Start dates:
September: UCFB Wembley or UCFB Manchester
Course length:ÌýOne year (full-time) and two year (part-time) options available
Degree overview
This in-depth course is designed for those who wish to develop an appreciation of key areas shaping the current landscape of the football industry. The course provides opportunities to engage in different aspects of football business including areas such as finance, fan engagement, leadership, operations, law and governance. From TV deals to player transfers, football is now a global, multi-billion-pound industry that is in need of more industry specific qualified individuals.
This degree is available at UCFB Wembley, London, which the iconic Wembley Stadium at the heart of its campus. What could be more motivating for a future career in the sports industry than walking into the most famous stadium in the world?ÌýOur UCFB Wembley campus enjoys excellent facilities with lecture theatres, seminar rooms, quiet study areas, library and media suites.
This degree is available at UCFB Manchester Campus –Ìýwith bespokeÌýlearning facilities dedicated to your course and access to stadium venues across Manchester, students can live, learn and work at the centre of one of Europe’s most progressive sporting cities.
Degree content
The football industry is one of many opportunities for budding professionals, and also poses numerous challenges on a personal and business level. Due to the unique nature of the football industry, it is essential to have the knowledge and experience to be able to deal with a range of ever-changing scenarios. This course will allow students to be aware of the diverse and often unique situations that impact on the football business, as well as recognise best practice and ethical choices.
Did you know – 98% of our postgraduate graduates are either employed or in full-time study and 69% are working or studying in sport!ÌýAs a postgraduate student studying with us, you can build on your employability opportunities by expanding your knowledge and network!
I think if you’re wanting a career in the industry to just try it, definitely. Being able to speak to people in a number of different roles, a number of different clubs. I think that’s massive.
Your Course Leader
Modules
The main educational aims of the course are to:
- To unite, inspire and equip the current and future leaders of the global sports industry, with the skills knowledge and network to take the world of sport to continually new heights.
- Develop students’ ability to think critically and creatively about football business.
- Provide opportunities for students to solve complex problems related to the football industry.
- Facilitate opportunities for students to conduct research and enquiry into football business issues.
- Provide opportunities for students to communicate complex ideas and arguments about the football industry.
- Enable students to continue to learn through reflection on practice and experience within football business settings.
- Develop awareness of the importance of change within diverse situations impacting upon the football landscape.
- Enable students to believe in bold, passionate leadership with a focus on success.
- Develop students’ ability to develop a diversity of thought, and recognise and apply ethical practices which shape the choices within the football industry.
This module will explore the importance, variation and motivation which influence football consumer behaviours. You will identify key factors which explore the changing nature of football consumer typologies, including the globalisation of fan engagement and the importance of customer relationship management and data analytics. This module explores and analyses the dynamic nature of football fan
engagement and the online and offline tools being used to capture existing and new fans. Finally, the module examines the metrics and insights required to drive the business of football consumption.
In this module you will explore the impact, vision and activities of commercial operations and project management in a footballing context. You will develop an insight and understanding of approaches for managing football operations, in order to achieve successful delivery. You will be able to comprehend and apply alternative academic and best practice perspectives in terms of operational outcomes with a project management perspective.
This module will introduce you to the importance of finance as a discipline and decision tool in professional football clubs. You who may not have experience of accounting or finance, but want to build an understanding of its growing importance as a core management discipline in the football and sporting industries. In order to work in a management position in the business of football, an appreciation of the underlying financial mechanisms, regulations, and cash flow has become increasingly important. You will learn about the European ·ÉÑàÌåÓýÖ±²¥ Finance Landscape, and the importance of match day, broadcast and commercial revenue, through to financial regulation, cost management and all aspects of revenue generation. You will consider how existing governance frameworks have evolved, corruption and the function of Boards of Directors. There will be a strong focus on interpreting and monitoring financial outcomes and appraising club financial data, KPI’s and valuations.
Leadership is a fundamental element of both sport and business operating in a dynamic global arena. On this module you will review and conceptualise different approaches to leadership from both an applied and theoretical perspective to allow you to analyse critical incidents in order to judge organisational leadership performance. You will be able to apply leadership theory to examples from industry professionals who have experience of leading teams in a sporting setting. Cross-cultural leadership underpins many of the behaviours and skills discussed within the leadership framework, alongside diversity and inclusion, strategic leadership, communication and reflection. The module allows you to take responsibility for your own leadership development and effectiveness through the development of an e-portfolio and skills audit, alongside exposure to sports leaders from the global network of partners contributing to the live case studies.
This module will equip students with the research skills to undertake a rigorous and critical professional project. It will support the development of an integrated understanding of theory and practice related to the analysis of selected organisational issues within the global sports industry. Students will learn to apply both theoretical and practical knowledge gained from both the taught element of the programme and their prior management experiences to a business/organizational issue. Through the assessment, students will deploy and utilize effectively appropriate research and/or problem solving processes throughout the planning and execution of a live business project.
Working in the global sports business as a manager, you will be called upon to work on new projects and within new or existing project teams, where some of the team may be based in other countries. This will test your ability as a manager and your team-working skills. You will be asked to work in a group and be given a consultancy project by a sporting organisation. Assigning roles to each team member, you will have to carry our research in order to investigate the current situation that the company finds itself in, and find the data that you need to inform your report. You will need to demonstrate a critical awareness of the current issues that face the sports organisation. You will then analyse this data and make your recommendations to the organisation.
Sport is big business but the right to exploit its commercial value is not unfettered. This module explores how English and European Law intertwines with sport across a variety of topical areas, equipping you with the ability to interpret and critically assess legal disputes and agreements, especially from a commercial context.
The module places this legal discussion in a multidisciplinary context by examining the historical commercialisation of sport and how that has contributed to the juridification of the sector, through to the importance of good governance, CSR and ethical practices in sport. The module examines whether the specificities of sport preclude the application of UK and EU law to a variety of business practices or whether the law should treat sport in the same way as any other economic activity.
UCFB is an embedded college of the University of East London. All UCFB graduates will receive a degree from the University of East London.
Entry requirements overview
- Undergraduate degree - minimum 2:2 (ideally a 2:1) or international equivalent
- Applicants with a 2:2 should have some experience of studying or working in business or sports related areas.
- English language qualifications: Applicants from non-majority English speaking countries will be asked for an English qualification which tests Speaking, Listening, Reading and Writing and will be asked to achieve an overall IELTS score of 6.5 (minimum of 6.0 in each section) or recognised equivalent.
Offers to applicants currently studying an undergraduate degree will be conditional on them going on to achieve the entry requirements on completion of their degree.
Applications that do not meet the standard entry requirements but demonstrate relevant education and/or work and/or life experience in the course subject area are welcomed.
Eligibility will be assessed on the basis of the information provided in the application – in particular the personal statement.
For more information, please contact admissions@ucfb.com.
We strongly encourage you to submit your Masters application well before our 2 SeptemberÌý2024 priority application deadlineÌý³Ù´Ç allow sufficient time for assessment of application, ensure availability on the course and enrolment in time for the beginning of your studies. Applications received after this date will only be considered on a case by case basis.
To apply for this degree, please click here and follow the instructions to complete your application via our Learner Portal.
- Application form
- Evidence of highest academic and/or professional qualifications
- Evidence of relevant experience, where required
- 500 word personal statement
Applications made through the flexible entry route may require a course leader review. The course leader will determine whether a professional reference or task is required.
Scholarships
UCFB is proud to offer an extensive suite of scholarships to support outstanding students as they embark on their postgraduate study. From scholarships to aid our elite athletes, to attracting aspiring sports leaders, and scholarships which support inclusivity and diversity within the sporting industry, our scholarships are there to support students who want to make a meaningful difference to the future of the sporting world.
Career prospects
The course has been developed for those with aspirations towards senior management positions within the core functional departments of the football industry, spanning financial and accounting roles or operational roles within football, including the ability to rise to senior managerial roles due to the management aspect of the degree.
Straight from the screens of Norwegian news to UCFB in London, SiljeÌýMeeseÌýbegan her MSc ·ÉÑàÌåÓýÖ±²¥ Business course at UCFB Wembley.
Read moreMany students who join UCFB do so with the aim of gaining the knowledge and experience needed to go on and work at the elite levels of the football industry. For UCFB student Marcia Lewis, it’s about aiding her son’s own ambitions within the game.
Read moreTuition fees for 2024 entry
These discounts are open to any GIS, UCFB, Buckinghamshire New University, Vrije Universiteit Brussel and University of East London graduate who has received and accepted an offer to study at postgraduate level with GIS.
- 15% fee tuition discount on allÌýPostgraduate courses
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We're pleased to offer all UCFB and GIS businessÌýpartnersÌý15% fee tuition discount on all Undergraduate, PostgraduateÌýcourses.
Visit our dedicated page about fees and student finance.
For part-time courses the tuition fee will be split accordingly per year i.e 75 credits in year 1 and 105 credits in year 2 (for a two year programme) as per below table.
Ìý |
Total fee | 75Ìý credits | 105Ìý credits |
Home students | £11,950.00 | £4,979.50 | £6,970.50 |
International students | £17,950.00 | £7,479.50 | £10,470.50 |
*International students require a visa to study on campus
In some instances, optional activities provided by UCFB may carry an additional cost for participants (e.g. qualifications with external certification such as FA Coaching Badges). Any additional costs will be provided to students in advance of any such sessions running.
The Global Institute of Sport (GIS) offers this degree with online learning options, click the link to learn for more information about studying with GIS.