4B005E - The Social Spotlight in Sport 01 Sep 2026 - 31 Aug 2032 | Version 2
Associated Module Information
| Module Code: | 4B005E | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Module Title: | The Social Spotlight in Sport | |||
| Faculty: | Faculty of Business and Creative Industries | |||
| Faculty Group: | Film and TV | |||
| Faculty Sub Group: | Film and TV | |||
| Module Leader: | Delme Parfitt | |||
| Module Team: | Julie Kissick, James Rendell, Andrew Pearsall | |||
| First Intended Intake: | SEP 2026 | Final Year of Intake: | 2031 | |
| Date Closed: | ||||
| Credit Value: | 30 | Credit Level: | 4 | |
| Language: | English | |||
| Percentage of Module Taught in Welsh: | 0 | |||
| Equivalent Module: | ||||
| HECOS codes: | 100439 - broadcast journalism | 100440 - digital media | 100442 - journalism | 100445 - multimedia journalism |
| HECOS Code Weighting: | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 |
Document Version Information
| Version | 2 |
|---|---|
| Valid From | 01 Sep 2026 |
| Valid To | 31 Aug 2032 |
Module Aims
In up to 3 bullet points, provide the educational aims of the module.
To develop students’ understanding of how sport reflects and shapes issues of identity, culture, and society within the contemporary media landscape.
To equip students with the skills to communicate complex social and cultural debates about sport through clear, engaging, and ethical journalism.
To encourage creativity, critical thinking, and audience awareness in producing media content that connects sport to wider public conversations.
Content Summary
The Social Spotlight in Sport?introduces students to one of the central purposes of the BA Sports Journalism course — understanding and communicating the social, cultural, and ethical significance of sport through journalism. It encourages students to view sport not just as competition or entertainment but as a powerful lens for exploring identity, community, and social change. Through challenge-based learning, students investigate how sport connects to broader debates around nationality, gender, race, and representation, while developing the journalistic skills to translate these complex issues into engaging, accessible content for diverse audiences.
The module situates students within the contemporary UK sports media landscape, analysing how broadcasters, digital platforms, and fan media shape public understanding of sport and society. Practical work focuses on producing socially aware journalism that informs, provokes discussion, and reflects professional standards.
As a foundational – and the first - Level 4 module of the course,?The Social Spotlight in Sport?develops essential storytelling, analytical, and ethical awareness — establishing the reflective, inclusive, and industry-connected approach that underpins later modules. It aligns with the course aims by fostering confident, critically informed communicators capable of linking sport, culture, and public conversation across multiple media platforms.
Learning and Teaching Methods
| Activity Type | Hours |
|---|---|
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching | 56 |
| Guided Study | 10.5 |
| Summative Assessment | 60 |
| Independent Study and self-directed learning | 173.5 |
| Total Hours Selected | 116 |
Learning Outcomes
| # | Learning Outcome |
|---|---|
| LO1 | Understand how sport connects to identity, culture, and representation within society. |
| LO2 | Produce journalism that translates complex social and cultural issues into accessible and engaging content for diverse audiences. |
Module Requisites
N/A
Assessment Criteria
| Assessment Category | Assessment Type | Description | Duration | Word Count | Weight (%) | Best of? | Pass Mark |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Asynchronous Assessment | Practical Coursework 1 (Asynch) | Enables students to apply their emerging knowledge of sport, society, and media by developing a practical media plan that translates a social or political issue into accessible, public-facing journalism.The task supports active learning by asking students to take ownership of topic selection, apply theoretical understanding to practical challenges, and produce work suitable for contemporary media environments. | 0 | 2000 | 70 | No | 40 |
| Synchronous Onsite Oral Assessment | Clinical Viva (Onsite) | provides an opportunity for reflection, articulation, and feedback dialogue, consistent with the Framework’s focus on feedforward and student agency. The 10-minute live audio discussion encourages critical self-assessment, professionalism in verbal communication, and the ability to defend editorial decisions — all key employability and communication attributes in journalism | 10 | N/A | 30 | No | 40 |
Assessment Matrix
| Assessment Type | Learning Outcomes | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| LO1 | LO2 | ||
| Practical Coursework 1 (Asynch) | ✔ | ✔ | |
| Clinical Viva (Onsite) | ✔ | ✔ | |