Sports Communications

Degree Requirements    |    Course Descriptions

The Sports Communication Concentration within the Communications and Media Studies major was launched recently and is an exciting addition to the department’s offering.  DU Communications and Media Studies majors who pursue the Sports Communication Concentration will learn the various media and business applications involved in the sports industry.  At Dominican the Sports Communication major receives the fundamentals in broadcasting for radio and television, sports journalism, and sports public relations and marketing. In general education classes they receive the benefits of a liberal arts education rich in history, philosophy, and the humanities, and they develop sensitivity to other cultures.  

DU Sports Communication majors learn about the field in four major areas and mediums:

• Radio: how to run a radio studio, to record and mix sound files, to write original radio shows, and to produce them. The sportscaster also learns to hit the road following DU collegiate games and delivers them live to an international radio audience online at http://radio.dominican.edu.
• Television: Sports Communication majors are taught the television side of the sports industry including videotaping, editing, and recording sports reports and highlights, on-air interviewing skills, and announcing televised sports events.
• Journalism: students are taught the fine art of sports writing including researching and writing stories, interviewing, photography and photo layout, and editing.
• Public relations and marketing: students are taught the business side of sports including product development, public relations, marketing, and event planning.

Majors are also encouraged to take electives that strengthen their knowledge base. Appropriate science, psychology, business, and physical education classes taken as requirements or electives strengthen the sportscaster’s frame of reference so that he or she can write compellingly about health and fitness, nutrition, training, and sports management. Like other Comm majors, sportscasters also take practical classes in video and photography, and journalism ethics.

The scope of coursework within the Sports Communication Concentration, while providing experiences specific to the field of athletics, is also general enough to recommend the graduate to broader categories of journalism such as print or web media.

When it is time to meet the internship requirements, the DU Sports Communication major will have a wide spectrum of sports to choose from. The San Francisco Bay Area is a cosmopolitan region with a rich multicultural scene. It is also a media hub. Home to many professional and amateur teams, the Bay Area is also an international center for motor, bike, and horse racing. The proximity of the Sierra assures access to a wealth of winter sports. The department, its advisors and faculty will support students by maintaining ties to the community and will help to seek out internship opportunities that will provide students with formative experiences relevant to their field of study.