Search the latest and greatest job opportunities in sport
If you have a degree or you are on your way to graduation… Congratulations, you have taken the first steps to a successful career in sport. But is this enough?
Employers might still think you don’t have sufficient `hands-on´ experience, or maybe you need to enhance your skillset, or even narrow down what you want to aim for in the working world.
So, what are the next steps when it comes to postgraduate studies - to better prepare you for the job market?
Employers are on the look-out for those with further qualifications and so the courses on offer are ever changing.
Nick Passenger, Academic Lead for Sport, Physical Education and The Outdoors at the University of Central Lancashire, explains: “The postgraduate market has been particularly competitive for a number of years and, with the change in sporting trends, the need to have flexible postgraduate programmes is key for attracting many sport professionals in a variety of fields.”
For Jonathan Reid, a former postgraduate student at Loughborough University London, the lure is different: “Postgraduate education makes you think more about the world and forces you to be more observant. It teaches you to develop what you’ve found and make a difference in the world. I feel privileged to use my academic knowledge every day.”
It’s often a minefield but, for a generalised view, a recent QS World University Rankings tailored its rankings system to zoom in on sports-related subjects.
While the subject matter in sports can vary enormously, Loughborough University came out on top - level pegging with the University of Sydney - both scoring five out of five stars in all eight of the categories.
Predominantly, the highest-ranked nations for postgrad courses were the UK, US, Canada and Australia, and, while Asian nations did not, as a rule, feature too prominently, both Japan and South Korea had three entries in the overall list.
In short, the world is your oyster, and there’s something to cater for every age range, ability or interest. For example, Manchester City captain Vincent Kompany has graduated with a Master’s in Business Administration. The only general guidance qualification is a 2:1 at Bachelor’s level or equivalent qualification.
The aforementioned Loughborough University has a postgraduate campus in London – befittingly at the scene of the 2012 Olympics some 130 miles from the university’s traditional home. Among the stand-out courses is the Sport Business and Leadership MSc - one year full-time or up to four years part-time. It is aimed at “individuals who wish to improve their impact and effectiveness in leading and managing individuals, teams and organisations within the sport business industry”, working in close association with the Sport Industry Group.
Loughborough postgraduate Lauren Estwick explains “There’s so many opportunities and ways to move forward in the business of sport. It [the course] has opened my world.”
Loughborough University London prides itself on working with industry experts, so too Leicester Castle Business School at De Montfort University in Leicester.
Leicester Castle Business School enjoys close links with former Premier League champions Leicester City, rugby team Leicester Tigers and Leicestershire County Cricket Club as well as the British Bobsleigh and Skeleton Association.
The business school’s Business Management in Sport MSc explores the evolving and multi-faceted area of management in sport focusing on ethical considerations, major competitions, sports marketing, heritage and sport’s political, social, economic and cultural contexts.
Among its alumni is Leighton James, who stepped into a full-time role with the oldest football team in England, Notts County, after that course.
Across the Atlantic, and highly regarded, is Ohio University - previously coming out on top of the Sports Business Postgraduate Course Rankings, five times in six years.
Also ranked highly is the FIFA Master, organised by the International centre for Sport Studies (CIES) in partnership with De Montfort University in Leicester, SDA Bocconi School of Management in Milan and the University of Neuchatel.
It offers a unique opportunity to meet top executives from high-level international sports federations, clubs, agencies and organising committees, enabling students to build up their own network of contacts - the key to a successful career in sport.
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Search the latest and greatest job opportunities in sport
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