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Postgraduate Certificate students will take any two of the following modules.

Postgraduate Diploma students will take all four modules.

Block 1: International Sport: Events, Governance, and Ethics

This module introduces you to the contemporary landscape in global sport, focusing on mega-events, governance, and ethics. It will use historical and contemporary approaches and will, while teaching you about structures, governance, management, and commercial aspects, encourage critical thinking on political, social, cultural, and economic lines. Ongoing crises in international and national sport, ranging from doping and match-fixing to alleged corruption in governing bodies, mean that no individual within the sport industry can ignore the issue of ethics. It will consider the creation of national and international sport structures and the boom in major sporting events. The module addresses the historical perspective on how these events have emerged and how they link to the different contexts in which they have flourished before moving into critical contemporary analysis of existing events.

The module considers events through the bidding and hosting processes, infrastructure, security, marketing, media rights, volunteering, and legacies. It also examines the legal and organisational frameworks for sport and explores a range of thematic case studies of problematic areas in sport, such as doping, violence, discrimination, child protection, the environment, and transgender and human rights. By exploring these issues in a critical academic way, informed by historical and contemporary perspectives, you will develop a clear sense of the challenges facing contemporary sport and an agenda for maintaining excellence and reforming problematic areas. This module will include visits, e.g., to the London Olympic Park.

You will be assessed through producing a 10-minute podcast which critically analyses the career highs and lows of a high-profile sports administrator of their choice, and will also write a 3000-word essay on an ethical issue in sport.

Block 2: Marketing Principles in Sport and Cultural Event Contexts

This module provides you with knowledge and understanding of key marketing principles and how to apply them to sport and cultural events in national and global contexts. You will begin to explore, understand and debate key marketing concepts and relate them both to global sport and cultural event organisations and future opportunities.

Specifically, the module covers a variety of traditional marketing concepts, such as the marketing environment, segmentation, targeting and positioning, the marketing mix, marketing communications, sponsorship and branding, and consumer and audience behaviour. It also provides you with programme-specific content related to marketing in sporting and cultural events within national and global contexts to allow specialist exploration of programme areas. Examples from both international and local sport and cultural event organisations are drawn upon to help you understand the industries. 

Assessment is through a Report plus Infographic (1,500 words plus infographic) and Marketing Report (2,000 words).

Block 3: Sport Heritage

Sporting heritage is a growing phenomenon and an important part of sport organisations’ communication activities. Increasing numbers of sport organisations and clubs are developing ways of showcasing their history and heritage, through such avenues as halls of fame, museums, stadium tours, and heritage-based merchandise, alongside social media and digital mediums. In addition, the non-sporting heritage industry at local and national levels is increasingly taking note of sport, and is promoting sporting heritage through museum displays, commemorative plaques, and sports-themed tourist activities. This module will critically explore the development of this phenomenon, linking it to the diversification of the heritage industry, and to sports' and clubs' quest for legacy as part of their identity and brand. It will begin by asking what sport heritage is, and by examining the academic, cultural, and commercial frameworks within which sport heritage functions. The module will then consider various themes in sport heritage, including museums and halls of fame, heritage tourism, and heritage-based merchandise.

The module will include, when permissible, visits to key sport sites and museums so that you can experience hands-on the ways in which heritage is presented and promoted. As sport heritage involves wide-ranging communication with the public, this module will therefore also introduce you to various communication strategies utilised by sport organisations, venues, and events, and examine how sport entities communicate their heritage to the public through various platforms. Class activities and the assessment will help you develop the communication skills used by sport industry professionals.

You will conduct heritage research to develop material from the perspective of a sport organisation using archival materials and photographs. You will design and create this assignment using Adobe Creative Cloud, identifying the appropriate materials and photographs, and you will write 1000 – 2000 words on their assigned topic from the heritage project.

Block 4: Events Leadership

This module provides you with the tools to make a critical investigation of the context in which cultural, sporting and commercial events operate in contemporary Britain and globally, alongside issues of leadership and development support that are required for an evolving sector. It explores the needs of individuals leading events management organisations, and the skills required to motivate, manage and organise staff and other stakeholders to create excellent events. The module also incorporates the study of some operational elements of event leadership in practice such as event delivery

You will write an essay (3,000 words) in which they critically evaluate contemporary events leadership issues and either give a 15-minute presentation or produce a digital Professional Portfolio.

Contact hours

You will normally attend around 12 hours of timetabled taught sessions including lectures, tutorials, workshop and studio sessions each week. You are also expected to undertake around 23 hours of independent study each week. Your precise timetable will depend on the modules timetabled each week. 

In addition, each module provides a 2-hour surgery each week for individual consultation with the lecturer. You may also have some scheduled meetings with your programme leader and personal tutor throughout the year to discuss your academic progress and personal development.

Self-directed study: In order to prepare for, and assimilate, the work in lectures and seminars you will be expected to source and read relevant journal articles, book chapters and industry publications, available through our online learning resources, and to actively participate in class discussions. The time allocated for independent study, revision and reflection is approximately 23 hours per week.