MSc International Sport Management (Online)

Semester One

Sustainable Stadium and Event Management

This module aims to explore current and future issues around sustainable sport management. The course uses the concept of sustainability to explore key contemporary issues such as: types of sports venues, construction and refurbishment, venue design, event delivery, stakeholder management, venue marketing and venue management.

Each topic will include a balance between the establishment of a theoretical base, and the investigation of practical case studies. The sessions are varied, and the course mixes workshop units and debates in a thought-provoking format. At the culmination, students will gain an understanding of the intricacies of developing, marketing and operating sports venues; and a greater knowledge of the role of sustainability in the management and governance of UK and international sport business.

Globalisation of Sport Management

The rapid growth of the sport industry in recent times has led to a need for sport to be studied in a global context. With globalisation as a key concept to be addressed, this module will emphasise the need for sport to be managed effectively in order for optimal performance to be achieved.

It is essential for sport managers to fully apprehend the influence of globalisation on sports and the sport industry through acquiring and applying contemporary business analysis and decision making tools.

Semester Two

Financial and Human Capital Management

This module develops students’ understanding of the application of financial analysis and human resource management to effectively and efficiently manage sports organisations, as well as valuing talent. A key aspect of this module is to be aware of the factors that can lead to the alignment of sporting success and financial goals.


Leadership and Influence in Sport

The aim of this module is to understand the conceptualisation of leadership within the sporting and business world via the drivers of influence, mutuality and future.


Global Strategic Sports Marketing Management

Many sports brands and sporting organisations face domestic markets that are saturated, highly competitive and with little potential to grow sales revenues, a situation that may see them fall behind in the marketplace. Their main opportunity to grow is to target overseas markets in order to attract new customers and develop new revenue streams.

Many sports leagues and brands sell the television rights for their matches to media companies in deals worth in excess of £2 billion, who in turn sell these rights in as many as 100 different countries. As a result, global brand awareness has increased for most major sports brands, and this represents an opportunity to increase presence in overseas markets and create new revenue streams. Increasingly social media campaigns have considerable global reach, and sports marketers must be aware of how to develop social media campaigns, as part of their overall marketing strategy.

The reality is that marketing products overseas is more complicated and sports brands have to develop their global marketing techniques and gain a cultural awareness of the countries in which they plan to operate. While the rewards can be high, the risk of failure is even higher and this module will look at techniques that sports brands can use to increase their global presence.

Research Methods and Dissertation (Preparation)

The dissertation allows you to design and conduct an independent piece of academic research, providing an opportunity to develop and demonstrate advanced scholarship skills. This combined research methods and dissertation module provides subject-specific methods training in preparation for the completion of a dissertation within the domains of marketing, entrepreneurship and leisure management.

The research topic that you select must align with the title of the programme on which you are enrolled. The module begins with a series of taught research methods sessions, during which a research proposal is produced. This proposal then guides the development of a clearly defined and evidenced study purpose, a critical review of the extant literature, and a robust methodology.

Data is then collected, analysed, interpreted and applied to the study purpose, and a 15,000-word research report (dissertation) is produced.

Semester Three

Corporate Strategy in a Sporting Context

In order to be an effective sport manager, it is essential to possess a comprehensive and systematic understanding of the importance of corporate strategy in management, and to demonstrate how this can be applied in the area of international football and sporting management. Students will extend research skills alongside new analytical techniques in order to analyse the business environment.

Students will be expected to show a critical awareness of how to carry out complex analysis of this information and explain the current strategic position of the organisation. Using key theoretical concepts and business management information concerning strategic choices, they will then propose the future strategic direction of an organisation, taking into consideration the resources that are available.

During this module, students will be taught by leading academics and industry professionals in the fields of corporate and sport management.

Dissertation and Research Methods (Completion)The dissertation allows you to design and conduct an independent piece of academic research, providing an opportunity to develop and demonstrate advanced scholarship skills. This combined research methods and dissertation module provides subject-specific methods training in preparation for the completion of a dissertation within the domains of marketing, entrepreneurship and leisure management.

The research topic that you select must align with the title of the programme on which you are enrolled. The module begins with a series of taught research methods sessions, during which a research proposal is produced. This proposal then guides the development of a clearly defined and evidenced study purpose, a critical review of the extant literature, and a robust methodology.

Data is then collected, analysed, interpreted and applied to the study purpose, and a 15,000-word research report (dissertation) is produced.