Football Journalism

Football journalism is the specialism that combines the core skills of journalism with the deep subject knowledge and industry connections that working in the world's most followed sport demands. Football generates an extraordinary volume of media content, across print, broadcast, digital, and social media, and the journalists who cover it well bring not only strong writing and reporting skills but a genuine understanding of the game, its structures from grassroots to elite, its economics and politics, and the culture of the fans and communities that follow it.

At Derby this three-year full-time programme includes a foundation year for students who need additional academic preparation before the main degree. The programme benefits from strong relationships with Premier League, EFL, and non-league clubs, and from the university's official partnership with Derby County, the city's professional football club. These connections provide students with access to real-world opportunities, contacts, and contexts that make the programme much more than a generic journalism course with a football specialism.

The programme also works with media outlets and PR agencies, supplying students with a range of opportunities suited to different skills and interests.

A year abroad provides an opportunity to experience football journalism in a different national context, and the combination of academic training and professional exposure throughout the programme prepares you for entry to an industry where contacts, experience, and a strong portfolio are what employers look for.

Graduates pursue careers in sports journalism across print, broadcast, digital, and social media platforms, as well as in sports PR and communications, content creation for clubs and governing bodies, and related roles in the football and media industries. Postgraduate study in journalism or sports media is an option for those wishing to develop further.