of graduate employers say relevant experience is essential to getting a job with them
Course Award
BA (Hons)
Duration
1 year FT
UCAS Code
N2C6
Placement
Opportunities available
Entry
September (2021)
Fees
View Fees
£44m invested in flagship facilities, including sport, to support your future career opportunities
Optional modules allow you to tailor your studies to match your interests
With more people than ever now aware of the link between an active lifestyle and good health, sports-related activities have become a booming business. If you want to boost your prospects of a career in this exciting sector, our Sports Management top-up degree course will arm you with the skills and knowhow needed to succeed.
Designed for anyone who has previously studied a relevant subject (up to Level 5), this course will enhance your skill set in vital areas such as analysis, communication and decision making, as well as the management and practical skills needed to make the most of business opportunities in sport, both in the UK and abroad.
Throughout your studies, you will have use of our wide range of cutting-edge sports facilities at University College Birmingham, helping you improve your practical skills for the industry. As we are a higher education partner of the Chartered Institute for the Management of Sport and Physical Activity (CIMSPA), you will also enjoy other benefits including CIMSPA membership upon your enrolment.
Currently studying a HND or Foundation degree? Join our Aspire Vocational top-up webinars to explore the benefits of studying a top-up degree. Find out more here.
Why should I choose this course?
- SPECIALISE YOUR STUDIES – Choose from a range of optional modules, covering subjects ranging from coaching to sports psychology or financial strategy
- IN-DEPTH RESEARCH – Carry out your own research project and analyse an area of sports management that matches your interests and career aims
- INDUSTRY APPROVED – Boost your employability by studying a course aligned with industry expectations, as well as becoming a CIMSPA student member when you enrol
Our facilities
Students on our sports courses at University College Birmingham have access to a wide range of excellent facilities. Our campus features a brand new Human Performance Centre, cutting-edge gym and sports injury and massage clinics, while you also have access to the state-of-the-art facilities at nearby Avery Fields, thanks to our partnership with local rugby club Bournville RFC.
Our new Human Performance Centre includes a 35m sprint track (with force plate) and sled track, eight lifting platforms, 7m rig and large screens displaying live analysis data
Our purpose-built Human Performance Laboratory features the latest equipment including an anti-gravity treadmill, isokinetic dynamometer, Monark LC7 cycle ergometer and SECA body composition analyser
Our sports clinics on campus are open to the public and provide the ideal environment for our sports students to put training into practice treating and assessing patients
The impressive £3m Avery Fields complex – which we share with Bournville RFC – boasts an all-weather pitch, two grass pitches and a clubhouse with function room and modern changing facilities
Course breakdown
- Modules
Core Modules
Development and Innovation in Sport
The business environment for sport is changing and managers need the skills and ability to identify and forecast change to create new services or adapt existing ones. You will understand the importance of innovation and creativity within the industry and learn to use a mixture of critical and creative thinking to make informed business decisions.
International Sports Environment
You will develop an awareness and understanding of the dynamic nature of the international sporting environment. This module will help you identify the social, economic and political factors driving change and proactive and reactive responses to issues relating to an increasingly chaotic business environment.
Research Project
You will have the opportunity to engage in an independent research project of your choice. You will have support with preparing your proposal and understanding the competent characteristics of good research. An appointed tutor will help guide you through this important and rewarding process.
Strategy in Sport
The global sports world is becoming more dynamic and managers need to formulate and implement strategies that consider their organisation and the current industry environment. You will examine the evolution of strategic management within sports, form and evaluate corporate level strategies and explore a wide range of alternative approaches.
Plus one option from:
Financial Strategy
An opportunity to consolidate your financial planning knowledge, you will learn how to synthesise and evaluate business performance and strategy. You will develop an in-depth knowledge of financial concepts and how companies portray themselves through their annual reports.
Sports Tourism
You will analyse the development and future prospects of sport tourism as an area of growth, focusing on environmental frame conditions and examining the relationship between sport and tourism in the context of future strategies.
Sports Coaching and the Development of Expertise
What does it mean to become an expert in the sports environment? You will gain an understanding of how to develop sport expertise through the use of evidence-informed coaching practice through theory, sampling and specialisation. You will also analyse and critique methods to facilitate motor and perceptual cognitive skills acquisition.
Sports Psychology II
You will design and implement a range of interventions addressing areas such as concentration, motivation, aggression, anxiety and injury. You will critically evaluate measurement tools and the impact of regulatory and ethical issues. Using sports psychology in this manner benefits all professionals working in the sports environment.
Sports Marketing
You will be integrating the concepts of marketing with sports-related products and services and the use of sporting events. This will give you the understanding and knowledge of the important factors that affect this area of business such as sponsorship, branding, digital marketing concepts, relationship marketing and consumer behaviour before examining their impact on the domestic and international markets.
The modules listed above for this course are regularly reviewed to ensure they are up to date and informed by industry as well as the latest teaching methods. On occasion, we may need to make unexpected changes to modules – if this occurs, we will contact all offer holders as soon as possible.
Entry requirements
Entry requirements
Academic: A relevant HND or a foundation degree in the area of Sports Management, with 240 credits.
If you are unsure if your previous qualification is suitable, please contact us before completing an application. You can call us on 0121 604 1040 or email direct@ucb.ac.uk
EU/international students
Academic: European and International qualifications studied in a relevant subject matter will also be considered. Applicants will need to have achieved 120 ECTS or equivalent (European Credit Transfer).
If you are unsure if your previous qualification is suitable, please contact us before completing an application. You can call us on 0121 604 1040 or send an email:
International: International@ucb.ac.uk
Key information
Teaching and assessment
Teaching
In light of COVID-19, we have made some changes to the way we deliver our teaching. We are continually following the guidelines and measures put in place by the UK Government to ensure our students and staff are safe on campus, whilst remaining committed to providing high-quality education. The information below explains how teaching will take place in semester 2 (or semester 1 for those joining us in January).
Assessment
Estimated breakdown of assessment for this course:
- Coursework – 58%
- Practical assessment – 33%
- Written examinations – 9%
Our teaching and assessment is underpinned by our Teaching, Learning and Assessment Strategy 2015-2020
Kick-Start
As a new student studying this degree full-time, you will receive £300 per year via our Kick-Start Scheme (eligibility criteria applies). This scheme will support your studies and future career by contributing to course-related materials, uniform or selected items on campus. You might even qualify for an additional £500 per year.
Tuition fees
UK/EU students
If you are a UK/EU student enrolling on a full-time foundation degree or a BA/BSc in 2020/21, your fee for this academic year will be £9,250 per each full year. A half year tuition fee is £4,625. UK/EU students do not pay tuition fees for any placement periods.
International students
If you are an international student enrolling on a a full-time foundation degree or a BA/BSc in 2020/21, your fee for this academic year will be £11,500 per year.
If you complete a placement year, there will be an administration fee of £500 for a full year, or £250 for a half-year placement.
This course is accredited by the University of Birmingham.
University College Birmingham is a higher education partner of the Chartered Institute for the Management of Sport and Physical Activity (CIMSPA).
University College Birmingham adopts the UK Anti-Doping (UKAD) and World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) position that cheating, including doping, in sport is fundamentally contrary to the spirit of sport and undermines the otherwise positive impact of sport on society. View our Clean Sport Commitment statement here.
Accreditations, endorsements and partnerships
University College Birmingham works with a wide range of organisations to ensure you receive the best possible training and qualifications recognised by industry.
70%
Work placements
Work placements are vital for gaining real-life experience and for building your confidence and skills before you finish your course – and they may even lead to a job when you graduate. Our hired@UCB team can help find the ideal placement for you.
We encourage students on our BA Sports Management top-up course to gain work experience throughout your studies.
Work alongside experts in your sector
A snapshot of some of the employers we have worked with:
- Sport4Life
- Anytime Fitness Edgbaston
- The Pumphouse Gym
- Tempest Executives
- The Clubhouse, Solihull
Due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, please be aware that opportunities to travel abroad for placements, project work or residential trips may be affected by government travel restrictions. Please visit our updates and FAQs page for information.
I loved the mix of business and sports modules. There are also annual residential course trips, small class sizes and plenty of variation in assessment methods. I was encouraged to embrace the business modules as much as the sport modules, as they are just as useful for my career.
Career opportunities
The example roles and salaries below are intended as a guide only.
Fitness centre manager
Average Salary: £23,000 – £30,000
Sports development officer
Average Salary: £30,000
Sports coach
Average Salary: £32,500
Event manager
Average Salary: £33,000
Marketing executive
Average salary: £26,500 – £30,500
Performance analyst
Average Salary: £35,910
Tom’s Story
Tom is having a ball as marketing strategist for a Canadian Major League Soccer team, and it all started at University College Birmingham.
Meet your lecturers
