With the constant growth of the sports industry, careers in the field are also growing. Many institutions offer courses in sports. Loughborough University (LU) in the U.K. has been ranked as the Sports University of the Year 2013-14 by The Sunday Times. Joe Piggin, lecturer in Sports Management and Policy at the University, talks to EducationPlus about the ranking, courses offered by the School of Sports, Exercise and Health Sciences (SSEHS) and the career prospects.
What is the USP of the SSEHS?
At SSEHS, students are taught directly by some of the world’s leading researchers in the areas of sport management including marketing, sport policy and economics. They will also be immersed in a campus which houses many of the U.K.’s national governing bodies for sport who they can interact with through guest lectures and direct case studies.
What are the courses offered?
LU offers a wide range of courses, including undergraduate degrees in Sport Management and Sport Science, and going on to master’s degree and Ph.D. Some of these courses are B.Sc. Sport and Exercise Science; B.Sc. Sport Management; B.Sc. Sport Science with Management; B.Sc. Human Biology; and B.Sc. Psychology.
Joint honours courses are offered in Sport Science with: Mathematics; Chemistry; Physics; English; Geography and Sport Management with Geography.
Postgraduate master’s taught courses include: M.Sc. Exercise Physiology; MRes Human Biology; M.Sc. Physical Activity and Public Health; MRes Psychology; M.Sc. Sociology of Sport; M.Sc. Sport and Exercise Nutrition; M.Sc. Sport and Exercise Psychology; M.Sc. Sport and Exercise Science; M.Sc. Sport Coaching; M.Sc. Sport Management; and M.Sc. Sports Biomechanics.
What is the eligibility? Are scholarships available?
Fee for international students is close to £13,000. There are limited spaces and so seats are based on selection. A second-class honours degree is often a starting point for most courses. Scholarships are available based on merit.
Sports education globally and with regard to India…
There are well-established sport management programmes in the U.K., the U.S. and Australia and New Zealand. India has some universities which focus on undergraduate degrees.
Career prospects
Sport management is a growing discipline. Sport managers are more likely to be involved in a wide range of roles in governments, companies and communities. More countries are now focusing on elite success in sport. Also, from the health perspective, finding ways to get people active is of growing importance.
