BA Sports Media at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Programme overview

The Sports Media major provides students with an in-depth education in sports media that will allow them to pursue the industry from an interdisciplinary perspective and prepare them for careers in sports media, including as broadcasters, PR and strategic communication professionals, content creators, and digital storytellers.

Faculty: College of Media | Duration: 124 credit hours | Study mode: full-time | Location: Champaign, IL, United States

What you will study

Requires 124 credit hours. Required courses listed include MDIA 103 Sports Media for Majors; ADV 214 Sports Advertising & Branding; JOUR 161 Introduction to Sports Journalism; MACS 224 Sportsmedia Technology & Culture.

Official programme page

Application information

Entry requirements

is to the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign through College of Media; the catalogue entry lists no separate programme-specific admission requirements.

Domestic applicants: USD 14,032 a year (2026-27). Illinois resident rate. Tuition only for undergraduates entering Summer/Fall 2026 (guaranteed tuition rate; earlier entry terms pay lower guaranteed rates). Non-Illinois U.S. resident tuition for this programme: $36,708. Excludes campus and mandatory fees Source

International applicants: USD 37,750 a year (2026-27). International rate. Tuition only for undergraduates entering Summer/Fall 2026 (guaranteed tuition rate; earlier entry terms pay lower guaranteed rates). Excludes campus and mandatory fees, health insurance, housing and other expenses as the source states Source

First-year students enter in the fall term; the first-year application opens September 1. Spring transfer admission is offered with an application deadline of October 1 and fall transfer admission with a final deadline of April 1.

First-year applications open September 1. Early Action deadline November 1 (materials by November 7); Regular deadline January 5 (materials by January 11). Early Action decisions by January 29; Regular decisions by February 26; commit deadline May 1.

Spring transfer: application opens September 1, deadline October 1, materials by October 15, online programmes deadline December 1. Fall transfer: opens January 15, priority deadline February 1, final deadline April 1 (materials by April 5), online programmes deadline July 15.

First-year applicants apply through the Common App. The application fee is $75, or an approved fee waiver sent by a counselor. The ACT and SAT are optional for all first-year applicants, including international students.

Graduate applicants apply online through the Graduate College application; deadlines and term availability are set by each programme. Medicine, law and veterinary medicine applicants apply directly to their colleges.

Apply through the official page: https://www.admissions.illinois.edu/

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