Programme Accreditation

The Sport Management programme is accredited by the CMI which is dedicated to promoting excellence in management and leadership. Alongside your degree you will gain a CMI L5 Diploma in Management and Leadership (subject to passing required components). The CMI Diploma is the benchmark for full CMI membership and takes you a step towards Chartered Manager status, signalling to prospective employers that you’re equipped for senior sport and business management roles. There is no additional cost, and you won’t need to take extra exams or coursework to achieve this.

Throughout the degree you will have access to CMI networking events, online resources and additional benefits to support your career development and employability.  

Recognised Degree Status

This programme is also a CIM recognised degree meaning that the marketing content of the course has been mapped against the CIMs unique professional marking competencies. Graduates will be able to demonstrate the high standards required by those working as marketing professionals in sport. You will gain exemptions from the CIM Certificate in Professional Digital Marketing to advance your career.

Professional Mentoring

The CMI accreditation will open up an extensive network of professional contacts within sport and business management for you. You’ll have the opportunity to be supported by a CMI mentor at every stage of your degree.

Your mentor will be a Chartered Manager or Fellow of the CMI with a wealth of insights and management experience to share with you. They will advise and support you, showing how sport and business management principles can be applied directly in the workplace.

Guaranteed Work Placement

You are guaranteed work placement hours at our professional League One football club Derby County at every stage of your degree. You’ll take learning from the classroom and put it straight into practice in the workplace.  

In the first year you’ll experience working in all departments of the club including marketing, commercial, ticketing and community. You’ll also receive an induction including talks from senior managers and departmental heads. In the second year you will specialise in a department of your choice and have the opportunity to work on matchdays including crowd and safety management. In the final year you will have the opportunity to present your research findings ‘Apprentice style’ to senior managers at the club

Expert Teaching

You will be taught by a highly qualified and experienced team with an impressive track record for teaching, research and broad industry-based experience. Programme Leader, Lee Pridmore, is a CMI Chartered Manager, which is a stand out achievement and shows his dedication to making a positive impact to the future of his students. The team also has extensive contacts in the sport management industry, and you will be able to network with those connections to support your learning and development.  

Unique Learning Experiences

Your learning will be enriched by a range of unique learning experiences at every stage of the degree. You’ll plan a one-day sport event at Derby County FC in the first year with the opportunity to ‘play on the Pride Park stadium’ pitch at the end of the season. In the second year you’ll be involved in the planning and delivery of the Derby 10km road race. In the final year you will work with other students to plan your own sport event. There will also be opportunities to work on live assessment briefs with Sporting Communities, Mickleover FC, Pastures Golf Course and Derby Rugby Club.

Sports Scholarships

The University of Derby is a sporting hub for talented athletes and coaches. We have a track record of improving the performance of our University sports clubs and we have created an infrastructure to provide support for talented athletes. We offer a  programme that aims to help talented student-athletes realise their sporting potential while supporting them through their academic studies. We offer scholarships of up to £6,000 and provide tailored athlete-support packages delivered by an experienced multi-disciplinary Performance Sport team. Two of the Universities most recent successful sports scholars are Charlie Tanfield (World Champion and Commonwealth Cycling gold medallist) and Jack Burnell (European Open Water silver medallist 2016 and Olympian 2016).

Join Team Derby

If you enjoy a challenge and would like to make the most of your own sporting passion and prowess, you could become involved with  which is the focal point for the University’s sporting community. It encompasses all aspects of sport, including courses, numerous sports clubs, the Athletics Union and sport development activities. You can also take part in the national BUCS (British Universities and Colleges Sport) competitions.

How you will learn

Learning in the classroom

Our teaching methods are varied, interactive and engaging. You'll take part in:

• Formal lectures
• Tutor-led and student led seminars
• One to one and small group tutorials
• Live assessment briefs
• Self-directed study
• Optional internship opportunities

Learning in the workplace

Areas of work experience at sporting organisations such as Derby County FC includes:

• Marketing, Media and PR: You will work as part of live sport events for Derby County FC with the eyes of national journalists in attendance. You’ll learn how press releases and social media campaigns are created and sent out to the public whilst working alongside marketing professionals
• Sport Sponsorship: From selling stadium naming rights to commercial partnerships, you’ll learn and experience first hand the number one form of income generation in sport – sponsorship
• Event Management: You will work on matchdays supporting Derby County staff to help 30,000 spectators to enjoy the game safely. You’ll also work as part of the community department organising and delivering the Derby 10km. Event management is a key role in sport, and you will be at the heart of it in Derby
• Talent Management: Professional athletic careers are short-lived, and the role of a sport management team and agents is essential in guiding the pathway to success. Learn first-hand the role a sport agent plays in working on areas such as player contracts, negotiation, endorsements and networking
• Ticketing and Data Management: Learn how Derby County use a unique ticketing system that determines the price of a ticket based on the opposition, time of year, pre-season ticket sales, season ticket sales and the day of the week. You’ll learn about this system and how data management underpins the club’s approach to ticketing
• Research and Presentations: Students will get the opportunity to work on real-world research and consultancy projects on behalf of Derby County. More importantly, rather than presenting to your tutor you’ll get the opportunity to sit in the executive boardroom at the club and present your findings to the senior executives at the club

We also have a diverse range of guest speakers to inspire you and share their stories. Previously we have had Stephen Pearce (Derby County CEO), Darryl Eales (Chairperson Solihull Moors FC), Dr. Cham Kang (Managing Director Qinesis) and Don Amott (Leisure Business Owner & University of Derby Honorand).

Industrial Placement Year

You can choose to take a placement year between year two and three of your degree, which can enhance your employability and improve your prospects post-graduation. We can help you find a placement and provide support during your year in industry. One example was a student who completed a placement year at Adidas, completed their studies and returned to the company full-time on graduation

How you're assessed

Our assessment strategy has been informed by employers, the CMI and the CIM. We assess you on the sort of tasks that you might undertake in the workplace. There are therefore no formal examinations on the programme. We sometimes assess you as an individual and at other times you will be working as part of a group. Your assignments could include:

• Business reports
• Presentations including sales pitches
• Research projects
• Live assessment briefs
• Design of digital materials including websites, videos and/or blogs
• Computer based assessments