Sports Journalism, Emphasis
B.A. in Journalism with an Emphasis in Sports Journalism
Students in the Sports Journalism emphasis learn how to research, report, and produce compelling stories about athletes, teams, and the business of sports across multiple media platforms. The program blends traditional reporting skills with modern digital storytelling techniques, preparing students to cover games, create multimedia content, and analyze the culture and industry of sports. Students gain practical experience by working with WMUL-FM, JMC Studios, The Parthenon, and other Marshall student media outlets, producing live broadcasts, highlight reels, interviews, podcasts, and web stories that bring sports coverage to life. The Sports Journalism emphasis prepares graduates for careers in sports reporting, broadcasting, social media management, and content creation for professional teams, news organizations, and digital outlets. Students may also work for HERD VISION, the professional on-campus streaming platform for ESPN+ broadcasts, further developing their technical skills.
Distinctive Features of the Program
Students who graduate with their degree in Sports Journalism are career ready with a number of skills and credentials ready to use, including:
- sports writing and reporting across print, broadcast, and digital formats; in-depth interviewing and feature storytelling; audio and video production using tools such as Adobe Premiere Pro, Audition, and Photoshop; conducting live and recorded on-camera or on-mic commentary; and producing multimedia packages, highlight videos, and social media content tailored to audience engagement.
Students learn to analyze sports performance and trends, manage production workflows, and apply ethical standards to sports coverage.
Students also develop strong communication, collaboration, and leadership skills essential to thriving in competitive sports media environments. They strengthen active listening, time management, and adaptability under deadline pressure, along with critical thinking, creativity in story development, and a deep understanding of teamwork—qualities that mirror the sports world they cover.
Course Requirements
The Core Curriculum is designed to foster critical thinking skills and introduce students to basic domains of thinking that transcend disciplines. The Core applies to all majors. Information on specific classes in the Core can be found at https://www.marshall.edu/gened/.
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Core Curriculum | ||
| Core 1: Critical Thinking | ||
| FYS 100 | First Yr Sem Critical Thinking | 3 |
| Critical Thinking | 3 | |
| Critical Thinking | 3 | |
| Core 2 | ||
| ENG 101 | Beginning Composition | 3 |
| ENG 201 | Advanced Composition | 3 |
| CMM 103 | Fund Speech-Communication | 3 |
| Core II Fine Arts | 3 | |
| Core II Humanities | 3 | |
| Core II Mathematics | 3 | |
| Core II Natural/Physical Science | 4 | |
| Core II Social Science | 3 | |
| Additional University Requirements | ||
| Writing Intensive | 3 | |
| Writing Intensive | 3 | |
| Multicultural/International 1 | 3 | |
School of Journalism & Mass Communications (SOJMC) Program Requirements
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| SOJMC Cognizance Area | ||
| Modern Language | 3 | |
| Modern Language | 3 | |
| Select one of the following Cultural courses: | ||
| Cultural Anthropology (CT) | ||
| Intro to Human Geography (CT) | ||
| Understanding Society (CT) | ||
| Multicultural/International 1 | 3 | |
| History Elective | 3 | |
| Literature Elective | 3 | |
| Literature Elective | 3 | |
| Total SOJMC Cognizance Credit Hours | 24 | |
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| SOJMC Core | ||
| JMC 101 | Media Literacy | 3 |
| JMC 102 | Media Toolbox | 3 |
| JMC 103 | Language Use for Media (Recommended) 2 | 1 |
| JMC 241 | Media Design | 3 |
| JMC 260 | Digital Imaging for JMC | 3 |
| JMC 345 | Mass Comm Law and Ethics | 3 |
| JMC 361 | Digital Presence | 3 |
| JMC 490 | Jrn & Mass Comm Internship I | 3 |
| JMC 499 | Professional Portfolio | 1 |
| Total SOJMC Core Credit Hours | 25–26 | |
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Journalism Major Requirements | ||
| JMC 300 | Reporting and News Writing | 3 |
| JMC 458 | Emerging Media for Journalists | 3 |
| JMC 465 | Multimedia Reporting | 3 |
| Sports Journalism Area of Emphasis Requirements | ||
| JMC 231 | Intro to Audio Production | 3 |
| JMC 235 | Intro to Sports Journalism | 3 |
| JMC 303 | Sports News Reporting | 3 |
| JMC 321 | Sportscasting | 3 |
| JMC 330 | AD & PR Principles and Ethics | 3 |
| or JMC 390 | Media Sales & Underwriting | |
| Select three (3) credit hours from the following: | 3 | |
| Practice in Radio | ||
| Practice in Radio | ||
| Radio-TV Announ & Newscasting | ||
| Intro to Video Production | ||
| Practice in Radio or TV | ||
| Practice in Radio or TV | ||
| Sports Cognizance Courses | ||
| Select three (3) courses from the following: | 9 | |
| History of Sports in America | ||
| Sports in Society (CT) | ||
| Sport Tourism | ||
| Sport Marketing | ||
| Ethics in Sport | ||
| Olympic Games | ||
| Non-JMC elective (300-/400-level) | 3 | |
| Total Journalism Major Credit Hours | 39 | |
A minimum of 120 credit hours are required for this major.
- 1
Students may not count JMC 436 International Mass Comm as an International-designated course. If the student takes an International-designated course to satisfy their university requirements, they should take a multicultural-designated course to satisfy their journalism cognizance area and vice versa.
- 2
JMC 103 Language Use for Media is recommended but not required.
Semester Plan
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| First Semester | Credit Hours | |
| CMM 103 | Fund Speech-Communication | 3 |
| ENG 101 | Beginning Composition | 3 |
| FYS 100 | First Yr Sem Critical Thinking | 3 |
| JMC 101 | Media Literacy | 3 |
| JMC 103 | Language Use for Media (Recommended) 1 | 1 |
| UNI 100 | Freshman First Class (Recommended) | 1 |
| Core II Fine Arts | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 17 | |
| Second Semester | ||
| JMC 102 | Media Toolbox | 3 |
| JMC 235 | Intro to Sports Journalism | 3 |
| Core II Humanities | 3 | |
| Core II Mathematics | 3 | |
| CT Course | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Second Year | ||
| First Semester | ||
| ENG 201 | Advanced Composition | 3 |
| JMC 300 | Reporting and News Writing | 3 |
| Core II Natural Science/Physical | 4 | |
| Multicultural/International 2 | 3 | |
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Cultural Anthropology (CT) | ||
| Intro to Human Geography (CT) | ||
| Understanding Society (CT) | ||
| Credit Hours | 16 | |
| Second Semester | ||
| JMC 231 | Intro to Audio Production | 3 |
| JMC 241 | Media Design | 3 |
| JMC 260 | Digital Imaging for JMC | 3 |
| Core II Social Science | 3 | |
| History Elective | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Third Year | ||
| First Semester | ||
| JMC 303 | Sports News Reporting | 3 |
| JMC 321 | Sportscasting | 3 |
| JMC 361 | Digital Presence | 3 |
| Literature Elective (WI) | 3 | |
| Modern Language | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Second Semester | ||
| JMC 330 or JMC 390 | AD & PR Principles and Ethics or Media Sales & Underwriting | 3 |
| JMC 455 | Race Gender & Mass Media | 3 |
| Literature Elective (WI) | 3 | |
| Modern Language | 3 | |
| Sports Cognizance Course | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Fourth Year | ||
| First Semester | ||
| JMC 458 | Emerging Media for Journalists | 3 |
| JMC 490 | Jrn & Mass Comm Internship I 3 | 3 |
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Practice in Radio | ||
| Practice in Radio | ||
| Radio-TV Announ & Newscasting | ||
| Intro to Video Production | ||
| Practice in Radio or TV | ||
| Practice in Radio or TV | ||
| Sports Cognizance Course | 3 | |
| Sports Cognizance Course | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Second Semester | ||
| JMC 345 | Mass Comm Law and Ethics | 3 |
| JMC 465 | Multimedia Reporting | 3 |
| JMC 499 | Professional Portfolio | 1 |
| Multicultural/International 2 | 3 | |
| Non-JMC elective 300/400 | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 13 | |
| Total Credit Hours | 121 | |
- 1
JMC 103 Language Use for Media is recommended but not required.
- 2
Students may not count JMC 436 International Mass Comm as an International-designated course. If the student takes an International-designated course to satisfy their university requirements, they should take a multicultural-designated course to satisfy their journalism cognizance area and vice versa.
- 3
JMC 490 Jrn & Mass Comm Internship I recommended summer between semesters 6 & 7 (3 hours).