Sport Leadership and Management PG Dip | University of Bedfordshire

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Why choose the School of Sport Science and Physical Activity

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Merging the expertise of our Sport Science and Business schools, this PG Diploma is one of the first of its kind in the UK.

Our Sports teaching staff are industry experienced, with many actively involved in sports teams; our Business academic team are industry experts engaged in consultancy, business involvement and social impact.

Our business and management courses rank 4th overall in their subject field in the Postgraduate Taught Experience Survey 2024, with top 3 rankings for teaching, engagement, learning community and course organisation.

About the course

This 60-credit postgraduate qualification is designed to develop your knowledge, key competencies and skills in your subject field; support you to fit study around your other commitments; and boost your career prospects.

Course structure: one four-hour timetabled session per week, for 22 weeks.

This course is one of the first of its kind in the UK. It equips you with an advanced practical knowledge of strategic management and the skills you need for impactful leadership in this thriving field. You will develop a critical understanding of the issues facing sport and physical activity in the UK and around the world, and uncover a range of approaches to widen participation in physical activity.

Course accreditiation

We increase the employability of our graduates by being a Higher Education Partner of the Chartered Institute for the Management of Sport and Physical Activity (CIMSPA).

Facilities and specialist equipment

Situated at our friendly, collegiate Bedford campus with its excellent sport science facilities including BASES-accredited sports laboratories and a national-standard sports arena
Access to our state-of-the-art data lab, equipped with top-tier business analytics software and platforms, including Vensim simulation software, allowing hands-on learning and exploration
Benefit from a range of learning resources, such as Harvard Business Publications (which includes simulations) and Oracle OPERA, to support you on your learning journey

Industry links

Luton Town FC and Bedford Blues Rugby Club logos

We are official partners of Luton Town FC and Bedford Blues RFC as well as other sporting organisations in the region such as Bedford Tigers RLFC, MK Dons, Cricket East and Be Active, giving you opportunities to build your employability through work placements.

Your student experience

Acquire essential professional skills aligned with bodies like the Chartered Management Institute and the Institute for the Management of Sport and Physical Activity.

Benefit from opportunities for placements with our official partners Luton Town FC and Bedford Blues RFC and Foundation as well as other sporting organisations such as Bedford Tigers RLFC, MK Dons, Cricket East and Be Active.

In Business, join our Global Guest Speaker series, featuring academics, industry leaders, and professionals from organisations like Luton Borough Council, the European Commission and bodies such as the Association of Project Management (APM).

In Sports, access regular industry speakers through our research institute’s seminar series; recent speakers are professionals from MK Dons, PGA, Northampton Saints and our education partners, Luton Town FC and Bedford Blues RFC.

Participate in field trips to exhibitions like the Great Business Exhibition and Tech Show London, as well as visits to sports-related sites such as St George’s Park, the home of England Football, Luton Town FC and Bedford Blues RFC.

Solve real-life problems working with the University’s Research and Innovation Service (RIS) where you can assist local businesses and SMEs to up-skill and innovate.

Course Leader - Stuart Wilson

I have been employed in the sport and physical activity industry since 1999, predominately in a Sports Development role. Most recently, I was a Relationship Manager within SkillsActive, a national partners of Sport England, and worked with organisations such as National Governing Bodies of Sport, County Sports Partnerships and Leisure Operators to create programmes that supported their workforce and business development.

Find out more about Stuart Wilson

Course Leader - Stuart Wilson

Find out more about Stuart Wilson

What will you study?

Sport In The Global Context

This unit provides the contextual knowledge of the sports sector globally. As an international industry, the unit will explore and analyse how sport is developed and delivered across the globe. Sport organisations operate nationally and internationally, whilst sports programmes are often designed for export to developing countries. Likewise, international events are often used as a tool for development. The unit will explore the competing demands on sport in terms of it being both a commodified entity and an activity that is seen as relevant in providing wider social good.

In undertaking this analysis, the unit will reflect on the broader political, social and economic factors that impact on the sector, exploring theoretical perspectives on sport as a global business, sport as political tool and sport for development.

Leading And Managing Sustainable Organisations

This unit will provide you the opportunity to explore current research and practice around the leadership and management in the context of sport. Using current project and programmes as a basis for learning, the unit will focus on the leadership and management of organisations. In doing so, it will explore the principles of responsible leadership, focusing on ethical decision-making and effective stakeholder engagement.

Additionally, the unit will analyse various management processes employed in HR, financial, EDI, and other workplace scenarios. In delivery, the unit will utilise a blend of theoretical frameworks, case studies, and real-world applications to develop practical skills for navigating the 21st-century challenges facing organisations in sport.

Applied Innovation And Entrepreneurship In Sport

In a fast-moving innovative sporting environment, leading creativity, entrepreneurship and change are essential to successful organisational performance. This unit provides an opportunity for you to explore how these processes might be effectively promoted across organisations of all sizes in the sporting sector and supports your critical appreciation of the need for continuous innovation and entrepreneurship in the dynamic sporting context. The unit adopts a critical approach, encouraging consideration of alternative perspectives evidenced by influential academic and practitioner contributors.

To apply your knowledge, the opportunity will be provided for you to engage with a sector-based organisation. Taking an evidence-based management (EBMgt) approach, you will work with the organisation to identify an area of business that they are looking to develop, change or innovate and produce an applied based research proposal that supports this development. The work and proposal that you undertake in this unit will provide the foundation, preparation and building blocks for your MBA Applied Project.

Strategy Analysis In The Global Environment

This unit explores strategy, its development and its application to organisations in sport. In particular, it aims to enable you to develop a comprehensive understanding of strategic leadership and management in the context of sport.

By exploring theories, concepts, and frameworks, the unit aims to support you to build a practical comprehension of strategic management principles as applied to the field of sport. You will develop the ability to critically analyse data sources and industry information, formulate, and execute effective strategies to address challenges specific to sports leadership and management. This will allow you to make informed strategic decisions by linking the evaluation of information to the selection and application of appropriate tools within the sports context. In doing this, you will develop essential skills highly valued by modern organizations operating in the sport sector.

Careers

The skills, knowledge, theoretical concepts and practical experience you gain from this PG Diploma will support you in progressing within the sport and physical activity sector, offering career opportunities at a local, national and global level. Roles include working for a governing body, professional club or sports-related charitable organisation. The leadership and managerial focus of the course also provides numerous transferable skills relevant to a variety of service industries.

Entry Requirements

2.2 honours degree or equivalent in a related subject area

Entry Requirements

2.2 honours degree or equivalent in a related subject area

Fees for this course

UK 2025/26

The standard fee for a Postgraduate Diploma for the Academic Year 2025/26 is £6,700.

Alternatively if you have any questions around fees and funding, please email admission@beds.ac.uk

Scholarship Available

The University of Bedfordshire is proud of its alumni and is delighted to offer a tuition fee discount for those who choose to continue or return to the University for on campus Postgraduate level studies.

We offer a 20% discount on full and part-time Masters courses to those who were successful in completing an Honours Degree with the University of Bedfordshire, DMU’s Bedford campus or the University of Luton.