About this Course
The rationale for this course lies in the fact that the business of sport is one of the most dynamic areas of expansion within the sport and recreation industry.
Expanding opportunities for participation in sport is high on the political, social and cultural agendas and there is a growing need for professionals who have an understanding of contemporary business processes. Furthermore sport in itself is influenced by a number of related factors such as economic, legal, and media issues. Understanding and being conversant with these factors and how they fit with the political, social and cultural agenda’s is the central philosophy of the course.
Set against recent trends of rising participation and viewing of sport, the commercial and media sectors have not been slow to exploit the enormous potential that sport has to generate and regenerate economic wealth. The appearance of commercial sports managers embedded into traditional sports clubs and organisations is the culmination of this trend. In addition to the relatively new stream of funding from media sources, sport and recreation organisations are increasingly recognising the value and need for strategic planning and management to meet new demands and constraints on their resources.
The public sector still plays an important role within the industry providing local sporting opportunities. The regeneration of these opportunities is once again high on the political agenda, especially in areas where sports provision is limited. Effective sports development and management takes place through a greater sense of partnership between the traditions of sports management and those areas that focus on business and economic development of the industry.
Voluntary sector sports provision is also an important entity in the sports industry and represents a significant proportion of sporting opportunities. The value (and management) of volunteers is important to achieving some of the goals set for increasing sports provision and opportunities and represents an area of study and research that is increasingly significant.
The course thus examines the management of the sports industry from a business perspective. In doing so, it examines social, cultural, legal, political and economic issues. In addition emphasis is placed on developing a range of personal and academic skills appropriate within a higher education environment and which befit a progressive economically astute professional sports business manager.
Facilities
Work is currently underway to refurbish a recently purchased building which will be home to Business and Law students at the University of Lincoln. This will provide students with teaching and learning space including lecture theatres, workshop rooms, IT labs and a mooting chamber, along with places to meet and eat with friends and staff.
The building is situated opposite the Engine Shed and Library and is scheduled to open in September 2010.
Special Features
The aim of all the programmes in the Business School is to produce independent, enquiring, knowledgeable graduates who enjoy learning, are enterprising, employable, self-aware, able to take career and other opportunities in life, and able to make a positive contribution to society.
All courses run by Lincoln Business School offer students work placement opportunities. These fall within two broad categories:
- A short placement of up to 12 weeks. This is designed to fit in the break between the second and final years of the degree programme. Typically this period will be funded by devices such as the Shell STEP programme.
- A full year (academic year) of work placement, funded by full-time paid employment. This is designed to last between 40 and 46 weeks.
Each student’s experience can include one of these types, and preferably also other work experience such as relevant casual work, voluntary or social enterprise activity or leadership within student clubs and societies.
How You Study
Students are encouraged to develop independence in their thinking and managing their own time within a framework of direction and support offered by teaching staff. Throughout the course, students are sensitised to issues of codes of professional conduct and ethical behaviour.
Most modules include some lectures. These are designed to inspire and motivate students, introduce them to particular topics and give an overview of current issues and debates within the discipline. Some are given by visiting practitioners who provide ‘live’ case material and offer students industry contacts and careers advice. In addition to tutor-directed seminars, students are encouraged to form their own learning and support groupings.
Our approach is one of collaboration between staff and students. Emphasis is put on using the student group as a resource for learning. In seminars, which typically involve numbers of fewer than 20, students are able to articulate their own thoughts and clarify ideas through discussion with others. A variety of learning methods used including in-class group exercises, discussions, presentations, evaluation of sample material, and case study analysis. Student participation is encouraged from the start and set as the norm for the rest of the course. Students are expected to prepare prescribed material for seminars as well as generally keep abreast of current developments in their discipline.
How You Are Assessed
Assessments are designed to address the intended learning outcomes of individual modules, and reflect progression through the various levels of the programme. A range of assessment methods are used to give students a variety of opportunities to demonstrate their abilities. Assessments become increasingly demanding in their content and complexity as the programme progress.
Examinations are included in some modules to test students' ability to work under time-constrained conditions, to test knowledge of basic principles, and to guard against potential plagiarism. Students are familiarised with exam techniques in seminars and progress through a less complex short answer format at Level one to a case study and essay-style format at Level three.
Assignments are used to allow students to manage their own time, develop their research and analytical skills, and explore subjects in greater depth. They take a range of forms including essays, reports, and oral presentations prepared individually and in groups.
All modules include the opportunity for formative feedback to aid learning and prepare students for submission of summative assessments.
Course Content
Level 1
Foundations of Sport Management
This module introduces the students to the concepts and foundations of sport in association with the management of sport. A successful sports policy requires a comprehensive sports management system in place. There is an ever increasing demand to deliver effective sports management at international, nation, regional and local levels. This requires systems with clear accountable delivery mechanisms. Sport no longer stands alone and there is an increasing need to work with partnerships such as; health, crime, human capital, National Governing Bodies of Sport, diversity/genders, education and business development. These partnerships alone provide a complex network structure to manage sport but systems will need to be sustainable, equitable and empowering when being developed. Sport is also about strategically providing facilities, what are the issues of balancing resources and fulfilling a need.
Sport Studies: Techniques and Applications
The module is designed to help students explore and evaluate various ways of collecting, presenting and analysing data. The subject focus of the module is based on the key principles of supply and demand that underpin the structure, organisation and planning of the sport sector industries. The historical origins of sport will be examined in the context of how sport has become integrated into society today. Moreover, the module is designed to facilitate part of the University’s Skills and Capabilities Curriculum (USCC) through the accumulation of generic skills in addition to specific skills more pertinent to the study of sport.
Business Planning and Forecasting
This module introduces some quantitative techniques which are fundamental to analysis, planning and forecasting in business. It promotes a critical awareness and understanding of some of the processes, techniques and technology by which numerical information can be collected and communicated.
In addition to ensuring that students are competent in a number of vocationally relevant numerical skills, it anticipates the requirements of later units that involve the communication and analysis of numerical information.
Students practise the systematic use of appropriate industry-standard computer technology for the acquisition, analysis and presentation of data (for example, Excel or SPSS). Students are expected to develop these skills independently rather than in a class-contact situation.
Principles of Marketing
This module is designed to provide an introduction to the theory and practice of marketing. We aim to familiarise students with the key concepts and issues of marketing, giving them a thorough grasp of the sort of marketing decisions there are to be made and what factors affect them. To start with, learning will be fairly directive - e.g. compulsory reading, and tutor led seminar discussion. Progressively students will be required to become more independent in their work by making their own reading selections and actively presenting during seminars. Students will also experience two different assessment types: individual essay writing and a group presentation. In addition to the course contents, this training will help students become better prepared for some of the other modules they take in the future.
Investigating Tourism and Sport
This module will introduce students to tools of analysis required to investigate the supply-side of tourism and sport within given geographical contexts. It will explore ways to collect, manage, analyse and interpret data, in order to follow the research process from start to finish. Students will develop and employ information technology skills to map, graph and interrogate secondary data from published sources and primary data collected by the students themselves.
Financial Communications
This unit provides students with an understanding of the relevance of finance and accounting and some of the current issues facing business people. It is not an introduction to the technical side of accounting, rather it gives the non-specialist the ability to understand and comment upon issues which will arise for all of those wishing to pursue a business career.
Because most organisations spend a considerable amount of time and money producing ‘Financial Communications’ the unit examines the underlying reasons behind this behaviour and the extent to which these communications achieve their objectives.
Introduction to Human Resource Management
This module recognises the importance of an organisation’s human assets to its success and asserts that the human element of an organisation is the most important resource of all. Whilst introducing the student to the various functional aspects of human resource management, the module will draw on related theories drawn from organisational behaviour, psychology, sociology and culture. In addition, the student will be sensitised to the different ways in which historical, political and economic events have influenced the development of the field of human resource management in the United Kingdom.
This module aims to introduce the student to some of the core functions of human resource management. Emphasis will be put on the links between the different functional areas of human resource management and the overall organisational and corporate strategies. Participants on this module will also be introduced to various aspects of legislation covering the management of people within work organisations.
Level 2
Sport, Society and Cultural Values
What is the sociology of sport? This question would be best answered at the end of the unit of study, however, most people working and studying in sport would describe it as a focus on the relationship between society’s social patterns and sport participation and delivery.
For example, how and why is sport in general organised in certain ways and how sport connects with and interacts with other spheres of social life, such as families, education, politics, religion, media and social inclusion overall. Social group organisation, social facilitation and social interaction through defined structures are all experiences that have an effect on sports participation. How sport is organised in participation, re gender, disability, race and social class all have an impact on society.
Sports Event Organisation and Management
This module provides an insight into the strategic management of sports events of all sizes and types. The module provides a framework of the sports event planning process, using short and long-term strategies and an overview of operational strategies.
Research Methods for Tourism and Sport
This module provides students with a range of research skills, both quantitative and qualitative. In so doing it prepares students for their final year dissertation by giving them the skills, ideas and confidence to undertake a major piece of primary research. The module also encourages students to evaluate research using the key concepts of reliability and validity.
Marketing in Practice (Elective)
This module considers the key influences on marketing, helping students to understand the issues involved in making marketing mix decisions, the relevance of competition to marketing decisions, the implementation of marketing in the organisation and selected applications of marketing.
It is both theoretical and applied in nature, requiring students to use relevant concepts, models and frameworks both in the analysis of case material and when developing their own product concept. The module is broad-based covering many marketing topics and providing for the steady progression of students from certificate level through to the more demanding and strategic subject material of higher level marketing.
Organisations rarely exist in a non-competitive vacuum therefore a key theme of the unit is the understanding and relevance of the concept of competitive advantage. This theme is developed throughout the unit by highlighting how marketing decisions at an operational level have a crucial part to play in delivering a unique and sustainable position for a company versus its competition. A second theme is the European flavour of the program which is developed throughout.
People Management and Development (Elective)
This module covers the knowledge and understanding deemed to be essential for all practitioners in the personnel and training profession. The content covers the key elements of personnel and development in the generic areas of resourcing, development, relations and reward.
The module aims to provide sufficient knowledge and understanding for the personnel and development specialist to be able to give informed advice and solutions at work place level, to be able to contribute to improvements in organisational performance and undertake basic human resources processes across the board.
Change management is seen as a core issue in the module, not as a stand-alone topic but as it can be applied in each subject area. There is also awareness that throughout we should be looking at developing the ‘thinking performer’.
Sponsorship and Corporate Hospitality in Sport
The module offers the student an in depth understanding of the ways in which corporate hospitality contributes to the management of sport sponsorship programmes. In recent years, academic research suggests that corporate hospitality frequently overlaps with sponsorship and is actually managed in similar ways.
The module introduces students to the principles and issues of sports sponsorship and the links this offers with corporate hospitality. The core hospitality services are introduced, though in a changing context of strategic ‘service provider’ rather than solely as retailer. Corporate hospitality packages are explained and applied to commercial sport sponsorship programmes.
Commercial Sports Club Management
This module will introduce the student to some of the structures, systems and operations applicable to sports clubs, and examines methods and issues specific to the management of these clubs.
The module addresses issues of sports premises and facilities management, including environmental impacts and considerations. There is an examination of the major areas of club activity, including food and beverage provision, community interaction, and event /tournament management. The module also examines legal and financial considerations in the management of members and memberships, players, staff and visitors.
Tourism and Sport Enterprise Project
The basis of this module is that students work in groups of four to undertake a ‘live’ project, with a particular critical focus, for a sports employer as client. Students are encouraged to think of themselves as graduate trainees, who under the direction of their tutor as project director, undertake research, evaluate and synthesise the information acquired, and present it to their client with recommendations.
Level 3
- Optional Work Placement Year
Level 4
Dissertation
This double module occupies a central role in the final year of the tourism and sports business management degrees. It provides the principal vehicle by which students can clearly illustrate their ability to synthesise the differing disciplinary approaches and theoretical perspectives they have studied over three years. It aims to provide students with the opportunity to demonstrate their competency as independent, reflective researchers.
Policies and Planning for Sport
This module is designed to examine the development of policy and planning for sport within a business environment. The student will examine the concept that a new business ideology is forming the basis for sport policy and planning in all sectors and linked further with the development of Sport strategy. The important role of national agencies in developing policy and plans is considered in some detail at local, regional, national and international levels. The linkage between the public sector’s social and economic objectives and those policies clearly identified with sport are subject to analysis and further discussion.
The student is encouraged to research a range of contemporary issues in sport policy and planning formulation and where possible to relate them to industrial practices.
Tourism, Sport and Regeneration
This module continues the conceptualisation of sport and tourism in terms of broader debates about mobility (Hall, 2005) and the changing interplay of production-consumption, in contemporary society. Sport and tourism have increasingly been used as key elements in local and regional redevelopment strategies, which seek to develop the ‘experience economy’ (Pine and Gilmore, 1999). This module seeks to critically examine the nature, form and outcomes of these strategies. Whilst sport and tourism are often presented as opportunities for places seeking growth and diversification, as with all entrepreneurial strategies they carry risks; of uncertain or unpredictable outcomes, dependency and homogeneity (Shaw and Williams, 2004). Success or failure are contingent rather than guarantied and reflect different conceptualisations of regeneration. In examining a series of case studies of sport/tourism based local and regional regeneration strategies, students will develop a more in-depth understanding not simply of whether these policies can work, but how they may do so.
Strategic Management for Tourism and Sport
This module draws upon and integrates a range of business disciplines in examining the theory and practice of strategic management within a changing tourism, sport and leisure business environment. As well as examining the local and national dimensions of business strategy, the module recognises the increasingly international context of contemporary tourism and sport business activity. In so doing, the module bridges the gap between discrete functionalist disciplines and the broader issues involved in general business activity. The learning programme focuses on encouraging critical evaluation of the nature of strategy, its’ roles in contemporary tourism or sport business and the practical difficulties in formulating and implementing tourism or sport business strategy.
Marketing Communications (Elective)
Marketing Communications is one of the most noticeable and widely discussed instruments of the marketing mix and has an enormous impact on both society and the business world. Every private consumer is exposed to advertising and takes advantage of sales promotions, buys famous brands and visits stores, which try every trick in the book to influence the buying behaviour of customers. Likewise, organisations are equally motivated to communicate effectively with their business customers and suppliers.
Marketing executives face the challenges of integrating the strengths of the various promotional tools to build successful brands and to achieve competitive advantage. In a business environment where the price and quality of goods or service may be equally matched within a sector, what we say, how we say it and to whom – can make all the difference. Marketing Communications is of interest to everyone.
The module places marketing communications in the context of business and marketing strategies and the development of marketing communications objectives based on this context. Theories of information processing and buyer behaviour, both at individual and organisational level, are explored and applied in the development of communication plans. Particular emphasis is placed on the discussion of the elements of the communications mix, the media selection and the evaluation of the effectiveness and efficiency of communications.
The issues of Integrated Marketing Communications are discussed in terms of advantages and disadvantages of integration and also in terms of applying the concepts in the development of communications strategies.
Human Resource Management (Elective)
The major function of the unit is to locate the Human Resource function in the organisational context. The unit explores and examines strategic as well as operational aspects of the function in the light of the contemporary business environment and social context.
The practices associated with the management of human resources e.g. recruitment and selection, appraisal, training, reward systems etc are examined within what constitutes ‘good practice’ and more significantly the issues of implementation are explored and addressed.
Human Resource Management is increasingly seen as having a strategic role in today’s organisations therefore areas such as HR Strategy, the management of change and the development of organisational culture are also examined. Their impact on the process, practices and policies of HRM are analysed.
Contemporary issues faced by the HR function will also be considered. Managing the diverse workforce and issues faced by organisations in relation to corporate social responsibility as well as the HR’s challenges in the international organisations of today will be discussed.
The unit will promote a critical level of thought and analysis which is essential to the consideration of the strategic role of the HR function and its organisational location
Is this the Right Course for Me?
Interested in sport, leisure and/or business management? Well this could be just the programme for you. The programme uses core business modules, to develop key business management skills. In addition there are specialised sports modules that provide the understanding and competence to manage sport effectively. Although there are no elements of physical sport, here at the University of Lincoln we have superb opportunities for you to play sport either at performance or recreational levels.
What Skills Will I Need?
Sports Business Management is an evolving employment concept and therefore you will need to be motivated towards business development. Sport is not just about taking part, it is though about build capacity and forming strategic direction so that people can take part in sport. Therefore any work experience that you can gather will be of a distinct advantage to you in return. At the University of Lincoln we have some fantastic voluntary work experience vacancies so to help you in becoming employable. So all we ask is that you are well motivated and enthusiastic. You will of course need the normal entry requirements.
What Will I gain From the Course?
Firstly you will gain a degree that will provide you with many avenues to venture down re employment. Having business and management core skills will support not just employment in the sports industry but in other sectors as well. You will also have the opportunity to volunteer and help with sports clubs, thus supporting work experience opportunities. You will require all of these tools within your toolbox so to maintain a greater edge when competing for employment.
Careers
Sport is not only about passion, there is far more to sport in the 21st Century than winning medals. Sport is developing rapidly as one of the fastest growing businesses and is central to one of the largest budgets ever managed within the UK as it takes on London 2012. Therefore the business of sports management is growing and there are many opportunities across the sports sector. These can be in facility management, sports development management and community management and can stretch across the whole of the leisure sector. There is also the opportunity to spread into other sectors, using your core business skills. There are opportunities also to specialise in marketing and media using our programme option selection. In ‘Leisure Opportunities’ this week there were jobs advertised between £52K and £18K in management: Marketing, Operations, Head of Venues, Projects Management, Centre Managers, Head of Communities, Cultural Services Manager, Contracts Management, Services Management and Club Manager etc. The important aspect is to remember that you are more likely to increase your potential earnings within the sports sector working in a management position.
Applications
What We Look for in Your Application
Basically, two key assets:
Firstly, that you are on course to make the standard entry requirements.
And secondly, that you are well motivated towards increasing your knowledge of sport and business management.
Entry Requirements
You need 200 UCAS points entry onto this course in 2010, across at least two full A-Levels, preferably three (or equivalent) to gain entry onto this course. You will also need at least five GCSE’s Grade A-C which must include English Language and Maths.
We encourage applications from mature students and we will give special individual consideration to you if you are in this category and do not have the standard entry requirements.
Students whose first language is not English will also need British Council IELTS band 6.0 or above or equivalent.
BA (Hons) Sports Business Management Fees
| UK/EU | International | |
| Full-time | £3225 per year | £8950 per year |
| Part-time | £27 per credit point | £75 per credit point |
| Placement (optional) | £643 per year | £4475 per year |
| Assessment | £14 per credit point | £37 per credit point |
Fees shown relate to 09/10 entry only and subject to change