Sports Media, BA
for the degree of Bachelor of Arts in Sports Media
The Sports Media major provides students with an in-depth education in sports media that will allow them to pursue the industry from an interdisciplinary perspective and prepare them for careers in sports media, including as broadcasters, PR and strategic communication professionals, content creators, and digital storytellers.
for the degree of Bachelor of Arts in Sports Media
Graduation Requirements
Minimum hours required for graduation: 124 hours
University Requirements
Minimum of 40 hours of upper-division coursework, generally at the 300- or 400-level. These hours can be drawn from all elements of the degree. Students should consult their academic advisor for additional guidance in fulfilling this requirement.
The university and residency requirements can be found in the Student Code (§ 3-801) and in the Academic Catalog.
General Education Requirements
Follows the campus General Education (Gen Ed) requirements. Some Gen Ed requirements may be met by courses required and/or electives in the program.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Composition I | 4-6 | |
| Advanced Composition | 3 | |
| Humanities & the Arts (6 hours) | 6 | |
| Natural Sciences & Technology (6 hours) | 6 | |
| Social & Behavioral Sciences (6 hours) | 6 | |
| Cultural Studies: Non-Western Cultures (1 course) | 3 | |
| Cultural Studies: US Minority Cultures (1 course) | 3 | |
| Cultural Studies: Western/Comparative Cultures (1 course) | 3 | |
| Quantitative Reasoning (2 courses, at least one course must be Quantitative Reasoning I) | 6-10 | |
| Language Requirement (Completion of the third semester or equivalent of a language other than English is required) | 0-15 | |
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Required Major Courses | ||
| MDIA 100 | College of Media Orientation | 1 |
| MDIA 103 | Sports Media for Majors | 1 |
| ADV 214 | Sports Advertising & Branding | 3 |
| JOUR 161 | Introduction to Sports Journalism | 3 |
| MACS 224 | Sportsmedia Technology & Culture | 3 |
| Sports Media Electives | 12 | |
| Select 12 hours from the list below. At least 6 hours must be from within the College of Media (ADV, JOUR, MACS, or MDIA) | ||
| Sports Public Relations | ||
| Classics of Sports Journalism | ||
| Newsroom Experience (Illini Sports Night section only, maximum of 3 hours) | ||
| Sport Documentaries | ||
| Foundations of Sport Mgt | ||
| Issues in Intercollegiate Athletics: The Big Ten Conference | ||
| Sport Analytics: Data-Driven Decision Making | ||
| Media Electives (any ADV, JOUR, MACS, or MDIA course) | 9 | |
| Sports Media Capstone | 1 | |
| Media Capstone | ||
or ADV 495 | Internship Seminar | |
or JOUR 495 | Internship Seminar | |
or MACS 495 | Internship Seminar | |
for the degree of Bachelor of Arts in Sports Media
This sample sequence is intended to be used only as a guide for degree completion. All students should work individually with their academic advisors to decide the actual course selection and sequence that works best for them based on their academic preparation and goals. Enrichment programming such as study abroad, minors, internships, and so on may impact the structure of this four-year plan. Course availability is not guaranteed during the semester indicated in the sample sequence.
Students must fulfill their Language Other Than English requirement by successfully completing a third level of a language other than English. For more information, see the corresponding section on the Degree and General Education Requirements page.
| Requirements | Hours |
|---|---|
| MDIA 100 - College of Media Orientation | 1 |
| MDIA 103 - Sports Media for Majors | 1 |
| JOUR 161 - Introduction to Sports Journalism | 3 |
| Composition I or General Education course | 4 |
| Language Other Than English (3rd level) | 4 |
| Elective | 3 |
| Semester Hours | 16 |
| Requirements | Hours |
|---|---|
| ADV 214 - Sports Advertising & Branding | 3 |
| General Education course | 3 |
| General Education course | 3 |
| General Education course or Composition I | 3 |
| Elective | 3 |
| Semester Hours | 15 |
| Requirements | Hours |
|---|---|
| MACS 224 - Sportsmedia Technology & Culture | 3 |
| General Education course | 3 |
| General Education course | 3 |
| General Education course | 3 |
| Elective | 3 |
| Semester Hours | 15 |
| Requirements | Hours |
|---|---|
| Sports Media Elective | 3 |
| General Education course | 3 |
| General Education course | 3 |
| General Education course | 3 |
| Elective | 3 |
| Elective | 1 |
| Semester Hours | 16 |
| Requirements | Hours |
|---|---|
| Sports Media Elective | 3 |
| Media Elective | 3 |
| General Education course | 3 |
| General Education course | 3 |
| Elective | 3 |
| Elective | 3 |
| Semester Hours | 18 |
| Requirements | Hours |
|---|---|
| Sports Media Elective | 3 |
| Media Elective | 3 |
| General Education course | 3 |
| Elective | 3 |
| Elective | 3 |
| Elective | 1 |
| Semester Hours | 16 |
| Requirements | Hours |
|---|---|
| MDIA 498 - Media Capstone, ADV 495 - Internship Seminar, JOUR 495 - Internship Seminar, or MACS 495 - Internship Seminar | 1 |
| Media Elective | 3 |
| Elective | 3 |
| Elective | 3 |
| Elective | 3 |
| Semester Hours | 13 |
| Requirements | Hours |
|---|---|
| Sports Media Elective | 3 |
| Elective | 3 |
| Elective | 3 |
| Elective | 3 |
| Elective | 3 |
| Semester Hours | 15 |
Total Hours: 124
for the degree of Bachelor of Arts in Sports Media
Students in the BA in Sports Media will be able to:
- Understand concepts, theories, and methods in the fields of advertising, journalism, and media & cinema studies as applied to sports media.
- Use cutting edge tools and technology to analyze and evaluate the sports media landscape.
- Create ethical and culturally relevant sports media content.
for the degree of Bachelor of Arts in Sports Media
College of Media
College of Media Catalog page
College of Media website
media-ssc@illinois.edu
(217)244-4329