Sports Journalism Programs Teach Specific Skills That Are Necessary to Succeeda
"The biggest selling feature of the program is we’re all about reality,” says Malcolm Kelly, the coordinator of the Sports Journalism program
at Centennial College in Toronto, Ont. "We are teaching students print,
online, radio and television through the 12 courses that you take here.
So when you go out, you’re going out with the largest toolbox you
possibly can. And as our world as journalists change, we need to offer
those opportunities. The thing I enjoy most about teaching the program
is the spirit. Obviously, if you have a group of people interested in
sports journalism, being taught by a bunch of people who were in sports
journalism, you get an awful lot of spirit in the classroom. And I think
that’s very important because the desire to learn is just as important
as the need to learn.”
Kelly does a great job of showcasing the
wonderful features and atmosphere of this three-semester Graduate
Certificate sports journalism program. Let’s take a closer look at some
of its specifics. Applicants to program must submit an official
transcript demonstrating proof of the successful completion of a
post-secondary diploma or degree program in any discipline. In addition
applicants must attend an admission session during which they will:
undergo a resumé review, submit a portfolio, to include a minimum of
three pieces of published or unpublished work; complete a writing test
(for applicants who do not have a degree or diploma in journalism). The
Sports Journalism program will consider applicants who present at least
two years of post secondary in combination with relevant experience in
the field of journalism.
Once accepted, students will participate
in a number of courses geared to develop their: sports writing for
print, radio, TV, online and multiplatform media; advanced interviewing
techniques; sports beat reporting, statistics and imaging; and sports
history, culture and business. Among these Sports Journalism courses
are: Sports Writing and Sports Experience, Sports Interviewing and Beat
Reporting, Sports in Canada: The Field of Play, The Sportscast, Total
Sports: Stats and Research, The Business of Sports, and many more. In
addition, students develop a portfolio of published pieces and attend an
industry field placement that will see them working for a newspapers,
magazine, TV station, radio station or online outlet. They will work
alongside seasoned professionals who have been in sports journalism for
years, allowing them to gain new knowledge and network. Some students
are even hired on full-time once their field placement is over.
Upon
graduation, students go on to work at an outlet of your choice in a
particular area of journalism. You may start out as a beat writer for a
newspaper before working your way up to a sports editor position.
Another option is to work in TV, where you may start out as a chase
producer before working your way up to a reporter position. There are
also places for those who graduate from the Sports journalism program in
online outlets, newspapers, blogs, and more.