Sports Management

This course provides a general understanding of business and management through the lens of the sports industry. Throughout the course, you’ll develop the necessary knowledge in a range of specific business principles and skills. You’ll have the opportunity to grow in self confidence and develop team working abilities appropriate to a management career in the sports industry and wider business contexts.

You’ll explore the history of the sporting industry, how it works, and ways to lead, manage and communicate within it using a range of sporting scenarios. You'll also gain insight into ethical and sustainability issues relating to the industry, as well as working on live projects with sporting organisations.

Year one
Your first year will introduce you to the fundamentals of business and management as well as management specific to the sporting industry. Learn why sport has such impact and how this can be harnessed via sound business principles.

You’ll learn about different facets of the world of work, from management to organisation to harnessing the power of data and explore fundamental concepts relating to the management of sport Learn about organisations relevant to the sporting industry and how they operate, including the theories behind the management and operational structures that operate within them.

Year two
Expand your business and management toolkit and deepen your understanding of leadership and management in the industry. Work on live projects with local organisations and explore contemporary business themes within the current sporting industry. You’ll study themes such as sports and society, the growing popularity and impact of e-sports and entrepreneurship.

Year three
Become a forward-thinking professional, ready to enter the world of work. You’ll study new trends in management and focus on social issues such as sustainability, equality and diversity and how you can contribute to these discussions in the sports industry. Continue to work on real-world examples and develop skills and ideas in business and management more generally.

You’ll be taught through a mix of lectures, seminars, workshops, industry visits, projects and online discussion. You’ll work in real-world contexts with local and regional contacts to apply your knowledge in practice.

We encourage you to develop independent and collaborative skills through set preparation for seminars, contributing to online forums, devising appropriate essay subjects, research and written assessments.

To find out more about how we teach and how you'll learn, please read our Learning and Teaching Delivery Statement.

We assess you in different ways, including essays, presentations and grading of group projects, some of which you’ll lead.

As part of your degree, you could study abroad on a placement at one of Bath Spa’s partner universities.

You’ll have the opportunity to learn from international companies on topics such as international marketing strategies and doing business overseas.

Past Business School students have travelled to Spain, Italy, Germany, Sweden, Denmark, the USA, Mexico and Singapore.

During your first year, we provide opportunities to visit companies more locally, including in London.

You'll take a practical approach to your course. Our Business School students have the opportunity to take part in a number of opportunities working on live projects, supported by our dedicated course leaders. You'll work directly with companies to pitch ideas, find solutions and develop your skills, as well as gain on the ground experience.

Depending on your pathway and the modules you study, you can gain accreditation by professional bodies and get exemption from professional exams.

Enhance your employability – develop sought-after practical skills and knowledge through activities such as working on live projects for companies, internships and volunteering.

Participate in workshops to hone your communication, pitching and negotiation skills.

You can also join our ‘Mentor Me’ scheme to get the opportunity to be mentored by marketing professionals in industry.

This course is designed to inspire, expand your networks and broaden your horizons to the types of roles available in the sector.

Graduates of this course could expect to enter roles in the sporting industry and beyond such as:

• Operations managers at sporting venues and teams
• Event coordinators
• Sports facilities managers
• Sports agents/ talent managers
• Sports administrators
• Sports marketing professionals.

If you’re a full-time undergraduate student starting your first year at Bath Spa University, you can apply for the Certificate in Global Citizenship, which you’ll study alongside your degree.

You’ll gain global awareness and add an international dimension to your student experience, and funding is available. On successful completion of the programme, you’ll be awarded a Certificate in Global Citizenship. This is in addition to your degree; it doesn’t change your degree title or results.

The Professional Placement Year (PPY) provides you with the opportunity to identify, apply for, and secure professional experience, normally comprising one to three placements over a minimum of nine months. Successful completion of this module will demonstrate your ability to secure and sustain graduate-level employment.

By completing the module, you'll be entitled to the addition of 'with Professional Placement Year' to your degree title.

Before your PPY, you'll work to identify roles of interest and secure a placement. The Placements Team will support through timetabled sessions and 1:1 appointments.

As well as completing a minimum of 900 placement hours, you will complete two assessments demonstrating your skill development, growth in professional behaviours and how the PPY has impacted your future career aspirations.

You'll have access to excellent facilities at our Newton Park campus and city centre studios as well as online resources. These include:

• Commons building
• Newton Park library
• Academic Skills support (ASk)
• Specialist resources and subject librarian
• Our Virtual Learning Environment
• Free access to courses via LinkedIn Learning
• Support from the English Language Unit if English isn't your first language
• The Studio in Bath

Our libraries offer a wide range of business resources, including a wealth of online material that can be accessed on- and off-campus, enabling you to work at times that suit you.