Derby County Football Club Women and University of Derby launch 2022 Scholarship

Derby County Football Club Women and the University of Derby are today launching their football journalism scholarship programme for 2022, with successful candidates having the chance to report on the UEFA Women’s Euro 2022.

In what is the only offer of its kind in the UK, three scholarships are available for students wishing to play football for Derby County Football Club Women while studying on Europe’s only dedicated Football Journalism BA (Hons) degree course.

This equates to all course fees being paid, with the fantastic added bonus of – before they even start the course – signing up to the University’s reporting team for next summer’s Women’s Euros which the FA has invited the Football Journalism course to assemble, and which will be made up of students from the course.

Candidates should ideally be playing at a high level already and have an interest in pursuing a career in the media, following in the footsteps of Jacqui Oatley, Kelly Somers and Suzanne Wrack.

Students will also play for the University’s team, which plays in the BUCS league and has a strong association with DCFCW.

Derby County Football Club Women’s First Team, which is vying for promotion this season to the FA Women’s Championship, train at Derby County’s Moor Farm training centre and plays home games on the new artificial grass pitch at Mickleover FC. It has teams from U9 to U20s, the latter acting as a feeder squad to the First Team. The University team offers a pathway into the Club for its talented players.

Lucy Copeland, who is currently on a scholarship, recently made her first-team debut for DCFCW’s First Team in a 7-0 victory over Burton Albion Women, and has scored hat-tricks for both Derby Academy and the University team. She chose to leave WSL club Leicester City to take up the scholarship as she aspires for a successful dual career in women's football and as a football journalist.

Duncan Gibb, Chief Executive of Derby County Football Club Women, said: “This is a fantastic opportunity for talented football players to join an ambitious club with facilities that are second to none while continuing their studies for a career in the media. There really is no offer like this anywhere else in the UK.”

Pete Lansley, Senior Lecturer on the BA (Hons) Football Journalism course at the University of Derby, said: “We are fully focussed on employability here and most of our students leave for a job in the media. Being the only course of its kind in the country, we have excellent links with industry, which students benefit from during and after their studies.

“We also work closely with the FA, with students reporting on Lionesses’ games as well as Academy and Women’s teams at Premier League and Championship level clubs, including Derby County.

“With us excited to be taking a squad of reporters to report on the Women’s Euros next summer, the chance for scholars to gain that experience before even starting their university course is exceptional.”

For more information, please visit Football Journalism Scholarships - Journalism - University of Derby and Derby County Football Club Women.