- 3 years
- 4 years with foundation year
- 4 years with year in industry
- 5 years with foundation and industry years
Do you want to turn your love for sport into an academic qualification and study for a sports-related honours degree here at Solent University? Leading directly on to the BSc (Hons) Sport Management degree, this one year foundation programme will equip you with the skills you’ll need to progress.
Studying a foundation year could give students an opportunity to extend previous experience gained, or provide a route back into education. The course will help develop the key academic skills required to make the transition to studying the full BSc (Hons) Sport Management degree.
Students will study core theories in sport and fitness but, crucially, will learn how to apply this knowledge in practical settings – helping to develop the skills that employers are looking for.
Graduates of the foundation and guaranteed entry on to the three year degree.
This degree focuses on business, social enterprise and management within the sports industry. You’ll study a combination of management topics including marketing, business start-up, human resources as well as event organisation, sport governance, social and cultural issues, health and safety and contemporary and global trends to develop a thorough and critical understanding of sport industry issues and theory.
There is also the option to specialise in one of three pathways in year two and three.
Sport Management pathway
This well-established pathway develops your critical knowledge, understanding and application of sport sociology, sports development and sports policy and practice across a range of sport industry settings at operational, management and strategic level.
Outdoor Adventure pathway
This pathway explores the breadth of alternative sport and leisure pursuits and includes topics such as nature therapy, coaching, outdoor education, adventure recreation (with tourism), retail and extreme sports.
Football and Business pathway
This pathway applies sport management to the specific football and business environment. Topics will include football development, coaching, sociology of football, globalisation of football and professional practice.
*Please note not all options associated with a pathway are guaranteed to run each year.
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 industry field trip and talks delivered by guest lecturers, giving insight around current issues in the industry to help build their knowledge and network of contacts.
This video 'Why study BSc (Hons) Sport Management' is available as a text transcript, with a description of visuals.
We also offer a unique opportunity for paid roles at our very own Sports Complex. Opened in May 2019 as part of a £100 million campus redevelopment, the Solent Sports Complex brings state-of-the-art health, fitness and wellbeing equipment and services to Solent University students and staff, as well as the local community.
This video 'BSc (Hons) Sport Management' is available as a text transcript, with a description of visuals.
The BSc (Hons) Sport Management degree focuses on business, social enterprise and management within the sports industry. You’ll study a combination of management topics including marketing, business start-up, human resource management and operations as well as event organisation, sports policy and sociology modules to develop a thorough and critical understanding of sport industry issues and theory.
There is also the option to specialise in two additional sport management pathways, outdoor adventure studies and football business.
Outdoor Adventure Studies will include topics such as nature therapy, coaching, outdoor education, adventure recreation (with tourism), retail and extreme sports. While Football Business offers sport management contextualised to the football environment. Topics will include football development, coaching, sociology of football, globalisation of football and professional practice.
With employability at its core, you’ll be able to develop practical and professional skills through a variety of placement options from a four-week work placement unit to a sandwich year-long placement.
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 industry field trip and talks delivered by guest lecturers, giving insight around current issues in the industry to help build their knowledge and network of contacts.
Why choose this course?
Course features
Additional qualification
This course offers additional qualifications for you to obtain with your degree
Foundation year available
If you're not quite ready for a full undergraduate degree, there's alternative entry through one of our foundation years
Professional membership
You have the opportunity to obtain a professional membership as part of this degree
Placement year
If you apply for this course with a placement year, you have the opportunity to undertake a year in industry between your second and third years
Specialist facilities
This course has access to specialist facilities
Further studies
After successfully completing your studies, there's an opportunity to continue your studies at Solent
Who is this course for?
The sport foundation year is perfect for sports enthusiasts who wish to study for a full honours degree, but might not meet the entry requirements. Upon completion of the foundation year, students will be able to progress directly on to the first year of the BSc (Hons) Sport Management undergraduate degree.
Solent's sport management programme is the ideal way for applicants to combine their love of sport with a management degree which offers a wealth of senior career opportunities across the industry
Applicants come from a wide range of academic backgrounds and sporting passions and the creativity and diversity of the degree allows the full scope of the industry to be explored. This is through broad, flexible and transferable, management skills which fulfil a variety of life-long career aspirations and which can be adaptable to respond to the changing socio-economic and global climate and ensuring graduate career longevity in the sports management sector.
What does this course leads to?
This course can lead to a wealth of management careers across the sports industry - potential career paths include leisure, entertainment and sport centre management, stadium management, event organisation, sponsorship and marketing, sport and adventure tourism, youth and community development, sports administration, teaching and lecturing and specialisms in the outdoor/adventure industry and football club/agency management.
The skills you’ll build up on the course could also create entrepreneurial opportunities, such as setting up your own sports business enterprise.
Meet the team
The course is delivered by staff who have extensive teaching, professional and industry experience. Staff are committed to delivering an excellent student experience which blends theory and practice through real-world learning opportunities. The course team have excellent links with both local and national sports organisations and clubs, as well as experience of working in the industry. Their experience can provide valuable networking and part-time work opportunities.
Lynsey Melhuish
Associate Professor and Course Leader
Anya Higgins
Senior Lecturer
Rhian Jones
Senior Lecturer
Mark Turner
Senior Research Fellow
Kola Adeosun
Senior Lecturer
David Webber
Course Leader
Charlie Gambrill
Lecturer
Claire Backhouse
Associate Lecturer
Lisa Binney
Senior Lecturer
Catherine Phipps
Senior Lecturer
Becki Morton
Lecturer
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, two fitness studios, strength and conditioning and high performance gym, health and fitness and personal training teaching teams, 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.
Come to an open day
Fancy a sneak peek? Take a look around!
Core modules
Leadership Through Sport
During this module you will learn about key definitions, theories and concepts of leadership including: leadership styles, theories of learning, becoming a leader, creating an environment, reflective practice, leading individuals and teams, how to develop athletes and safe and inclusive practice.
Foundations of Fitness
In addition to learning the theories that underpin the subject of fitness in sport, you will engage with various topics and learning styles and opportunities.
The Sports and Football Industry
This module will introduce you to the wider Sport and Football industry and enable you to focus on the environments that relate more closely to your chosen degree in the Sport, or Football environment.
Fundamentals of Sport Business Management
Studying this module will provide you with a broad overview of the sport business and will enable you to develop subject-specific knowledge in several key areas such as operations, management, finance and marketing.
Volunteering in Sport
The module will focus on the personal and professional development opportunities available to enhance the key attributes that employers demand, covering both customer-facing and business-facing experiences.
Sport in the Contemporary World
In this module will focus on the contemporary issues in sport, Teaching and learning will be led by issues highlighted in the academic arena, trade press and general media.
How you will learn and be assessed
You will learn by:
You may be assessed by a combination of:
Assignments
Practical activities
In-class tests
Case studies
Portfolios
Group work
Group presentations
Written exams
Practical exams
Solent’s curriculum framework builds on our unique, creative and applied approach to teaching. The transformation of students’ lives is at the heart of our mission as a university, and our curriculum – informed by the latest theory – reflects this shared educational vision.
Find out moreStudy 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.
Access Solent 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 the industry?
Tuition fees
The tuition fees for the 2022/23 academic year are:
- UK, EU (settled status) and Channel Island full-time fees: £9,250 per year
- International full-time fees: £14,250 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. These additional costs are listed below. For advice on budgeting and managing your money, please contact student.funding@solent.ac.uk.
The 2022/23 other costs are not yet available. For guidance, previous other costs have been:
Compulsory costs
DBS disclosure: £84
Compulsory sports clothing: £55
Optional costs
A student undertaking an optional residential visit or field trip will be required to contribute to travel, accommodation and food costs during the visit.
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.
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 £15. Please note, we do not guarantee there will be any extra tickets available to purchase.
Financial information videos
Student finance in under three minutes Student funding - the essentials
Entry requirements
Please select an option below:
Key entry requirements
48 UCAS tariff points from A-levels or equivalent
- A minimum of two completed A-levels, a BTEC Extended Diploma at PPP or BTEC Diploma at MP, a T-Level Pass (D or E), or equivalent.
- We will consider mature students who have not recently undertaken a formal course of study at A-level, or equivalent, but can demonstrate relevant work or voluntary experience, that's indicative of their ability to complete the course successfully.
- For further information about UK qualifications, please refer to our course entry requirement statement.
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 refer to our course entry requirement statement.
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 refer to our course entry requirement statement.
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 and to take a look at this PDF document which outlines both Solent University and Home Office requirements for a number of language tests.
Any questions?
Contact our admissions team!Call: 023 8201 5066Email: admissions@solent.ac.uk
How to apply
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 26 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.
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 6.0 overall with a minimum of 5.5 in each individual component
-
or equivalent.
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.
We will prepare you for your future
Suitable roles for graduates include
- Entertainment and sport centre management
- Stadium management
- Event organisation
- Sponsorship and marketing
- Sport and adventure tourism
- Youth and community development
- Sports administration
- Teaching and lecturing
- Specialisms in the outdoor/adventure industry
- Football club/agency management
- Related business operations and administration
We will help you start your career
The Solent Futures 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.
If you're in your final year, we also have graduate job opportunities just for Solent graduates.
Find out moreSupport at Solent
All students at Solent University have access to a range of specialist support services. Whether you are having financial difficulty, need additional help with academic skills or want advice on setting up your own business you'll find that help is always on hand.
Most of our specialist support services are based around the Student Hub, a central space where you can access all the information and support you may need during your time at University. The Student Hub is the first point of contact if you have any queries relating to your course, including questions about your timetable, options, and assessments and extenuating circumstances.
We work in partnership with the University to build a sense of pride and confidence in your Union, University and student experience.
Find out moreFurther study
Thinking about studying further than an undergraduate degree? Alumni can get up to 50% off their postgraduate study.
Sport Management
Looking to further your career in the sport management industry? This masters in sport management will give you the advanced knowledge and skills required for a successful...
Make your application
- 3 years
- 4 years with foundation year
- 4 years with year in industry
- 5 years with foundation and industry years