Undergraduate study - 2025 entry
Edinburgh: Extraordinary futures await.

BSc Sport Management

UCAS code: NS30

Duration: 4 years

Delivery: Full-time

School: Education and Sport, The Moray House School of

College: Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences

Study abroad
Placements

Introducing BSc Sport Management

Sport is a rapidly expanding global business. Our unique BSc Sport Management degree will prepare you for a career in this exciting industry.

Immerse yourself in a dynamic programme that blends theory with real-world experience. With a diverse range of courses on offer throughout your time on the programme, BSc Sport Management equips you with the tools you need to transform your passion for sport into a lifelong profession.

The University also benefits from strong connections with a range of major sports organisations. These provide excellent placement opportunities and guest speakers to enhance your learning.

The core of the degree

In the course of studying sport management, you will learn about:

  • the principles of management at operational and strategic levels
  • policy and governance across and within the sports industry
  • the value and purpose of sport in society
  • the role of marketing and communication in sport
  • the social, cultural and economic importance of sport
  • a range of contemporary and global issues in sport
  • the relationship between sport and other industries, including health, education and tourism and heritage
  • a range of research methods and traditions

Our community

You will join a community of researchers and academics involved in:

  • sports and health-related research
  • advising government departments
  • local, national and international governance of sport
  • providing analyses to media outlets
  • organising international conferences
  • international development initiatives

Year 1

In Year 1, you will study four compulsory courses:

  • The Sport Industry
  • Sport Marketing and Sponsorship
  • History of Sport
  • Sport and Society

These four courses provide a strong foundation from which to develop your learning over the next years of your degree.

These courses will teach you a range of skills including different forms of written communication and group work.

You will also take courses offered elsewhere in the University. For example, courses in the Business School, the School of Social and Political Science and the School of Literatures, Languages and Cultures can all complement your learning.

Year 2

In Year 2, you will take four compulsory courses:

  • Sport Operations Management
  • Events Management
  • Research Methods
  • Professional Placement

In Semester 1, you will again have access to other courses offered elsewhere in the University.

Professional Placement

The Professional Placement course is a six-week research-based placement with a local, national or international sports organisation.

Learning outcomes

Through these courses, you will develop:

  • presentation skills
  • report-writing skills
  • the use of case study approaches
  • an understanding of how management works in the real world of sport
  • an understanding of how to conduct your own research project

Year 3

In Year 3, you will take the following compulsory courses:

  • Sport Development
  • Sport and Communication
  • Strategic Sport Management
  • Critical Sociological Critiques of Sport
  • Advanced Research Methods

These further develop your knowledge of the sport industry and key concepts and research in social science and management studies.

Option courses

You will also select one additional course from the following options:

  • Sport, Physical Activity and Public Health
  • Sport, Education and Social Justice
  • Sport, Tourism, and Heritage
  • The Dark Sides of Sport
  • Sport and Technology

Year 4

You will take the following compulsory courses:

  • Sport Industry in a Global Context
  • Sport, Media and Ideology
  • Contemporary Issues in Sport Management

Option courses

You will also select one additional option course. For this, you can do one of the following:

  • pick a course from the same range of options you had in Year 3
  • take the Sport and Social Enterprise course, which is available in Year 4 only

Dissertation

In Year 4, you will research and submit a dissertation report on a sport management topic of your choice. A member of staff will supervise this project.

Programme structure

Find out more about the compulsory and optional courses in this degree programme.

To give you an idea of what you will study on this programme, we publish the latest available information. However, please note this may not be for your year of entry, but for a different academic year.

Programme structure (2023/24)

Our facilities

Most of your teaching will take place within Moray House School of Education and Sport. The school is part of the Holyrood campus in central Edinburgh.

The school has its own IT labs and library. You will also have access to all University computer facilities and libraries.

Take a virtual tour

You can take a closer look at Moray House School of Education and Sport and explore our facilities and campus on the University's Virtual Visit site.

Take a virtual tour of Moray House School of Education and Sport

Placements

In Year 2, you will complete a compulsory placement with a local, national or international sports organisation. The placement is research-based and lasts six weeks.

This invaluable work-based learning will:

  • further your understanding of sport management in practice
  • enhance your employability

Previous student placement organisations include:

  • community sports clubs
  • health and fitness clubs
  • football clubs, including Celtic and Manchester United
  • golf courses, including Gleneagles
  • sports marketing and media companies, including Sky Sports, IMG, the Scotsman
  • sport governing bodies, including Sportscotland, Scottish Hockey, Jogscotland, Basketball Scotland, Rugby Football Union (RFU), Scottish Rugby Union (SRU)
  • local authority sport and leisure services including Edinburgh Leisure

Read more about our placement opportunities

Study abroad

It is possible to study abroad in Year 3 in:

  • USA
  • Australia
  • New Zealand
  • Singapore
  • Malaysia
  • a number of European countries

What are my options for going abroad?

How will I learn?

You will be taught through:

  • lectures
  • tutorials
  • site visits
  • practical work
  • problem-based and case-study work
  • seminars

How will I be assessed?

You will be assessed through a range of coursework methods, including:

  • essays, reports and other written assignments
  • group and individual oral presentations
  • posters presentations
  • placement project reports
  • videos and vlogs

You will complete a dissertation in Year 4.

Recent graduates have gone on to work in professional fields such as:

  • sport marketing
  • sport tourism
  • events management companies
  • national governing bodies
  • local authorities
  • health and fitness clubs
  • sports media companies

Some graduates have started their own businesses or continued with their education taking a range of postgraduate courses.

Standard entry requirement

The standard entry requirement is:

  • SQA Highers: AAAB by end of S5 or AAAA by end of S6. BBB must be achieved in one year of S4-S6.
  • A Levels: AAA.
  • IB: 36 points with 665 at HL.

Minimum entry requirement

The minimum entry requirement for widening access applicants is:

  • SQA Highers: ABBB by end of S6. BBB must be achieved in one year of S4-S6.
  • A Levels: ABB.
  • IB: 34 points with 655 at HL.

More information for widening access applicants

Required subjects

The grades used to meet our entry requirements must include:

  • SQA: Highers: no specific Higher subjects required. National 5s: English at C.
  • A Levels: no specific A Level subjects required. GCSEs: English at C or 4.
  • IB: HL: no specific subjects required. SL: English at 5.

Find out more about entry requirements

International applicants

We welcome applications from students studying a wide range of international qualifications.

Entry requirements by country

International Foundation Programme

If you are an international student and your school qualifications are not accepted for direct entry to the University you may be eligible for admission to this degree programme through our International Foundation Programme.

International Foundation Programme

Mature applicants

We welcome applications from mature students and accept a range of qualifications.

Mature applicant qualifications

Regardless of your nationality or country of residence, you must demonstrate a level of English language competency at a level that will enable you to succeed in your studies.

SQA, GCSE and IB

For SQA, GCSE and IB students, unless a higher level is specified in the stated entry requirements, a pass is required in English at the following grades or higher:

  • SQA National 5 at C
  • GCSE at C or 4
  • Level 2 Certificate at C
  • IB Standard Level at 5 (English ab initio is not accepted for entry)

English language tests

We accept the following English language qualifications at the grades specified:

  • IELTS Academic: total 6.5 with at least 5.5 in each component.We do not accept IELTS One Skill Retake to meet our English language requirements.
  • TOEFL-iBT (including Home Edition): total 92 with at least 20 in each component. We do not accept TOEFL MyBest Score to meet our English language requirements.
  • C1 Advanced (CAE) / C2 Proficiency (CPE): total 176 with at least 162 in each component.
  • Trinity ISE: ISE II with distinctions in all four components.
  • PTE Academic: total 62 with at least 54 in each component.

We also accept a wider range of international qualifications and tests.

Unless you are a national of a majority English speaking country, your English language qualification must be no more than three and a half years old from the start of the month in which the degree you are applying to study begins. If you are using an IELTS, PTE Academic, TOEFL or Trinity ISE test, it must be no more than two years old on the first of the month in which the degree begins, regardless of your nationality.

English language requirements

This information is part of a government initiative to enhance the material that higher education institutions provide about their degree programmes.

It is one of many sources of information which will enable you to make an informed decision on what and where to study.

Please note that some programmes do not have Discover Uni data available.

Tuition Fees

Tuition fees for BSc Sport Management

Additional costs

Some courses will require you to pay additional costs, depending on whether specific activities are involved.

For example, you may choose to do a particular type of research where you will work with children or vulnerable adults. In this case, you will be required to pay the cost of applying to the Scottish government's Protecting Vulnerable Groups (PVG) Scheme.

Funding

For more information on how much it will cost to study with us and the financial support available see our fees and funding information.

Fees and funding