The Certificate in Sports Communication (CSC) is a 12-credit program that provides students with practical skills training and theoretical knowledge for success in the growing professions of sports journalism (sports reporting and broadcasting) and sports strategic communication (sports marketing communication, and sports media/public relations). The Certificate is open to both Journalism majors and non-Journalism majors. For majors, the Certificate provides opportunities for supplemental elective courses in the context of sports communication. For non-majors, the Certificate offers students opportunities to engage with professional skills training as practiced in sports communication.
The sports communication certificate curriculum begins with J150: Intro to Sports Communication, which delivers an overview of what students will encounter in other Certificate courses including sports broadcasting, sports writing, sports marketing, sports PR, and sports and society. Other Certificate courses include professional skills courses (J350: Sports Marketing Communications; J450: Advanced Sports Communication) and social impacts courses (J162: Mass Media in Multicultural American; J651: Sports Controversies and Communication Professionals; History 136: Sports, Recreation, and Society in the U.S.; and Comm Arts 359: Sports Media). The Certificate curriculum also includes a professional enrichment experience internships, careers courses and directed study courses in the area of sports.
Full information about the curriculum and requirements can be found in Guide.
Where you can work
Certificate students will get skills training in communication professions that, combined with internship and extra-curricular experiences, will prepare them for work as a communication professional covering sports as a journalist or broadcaster, or in sports marketing, sports public relations or sports media relations. Such jobs may be found in sports-related organizations including sports franchises, collegiate athletic departments, sports media organizations, sports marketing firms, and sports-related brands.
Declaring Sports Communication Certificate
For any questions or to declare the Sports Communication certificate, please reach out to Matt Hermann at mrhermann@wisc.edu.
New SJMC courses for the Sports Communication Certificate:
JOURN 150: Introduction to Sports Communication (3 credits)
JOURN 350: Sports Marketing Communication (3 credits)
JOURN 450: Sports Journalism and Media (4 credits)
JOURN 651: Sports Controversies & Communication Professions (3 credits)