Second and Final Year entry only - BA (Hons)

Sport and Leisure Management

3 good reasons to study Sport and Leisure Management at Salford:

Good employment opportunities in a sector expanding since London 2012
Links with Sport England and other sports bodies
Opportunities for work experience, study abroad and foreign language study

The design of this course reflects the exciting growth area of leisure. Through our expertise and experience, coupled with industrial advice, we have constructed a course to meet the demands of these increasingly important industries. At the heart of the course is a firm grounding in business and management skills, accompanied by sport and leisure specific study that is relevant to the leisure managers of tomorrow. You will also have the opportunity to study overseas in one of our partner institutions for up to one academic year.

You can spend up to a year studying at Thompson Rivers University in British Columbia, Canada or studying at one of our partner institutions across Europe, including destinations such as Vichy, France, and Tampere and Helsinki, Finland, all of which offer taught programmes in English.

In addition you can study a language for credit via the University-wide language course and can choose to study Finnish on the Languages For All course, to prepare for an international exchange.

Course details

This course combines sport and leisure with other related disciplines such as tourism and hospitality. In addition to excellent sports facilities, which include a new swimming pool, squash courts and gymnasium, the programme has links with local professional sports clubs.

During this course you can apply for one-year professional placement. Salford graduates who have completed a placement have higher marks than average and much better employment prospects. All one-year placement positions are paid and many of our students return to their placement company when they finish the course.

In addition there is also the opportunity to study abroad in Canada, Finland, France and Spain. Teaching is primarily in English and all EU exchanges are eligible to receive Erasmus grants.

Course Structure

Year 2

During year 2 you will cover the psychological aspects of sport and the relationships between leisure and recreation in a changing society.

Year 3

During year 3 the focus turns to areas such as sports law, policy development and to prominent issues in sport and leisure. At each level these vocational elements are combined with the systematic acquisition and development of management skills and knowledge all graduates need in order to build a career in modern organisations.

Optional Year

On completion of year 2 you may choose to undertake either a paid placement, or study abroad for a year. If you choose to study abroad you will spend your academic year at one of our partner universities, enhancing your language skills and international business knowledge.

Year 2

Dimensions of Leisure

This module describes the major sociological concepts and analytical perspectives and their application to the study of leisure. You will explore the impact of change on modern society, and its consequences for leisure provision and consumption. You will also evaluate societal trends and leisure participation patterns; and assess the relationships between leisure forms and social conflict.

Sports Psychology

This module will introduce the nature of sport psychology and the role of the sport psychologist in the modern sporting context. You will examine the ways in which a knowledge and understanding of the techniques employed in sport psychology can improve performance.

Management Development Programme II

This module extends the learning in the first year of the course with further focus on personal and career development.

Principles of Marketing

The module introduces you to the principles of marketing in a business and management context, focusing on the role of marketing within the organisation and its interaction with other business functions. The module also helps you to develop practical marketing abilities.

Project Management

Project Management is widely recognised as one of the most enduring and generic skills in business. You will develop an understanding of effective project management techniques, methods and tools; and a broad range of issues and techniques relating to project management. These include planning, scheduling and resourcing, estimation, risk analysis, budgeting and contracts, tracking and change management, quality, communications, team working and project leadership, use of methods and their relationship to life cycles and project review.

Accounting Principles

You will gain a theoretical and practical introduction to accounting that covers the fundamentals of accounting methods including the production of financial statements for decision takers within and without various types of organisations.

Year 3

Core Modules

Contemporary Issues in Sport

Enables you to critically appraise ethical and contemporary issues in sport; evaluate current and emerging patterns in the evolution of sports, and analyse and clarify externalities affecting sport.

Management Practice and Research: Dissertation

You will identify and focus on a specialist area of research related to an aspect of your degree course; execute a substantial piece of independent research and produce a scholarly and critical dissertation.

Sport and the Law

Allows you to explore the legal issues inherent in the organisation of and participation in a wide range of sports at different levels (amateur and professional; domestic and international). This module will allow you to appreciate the dynamic nature of law in this area and to apply current rules (and potential legal developments) to a variety of typical situations and problems.

Corporate Strategy

In this module you will acquire an organisation-wide perspective through exploring strategic planning and processes, and learn to relate strategic models and theories to the real world of organisational success and failure. You will develop your analytical and evaluative skills through problem/case analysis and develop your team working and problem-solving skills to evaluate objectively your peers' performance.

Leisure, Public Policy, Planning and Design

This module enables you to discuss key issues in the social and recreational planning process; evaluate the contribution of public participation to the process; assess the roles of planner, architect and manager related to the facilities and services in different strata of the recreation provision hierarchy; articulate design needs; and analyse operational problems associated with facility design and provision. You will also learn to evaluate design and special needs issues ( such as access and legislation) and evaluate contemporary issues, for example best value and the partner/stakeholder role.

Elective Modules

Choose one from:

Rural Tourism: Innovative Products and Marketing

This course runs in one of four European university partner institutions on a yearly cycle, and is funded by the European Union. The aims of the module are to investigate and appraise real life problems of SMEs who work in the field of rural tourism and to evaluate the additional value given by rural tourism to the regional economy. You will learn to appraise the important role of entrepreneurship in the development of rural tourism in the majority of the European regions and investigate how tourism plays an important role in the preservation and enhancement of cultural and natural heritage. You will develop strategies to maximise the benefits of rural tourism.

Destination Analysis

This course runs in one of three European University partner institutions on a yearly cycle, and is funded by the European Union. The aims of the module are to provide you with the opportunity to focus on the practical application of theory to the analysis of European tourism destinations/attractions/transport systems. You will engage in cross cultural debates on the merits of international destinations and explore the implications of differing cultures. You will gain the experience of learning in a European partner institution, exchange knowledge and become a more effective participant in shared learning environment.

Business Enterprise Development

This module aims to provide you with the opportunity to identify and apply critical factors in the set up of a business enterprise. You will learn to understand the different aspects of entrepreneurial success and failure, and apply strategy as it relates to human resources management, marketing, accounting and operations. You will critically evaluate the environmental, operational and strategic factors involved in the set up of a business, and appreciate the materials required by a bank or financier in the business set-up.

Dark Tourism

In this module you will critically appraise the phenomenon of dark tourism and review its increasing importance. You will analyse the sociological, philosophical and anthropological perspectives of dark tourism and consider the role of dark tourism within a larger historical context.

Management Practice and Research: Management Simulation

This module develops your ability to implement, review and appraise business strategy, objectives and management decisions within the context of a dynamic, competitive market environment. You will develop understanding of the complex interactions that characterise decision-making in organisations, and consequently the importance of thinking beyond a single functional perspective. You will also develop your understanding of the nature and use of planning in dynamic business environments and improve your employability through experience of real-time business decision-making in a simulated environment.

Language Option

You may continue to study a language

Course Enquiries

For course enquiries please call us on:

T: +44 (0) 161 295 4545

Or Email us at:

Home/EU students
E: enquiries@salford.ac.uk

International students
E: international@salford.ac.uk