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Studies & Degrees in Sport Journalism

Sports journalism is the branch of journalism that reports on sport: matches and competitions, athletes and clubs, and the business and politics around them. Students learn the same craft as any journalist, including news writing, interviewing, research, media law and ethics, and apply it to sport in print, radio, television and digital media. At the University of Sunderland, for example, students produce their own website, sports TV episode or series of investigative sports articles.

Most programmes are practical. Students write and broadcast, cover real events and build a portfolio. Sports knowledge is part of the curriculum too: the Instituto Superior Crónica in Buenos Aires teaches subjects such as the history of journalism and sport, politics and sport, and radio and television journalism, next to professional ethics and investigative journalism.

Qualifications and levels

Sports journalism is taught at three levels, and the names differ by country.

  • Bachelor's degree. In the United Kingdom, the BA (Hons) Sports Journalism at the University of Sunderland takes three years and is accredited by the National Council for the Training of Journalists (NCTJ). In Spain, students usually take a general bachelor's degree in journalism (Grado en Periodismo) of four years and 240 ECTS credits and add a specialisation. The Universidad Europea de Madrid, for instance, offers an 18 ECTS school's own qualification (título propio) in sports journalism alongside the degree.
  • Short-cycle university qualifications. In Argentina, the Universidad Nacional de La Plata offers the Tecnicatura Superior Universitaria en Periodismo Deportivo, with 30 subjects and a planned duration of three years. Graduates can continue with the Licenciatura en Comunicación Social. The Instituto Superior Crónica organises its sports journalism programme in three years as well.
  • Master's programmes. These are open to graduates who want to specialise. The Máster de Periodismo Deportivo de MARCA, organised by the Escuela de Unidad Editorial and the Universidad CEU San Pablo in Madrid, lasts 15 months and has 90 ECTS credits. It is a school's own qualification (título propio), not an official master's degree. Sunderland offers an MA Journalism (Sports).

Where to study it

SpainExchange lists 11 active schools for this subject: five in Spain, three in Argentina and one each in Australia, the United States and the United Kingdom.

The language of instruction follows the country. The programmes in Spain and Argentina are taught in Spanish, and a journalist needs a very high written and spoken level of the working language, so international students should choose the language in which they plan to work.

Admission depends on the level. For the MARCA master's programme, applicants need an official Spanish university degree in any field or an equivalent degree from a higher education institution in any country; previous journalism studies are not required. Bachelor's degrees follow the general university admission rules of each country.

When comparing schools, students can look at the amount of practical work, the links with media companies and the internships. The MARCA programme includes up to six months of paid work experience in the newsrooms of MARCA, MARCA.com or Radio MARCA. Sunderland offers a placement option, and its tuition fee includes the NCTJ exam fees.

Careers

Graduates work as reporters, editors, commentators and presenters in newspapers, radio, television and digital media, and in the communication departments of clubs, federations and sports organisations. The Instituto Superior Crónica lists roles such as section head, specialised writer, reporter and columnist for its graduates.

Journalism is a competitive field, and official figures should be read with care. In the United States, the Bureau of Labor Statistics counted about 47,100 jobs for news analysts, reporters and journalists in 2025, 28% of them at newspaper publishers. It projects employment to decline 6 percent from 2025 to 2035, with about 3,400 openings a year, and notes that journalists typically need a bachelor's degree in journalism, communications or a related field. These figures cover all journalists, not only those in sport. The Bureau adds that an internship or work experience at a college newspaper, radio station or television station may be helpful, which is why a portfolio and work placements matter when choosing a programme.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a journalism degree to study a master's programme in sports journalism?

Not always. The Máster de Periodismo Deportivo de MARCA accepts graduates of any field, and previous journalism studies are not required.

How long does it take to study sports journalism?

A bachelor's degree takes three years at the University of Sunderland; the Spanish Grado en Periodismo takes four years. The Tecnicatura at the Universidad Nacional de La Plata has a planned duration of three years, and the MARCA master's programme lasts 15 months.

Is the MARCA master's programme an official degree?

No. It is a título propio, the school's own qualification, awarded after 90 ECTS credits of classes and work experience.

What is NCTJ accreditation?

The National Council for the Training of Journalists (NCTJ) accredits journalism courses in the United Kingdom. Students on an accredited course, such as the BA at Sunderland, work towards the NCTJ diploma during the degree.