Sport Media
Turn your passion for sports into a career.
Sports are about community — people coming together to celebrate a shared love of athletic skill, competition, and performance. As a Sport Media major, you’ll play an active role in building these communities, starting in your very first semester.
To start your learning, your practicum semesters with York College Athletics and Campus Recreation prepare you with a strong foundational skill set, so you’ll be prepared to take on any role as your career grows.
With state-of-the-art facilities in the Grumbacher Sport and Fitness Center, as well as an on-campus radio station and television studio, you’ll practice on the same types of equipment that professionals in sports media use every day. When you graduate with a York College degree in Sport Media, you’ll graduate well-equipped and ready to contribute to this dynamic industry.
Majoring in Sport Media
Sport Media Courses
The Sport Media degree program offers a wide variety of required classes, electives, and real-world learning opportunities. Some of these foundational courses include:
- SPM 225: Communication in Sport
- CM 226: Audio Production I
- CM 242: Video Production I
- CM 333: Broadcast Portfolio I
- SPM 350: Public and Media Relations in Sport
4+1 and 4+2 Graduate Degree Opportunities
Sport Media majors also have the opportunity to pursue graduate education. Students may pursue a 4+1 program, allowing them to earn both a Sport Media bachelor’s degree and a Master of Arts in Strategic Leadership and Management in as few as five years. They also have the option to pursue a 4+2 program, in which they can earn a bachelor’s degree plus a master’s degree in Integrated Marketing Communication in as few as six years.
Sport Media Job Opportunities and Benefits
No matter your interests, York College’s experienced faculty will guide you toward real-world opportunities that allow you to build a strong professional network in your preferred subject area.
These are just a few of the many career opportunities available to graduates of the Sport Media program:
- Audio Content Supervisor
- Brand Manager
- Director of Marketing and Public Relations for Athletics
- Media Relations Associate
- Production Assistant
- Radio Operations Manager
- Sport Programming Producer
- Sports Information Director
- Sports Reporter
- Sports Video Curator
Sports Media Salary Potential
How much will you earn with a bachelor’s degree in sports media? The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that entry-level broadcast announcers earn an average of $36,770 per year. More experienced media and communication professionals earn $61,310 per year on average, with the highest 10 percent earning as much as $114,050 annually.
Benefits of a Degree in Sports Communications
A career in sports media and communications will present exciting opportunities to work with some of the sport industry’s biggest names and popular athletes. This flexible degree offers potential to grow, with a positive 18 percent projected job growth for sports editors and camera operators through 2029.
No matter which career path you choose, we’ll help you excel before, during, and after your career search.
Sport Media Internships and Work Experience
Real-world learning opportunities are essential for new professionals in the field of sports — so York College’s sports media classes are packed with projects that provide students with hands-on experience.
Students take four semesters of practicum, each requiring 30 hours with York College Athletics and Campus Recreation. During their practicum experience, students begin learning event-focused communication tasks, and then expand into roles aligned with their specific area of interest.
Sport Media majors complete class assignments based on actual events. In the past, our students have helped to create exciting marketing and communications materials for athletic organizations in our community, including promotional videos for local youth organizations and website content for York College Athletics’ coverage of NCAA DIII Week.
Additionally, a variety of internships and independent study opportunities are available to help students build upon their on-campus experiences.
Mentorship & Community
Relationship-building is a hallmark of our programs in the Graham School of Business at York College. In addition to working closely with faculty members who care about helping you to achieve your goals, you’ll learn how to form good networking relationships with professionals in your industry. The Sport Business Association, a student organization, also provides a number of networking opportunities relevant to sport media each year.
Each semester, the College hosts Sport Industry Professional Day. At this event, students meet and learn from some of the best in the industry. They also travel to a variety of special events throughout the year. Past events have included a student-alumni gathering with the Phillies, volunteering at the Super Bowl and MLB Spring Training, and attending the Pennsylvania Sports Business Conference.
Undergraduate research opportunities are also available to sport media majors, working side-by-side with faculty experts. York College students’ research has been presented at conferences and published in academic journals.
For students interested in travel, the International Sport and Entertainment course is offered every other spring, and features a short-term study abroad trip. Classes have traveled to destinations including London and Paris, where they’ve met industry professionals, visited facilities, and enhanced cross-cultural skills.
Sport Communication Skills
York College’s B.A. degree in Sport Media will prepare you for your career through hands-on learning opportunities and experiences. You’ll graduate with skills that are essential to a career in the sports industry, including:
- Creative thinking
- Strong storytelling skills
- Attention to detail
- Strong communication
- Interpersonal skills
- Broad knowledge of sports
Complementary Minors to Sport Media
The Sport Media bachelor degree program offers three specialized tracks within the sports communication field. To further personalize your educational experience and prepare you for your specific career goals, York College offers a number of complementary minors. These are just a few of the many academic minor programs available to Sport Media majors:
An Accredited Degree in Sport Media
York College is fully accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education, which accredits schools and colleges in the Middle States region. This includes Delaware, DC, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania. Accreditation by one of the six regional accrediting associations in the United States indicates that the school or college has been carefully evaluated and found to meet standards agreed upon by qualified educators.
Sport Media Courses
Your class schedule will include core courses for your major, Gen Next general education classes, and electives.
| Course Name | Course Code | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Communication in Sport | SPM 225 | 3 Credits |
| Audio Production I | CM 226 | 3 Credits |
| Video Production I | CM 242 | 4 Credits |
| Broadcast Portfolio I | CM 333 | 3 Credits |
| Public and Media Relations in Sport | SPM 350 | 3 Credits |
Careers in Sport Media
A bachelor's degree in Sport Media opens up a variety of career opportunities. Some of your options may include:
Audio Content Supervisor
Brand Manager
Director of Marketing and Public Relations for Athletics
Media Relations Associate
Production Assistant
Radio Operations Manager
Build your dream career, one day at a time.
This is day one. From your first semester on campus through graduation day, York College offers expert advice, professional development opportunities, and personalized support to help you navigate the choices that influence your future.
Explore resources for a successful college experience:
Frequently Asked Questions
When it comes to engaging fans with the world of athletics, media platforms play a critical role. Whether you’re gathered around the TV to watch the big game with friends, checking scores online, reading an article about breaking sports news, or listening to a podcast interview with your favorite athlete — you’re benefiting from the work of sport media professionals.
York College is home to over 20 college athletics teams, including baseball, softball, basketball, field hockey, lacrosse, soccer, wrestling, track and field, and swimming, just to name a few. Depending on your practicum experiences, you may work with any variety of competitive sports as you build your skills in athletic communications. Off-campus internships are also part of the Sport Media program curriculum, and offer the opportunity to work with a wide range of both sport and media organizations.
While a Sport Media degree shares a lot in common with Sports Journalism programs, there are some key differences. Sports journalism degrees typically focus on reporting skills, teaching students to cover games and news across athletics.
York College’s B.A. in Sport Media also helps students to develop those core competencies — but in addition, the program provides options that may align your college education more directly with your desired career path. Sport Media majors take courses that help them become marketable professionals with a broad range of skills, while allowing opportunities for specialization.
YCP’s approach to education in the field of sports media allows students to explore not only gameday coverage and on-screen/on-mic performance, but also behind-the-scenes production. While you may pursue jobs in sports journalism, you’ll also be well positioned to represent teams and athletic organizations in-house. Roles like PR and Marketing Manager, Sports Information Director, Video Producer, Audio Specialist, and more are common for people with a degree in Sport Media.
If you’re interested in working in sports, you have options as you select your college major. For those interested in areas like sports communications, writing, and media production, the Sport Media major may be a perfect fit.
If you prefer the idea of leading within a business job such as event or facility management, coaching, athletic administration, or similar activities, you may also want to explore YCP’s major in Sport Management.
Adding a minor is another excellent way to tailor your academic experience to your future career goals. York College offers a number of minors related to athletics, including Athletic Coaching, Esports Management, and Outdoor Leadership.
View all of YCP’s majors and minors or talk with someone in our Academic Advising Center to find the perfect program for you.
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Related Programs
Integrated Marketing Communication
Today’s marketing and communications professionals face a different set of challenges than previous generations. There are new technologies, shifting audience behaviors, and changing expectations for how brands should interact with the public. The way students prepare for communication-related careers should look different, too. A modern, forward-thinking integrated marketing communications program can help to give you your best start in the field.
Mass Communication
Imagine if you could apply for a job after graduation and be able to tell a radio or television station, “Yes, I’ve used that before.” That’s the York College approach — we give you exposure to audio, radio, and digital video production, news gathering and reporting, copywriting, announcing, and field and control room equipment. It provides a strong foundation for broadcast communications jobs, a corporate career, or a future in digital filmmaking and video production.
Sport Management
A career in sport management requires a love of athletics — and at York College, students and faculty in our Sport Management major are passionate about their work.