Sports Business Management

Entry requirements

You will need at least a second class honours degree or overseas equivalent qualification in order to apply to study the programmes. If you have appropriate professional qualifications or relevant work experience you may also be considered.

Months of entry

September

Course content

Study the fast-moving sports industry and shape your business expertise on our Sports Business Management MSc. Capitalise on your enthusiasm for sport and your ambition to secure a career in this dynamic sector on a programme designed to develop your sports industry knowledge and business skills, enabling you to take full advantage of the sector's excellent career potential.

Our Sports Business Management MSc provides you with the opportunity to study the sport and business worlds in-depth. Both sectors are in constant flux, especially the sports sector which is advancing in new ways such as esports, environmental sustainability in sport and women's sports. We’ve designed this programme to give you a comprehensive view of the sports industry, featuring guest lectures and industry days where you will gain valuable industry insights. You will also develop business expertise, helping you as you pursue a career in the sector.

Sports-related core modules on the programme focus on areas such as exploring the complicated relationship between sport and the media, analysing the current state of play and what the potential future may look like. You will also evaluate the different experiences of sports and esports fans at events and use the theory you’ve studied to create your own sports activation or marketing campaign.

What are the different factors that influence successful sponsorship deals and what impact will the industry's shift towards sustainability have? To address this, you will study real-world examples such as fashion brand Hugo Boss switching its sponsorship away from Formula 1 to Formula E, growing investment in women’s and disability sports, and the sustainable water solutions organisation Xylem’s sponsorship of Manchester City Football Club.

The programme provides an insight into what goes on behind the scenes in preparing for major sporting events such as Wimbledon, the FIFA World Cup and the Summer and Winter Olympic Games. You will learn about the different event bidding processes, consider the visitor experience for those attending and evaluate the legacy of these high-profile sporting events.

You will also enhance your professional development and creativity expertise by designing creative solutions to real-world business problems. This is a great opportunity to explore creativity theory and apply this in practice to enhance your skills in time management, working to deadlines and teamwork.

A range of optional business modules offer the chance to improve your sustainability literacy, giving you the chance to study how organisations change what they do and how they do it, with a view to making eco-friendly business decisions. You will explore current debates and challenges within leadership as well as strengthen your knowledge and understanding of the subject.

You could also study the theories and concepts around contemporary consumer behaviour in a global, multicultural and digital age, or examine the international business environment, learning about how different external factors impact global business activities.

Further options include looking at real life marketing situations and analysing how you can apply marketing theory to find effective solutions in creative, innovative, ethical and sustainable ways. You will also study different types of branding from emotional and experience brands to global brands and branding in the digital age, plus identifying the social and ethical implications of branding.

The programme also focuses on the process of starting a new business venture from business plans to funding, introducing you to applicable enterprise and entrepreneurship theories. You will also develop theoretical and practical knowledge in how data and information are used to inform business strategy. Your research and analytical skills will be further developed, ensuring you know how to scope research or problem-solving projects, and can recognise the benefits and drawbacks of the different research methods.

Information for international students

Anyone applying from a country where English is not the first language is required to take an official test of English language obtaining at least IELTS 6.5 with a minimum of 5.5 in each subtest.

The Keele University International College offer a one semester Pre-Master's in Business programme for international students who do not meet the traditional entry requirements for a postgraduate business degree at Keele University.

Please visit the Keele University International College for more information on how to apply, entry requirements and course details.

Fees and funding

It's important to plan carefully for your funding before you start your course. Please be aware that not all postgraduate courses and not all students are eligible for the UK government postgraduate loans and, in some cases, you would be expected to source alternative funding yourself. If you need support researching your funding options, please contact our Financial Support Team.