Sport Business Management

Through an immersive and intensive delivery, this introductory module explores how businesses operate through core functions like people management, finance, marketing and operations. Via an organisational visit and case studies, you will learn how organisations work and respond to external change. 

You will compare business types alongside developing essential academic and professional skills in analysis, reporting and presentation of information to support future study and careers. The module will leave you with understanding of appropriate academic practice and expectations of professional behaviour alongside a strong foundation of business knowledge to build on for the remainder of your degree discipline.

This module examines the twin forces shaping the future of business: the urgent drive toward sustainability and the disruptive potential of emerging technologies. You will explore ecological economics, climate change and the global energy transition alongside the dynamics of digital transformation, including artificial intelligence, Industry 4.0 and 5.0, robotics, automation, 3D printing, the Internet of Things, blockchain and virtual reality. 

Through case studies and applied learning, you will develop the ability to lead and innovate responsibly in a rapidly changing world, applying creative and sustainable solutions to transform industries and shape next-generation business strategies.

Begin exploring career pathways through research, self-assessment and portfolio creation. Identify strengths, skills gaps and target development activities to build a foundation for professional growth throughout your studies.

This module introduces you to the dynamic and commercial landscape of contemporary sport, emphasising how leadership, innovation and sustainability intersect to shape the modern sport business environment. You will learn to lead through critical thinking and data informed decision making, using evidence to inspire meaningful change within sport organisations and communities.

By fostering innovation, the module encourages curiosity and entrepreneurial thinking. You will interrogate financial, market and performance data to evaluate how sport leagues and tournaments create value, attract investment and respond to evolving consumer trends. Comparative analysis will help you identify opportunities for creative solutions that enhance competitiveness and inclusivity across diverse sport ecosystems. 

The theme of sustainability runs throughout the module, guiding consideration of how sport organisations can balance commercial growth with environmental and social responsibility.

This module provides you with hands on experience in applying sport business principles through the design, planning and pitching of a multi-sport event. It integrates the key themes of lead, innovate and sustain, encouraging you to think critically, act creatively and plan responsibly within the contemporary sport industry. 

You will learn to lead by applying critical thinking and data-driven decision making to real-world challenges. You will evaluate commercial strategies, sponsorship opportunities and stakeholder relationships to make informed choices that inspire change and add value to sport organisations and communities. The module fosters innovation by promoting curiosity and entrepreneurial thinking. You will interrogate data and market insights to design creative, evidence-based event concepts that address current trends in sport business, including digital engagement, consumer experience and revenue diversification.

Embedded throughout the module is a focus on sustainability for people, communities and the planet. You will explore ethical considerations, environmental responsibility and inclusive practices to ensure their event proposals reflect sustainable and socially impactful business models.

Building on the knowledge and skills gained in the first year, this module aims to provide you with a more detailed understanding of how data is used and applied in a business setting. This module will introduce the concepts of business intelligence as a service that underpins decision making in different business functional areas, providing you with experience of using industry standard business intelligence tools to lead and inform evidence-based decision making in your subject specialisms. You will understand how to use data visualisations to inform decision making to influence change in the organisations. This will include human centred design approaches, developing understanding of user experience and people in organisations.

This module will examine various aspects of project management through a variety of means, including online content and practical seminars informed by research and industrial collaborations. It will focus on theoretical approaches, tools and techniques of planning and controlling projects. You will learn to appreciate project management as an important and integral part of a business whether product or service based.

This module will enable you to build on the embedded employability skills developed during year one of the programme. Through engaging in various professional development and reflection activities, you will be able to identify or realise, evaluate, plan and lead on the development of your future-focused knowledge, skills, behaviours and activities required to help secure your professional career aspirations, according to your programme of study. You will develop knowledge on how to access career-specific and professional graduate-level job opportunities through exploring graduate-level labour market trends, and job-specific employer requirements. 

You will also draw on the expertise of the school’s Career’s and Employability team, employer visits and workshops delivered by the academic team within the school. This will enable you to identify and engage in innovative development strategies to improve your work experience and employability, enabling you to further strengthen in a sustained way your career-focused digital footprint in relation to your professional career goals and around the graduate level employer selection process.

Gain authentic industry experience working directly with external partners to solve real business challenges.  Apply theoretical knowledge to practical situations while building professional networks and understanding workplace dynamics through this hands-on experiential learning module. 

This module provides you with a critical understanding of governance, economic and financial principles as they apply to the global sports industry. It examines how effective governance and responsible financial management underpin integrity, transparency and long-term success within sport organisations operating in complex international contexts. 

Through the theme of lead, you will develop the ability to think critically and make informed, data driven decisions that inspire ethical and effective change. You will evaluate international governance models, legal frameworks and financial systems to understand how evidence-based leadership can strengthen accountability and stakeholder trust in sport. You will interrogate financial data, performance indicators and policy developments to generate creative and evidence informed solutions that improve governance practices, risk management and organisational efficiency. You will explore how innovation in digital finance, regulatory technology and stakeholder engagement can shape more resilient sport systems. 

Embedded within the module is the principle of sustainability, which focuses on financial and ethical sustainability for people, organisations and the planet. You will examine how sport organisations can balance economic growth with social responsibility and environmental stewardship.

This module explores the transformative impact of digital technology on the global sports industry through the interconnected themes of lead, innovate and sustain. You will investigate how emerging digital tools such as data analytics, wearable technology, virtual and augmented reality and digital media platforms are reshaping athlete performance, fan engagement and commercial decision making within contemporary sport. 

Through the theme of lead, you will develop the capacity to think critically and make informed, data driven decisions that inspire meaningful change. You will examine how sport organisations use digital insight to optimise performance, enhance fan experiences and strengthen strategic and ethical decision making in a rapidly evolving digital environment. The theme of innovate encourages curiosity and entrepreneurial thinking. You will interrogate digital data and technological trends to create evidence-based solutions that drive innovation across sport performance, marketing and media. Practical activities will foster creativity and adaptability, enabling you to conceptualise new digital strategies that align with industry needs.

You have the option to do a placement year, taking a year in industry to learn in a real-life environment whilst earning a salary and paying no tuition fees.

This is an excellent opportunity to take advantage of and we will help you find out about vacancies and make the right connections with high profile employers through regular events and presentations.

 For more information, please visit the placement and internships page. 

This module supports you in developing a deep understanding and practical application of innovation and entrepreneurship, to develop innovation skills that will support your future career, whether you plan to launch your own enterprise as an entrepreneur or drive change within an organisation as an intrapreneur. Working with a partner organisation you will gain an in depth appreciation of the current status of, and external landscape influencing the core business functional areas. This serves as the foundation for exploration of evidence based opportunities for growth and innovation. You will research and respond to contemporary issues, asking critical questions and use the authentic business challenge to research and develop a sustainable and ethical innovation solution which focuses on your chosen area of the business. Building on prior learning, you will develop the confidence and creativity needed to lead innovation and create sustainable value in your chosen career. On completion you will have created a tangible innovation solution that you can use as evidence of your capabilities in a job interview.

This module provides you with in depth understanding of strategy and leadership. Using scenarios, you will be equipped to lead transformational change, make evidence-based strategic decisions and contribute meaningfully to sustainable organisational performance in complex, dynamic environments. You will examine and critique the underlying principles of key leadership theories and critically evaluate how effective leaders embed a culture of innovation in organisations. Finally, you will review and critically examine the strategic role of leaders within organisations.

This module enables you to step confidently into your future as a professional graduate. Building on your development at Levels 4 and 5, you will critically reflect on who you are, what you offer, and how you will make your contribution. You will deepen your emotional intelligence, evaluate workplace behaviours, and identify strengths and aspirations to shape a compelling professional identity. Using strengths-based diagnostics and simulated recruitment environments, you will learn to lead through critical thinking and data-driven decisions, innovate with curiosity and entrepreneurial skills, and sustain positive impact for people and planet while building a lifelong learning plan.

In this forward-thinking module, you will critically examine the impact of local business decisions across globalised value chains. The module builds on prior learning and integrates multi-disciplinary themes, including ethical leadership, innovation and digital transformation, to explore how businesses can accelerate progress towards the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Through case-studies, co-creation activities and student research, you will critically reflect on the assumptions and systems that underpin business as usual before examining the role of managers and leaders in leading change to address the complex challenges of environmental sustainability and social inequalities. The module prepares you for your final year of study and future as an independent learner, by developing your academic skills and problem-solving mindset as you investigate, present and recommend innovative solutions to inspire positive change in both local and global communities.

This module will introduce you to the strategic and systematic process of planning and management of sport events. You will learn key managerial issues associated with project management, logistics, risk management, sustainability, sponsorship and human recourses through case studies, discussions, asynchronous lecture material and industry visits. The module develops leadership capabilities by making informed decisions using performance data and stakeholder feedback to navigate the complexities of event delivery. Through analysing event metrics and operational intelligence, you will learn to lead multidisciplinary teams, inspire collective approaches and drive decision making processes that enhance event outcomes. Innovation runs throughout the module as you cultivate entrepreneurial thinking in reimaging event experiences and operational models.     

This module will enable you to develop a deep understanding of how the sports industry has become a truly global phenomenon while cultivating critical leadership, innovative thinking and sustainable practice. The academic body of knowledge in this field will be complemented by you and your peers as you lead through critical thinking and informed decision making, using data analytics to evaluate the historical, geopolitical, economic, digital and media drivers that reflect the globalisation of sport. Through evidence-based analysis, you will learn to inspire change that matters within global sporting contexts, examining how strategic decisions impact stakeholders across international markets. 

The Integrated Learning Project is a capstone module which allows you to apply the knowledge that you have acquired during your degree in a substantive real-world project. You will be able to select from three different types of project: a research dissertation; a consultancy project; or an entrepreneurial simulation project. The module allows you to apply your skills in critical thinking, independent research, project management, communication, and problem-solving, whilst engaging in an in-depth exploration of a topic relating to your degree. The output will be a portfolio that showcases your innovation in the generation of a sustainable and responsible solution to the selected problem which showcases your academic and professional abilities as a future leader. The project outputs will provide evidence of your knowledge and skills within your graduate portfolio, supporting your graduate career journey.