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Why choose the School of Sport Science and Physical Activity
Our partnership with Luton Town Football Club offers excellent career development opportunities and work experience for students studying on sports-related courses
We’re in the top 10 for Graduate outcomes in the Guardian University Guide, 2024 because our courses get you a degree-level job
Our students say our courses, teaching and support are a winning combination, that’s why we are 38th out of 122 for Sport in the Guardian League Subject area 2024
About the course
As a global industry sport and physical activity offer employment opportunities all over the world. If you are an ambitious future professional looking to move into a sport and physical activity leadership or management position this is the course for you.
The course is designed for recent graduates wishing to develop their career in the industry. It supports you in developing the advanced leadership and management knowledge and skills you need to gain entry to the sector while deepening your critical understanding of the issues facing professionals in sport and physical activity settings in the UK and around the world.
Taking a practical research-based approach the course gives you the opportunity to analyse examples of best practice; develop your understanding of the latest leadership and management techniques; and undertake an industry-based research project in an area of your choice.
Attendance
- Full time over one year: 2 x half-day sessions per week
- Part time over two years: 1 x half-day sessions per week
Why choose this course?
- Analyse real industry problems then develop and implement creative and innovative solutions including ideas to engage people in sport and physical activity participation
- Gain the necessary personal competencies applied practical skill-sets and subject expertise to become a theoretically informed and reflective practitioner
- Develop your personal and professional network and benefit from our links with Sport England governing bodies active partnerships private-sector employers and European partners
- Receive support from industry mentors studying on our MA Sport and Physical Activity (Executive Leadership) course
- Exchange knowledge about sport and physical activity through units shared with students from the MA Physical Education and Sport (Pedagogy) course
- Learn from a team with a wide range of academic expertise and experience in specific subject areas such as policy management leadership and the sociology of sport
- Gain insights from industry experts through the seminar series coordinated by the Institute of Sport and Physical Activity Research (ISPAR)
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.
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.
What will you study?
Studying our Sport and Physical Activity Leadership and Management MA course will equip you with the knowledge and skills in the combined areas of sport, physical activity, leadership and management. Through examining case studies, you will explore and evaluate the development and management of sports and physical activity interventions in our Managing Sport and Physical Activity unit. This closely links to our Leadership Principles and Practice unit where you will explore key leadership theories and concepts while critically considering issues that impact leadership in sport and physical activity.
Using an analytical approach, you will also discuss Critical Issues in Sport and Physical Activity to examine sport engagement in schools, youth sport and community sport. This will build you understanding as to why diverse individuals or groups do or do not engage in sport while challenging normative assumptions about sport and physical activity engagement or disengagement. Furthermore, you will also have the opportunity to investigate engagement in physical education, sport or physical activity in our Participatory Action Research for the Development of Sport and Physical Activity unit with a significant research project.
In areas of policy, you will analyse sports policies set by government and sports agencies in our Contemporary Sports Policy unit to discover how sport and physical activity is developed nationally, regionally and locally while considering the rationale behind policy development. With this global approach, you will consider how sport and physical activity is used as a tool for development and engagement worldwide and how this supports the wider social development of a country in our International Development of Sport unit. In areas of health, our Behavioural Science and Public Health unit will introduce you how public health disciplines and behavioural science can be used to facilitate behaviour change that supports positive health and at the same time, prevention of disease and illness.
Finally, you will complete a Sport and Physical Activity Master’s Dissertation where you will undertake a research project into a topic of interest relevant to your subject area. To help you with this, our Research Methods for Sport, Education and Physical Activity unit will facilitate your ability to understand, evaluate and conduct research in sport and exercise science while also enabling you to collect and analyse data. Following this, you also have the option to undertake our Placement (Short) unit that will support you with the knowledge around application processes and employability skills for you to undertake a work-based placement.
How will you be assessed?
This course will use a range of different learning and teaching activities including classroom based lectures seminars and tutorials. You will also work in small groups and workshops to discuss case studies undertake applied management exercises prepare for assessments and work on presentations.
Additionally online learning will be provided through the use of BREO the Virtual Learning Environment of the University of Bedfordshire. Although classroom and online learning sessions are regularly held during term time a Masters Level course requires considerable additional independent study time.
Careers
The skills knowledge theoretical concepts and applied practical experience you gain from the course will prepare you to gain entry to the sport and physical activity sector and support you to progress within the industry. Previous students have gained roles within active partnerships; local authorities; national governing bodies; national charitable organisations; and universities.
While the primary focus is to provide you with the skills to develop a career in sport and physical activity the managerial and applied focus of the course provides numerous transferable skills that can be related to a variety of service industries.
On graduation you can also take up opportunities for continued study at PhD level via the Institute for Sport and Physical Activity Research (ISPAR). ISPAR members have a diverse range of research interests so many research topic areas can be accommodated. For more information visit Institute for Sport and Physical Activity Research
Entry Requirements
Entry Requirements
Fees for this course
UK 2024/25
The full-time standard fee for a taught Master's degree for the Academic Year 2024/25 is £10,000 per year. You can apply for a loan from the Government to help pay for your tuition fees and living costs. Visit www.gov.uk/postgraduate-loan
Alternatively if you have any questions around fees and funding, please email admission@beds.ac.uk
International 2024/25
The full-time standard fee for a taught Master's degree for the Academic Year 2024/25 is £15,600
If you have any questions around fees and funding, please email international@beds.ac.uk
Fees for this course
UK 2024/25
The full-time standard fee for a taught Master's degree for the Academic Year 2024/25 is £10,000 per year. You can apply for a loan from the Government to help pay for your tuition fees and living costs. Visit www.gov.uk/postgraduate-loan
Alternatively if you have any questions around fees and funding, please email admission@beds.ac.uk
International 2024/25
The full-time standard fee for a taught Master's degree for the Academic Year 2024/25 is £15,600
If you have any questions around fees and funding, please email international@beds.ac.uk
