“Working with Southampton FC was a fantastic opportunity to gain valuable experience and expand my network.”
BSc (Hons)Sport and Leisure Business Management
Apply on UCAS
- 2026
- 2027
- 3 years
- 4 years with foundation year
- 4 years with year in industry
- 5 years with foundation and industry years
UCAS code: SLB1
Institution code: S30
UCAS points: 104-120Flexible entry options available
Campus: Southampton City CentreView on Google Maps
Why study a sport and leisure management degree at Solent University
This challenging and professional course delivers all the skills you’ll need to start, develop and succeed in a career in sport and leisure management.
- Top0%of UK unis for teaching quality, out of 130 institutions (Times Good Uni Guide 2026)
- 0thin the UK for First/2:1 degrees, out of 130 institutions (Times Good Uni Guide 2026)
- Top0best student city (StudentCrowd, 2024)
- Solent is a Higher Education Partner with The Chartered Institute for Management of Sport and Physical Activity (CIMPSA).
- With employability at the core of our course, you’ll be able to develop practical and professional skills thanks to the course-team’s well-established industry links.
- You'll have access to real-world managerial opportunities with the University's BUCS sports teams.
- The course offers work opportunities with the University's sports complex and Active Campus initiatives.
Any questions?
Contact international admissions
Email: Call:Course overview
Endorsed by CIMSPA, Solent's Sport and Leisure Business Management course introduces you to a challenging multidisciplinary body of skills and knowledge and enables you to apply management theories to a wide range of issues within the traditional sport, leisure, recreation and physical activity industry, and across more diverse and specialised areas of the wider industry, such as outdoor and adventure recreation, health and fitness, football and business, events, hospitality, and tourism.
During your studies, you will uncover the origins of modern-day sport, examine the strategic business and operational processes that shape businesses, learn how to work professionally in teams, and engage with the latest marketing and event management trends to drive participation and engagement with a variety of sport and leisure pursuits.
You'll study in a diverse, inclusive, and stimulating research informed environment that encourages real-world learning opportunities, empowering you to develop the necessary knowledge, understanding and skills to succeed in the exciting, dynamic sport, leisure, and recreation industry.
With employability at its core, you’ll be able to develop practical and professional skills through a variety of opportunities encouraged alongside your studies. The course team’s established industry links have provided previous students with the opportunity for valuable industry work experience. Past students have also benefitted from talks delivered by guest lecturers, giving insight around current issues in the industry to help build their knowledge and network of contacts.
If you’re looking to study our sport management degree but don’t have the relevant qualifications or experience, the sport foundation year will help you develop the core skills and knowledge to progress. Find out more about the health, sport and social sciences foundation year.
This course also offers the option of a placement year. A placement year allows you to put what you've learned in your first and second years into practice in the workplace, gaining valuable real-world work experience before you graduate. Our course and placements teams will help you find the perfect industry placement in your chosen field.
Accreditations
Endorsed by:
Who is this course for?
This course is ideally suited to students who are currently active in a specific or range of sport and leisure activities, or curious about making that leap into a new subject space. Being active in sport and leisure includes all forms of participation, from active involvement from beginner to advanced levels of performance, administration, coaching, umpiring, spectating, event attendance, social media influencing, and fandom!
We welcome applicants regardless of previous studies. Your age, life stage and experiences to date are no barrier to engaging with this dynamic, fast moving industry where there is a place for everyone.
What does this course lead to?
Graduates of sport related undergraduate degree programmes are favoured across many industry settings due to the unique skill sets they hold. Teamwork, verbal communication and networking, and leadership are aspects of soft skills highly valued by employers.
Graduates from this degree will typically find employment in duty management roles firstly within sport and recreation settings. They are also able to forge careers in teaching, public services, marketing roles, and in hospitality and event management.
Graduate stories
Hear from Solent alumni about where their careers have taken them and how studying at Solent prepared them for their future.
Meet the team
The University cannot guarantee any particular members of staff will teach specific aspects of the course in the future, but will endeavour to ensure the teaching team maintains their balance of experience and qualifications.
Facilities
Our Sports Complex supports our sport and health and fitness degree programmes. The complex comprises two sports halls, fitness studios, strength and conditioning and high performance gyms, health and fitness and personal training teaching areas, and sport and exercise therapy clinical space.
Our vibrant campus brings state-of-the-art facilities to enhance your learning and elevate your student experience. Our award-winning teaching building, The Spark is centred around students and offers a stimulating study environment with flexible learning spaces.
What you'll study
Core modules
Introduction to Sport and Leisure Industries
It is imperative that as an undergraduate you can appreciate the broad nature of the sector and the variety of organisations that exist within it. This module not only explores the scale and scope of this exciting and growing industry, but also allows you to explore the breadth of career opportunities and employability prospects that are open to you post-graduation.
Strategic Business Principles
To prepare you for a career in the sport and leisure sector, this module provides a strong foundation in the core functions of business and operations management theory within the dynamic sport and leisure industry. You'll be introduced to key concepts such as leadership, marketing, finance, and strategic planning, and will explore how effective management supports the success of facilities, programmes, and services across the sport and leisure sector.
Sport and Leisure in Society
In this module, you'll be introduced to key social concepts to help identify and critically engage with a range of social issues, increasing your awareness of how these issues impact sport and leisure environments. To support this, you will engage with a variety of academic literature and contemporary case studies, enabling you to relate theoretical ideas to real-world contexts.
Like and Subscribe: Marketing and Branding
This module will help you with an array of real-life marketing principles in the sport, leisure, health and fitness, and outdoor industries. Marketing knowledge is of crucial importance, regardless of your future role in management. Therefore, an understanding and a practical appreciation of marketing approaches will be essential for every prospective management recruit at all levels.
Core modules
Facilities, Finance and Operations
In this module, you'll explore the core principles and practices involved in managing sport and leisure facilities. You'll examine both operational and strategic aspects of facility management, including daily operations, long-term planning, and performance monitoring, as well as risk management and compliance within the facility environment. You'll also complete a placement within a sport or leisure facility, allowing you to apply theoretical knowledge in practice and gain valuable industry experience.
Event Management
In this module you'll work as part of a team in a real world setting to plan, deliver and evaluate a live event. You will be able to leverage use of the on-site facilities and work alongside Solent sport management teams to deliver events that have been discussed and agreed with industry partners and stakeholders.
Research Skills and Data Analysis
As a keystone module for your undergraduate degree, this module provides you with the fundamental building blocks towards a final year research project and equips you with the tools needed to fulfil an independent and academically rigorous research or consultancy project. Here, you will learn about the importance of academic enquiry and develop an awareness of the role of research in sport and leisure.
Community Partnership Projects
This module allows you to build practical, real-world skills through an immersive, collaborative experience, moving beyond theoretical knowledge by directly engaging them with local community organisations. You'll gain essential skills in project management, including the ability to deliver a negotiated project in alignment with external stakeholders, and manage resources effectively; as well as communication and interpersonal skills, learning to navigate the dynamics of a professional, cross-sector partnership.
Core modules
Contemporary Issues and Sustainable Management
This module is essential to help you navigate an increasingly complex and environmentally-conscious industry. As organisations face growing pressure to adapt to global challenges, graduates must be able to make informed, ethical decisions. You'll develop a critical understanding of current issues - from climate impacts to social inequality and digital transformation - while taking a practical, future-focused approache to managing these challenges.
Policy, Practice and Ethical Leadership
This module will help prepare you for working within the sport, leisure and broader recreation industry. You'll examine current industry-based responses to centrally-formulated public sector-driven sport policy practices, and the subsequent strategic management and localised delivery and implementation of these policy directives, as well as the ethical leadership of such strategies.
People Management and Business Start-up
This module will develop your essential people-management and entrepreneurial skills for the sport and leisure sector. You will explore key knowledge and skills in people management, while also creating a full business start-up proposal. You’ll also gain practical, industry-ready skills for leading people and developing new ventures.
Sport and Leisure Research Project
For this module you can pursue an academic research project or engage in professional practice to research and conduct a consultancy project relevant to your interests and studies. Synthesising your knowledge and skills from other modules, this module enables you to immerse yourself in either a community of practice, where you will appreciate the value of networking and acquisition of vocational skills, or achieve in-depth insight into a specific area of the sport, leisure and recreation industry of your choice to do your own research and write and submit a substantial piece of individual writing.
Any questions?
Contact international admissions
Email: Call:Block teaching at Solent
You will learn by:
You may be assessed at the end of each block by:
- Group presentations
- Individual presentations
- Reports
- Essays
- Portfolios
- Case studies
- Practical activities
- Reflective accounts
- Poster presentations
As part of this course, you will study one module at a time, giving you the chance to build a deeper understanding and see the results of your hard work more quickly. With regular assessments and feedback, rather than exams all at once, you’ll also benefit from improved focus, and a more manageable workload.
Learn more about block teaching
Study support
The student achievement team are on hand to help you succeed during your studies at Solent. They aim to contact you at key times during your time here with personalised information, advice and guidance, by email or phone.
The disability advice team provides information, advice and guidance for disabled students.
All students can access Succeed@Solent, Solent's online guide to getting better grades. It offers extensive, practical information and advice on topics such as academic writing, research and presentations.
Why choose a career in sport and leisure management?
The sport and leisure industry contributed £43.3 billion into the UK economy and employs over 1.3 million people (DCMS, 2024). The industry is a broad employer and encompasses sports facility operation services, services of sports clubs and fitness facilities, sporting goods and retail, sports media, and event operations.
Employers seek graduates that demonstrate autonomy and initiative, collaborative working mindsets, professional communication and digital skills, an ability to see tasks through to completion, time and project management.
Graduate stories
Hear from Solent alumni about where their careers have taken them and how studying at Solent prepared them for their future.
“Working with Southampton FC was a fantastic opportunity to gain valuable experience and expand my network.”
Solent Careers
The Solent Careers team is committed to getting students into great careers.
While you are studying, the team can help you with finding work experience or placements, link you with a mentor, check your CV, or offer one-to-one guidance.
We also have graduate job opportunities just for Solent graduates.
Top 25%
of UK unis for sustained employment
Longitudinal Educational Outcomes, 2025
Certificate in Practical Artificial Intelligence
Every student at Solent University will also have the option to study an additional Certificate in Practical Artificial Intelligence qualification alongside their course. Free of charge, the course ensures you'll be prepared for a fantastic and varied career after graduation.
Tuition fees
The tuition fees for the 2026/27 academic year are:
- UK, ROI, EU (settled status) and Channel Island full-time fees: £9,790 per year
- International full-time fees: £19,081 per year
For further information, please visit our tuition fees page.
Extra course costs
While most course costs are covered by your tuition fees, some essential resources and optional extras may need to be paid for separately. For advice on budgeting and managing your money, please contact student.funding@solent.ac.uk.
Bursaries, scholarships and financial support
Solent University offers a range of bursaries and scholarships that provide financial assistance or waive fees for tuition or accommodation. Each bursary or scholarship has specific eligibility criteria. Check out our bursaries and scholarships pages to find out more.
Cost of living support
At Solent, we understand that the cost of living crisis may be of some concern. To help, we've put together some detailed information to show what support is available and how to make your money go further.
Graduation costs
There is no charge to attend graduation, but you will be required to pay for the rental of your academic gown (approximately £45 per graduate, depending on your award). You may also wish to purchase official photography packages, which range in price from £15 to £200+. Graduation is not compulsory, so if you prefer to have your award sent to you, there is no cost. Extra guest tickets will go on sale after results publication and will be sold on a first-come-first-served basis. The cost per ticket is currently £20. Please note, we do not guarantee there will be any extra tickets available to purchase.
Any questions?
Contact international admissions
Email: Call:Entry requirements
Please select an option below:
Key entry requirements
104-120 UCAS tariff points
- A minimum of two completed A-levels, a BTEC Extended Diploma at DMM or BTEC Diploma at D*D, a T-Level Merit, or equivalent qualification, or a combination of qualifications which comply with the minimum entry requirement of 104 UCAS points.
- All students will be required to undertake a criminal convictions check through the Disclosure and Barring Service.
- For further information about UK qualifications, please contact admissions.
Key entry requirements
As a general guide, we look for qualifications that are equivalent to the British high school A-levels.
If you are applying from outside the UK, find information about entry requirements, visas and agents for your country here.
For further information about EU qualifications, please see our course entry requirements document.
For international students who do not meet the direct entry requirements for this undergraduate degree, our trusted partner, QA Higher Education offers the following pathway programme designed to develop your academic and English language skills:
- International Foundation Year - for progression to the first year of an undergraduate degree
Key entry requirements
As a general guide, we look for qualifications that are equivalent to the British high school A-levels.
If you are applying from outside the UK, find information about entry requirements, visas and agents for your country here.
For further information about international qualifications, please see our course entry requirements document.
For international students who do not meet the direct entry requirements for this undergraduate degree, our trusted partner, QA Higher Education offers the following pathway programme designed to develop your academic and English language skills:
- International Foundation Year - for progression to the first year of an undergraduate degree
Note to all international students requiring a visa
All international applicants need to be aware that the English language requirements to attend Solent University, and the English language requirements to obtain a visa from the Home Office, may be different. This means that if you meet the Solent University language requirement to gain a place on the course, you may still have to meet additional requirements to be granted with a visa by the Home Office.
We strongly advise all applicants to visit the Home Office website which outlines all the requirements for a successful visa application.
How to apply
Full-time
Any student applying for the first year of a full-time/sandwich undergraduate course must apply through UCAS (University and Colleges Admissions Service). This includes mature, overseas and EU students.
Nearly all schools and colleges offer their students the facility of applying electronically through the UCAS website using 'Apply'; it may also be used by those applying independently in the UK and overseas. This facility and all course information can be found on the UCAS website: www.ucas.com.
Your application should reach UCAS by 14 January if you hope to enter a course the following autumn. Early application is advised for the most popular subject areas. Late applications may be made until the end of June. The UCAS Code for the University is S30, code name SOLNT.
Find out what happens after you apply
Contextual offers
Solent endeavours to offer learning opportunities to students from all backgrounds. When we receive and review an application, we take into consideration the context and personal circumstances of applicants when making a decision, which means our advertised entry tariff could be reduced.
Find out more about Solent's contextual offers
Language requirements
Applicants who do not have English as their first language will be required to demonstrate an approved level of proficiency in the use of the English language. The agreed minimum requirements for this course are:
- IELTS minimum 6.0 overall with a minimum of 5.5 in each individual component.
- Duolingo English Language Test - 115 overall with minimum of 95 in each component or equivalent.
TOEFL IBT tests taken prior to 21 January 2026
- Minimum overall score of 80 with a minimum of 20 in each individual component.
TOEFL IBT tests taken from 21 January 2026
- Minimum overall score of 4.5 with a minimum of 4 in each individual component.
Qualifications are checked before enrolment, and international students must bring their original certificates or certified copies when coming to study at the University.
Pre-Sessional English programme
The University also offers a pre-sessional English programme for international students who wish to improve their level of English before starting a degree course.
UCAS points: 104-120
Any questions?
Contact international admissions
Email: Call:Make your application
- 3 years
- 4 years with foundation year
- 4 years with year in industry
- 5 years with foundation and industry years
