
Each Higher Education programme has its own distinctive entry requirements. This is set as a minimum UCAS points for entry. On some programmes, applicants must also hold subject specific qualifications to gain a place. Therefore, it is essential that you check entry requirements for each programme you are applying for. Please note, these are qualifications that applicants must have completed and certified to gain entry onto the respective programmes.
Applicants must hold a GCSE pass at Grade C/4 or above in both English Language and Mathematics. Level 2 Certificate in Essential Skills - Application of Number and Essential Skills Literacy may be regarded as an acceptable alternative to GCSE Maths and English.
We recognise that prior learning or experience may give some students credit towards a qualification to gain entry onto a programme or credit towards a programme of study. Please refer to our Accreditation of Prior Learning (APL) process.
Please also note: The College reserves the right to increase the entry requirements for all Higher Education provision based on demand and required academic standards, as specified by the Awarding Body/validating organisation.
Applicants applying to programmes validated by university partners (UU, QUB and OU) who hold international qualifications must provide certificates to determine equivalence before an offer can be made.
The minimum entry requirement accepted for this course is expected to be 80 Tariff Points. Depending on the number of applications, we may have to increase this. You will also need to have a keen interest in storytelling and/or reporting. Prior experience and/or qualifications in Journalism/Moving Image/Film/Media is not mandatory but would be highly beneficial.
Accreditation of Prior Learning (APL) for HE Courses
PL allows you to use evidence from prior learning or experience to gain entry onto a course at Belfast Met. Belfast Met will work with you to make sure that relevant learning or work experience is formally recognised through the APL Process. For more information see Accreditation of Prior Learning (APL) Process - Guidance for applicants. If you would like more information, or if you decide you would like to use the APL process, please contact the Course Co-ordinator. Contact details are provided at the end of these slides and on the course details page on Belfast Met website.
Careers / Further progression
Careers
The proposed course is designed to be applicable to a wide range of industry employers including traditional broadcasters, online and print media, social media, and streaming platforms as well as the increasing deployment of media content within sporting organisations and governing bodies.
Our students will graduate from the course with 2 years’ worth of relevant experience and a portfolio of work that aims to mirror industry standards, making the transition into sports journalism or media production outside the college as seamless as possible.
Career prospects include:
Journalist / Reporter
Commentator
Camera Operator
Producer
Director
Editor
Sound Recordist
Production Assistant
Researcher
Recent graduates of our existing media and journalism courses have been employed by both independent film companies and national broadcasters. Notable graduates of our courses include Eamon Holmes, Katie Andrews, Paul Reilly, and Shannon Hamill (all UTV), Claire Graham (BBC), Rebecca Black (Belfast Telegraph), Amanda Ferguson (Irish Times).
Graduates have also continued their education, by enrolling in top-up degrees offered by a range of universities in the UK. These allow students who graduate from a 2-year Higher Education course to go on to complete just one more year to gain a full undergraduate degree.
Further information
Start Date: 09/09/2024. End Date: 11/06/2026.
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Academic period 2024:
Tuition Fee = £3050.00
Academic period 2025*:
Tuition Fee = £3050.00
Fees are payable annually.
*The fees for 2024 and 2025 have not been finalised and will be updated as soon as agreed.
Entry Year: 09/09/2024.
How to Apply
Make sure you apply as early as you can to increase your chance of getting onto your first choice course. Remember, you can apply for up to five courses!
Ready to make your application? Please click on "Application Weblink".
Overview
This 2-year programme will equip students with the knowledge and skills for a career or further study in the ever-expanding industry of sports media. The course will cover core media production skills as well an introduction to journalism in the context of the sports media industry. This new two-year programme is the first of its kind in Northern Ireland and will include core modules in media production techniques such as camera operation, audio recording and video editing, as well as modules on Live Sports and eSports Broadcast Production, Photojournalism, Sports Journalism, the Sports Broadcast Industry, and more.
It is anticipated that sports media foundation degree students will also work on live projects with the college’s eSports students, including broadcasting/streaming competitions, and producing video, audio, and/or written reports on eSports competitors, teams, and corporations. The course will also focus on emerging technologies in sports broadcasting, including virtual production techniques.
Led by lecturers with media and journalism experience, you will produce sports media content via field trips and our fully operational television studio where you will have an opportunity to work as a presenter, director, producer, floor manager, camera operator, sound assistants, or vision mixer. In the most recent academic year our Sports Journalism students have taken part in regular field trips to sporting events, including several visits to Irish League Football games, where they have recorded match coverage and interviewed players, coaches, and management from both the home and away teams.
This course will allow access to our state-of-the-art studio facilities and the use of professional lighting, camera and sound equipment including Canon XFs, Canon C300s, Sony FS7s, Blackmagic Ursa Minis and BMPCC4Ks, Aputure and Nanlite lighting, as well as Rode, Zoom and Seinnheiser sound equipment.
Please note, this programme of study is likely to include enrichment units which are an additional component to enhance your employability. We aim to include a range of methods of delivery that may include:
Lectures
Seminars
Workshops
Tutorials
Blended learning including online lectures and workshops
Presentations and pitches
Team working
Independent learning
Visiting industry professionals
Live Events, Field Trips and Networking Opportunities
Key Areas of Study:
Journalism Practices
Emerging Technologies
Camera Operation and Sound Recording
Multi-Camera Studio Productions
Video Editing
Vision Mixing
Writing and Delivering News Reports
Podcasting
Sports Reporting for Print Media
The Sports Media Industry
Programme delivery and assessment will be through the widest range of taught lecturers, practical lab and studio-based skills development, and projects based around sporting events from grassroots through to professional sports. This will include individual work such as traditional journalism and photojournalism through to larger scale productions such as studio-based shows, podcasts, and short factual films. Students will access live sports and eSports events throughout the programme engaging with a wide range of sports bodies and organisations.
Whenever possible, we make our assessment methods as practical as possible, with written components primarily being used to reinforce technical understanding and personally reflect on own performance. However, research is a core component to the development of any professional project, and so will be tested through written assessment alongside the academic writing skills appropriate to foundation degree level. It is unlikely that the course will contain exams.
Assessment Methods will include:
Portfolios
Work-based assignments and/or live projects
Presentations
Moving Image Projects
Audio Reports
Essays
Written Reports for Digital Media Platforms
Contact Us
Tel: 028 9026 5394
Email: creativedigital@belfastmet.ac.uk