Northumbria

United Kingdom (UK)

International Sport Management | MSc

About Program

Our International Sport Management programme has been created to critically analyse the decisions that drive this profitable global market.

Why Study International Sport Management at Northumbria?

The programme empowers current and future leaders to acquire advanced knowledge and intellectual skills necessary for career progression. It encourages you to develop an understanding and respect for a globalised society with diverse needs. It is suited for those who wish to become a more effective and enterprising manager in a knowledge-based global sports economy.

What can I expect from this course?

This Sport Management course balances an inter-disciplinary and multi-disciplinary approach to study. The programme prides itself on the importance of contemporary theory and practice within its delivery. You will apply models and theories in a critically reflective and creative approach to address real-life industry problems. Additionally, you will also be encouraged to study contemporary practices that promote sustainability. This includes changes being made to facilities, events, campaigns and widening participation across all aspects of the sector.

Within each module of study, you will develop vocationally relevant experience and skills. This includes strategic planning, human resource management, organisational theory and leadership, sport sponsorship, marketing and finance.

How will this course prepare me for my career?

The specialised sport focus within this Masters connects you directly to the network of sport regionally, nationally and internationally. The international reputation of the programme has been developed through the unique insight into the global sports industry. This is offered via engagement with international sports organisations within the modules.

Our unique learning and teaching experience enable you to graduate equipped with transferable management skills. This well-rounded knowledge base is very desirable to a variety of postgraduate-level employers.

You will discuss key issues around International Sport Management, events, marketing and sponsorship.

You will be immersed within the sport-rich community of learning and practice at Northumbria. There are volunteer and employment opportunities within university sport to help you develop your skills, experience and network.

To facilitate and maximise your learning, a range of assessment methods are used throughout the programme. They are based around practical scenarios to enable your learning to be later applied within professional environments. Assessments may include professional reports, oral presentations, creative design tasks and individual written essays. Assessment will culminate with an applied research project.

Assignments are designed to reflect the modern multi-cultural world. You will be encouraged to develop an understanding of the diverse needs of participants from different socio-economic groups and cultural backgrounds. You will emerge a more informed, communicative and engaged individual ready for your career in the global sports sector.

We know that embarking on a masters course is a big decision and knowing whether you will have enough time to balance all of life’s other demands is important.

During this course your on-campus lectures, workshops and seminars will all be timetabled on a Monday and Tuesday. For a masters programme like this we expect a commitment of around 35 hours per week - how you do your self-directed study is completely up to you. We want you to be able to fit your studies in with your life, whether that be at our City Campus Library, the University Library Digital Commons, open 24/7 during term time, or at home with access to e-books and journals - make it work for you.

We use a teaching approach that engages you in a dynamic, reflective and collaborative environment.

You will work individually and with your peers through a mixture of both face-to-face and virtual contact. You will have access to a variety of online materials through the electronic learning portal to support your learning. You will be able to access specialist software, lecture recordings and other learning resources.

On arrival at the university, you will be allocated a personal tutor. This will be a respected member of academic staff who will provide you with advice on academic, procedural and personal matters where desired and appropriate. You will be encouraged to reflect on your academic and professional experiences to identify strengths, weaknesses and set personal goals.

Our Student Support services complement those provided by the academic faculty. We have a cohort of specialist advisors on hand to offer support to meet varying needs and circumstances. Our services include support around mental health, finance, funding, welfare, disability and faith.

Sport Central is located in the heart of the university city campus and offers a wide range of sports facilities and event spaces. Our outdoor facilities at our Coach Lane campus are only a short bus journey away.

You will have access to our £30 million state-of-the-art Sport Central facilities. This includes an indoor sprint track, biomechanics lab, strength and conditioning suite and exercise physiology laboratory.

The Northumbria Sport Student Leadership programme is nationally award-winning. It offers fantastic volunteer opportunities to gain valuable experience within the industry and improve employability. We offer potential opportunities to work with external organisations, the local community and National Governing Bodies.

The University Library has a comprehensive portfolio of resources to assist with academic writing, critical thinking, statistics and access to specialist software. Our City Campus Library and Digital Commons are open 24/7 during term time. Our Library achieves some of the highest levels of student satisfaction in the UK. It has held the Cabinet Office accreditation for Customer Service Excellence since 2010.

If you are an international student, you are offered a specialist induction from the University’s Student Services Department. You will also have ongoing tailored language support and development through the Academic Language Skills (ALS) provision.

Employability, enterprise, and entrepreneurship are progressively embedded in the MSc International Sport Management programme. Our starting point is that sport is a business, which needs to be managed. Throughout the programme, you will acquire and apply knowledge and skills required by the international sport industry and the wider management professions.

Throughout the programme, you will have the opportunity to meet and learn from sport managers and employers, both in-class and at extra-curricular events. You will also be encouraged and supported to find vocational opportunities to experience the sport industry first-hand, for example volunteering at sport events, or possibly even undertaking an internship. Such experiences will enhance your employment prospects.

The final Research Project offers you the opportunity of developing enterprise and entrepreneurialism further through your choice of sport, organisation, topic, or indeed product.

We believe that our strategy of promoting employability, enterprise, and entrepreneurship throughout the programme is successful, with our students achieving high levels of employment, in a wide range of graduate-level sport-related (and non-sports-related) jobs around the world. Some examples of where our MSc students have ended up working are: