One-step closer to fulfilling her ambition
Through the help of the University, Beth was selected onto the Wasps Student Ambassador Scheme – which led to her getting a foothold in the competitive sports industry.
Overview
The sports industry today is a significant contributor to the global economy, which has grown in terms of its political significance and acts as a key benchmark for measuring the quality of our lives.
Characterised by dynamism across both commercial, profit orientated businesses, and non-profit social enterprises, the growth of the sports industry means it is vital that there is a steady stream of skilled, qualified professionals entering the employment market, who can apply and adapt key business and management principals to the sector.
If you have a passion for sport or a desire to work in this dynamic industry, Coventry offers the opportunity to pursue your interests, having been European City of Sport in 2019, with a vision to promote and celebrate the benefits of sport to create a fitter, healthier city. Against this backdrop, our course aims to create many options to engage with local and national sports organisations, to help you gain practical experience, have the chance to learn from practitioners and the opportunity to develop your industry networks, all of which can be invaluable as you explore your potential future career options.
As a primarily management course, concerned with management topics that focus on sport, this course also benefits from accreditation by the Chartered Management Institute (CMI), giving you the option to gain a management certificate that could enhance your employability prospects as you explore your career options (please note fees apply to become a registered CMI student, and securing a professional qualification is subject to competitive application, additional costs and meeting any applicable requirements as outlined by the CMI). Please refer to the Accreditation and Professional Recognition section for further information.
Why Coventry University?
An award-winning university, we are committed to providing our students with the best possible experience. We continue to invest in both our facilities and our innovative approach to education. Our students benefit from industry-relevant teaching, and resources and support designed to help them succeed. These range from our modern library and computing facilities to dedicated careers advice and our impressive Students’ Union activities.
To ensure an optimised and continual student experience, the university may deliver certain contact hours and assessments via emerging online technologies and methods across all courses.
Global ready
An international outlook, with global opportunitiesEmployability
Career-ready graduates, with the skills to succeedTeaching Excellence
Taught by lecturers who are experts in their fieldCourse essentials
A degree which offers you more, at no extra costAccreditation and Professional Recognition
This course is accredited and recognised by the following bodies:
Chartered Management Institute (CMI)
This course is currently accredited by the Chartered Management Institute (CMI) offering you the option to register and gain a Level 5 Certificate, which can help to enhance your employability skills with a professional qualification (fees apply to become a registered CMI student, and securing a professional qualification is subject to competitive application, additional costs and meeting any applicable requirements as outlined by the CMI).
This course is accredited with the CMI for the 2021/22 intake. If any changes occur with respect to our accreditation related to this course, we will seek to notify applicants and students as soon as possible. Please visit the CMI website for full details on the CMI accreditation.
Chartered Association of Business Schools (CABS)
Chartered Association of Business Schools (CABS) – Coventry Business School is currently an active member of the Chartered Association of Business Schools, which has a membership of over 120 business schools and higher education providers, and supports its members in maintaining world-class standards of teaching and research.
European Foundation for Management Development (EFMD)
European Foundation for Management Development (EFMD) – Coventry Business School is currently an active member of the European Foundation for Management Development, a global membership organisation dedicated to management development, covering over 900 members across 91 countries.
This course is accredited by the above memberships for the September 2020 intake. There is currently no intention for either of these memberships to lapse or to undergo any re-accreditation at a periodic point in the future. If either of these memberships were not to be renewed we would notify applicants and students as soon as possible.
This course is recognised by the above memberships for the 2021/22 intake. There is currently no intention for either of these memberships to lapse however if either of these memberships were not to be renewed we would notify applicants and students as soon as possible.
Our Facilities
DigiComm Lab
Designed to build creative minds, the DigiComm Lab is equipped with the latest industry-standard marketing and advertising software and devices to support your creative development.
Business Simulation Suite
Coventry Business School's Business Simulation Suite utilises the latest business simulation software to give students the opportunity to improve their business skills.
Trading Floor
Students have opportunities to practice simulated trading and other finance-related activities using the various types of demo software available in the Trading Floor.
What our alumni say
I enjoyed the close-knit feel on the course between everyone. There is a real community feel. However, the industry experience that is available is something that must be mentioned. After completing the course, I can safely say it has given me all the knowledge and experience I need to feel confident in entering the industry.
Course information
Blending the areas of sport and management, this course seeks to explore the policy, planning, management and delivery of sport-related services, products and activities. Roles in this sector can include project managing live sport events, managing sport arenas, working in sponsorship, or acting as an agent for sport athletes.
You will study the core principals of business management, taught through specific sport industry related problems, case studies and in the past students have also had practitioner visits (subject to avaialbility). In addition, you will study a variety of specialised sport related modules to help you develop your subject expertise about some of the unique challenges and issues facing the sport industry.
Course Specification
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Modules
We regularly review our course content, to make it relevant and current for the benefit of our students. For these reasons, course modules may be updated.
3rd
Our Hospitality, Event Management and Tourism courses are ranked 3rd in the UK by the Guardian University Guide 2020
In more detail...
We have over 25 years of experience in delivering sport and event related degree courses, which means we can draw on an extensive network of sport organisations in both the UK and throughout the world. In the past this has supported us and/or previous students in obtaining work placement* opportunities, practitioner speakers, site visits and consultancy-based project work, which help to reflect the course’s international outlook and focus on employability (note that opportunities are subject to availability, a competitive application process, meeting applicable visa requirements, and additional costs may apply).
Our Sport Management course places emphasis on both sport and management. First, you will have the opportunity to develop a broad range of generic management skills, including the core business functions of finance, marketing and human resource management – as well as having the opportunity to gain a management qualification from the Chartered Institute of Management (CMI)* (fees apply to become a registered CMI student, and securing a professional qualification is subject to competitive application, additional costs and meeting any applicable requirements outlined by the CMI). The modules covering these topics are bespoke, written for our course and cover the application of general business topics specifically to the sport industry. These modules are then supported through sport industry specific modules, which allow you the opportunity to develop your subject expertise of the sport industry.
Our current staff have a mix of practitioner experience and academic research publications. The staff aim to give you the opportunity to gain many practical insights into the challenges of working in the dynamic and diverse sport industry, and you should be challenged with sport issues and problems that need practical management decisions, underpinned by research and critical analysis.
Reflecting the increasingly global nature of the sports industry, the course offers opportunities for field trips, in the UK and overseas, the chance to study abroad* or to work collaboratively with other students from around the world (subject to availability, a competitive application process meeting applicable visa requirements, and additional costs apply). Previous students have visited the London Olympic stadium to examine its legacy and transition into a mixed used stadium; visited Croke Park in Dublin; worked on collaborative projects with other international students, such as on management problems in Groningen University in the Netherlands; and have engaged with inter-cultural communications alongside students in Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia.
We also offer our students the opportunity to secure a work placement* and you will have the support of our employability team to help you with applications and interview preparation. Past students have worked for a number of different types of sport organisations including sport teams (e.g. Tottenham Hotspur FC, Wasps Rugby Club, Leicestershire Cricket Club), governing bodies (e.g. FIFA), sport venues (e.g. Ascot Racecourse), sport marketing agencies (e.g. Oaks Consultancy, Octagon, MB Partners) and many more.
As a student on this course, you will also have the opportunity to take part in a variety of informal volunteering opportunities, with previous opportunities covering events such as the Tour de Yorkshire and the BBC Sports Personality of the Year, and to attend sessions from external practitioners, primarily during the course’s guest lecture week in previous years, which sees practitioners and alumni deliver sessions on the industry (subject to availability). Examples of previous speakers who have given talks during this week include: a sport agent of English Premier League footballers; former students currently working at the 2019 Cricket World Cup in the areas of operations management, security and volunteer recruitment; and the marketing manager for Everton FC.
Please note that such opportunities are subject to availability, competitive applications, meeting visa requirements and additional costs, such as travel to volunteering venues, may apply.
*Please note that we are unable to guarantee any placement or study abroad opportunities and that all such opportunities may be subject to additional costs (e.g. travel, visas and accommodation etc.), competitive application, availability and/or meeting any applicable visa requirements. To ensure that you fully understand the requirements in this regard, please contact the International Office for further details if you are an EU or International student.
- The opportunity to apply for work placements* or internships at international, local and regional companies, including those involved in the sports industry (placements and internships are subject to availability, a competitive application process, visa requirements and additional costs may apply)
- Experienced teaching staff who bring their professional and research expertise in to their teaching
- Links with local firms who we ask to provide specialist talks and to mentor students, with the aim that you gain the maximum exposure to industry (subject to availability)
- The course aims to give you practical experience, developed through field trips and volunteer opportunities within the sport industry, that aim to help you to understand how to apply sport management theory to real-life situations (Field trips and Volunteer opportunities are subject to availability, a competitive application process, meeting applicable visa requirements, and additional costs apply.)
- By studying at Coventry Business School, you can benefit from our current memberships of the European Foundation of Management Development (EFMD) and the Chartered Association of Business Schools (CABS)
- International collaborations which allow you the opportunity to take part in international workshops and conferences, where you will have the opportunity to work with students from different countries and meet international experts from the sport management sector (subject to availability, a competitive application process, meeting applicable visa requirements, and additional costs may apply).
- Currently accredited by the Chartered Management Institute (CMI), this course gives you the option of registering and gaining a Level 5 Certificate, which can enhance your employability skills. Additional fees and requirements apply. Please refer to the Accreditation and Professional Recognition Section for further information.
- This course seeks to adopt a problem solving approach to teaching, seeking to ground teaching and learning in real world case studies and problems that are specifically related to the sports industry
- Our international focus gives you opportunities for international travel and project work, whether this is as part of a field trip, studying abroad*, or working on Online International Learning (OIL) projects with other international students (overseas opportunities and field trips are subject to availability, a competitive application process, meeting applicable visa requirements, and additional costs may apply.)
Our course team maintain a number of relationships with Coventry’s sports teams, which can open the door for volunteering or work experience opportunities (volunteering and work experience opportunities are subject to competitive application, availability, meeting visa requirements and additional costs may apply).
The main study themes covered on the course are:
- Managing sport organisations: The management of sport organisations is changing rapidly, largely in response to the increased commercialisation and professionalisation of sport. Media coverage and increased expectations in terms of good governance and accountability create specific management challenges. We will explore the principles and practices necessary for effective management of sport organisations, drawing on management and organisational theories, the changing nature of the external environment of sport organisations and how these impacts on the internal operations and people.
- Management of sport: We cover the core principles and practices of management, in the context of sport and sporting events. On successful completion you will gain a solid understanding of strategy, marketing, human resource management (HRM), economics and finance, all critically important when managing organisations whether in the sport industry, or outside it. Where this course differs from business management or business administration courses is that we teach core management principles in the context of sport. So, for example, we may consider human resource management in the context of managing sport stars with massive egos, or the implications of financial fair play rulings in the finance module.
This course is available on a three-year full-time basis or a four-year sandwich basis, where between years Two and Three there is an optional one year of work experience or study abroad** at a partner institution. (Work experience and international opportunities are subject to competitive application, availability, meeting visa requirements and additional costs may apply)
Teaching is based on a series of lectures and workshops, which can be similar in size, with teaching then typically breaking off into smaller seminar groups which are more interactive and may involve discussion, debate, and problem solving; we also make extensive use of case studies to demonstrate practical, real-life issues. These will often centre on a specific theme or topical issue, such as unethical sponsorship, athlete transgression and managing sport events.
We invite experts currently working in the sport industry to talk to you about their experiences, with the aim of providing an excellent opportunity to network with potential future employers (subject to availability). In the past, we have benefited from talks from Oaks Consultancy, Adidas, St. George's Park, The Football Foundation, Professional Darts Association, Opta, Manchester City FC and British Wheelchair Basketball.
Meet our staff
Tom Bason
I have been working for Coventry University since September 2011 and as a Lecturer in Sport Management since 2014. My primary teaching areas are Economics of Sport and Events, Finance for Sport and Events, and Corporate Social Responsibility.
Read full profileThis course will be assessed using a variety of methods which will could vary depending upon the module. Assessment methods include formal examinations, coursework, written report, presentations and live projects.
The Coventry University Group assessment strategy ensures that our courses are fairly assessed and allows us to monitor student progression towards achieving the intended learning outcomes.
On successful completion of this course, you will have knowledge of:
- The holistic nature of a business organisation.
- The development needs and intentions of sport organisations and communities.
- Sport policy on a domestic and global basis.
On successful completion of this course, you will be able to:
- Apply business principles to sports facilities and/or events.
- Apply appropriate techniques to solve a range of different business and sport management problems.
- Analyse and produce appropriate sport management solutions to support business decisions.
We set out below the typical teaching contact hours that you will receive on this course. Teaching contact hours will vary in different semesters and years of study and may vary due to module selection. In addition to the contact hours below, we offer the opportunity to attend additional optional sessions, including sessions with the Faculty’s progress coaches, meeting staff during their advice and feedback hours, or attending field visits and industry talks.
Within your first and second year, you will have around 12 contact hours of teaching a week which includes:
- Medium group teaching such as seminars and workshops per week
- Large group teaching such as lectures each week
In your final year, if you are undertaking a project/dissertation, there is a greater emphasis placed on independent study and therefore total contact hours may be reduced.
In addition, you will be expected to undertake a significant amount of self-directed studying in your own time, including some guided study using handouts and online activities.
Sport is becoming an increasingly global industry, so during your studies we will explore the sports industry in different countries and cultures.
We currently have global partners in the United States, Brazil, Russia, Europe, Dubai, Qatar, China and Australia, which provide exciting opportunities for volunteering abroad (volunteering and international opportunities are subject to competitive application, availability, meeting visa requirements and additional costs may apply). For example, we have taken past students to work at the Rugby World Sevens tournament in Moscow and Going Global Conferences in Dubai, Miami and Cape Town.
Throughout the course, we consider sport management within an international context, drawing on case studies from throughout the world, such as the FIFA scandal, management of International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF), doping In world cycling, Chinese investment into British sport and the global interest in sport and foreign sponsorship deals.
In the past students have had the opportunity to visit international sport venues, including Croke Park and Aviva Stadium in Dublin, Nanjing Olympic Sports Centre (China), Luzhniki Stadium (Russia), and Dubai International Stadium. We also seek to organise international speakers from organisations such as Adidas and the International Cricket Council.
Please note that all opportunities are subject to availability, a competitive application process, meeting applicable visa requirements and additional costs apply.
Global ready
Did you know we help more students travel internationally than any other UK university according to data from the experts in higher education data and analysis, HESA?
In 2018/19, we provided a total of 5,469 experiences abroad that lasted at least five days.
Much of this travel is made possible through our Global Leaders Programme, which enables students to prepare for the challenges of the global employment market, as well as strengthening and developing their broader personal and professional skills.
Explore our international experiences1st for
international experiences
Sending more students overseas than any other UK uni in 2016/17
5,469
Student experiences
The number of student trips abroad for at least 5 days in 2018/19
12,000
and counting
The number of students we’ve helped travel internationally since 2016
12
global programmes
As well as trips, we offer other opportunities like language courses
What our alumni say
The best things about the course were openness and a wide range of opportunities to get some international experience. I loved the tutors, they were funny, passionate and devoted. I could get help with anything I needed, not only in terms of uni stuff. Loads of events and societies, everyone can find something. One of the crucial things that I really loved is that tutors always were always curious about our ideas and never ignored them, they even tried to make the most of them.
Entry Requirements
What our students say...
If you enjoy learning about how economics, finance and marketing can have a significant impact on sport, then Sport Management is the course for you.
Tuition Fees
We pride ourselves on offering competitive tuition fees which we review on an annual basis and offer a wide range of scholarships to support students with their studies. Course fees are calculated on the basis of what it costs to teach each course and we aim for total financial transparency.
For more information, please visit our Finance pages.
Course essentials at no extra cost
We're committed to communicating study costs clearly to make sure you're not faced with having to make any unexpected payments.
This is why our ‘Flying Start’ package provides you with a few course essentials. Your full-time fee for an undergraduate degree will cover the following:
UK field trips
Any mandatory site visits and trips within the United Kingdom.Key material
This can include core textbooks, software and equipment.Laser prints
1,000 A4 sides of black and white laser printing credits per year.Optional year
Pay no tuition fees for optional work placements or study abroad trips.Additional costs not included in the fees:
- Any optional overseas field trips or visits: £400+ per trip
- Any costs associated with securing, attending or completing a placement (whether in the UK or abroad)
- Any optional exams towards professional body qualifications.
This course may incur additional costs associated with any field trips, placements or work experience, study abroad opportunities or any other opportunity (whether required or optional), which could include (but is not limited to) travel, accommodation, activities and visas.
EU student fees
EU nationals starting in the 2020/21 academic year remain eligible for the same fees as home students and the same financial support. Financial support comes from Student Finance England, and covers undergraduate and postgraduate study for the duration of their course, providing they meet the residency requirement.
For tuition fee loans
EU nationals starting in the 2020/21 academic year must have resided in the European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland for the three years prior to the start of their course. The purpose of that three year residency should not have been mainly for the purpose of receiving full time education.
For maintenance loans
EU nationals starting in the 2020/21 academic year must have resided in the UK and Islands for the five years prior to the start of their course. The purpose of that five year residency should not have been mainly for the purpose of receiving full time education.
What our students say...
I think the staff are very supportive and are always available to help with coursework and explain things you may not understand, as well as the marking criteria for work. Also, they are very friendly staff and good lecturers as well. I believe this one of the strongest points of the course.
Career prospects
Graduate Immigration Route visa
Based on current information from the UK Government, international students whose study extends beyond summer 2021 may be eligible for a visa under the UK Government’s Graduate Immigration Route, which will enable students to stay and work, or look for work, in the UK at any skill level for up to two (2) years. Check the most up to date guidance available to check your eligibility and any updates from the UK Government before making an application or enrolment decision.
Working for sports organisations has become an increasingly popular career sector, with demand for higher level expertise in areas such as the management of sport businesses and engagement with communities through sport. This course provides a foundation to explore potential future career options in this sector, in areas such as sport marketing, sports event management, hospitality management and sport business management and administration.
You will have the support of dedicated Personal Employment Tutors through the university’s Talent Team, who have access to an extensive network of employers supporting you in applying to a wide range of internship possibilities, as well as being able to support you with workshops and guidance on the various aspects of the employment process such as preparing your CV, interview practice and mock assessment centres. They also run employer events throughout the year, allowing you to network with employers offering placements*, internships and graduate roles within the sport sector (please note internships are subject to availability, a competitive application process, visa requirements and additional costs may apply)
Coventry University aims to prepare you for your potential future career and give you a competitive edge in the graduate job market. The University's Careers and Employability team provide a wide range of support services to help you plan and prepare for your potential future career.
Where our graduates work
Some of our previous graduates have gone on to occupy senior management positions in the sport industry, for instance, working within the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games Ltd. (LOCOG), the Aspire Group, Decathlon, Sport New Media and Coventry Blaze Ice Hockey Club. Others have found graduate employment with Tottenham Hotspur FC, Manchester City FC, West Ham United, Huddersfield Giants RLFC, the ltalian National Olympic Committee, Wasps RFC, Ricoh Arena, Leicester Tigers, Queens Park Rangers and IMG.
What our alumni say
I spent 6 months at Promoseven Sports Marketing, based in Dubai, during my placement year. I was involved in the planning and overseeing of many events during my time out there, most notably, the Emirates Airline Dubai Rugby Sevens and the DDF Tennis Championships, two of the largest events in the UAE. My main role for both of these events was to organise and run the school activation program in which we broke the record of schools that were involved for both events.
Disclaimer
By accepting your offer of a place and enrolling with us, a Student Contract will be formed between you and the university. A copy of the 2020/21 Contract can be found here. The Contract details your rights and the obligations you will be bound by during your time as a student and contains the obligations that the university will owe to you. You should read the Contract before you accept an offer of a place and before you enrol at the university.
The tuition fee for the course that is stated on the course webpage and in the prospectus for the first year of study will apply. We will review our tuition fees each year. For UK and EU students, if Parliament permit an increase in tuition fees, we may increase fees for each subsequent year of study in line with any such changes. Note that any increase is expected to be in line with inflation. Following the UK’s exit from the European Union, EU students should be aware that there may be a change to UK laws following the UK’s exit, this may change their student status, their eligibility to study part time, and/or their eligibility for student finance. We will act in accordance with the UK’s laws in force in relation to student tuition fees and finance from time to time.
For International students the tuition fee that is stated on the course webpage and in the prospectus for the first year of study will apply. We will review our tuition fees each year. For international students, we may increase fees for each subsequent year of study but such increases will be no more than 5% above inflation.
