What it’s about:

Students of sports communications prepare for careers as sports journalists or public relations professionals specializing in sports. In this major you will examine the relationships between sport, communication, and society, and study the impact of sports media. You will also learn practical skills in areas such as sports reporting, broadcasting, promotion, and various media production methods.

What the study of this major is like:

Students sometimes come into this major thinking it is a “fun” major. In actually, the major is demanding and takes lots of hard work. And you have to work when everyone else is having fun-attending sporting events.

You’ll be held to strict newsroom standards, and deadlines are real, as they are in the real world. Most professors won’t accept late assignments at all. They also tend to be sticklers for accuracy and good spelling, just like editors.

Sports communications involve a lot more than team scores and statistics. You will look at sports in new ways, examining the role of sports in society and considering issues such as gender, race, performance enhancing drugs, and other tough topics, you’ll study the history, economics psychology, and cultural significance of sports of all kinds. This major combines critical thinking with a deep understanding of the field.

Your studies begin with a broad foundation of courses that range from the theoretical to the applied. Most four-year programs required a solid grounding in the liberal arts and humanities in order to provide a broad cultural context. General introductory courses in communications, media, and journalism are often required.

Introductory courses provide an in-depth study of the field. You will study the practice and effects of sports communications and will likely write research papers on these topics. You will likely study the economics of sports media and examine sports marketing and management as well. Most of these courses will be taught in lecture and discussion classes.

In later courses you will move into more applied areas, such as sports reporting, sports public relations, and sports broadcasting. These courses usually start with lecture/discussion formats, and then focus more on field work and real world practice. For example, in a sports reporting course, students often attend, cover, and write about sporting events and write “game stories.” You’ll also try your hand at columns, features, and possible in-depth investigative reporting. In a sports broadcasting course you learn production and postproduction methods along with play-by-play announcing. In all of these courses, writing will be emphasized.

In many schools, internships are an integral part of this major. You might intern with media organizations, sports organizations, sports advertising and promotion companies, and other groups that perform the many affiliated functions of sports communications. Some schools may also have a capstone class that allows students to work in-depth on a particular sports communication project.

As you explore colleges, you’ll see a difference between schools that offer a B.A. (bachelor or arts)and a B.S. (bachelor of science) degree in this major. Those in the former will be geared toward journalism and focus more on the liberal arts. Those in the latter are usually geared more toward broadcasting and offer more technical classes. Some programs require a minor, concentration, or dual degree in kinesiology-the study of human movement.

Career options and trends:

Sports journalist*; sport broadcaster*; sports writer; sports marketing specialist; sports public relations specialist*; team publicist; statistician; event planner; promoter; sports information director*; production assistant; public address announcer.

There are few areas of public interest as popular as sports. The huge demand for sports information is fueling increased coverage on cable networks and the Internet, which in turn creates new jobs for sports communications professionals. At the same time, the information industry as a whole is in great flux a different media forms migrate online.

Competition for jobs is keen in all areas of sports communications. Sports journalists, broadcasters and writers who can work in an online environment and in multiple mediums will have the best prospects.

Source: CollegeBoard 2012 Book of Majors