Degree Offered
- Bachelor of Science in Journalism
Nature of the Program
The Sports and Adventure Media Major prepares students for careers as content creators with fundamental knowledge in media, sports and adventure. The Sports and Adventure Media program offers courses that focus on video production for the sports broadcast industry and journalism purposes. Courses also include instruction on multi-platform content production for public relations and journalism purposes.
Students will be prepared to enter an ever-changing digital media landscape by taking innovative courses that utilize the latest storytelling technology and audience engagement tactics, while instilling fundamental storytelling principles and media ethics. Graduates of this degree will stand out in sports media, adventure sports media, and adventure tourism and travel industries.
Admissions for 2026-2027
- Admission to the School of Media and Communications
- Scholarships
- Choosing a Major
- Accelerated Bachelor's/Master's Program
Admission to the School of Media and Communications
For specific information regarding the admissions requirements for First Time Freshmen to the School of Media and Communications, please visit Admission to the School of Media and Communications.
Students who have completed at least one full-time semester of college work (either at WVU or elsewhere) with a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher may also qualify for direct admission into the School of Media and Communications irrespective of standardized test scores. Students who do not meet these criteria will automatically be enrolled in WVU's Center for Learning, Advising and Student Success (CLASS). Students advised in CLASS may declare a major in the School of Media and Communications once they have earned a cumulative GPA of 2.0 at WVU. Or, if a student has a 2.0 cumulative GPA at WVU, they may enroll in MDIA 215S (space permitting) or they may declare the College's Multidisciplinary Studies major. If the student earns a C- or better in MDIA 215S and maintains a 2.0 overall GPA at WVU, then the student may then declare a major in the School of Media and Communications.
Scholarships
In addition to financial aid from West Virginia University, the School of Media and Communications offers a number of scholarships each year to eligible students. All students applying for scholarships must file a FAFSA form by the deadline, even if they are not eligible for need-based aid.
Choosing a Major
The School of Media and Communications offers five majors: advertising and public relations, integrated marketing communication, journalism, sports and adventure media, and multidisciplinary media studies.
Direct admission students are admitted to the School upon admission to the University and declare their majors at that time.
Accelerated Bachelor's/Master's Program
Students in the advertising and public relations or journalism BSJ programs in the School of Media and Communications with a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.3 are eligible for this program. The accelerated MSJ program allows students to customize a research project that is relevant to their interests, whether they are Advertising and Public Relations or Journalism majors. Interested students are identified during their initial year or two at the School, and, if interested, must meet with their academic advisor by the fall of their junior year. Freshmen and sophomores are welcome to stop by to discuss the program as well. Information is posted on the School's website.
3+3 BSJ/JD
High-achieving students may also participate in the 3+3 BSJ/JD degree program with the WVU College of Law. See the School of Media and Communication's 3+3 BSJ/JD degree program website for more information about this program.
Major Code: 3726
General Education Foundations
Please use this link to view a list of courses that meet each GEF requirement.
NOTE: Some major requirements will fulfill specific GEF requirements. Please see the curriculum requirements listed below for details on which GEFs you will need to select.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| General Education Foundations | ||
| F1 - Composition & Rhetoric | 3-6 | |
| Introduction to Composition and Rhetoric and Composition, Rhetoric, and Research | ||
or ENGL 103 | Accelerated Academic Writing | |
| F2A/F2B - Science & Technology | 4-6 | |
| F3 - Math & Quantitative Reasoning | 3-4 | |
| F4 - Society & Connections | 3 | |
| F5 - Human Inquiry & the Past | 3 | |
| F6 - The Arts & Creativity | 3 | |
| F7 - Global Studies & Diversity | 3 | |
| F8 - Focus (may be satisfied by completion of a minor, double major, or dual degree) | 9 | |
| Total Hours | 31-37 | |
Please note that not all of the GEF courses are offered at all campuses. Students should consult with their advisor or academic department regarding the GEF course offerings available at their campus.
Degree Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| University Requirements | 47 | |
| Sports and Adventure Media Program Requirements | 21 | |
| School of Media and Communications Core Requirements | 15 | |
| Sports and Adventure Media Major Requirements | 37 | |
| Total Hours | 120 | |
University Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| General Education Foundations (GEF) 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 (31-37 Credits) | ||
| Outstanding GEF Requirements 1, 2, 5, 6, and 7 | 19 | |
| MDIA 191 | First-Year Seminar | 2 |
| General Electives* | 26 | |
| Total Hours | 47 | |
Sports and Adventure Media Program Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| ECON 200 | Survey of Economics | 3 |
| BCOR 350 | Principles of Marketing | 3 |
| STAT 111 | Understanding Statistics (GEF 3) | 3 |
| PSYC 101 | Introduction to Psychology | 3 |
| or SOC 101 | Introduction to Sociology | |
| PSYC 251 | Introduction to Social Psychology | 3 |
| or SOC 320 | Social Psychology | |
| SEP 371 | Sport in American Society | 3 |
| English literature or Creative Writing Course | 3 | |
| Total Hours | 21 | |
School of Media and Communications Core Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| A minimum grade of C- is required in College of Media Core Requirements. | ||
| MDIA 101 | Media and Society (GEF 4) | 3 |
| MDIA 215S | Media Writing | 3 |
| MDIA 225S | Media Tools & Applications | 3 |
| MDIA 328 | Media Ethics and Law | 3 |
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Making Media in the Digital Age | ||
| History of American Journalism, Media & Pop Culture | ||
| Media, Identity, and Power | ||
| Total Hours | 15 | |
Sports and Adventure Media Major Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| A minimum grade of C- is required in all Sports and Adventure Media Major Requirements. | ||
| JRL 235S | Video Editing | 1 |
| JRL 330S | Sports and Adventure Media Writing | 3 |
| MDIA 361 | Media Relations In Sport | 3 |
| MDIA 438 | Branded Content and Narrative | 3 |
| JRL 380S | Sports and Adventure Media Video Storytelling | 3 |
| JRL 484S | Advanced Sports and Adventure Video Production | 3 |
| Select two of the following: | 6 | |
| Podcast Reporting & Producing | ||
| Live Sports Video Production | ||
| Creative Video Production | ||
| Internship | ||
| Digital Publication: Social Video | ||
| Advanced Video Reporting and Producing | ||
| Required Minor | 15 | |
| Total Hours | 37 | |
- *
*General Elective and Elective Credits can vary - students must have a minimum of 120 credit hours total to complete the degree
Suggested Plan of Study
| First Year | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| MDIA 101 (GEF 4) | 3 | MDIA 225S | 3 |
| MDIA 191 | 2 | ENGL 102 (GEF 1) | 3 |
| GEF 2B | 4 | PSYC 101 or SOC 101 | 3 |
| SEP 371 | 3 | MDIA 215S | 3 |
| ENGL 101 (GEF 1) | 3 | GEF 6 | 3 |
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Second Year | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| JRL 235S | 1 | JRL 380S | 3 |
| JRL 330S | 3 | ECON 200 | 3 |
| PSYC 251 or SOC 320 | 3 | STAT 111 (GEF 3) | 3 |
| GEF 5 | 3 | GEF 7 | 3 |
| General Elective | 3 | Minor Course 1 | 3 |
| General Elective | 2 | ||
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Third Year | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| MDIA 361 | 3 | MDIA 438 | 3 |
| MDIA 328 | 3 | BCOR 350 | 3 |
| MDIA 401, 427, or 455 | 3 | Major Elective 2 | 3 |
| Major Elective 1 | 3 | Minor Course 2 | 3 |
| ENGL Literature or Creative Writing Course | 3 | General Elective | 3 |
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Fourth Year | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| JRL 484S | 3 | General Elective | 3 |
| General Elective | 3 | General Elective | 3 |
| General Elective | 3 | General Elective | 3 |
| General Elective | 3 | Minor Course 4 | 3 |
| Minor Course 3 | 3 | Minor Course 5 | 3 |
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Total credit hours: 120 | |||
Major Learning Outcomes
Sports and Adventure Media
The goal of the major in Sports and Adventure Media is to provide students with a foundation of knowledge and critical thinking and a depth of skills and understanding that will prepare them for professions in the sports and adventure media industries and/or for further education and research pursuits in sports and adventure media. We will achieve this goal by meeting the following objectives, which will culminate in a B.S.J. degree:
- Graduates of the Sports and Adventure Media program will be adept
at researching, synthesizing and ultimately conveying to audiences information through various mediums, including text, photo, audio and video. - Graduates of the Sports and Adventure Media program will be skillful
in live and pre-produced programming, dissemination of content, effective audience engagement, and creative expression using the latest tools and technologies in the industry. - Graduates of the Sports and Adventure Media program will demonstrate
an understanding of the historical context, theoretical foundations and contemporary trends within media, particularly as it relates to sports. - Graduates in Sports and Adventure media will be practitioners of sound
media ethics and understand laws and regulations that have shaped and continue to impact media. - Graduates in Sports and Adventure media will understand the significance
of diversity within the realms of the sports and adventure recreation industries and media. They will apply their knowledge through hands-on experiences, creating work that both serves and contributes to a diverse society.