A south-coast university’s journalism school is launching a new Masters degree.

Professors at the University of Brighton are currently in the planning phases of the new MA in Sport Journalism with a view to teaching it from next September.

The university’s Chelsea School, in Eastbourne, already offers a BA (Hons) in Sport Journalism which includes shorthand, medial law and public administration and is accredited by the NCTJ.

The new MA course will cover writing and multimedia techniques, practical skills, legal and ethical work and the socio-history of sports journalism.

It will last one academic year and end with a dissertation or major writing project.

Lecturers at the Chelsea School are currently putting together the course outline to present to various university committees and external partners which will be followed by an NCTJ review.

John Sugden, professor in the Sociology of Sport, said: “We’re currently talking about the focus of the course, to make sure it’s something that replicates what we already do at undergraduate level for NCTJ skills.

“It will include multimedia journalism. It’s as pertinent on a sports desk as anywhere else.

“You have to start teaching it before you can get accredited but it’s our intention to get recognition with the NCTJ.”