LEEDS BECKETT UNIVERSIT Course Specification MA Sport Business Management 2016-17 (MASPB) Our courses undergo a process of review periodically, in addition to annual review and enhancement. Course Specifications are updated on an annual basis to include modifications approved through our University s quality assurance processes. This Course Specification provides an indication of the current curriculum. If any changes are made to material information an updated Course Specification will be made available. www.leedsbeckett.ac.uk
Carnegie Faculty School of Sport Award and programme title: MA Sport Business Management (MASPB) Level of qualification: Level 7 Interim awards available: PGDip Sport Business 7 PGCrt Sport Business 7 Length and status of programme and mode of study Programme Length (years) Status (FT/PT/SW) Mode (campusbased / DL or other) MA Sport Business Management FT/1 year Headingley Campus MA Sport Business Management PT/ 2 years Headingley Campus MA Sport Business Management PT/ 3 years DL Course Specification Overview and Aims The growth of the sport industry has been reflected in the expanding depth and breadth of sport related under graduate courses both nationally and internationally. This growth has prompted the need for a more professional and commercial orientation to the business of sport and its management. The MA Sport Business responds to this market demand by providing a critical and applied examination of the literature and practice paramount to the development of future sport managers. The strength of the degree lies in its generic scope that develops a critical,
academic understanding of the business principles and their application to the sport industry. This also builds on and differentiates it from our and other undergraduate degrees in the same area. The course is expected to attract two main types of potential students. Firstly, those that have been working within the Sport Industry and who want to further their education or who may want to get into teaching but recognize the need for a graduate degree in order to accomplish that goal. Secondly, the Masters will also attract individuals who work in mainstream industries, for example marketing, finance or insurance, but would like to move into the sports industry and understand that an MA in Sport Business will give them the necessary background to do that. Students will not only develop intellectually but will be encouraged to improve their personal and career planning skills. In this way, students have the opportunity to progressively develop their knowledge and understanding in a way that is embedded, reflecting the needs of employers and the wider principles of lifelong learning. The course combines a thorough grounding in sports business with a more holistic understanding of wider industry imperatives. There is a strong emphasis on practical application giving students the opportunity to develop real life sports business skills. Graduates of the degree will possess knowledge, understanding and competencies that will enable them to take the new employment opportunities that are arising in this rapidly growing field. The philosophy of the course is to expose the student to the study of sport business in an academically challenging and intellectually stimulating way through a student-centred approach, with an emphasis on preparing them to meet the needs of a dynamic market. The overarching aim of the course is to foster the development, understanding and evaluation of business principles, which are then applied to the sport industry in an ethical and appropriate way. Therefore, the content of the MA Sport Business has been carefully designed to provide quality assured postgraduate education in line with COSMA and industry demands and to foster life-long learning in participants. Our Course Aims are designed to: Develop Knowledge and understanding of selected academic disciplines applied to sport business. Provide an opportunity to critically assess a broad range of theories, methodologies and research findings in sport business Develop a critical understanding of how to apply theories, strategies and methodologies in appropriate ways Enable the student to develop empirical rigour in identifying solutions to complex problems Provide a forum for the development of research skills and professional competencies.
Course Learning Outcomes 1 To develop a systematic understanding of knowledge and a critical awareness of subject specific facts, theories and concepts in order to articulate alternative ways of looking at the subject, based on recent research and empirical work. 2 To critically apply research methods, problem solving, strategies and ethical approval processes to selected academic disciplines within a sport business context. 3 Deal with complex issues in the area of sport business both systematically and creatively, make sound judgement and competently communicate or present their conclusions both orally and through written work to a variety of different audiences. 4 To demonstrate creativity, independence and originality in undertaking a major independent research study in sport business. 5 Develop sound knowledge of the work of sport business professionals, agencies, organisations, governing bodies and the issues that contextualise their practices. 6 Critically evaluate key concepts, theoretical debates and relevant research as applied to professional practices and vocational contexts in sport business. Course Structure Course Structure (Full Time) Level 7 Semester 1 Core () Semester 2 Core () Strategic Management Sport Marketing and PR Sport Economics and Finance Enterprise, Entrepreneurship and Sport The Management of Human Resources in Sport Elective E MIS (starts week 6) MIS Semester 3 N/A Insert Module Title Insert Module Title
Course Structure (Part Time) Level 7 Semester 1 Core () Semester 2 Core () Sport Economics and Finance The Management of Human Resources in Sport Semester 3 Semester 4 Sport Marketing and PR Enterprise, Entrepreneurship and Sport Semester 5 Semester 6 Strategic Management Elective E MIS Electives are chosen from 5 provided, each subject to availability and viability. Electives may also be selected from the School of Sport and/or the School of Business Master s portfolio where appropriate and approved by the relevant course leader. The elective provision for the MA Sport Business students is as follows: 1. Professional Practice in the Sport Industry 2. Legal Regulation of Sport Business : International Legal Perspectives 3. Student Negotiated Learning 4. Leadership Development through the Outdoors 5. Sports Events: Society, Culture and Media The MA Sport Business programme is designed to support students in achieving the aims and learning objectives of the course. The focus of the MA is the development, application and evaluation of business principles in a sport context. The progression and delivery of modules offer a clear course identity and a logical and coherent journey through the course, for both full-time and part-time students. The MA award comprises 180 credit points at Level 7. There are 5 (20 credit) core modules plus a 60 credit MIS. In addition students can select 1 elective module, one of which is the Professional Practice in Sport Business. This is an internship module and offers a distinct feature for the programme, providing students with an applied experience, which is a crucial component, especially for students who have no prior industry involvement. Learning and Teaching
Details relating to contact hours and other key information sets (KIS) are available on the course page of our Online Prospectus on our website. Learning and Teaching Approaches This course embraces the Learning & Teaching strategy developed by the University. Strategies will be introduced at the beginning of the course (during induction) to improve study skills, where necessary and orientate students to university resources and support systems. The modules of the course will foster a supportive learning environment to enhance learning and teaching and the achievement of the learning outcomes of each module. A student centred learning approach will be employed in order to ensure the continued development of self-directed learning in support of independent and reflective learners. The learning and teaching on the MA Sport Business degree places the student at the centre of the experience by fostering an inclusive, supportive and challenging environment. Through a curriculum which is informed by research and professional practice students will develop the required skills, knowledge and experience. The course will focus on developing sound knowledge of the subject (content) ample opportunities to apply their learning whilst enhancing learning through problem solving approaches. The learning approaches will develop student s independent learning capability and critical thinking skills as well as prepare them for employment. Learning and teaching approaches will be continually improved using feedback from mid and end of module evaluations, peer review, focus groups, enhancement and development days and module development days. This will ensure that the students learning experience is continually enhanced by supporting the professional development needs of the academic members of staff who will facilitate the learning experience. Students will be engaged through a variety of teaching and learning approaches whilst studying, with challenging and authentic tasks used to stretch the student s capabilities in real world learning and assessment resulting in a deeper approach to learning. The following learning and teaching strategies will used across the modules; Students will attend interactive lectures where they will be expected to contribute having done some preparatory reading in advance Students will participate in tutorials where they will work in small groups to engage with learning activities Students will work independently to research the relevant literature predominantly using electronic databases and search engines.
Students will complete directed activities/formative assessments which will inform the content of scheduled sessions, providing opportunities for feedback. Students will participate in practical sessions/workshops to experience and develop the skills required (e.g. financial planning) The blend of learning approaches will involve a combination of face-to-face facilitated learning, online learning and self-study which will differ by module and across levels. See course structure and module templates for examples. The best way to demonstrate how the MA Sport Business course adheres to and fully supports Faculty and University contexts with regards to Learning and Teaching is to evidence key strategic developments against high profile strategies of the university: The University has recently developed and published its new Strategic Plan 2010-2015 which is also mirrored in the Board of Governors 2011 Learning and Teaching Strategy, and the course team have outlined below the synergies that exist between the MA Sport Business course and the direction of the Plan; at the heart of this Plan are 6 core values, which are outlined below to illustrate how they are addressed in our provision: 1. Inspiring: We share our values and ideas with passion, energy and commitment, supporting all to achieve their potential. The group are always looking for new and innovative ways to add value to the course. These have included field trips to British Cycling, Corporate Dinner and Game at Leeds Rugby, Instant messaging via Twitter and the development of IT skills to produce online presentations. We also introduced during the induction, A Day at a Professional Club, where students listened to guest speakers, got guided tours of the club/stadium and met with key club officials (including the CEO and Commercial Manager) to ask questions about career pathways, possible MIS topics and had an insight into the workings of a Professional Rugby Club (at Leeds Rhinos) 2. Creative: We stimulate innovation, imagination and discovery, generating challenging and original ideas. We have regularly been amending modules as we constantly strive to deliver improved course content in response to student feedback in annual reviews and industry direction. Various teaching innovations are used to get the best out of our students and keep them engaged. Guest speakers, invitations to industry book launches and the Sport Law and Sport Business Conversation Series. We also encourage online discussion, Skype tutorials (for student convenience if they work full time) and provide generic academic support sessions for students to engage in open discussions about assessments and study skills. 3. Enterprising: We identify and maximise opportunities, using our resources wisely and building on our strengths. To support this and to ensure our students are provided with real-world engagement, we offer a Professional Practice in the Sport Industry module, which not only allows students to gain vital experience within the industry but also educates them about career planning, applying for graduate positions and skill development. Students are encouraged to work with industry partners to develop an
initiative, which will become part of their MIS, exposing them to real world research within sport business. 4. Purposeful: We are clear about our shared plan and committed to delivering this efficiently and effectively. Our course team meet on a regular basis and we share an open forum and work against set agendas. This team have developed a great team spirit and clear focus on what and how they want to achieve the best and get improved results from the students year on year. Each module and its delivery are discussed regularly and subgroup meetings, usually in modular teams are commonplace. We share these experiences with students and Student representatives and alumni are regularly invited to meetings and sought out for their advice regarding modifications to the course. 5. Respectful: We are inclusive, supportive and ethical in our behaviours and actions, actively valuing diversity. Our course reflects a diverse background of students including international scholars from Germany, Japan, India, Hungary and the USA. All students are encouraged to share their own experiences and apply them to the academic context they are studying. Part and Full time students work cooperatively together both in and outside of taught sessions to support each other in their learning. 6. Professional: We expect and uphold high standards, leading by example with integrity and responsibility. We take our annual review meetings and student focus groups very seriously and continuously listen to our students and use their feedback to improve and amend the course as appropriate. Our module evaluations are highly creditable and student satisfaction is something that we strive to ensure. Module tutors practice an open door policy and are always willing to support students through one-on-one or group tutorials as deemed necessary. In addition, The Centre for Learning and Teaching within the University has published The Postgraduate Course Development Principles. There are 9 Principles which are examined and their integration into the MA Sport Business provision is outlined below: 1. Key Concepts: The key ideas around which the programme is built encompass the COSMA guidelines, the Subject Benchmark Statements and the Refocus Guidelines published by the University. A strong business emphasis is the core of the provision, which is applied specifically and throughout all modules to the sports industry. It is the application of concepts and theories to sport organisations and systems which is the overriding focus and how these can be utilised in an industry setting. 2. Strong Course Identity: The course covers the main areas expected within a Sport Business Masters while reflecting explicitly the module content and focus. Students work closely with the course team and events are held to develop a strong cohesive cohort during induction and throughout the course. 3. Depth of Learning: Throughout the modules, students are constantly being challenged and stimulated to think critically, work both collaboratively and independently, synthesise different points of view and reflect on their learning. This is achieved through a diet of different assessments, class readings and discussions and through
encouraging students to share their own experiences and thoughts in an open and supportive environment. 4. Inclusive Environment: With a very diverse student body, we ensure that case studies and examples are provided from a global perspective, which reflects different cultures, ages and socio-economic backgrounds. Different teaching methodologies are embedded into the course to accommodate different learning styles, for example: readings are given the week before to ensure all students have the time to engage in the subject matter. Appropriate resources are shared via MyBeckett and if students are away or have other commitments, tutorials are always offered as a way for them to catch up with what they have missed. 5. Personalised Student Support: All students have a personal tutor who they can contact regarding pastoral or academic issues. The Course Leader is available to all students for tutorials regarding any aspect of the course and we strive to be in regular contact with all of the students. 6. Course Level Assessment Strategy: Students have a varied diet of assessment, including essays, reports, online and face to face presentations, a business plan, an exam and a reflective journal, culminating in the MIS. This is to ensure different life skills are also developed and assessed throughout the course, which are crucial for employment in the sport industry, e.g. team work, communication, writing, time management. Feedback, both formative and summative is given throughout modules to allow students to identify any weaknesses and seek support and guidance to build on and improve in light of future assessments. 7. Challenging and Authentic Tasks: Overall the course provides a varied mix of activities and learning pedagogies, while assessments are often linked to real world application. This provides the opportunity for students to clearly appreciate the significance of their learning when they enter the job market. For example the essay for Sport Economics asks students to examine key economic concepts, apply them to a sports league of their choice and then make recommendations for improvements. Some students have completed this and then go into the industry and have actually used some of their recommendations to make changes within a professional sports league or club. 8. Activities Linked to Student Experience: Although classroom based activities are varied, many assessments offer students the opportunity to focus in a specific area, which is relevant to them and their career aspirations. We have had students working full time who have carried out the MIS on their employer organisation, which has resulted in positive changes. Other students select areas they are particularly interested in to develop their knowledge and understanding further. Therefore, although assessments are set, most are flexible enough to generate work that is actually meaningful to the student and often to organisations within the industry. 9. Vertical and Horizontal Integration of Learning: The course has been developed so that students can build on knowledge learned in previous modules. For example the Sport Economics and Finance module was made a core as the content was relevant to several other modules. Similarly, the Enterprise, Entrepreneurship and Sport module was moved to the 2 nd Semester to allow students to develop some of the underpinning knowledge through semester 1 modules, which could then be developed further and
examined in greater depth. The holistic nature of the programme culminates in the MIS. This allows students to draw upon skills, knowledge and understanding learned though the taught modules, reflect on it and apply it to a study within an area of their choice. Learning and Teaching Activities The course tries to instil an atmosphere of inclusivity, providing a community, which encourages collaboration, respectful discussion and engaging discourse, where all students can learn, express themselves and develop in a supportive and encouraging environment. Through a curriculum informed by research and professional practice, students will develop the required skills, knowledge and experience. The course will focus on developing the knowledge of the field (content) whilst giving the students the opportunity to apply their learning in applied research and practical contexts. In order to take account of the different learning styles and preferences of our students, we strive to provide a variety of assorted modes of delivery and to support a diversity of student learners. In listening to past and present students we have altered our teaching times from 5-9pm to 3-7.30pm and have reduced the modules in the first semester from 4 to 3½ in order to allow full time students more time to adjust to Master s level expectations. Reasonable adjustments are made by the course team in instances where appropriate (religious holidays, work conflicts, etc.) to both the actual delivery and assessments. The delivery of taught sessions is highly focused around student engagement with the provided course content while the assessments provides flexibility in terms of student choice of topics pertinent to their personal and professional interests. The Learning and teaching activities are summarised at module level in the module approval template (MAT) section 25. Graduate Attributes (UG only) N/A Use of the Virtual Learning Environment The MA Sport Business integrates the VLE (MyBeckett) and wider online community into all of its modules in order to support and enhance the student learning experience and encourage further engagement with additional online materials and resources.
Students are introduced to the VLE during induction to ensure effective access and navigation. It acts as the central contact point between students and faculty, where students can access emails, discussion boards, and a repository of module resources including lecture slides, module handbooks, video/media resources, digitised readings and web links. Additionally, it acts as a vehicle for synchronous and asynchronous interactions through discussion boards and chat rooms, provides formative and summative feedback and allows student to share information and work together through wikis and blogs. Use of Blended-Learning The course integrates a blended learning approach across all modules. The approach will involve a combination of face-to-face facilitated learning, online learning and self-study, which will differ by module. Communication with students is facilitated especially in the Student Negotiated learning module, Professional Practice and MIS through the use of online discussion boards, email or via Skype for tutorials. In the Human Resource and Organisational Development module, students will produce an online presentation for formative assessment and regularly use Twitter to communicate with industry experts. The software turn-it-in is also used by students to help with essays and written coursework assignments.
Assessment Strategy The assessment strategy has been reviewed holistically to ensure that students are engaged through a range of methods aimed at enhancing the learning experience. All assessment methods and criteria requires student to demonstrate deep learning and critical thinking, reflective of Masters Level. The assessment journey of the course culminates in the MIS which draws together a range of skills that students have developed throughout the previous taught modules. These include, but are not limited to, academic and critical writing, time management, data collection and analysis. Assessment practices incorporate individual and group assignments, essays, business reports, financial analysis, case studies, face-to-face and online presentations and a major independent study. There are also opportunities for negotiated assessments in certain modules, reflecting the personal and professional context of the students. All assessments are subject to standardisation and moderation according to the Faculty s policy. Students will receive both summative and formative feedback for assessments depending on the module. Further assessment details can be found in the MATS (Box 28). Feedback on Assessed Coursework Students will receive both formative and summative feedback from faculty and their peers throughout the course. Generic feedback will be provided via the module MyBeckett while individual feedback will be delivered verbally during formal contact and delivered through written feedback via assignment transcripts or email. This will focus on constructive comments that link the learning outcomes of the module with the assessed work. It is also expected that peer to peer sharing of work and ideas will contribute to the feedback mechanism. In addition, self-generated feedback through continuous critical thinking and reflection will enhance the learning experience. Feedback will be provided within 4 weeks with further details provided in Module Handbooks. Module Assessment Methods N/A Employability and Professional Context After listening to student feedback where they expressed a need for a more overt focus on employability, this has been addressed in various ways through the proposed curriculum and with a view to aligning the course with the accreditation body COSMA (See Box 32). Not all of our students entering the programme have a background in the study of sport or of working in the industry. Therefore, we recognise that in order for our graduates to be wellprepared for a career in sport business, opportunities have to be provided throughout their
study for engagement with and experiential learning within the sports environment. To address this we have added the Professional Practice in the Sport Industry module, which is an internship, providing valuable work experience for students electing this choice. It will also help to prepare them for the world of work and offer an opportunity to reflect on and evaluate their own personal, academic and skill development. The MIS also provides a further opportunity to work with sport organisations to develop an individual piece of research, which will be not only a valuable contribution to academic writing but will provide potential solutions to problems in the field. Previous students have worked with Nike to examine branding and retail design, an investigation of parking issues at orkshire Country Cricket and the potential improvement to the Hungarian Table Tennis Association s Broadcasting contracts. Additionally, students have access to the university careers support in induction and within the Professional Practice module around job hunting, skills audits, CV writing, interview and negotiation skills. Access to a range of on-line materials on applying for jobs, writing letters of application and communication skills are also available via www.leedsmet.ac.uk/careers Graduates will be well placed to enter into a range of employability or professional contexts. They will be equipped to pursue a higher degree through research (MPhil/PhD) enabling them to develop a career within academia or to seek employment in the sport industry across a range of careers. For example, graduates are prepared for careers in sport marketing organisations, local authorities, charities, working within professional team management, sport event management companies, sport broadcasting and betting, fitness/health club management and strategic planning and policy development. Graduates of the programme have gone on to work for numerous sports organisations including SkyBet, IPL Team management, Liebherr Sports College, Germany, Sport Management Events, India. Students can also continue their studies and undertake further qualifications in order to pursue teaching (in primary, secondary and HE sectors). In addition to the course itself, value-added elements also assist students in developing their employability skills further. These include: Engagement with Industry professional within module delivery (guest lecturers) Access to industry partners for networking, MIS and employment opportunities Access to Sport and Law Conversations collaborative events with solicitors and lawyers (Sport Law Module) Field Trips to British Cycling, Manchester City s Etihad Stadium A Day at a Professional Club Leeds Rhinos Reference Points used in course design and delivery All our courses leading to Leeds Beckett University awards have been designed and approved in accordance with UK and European quality standards. Our courses utilise the Frameworks for Higher Education Qualifications (FHEQ) and relevant subject benchmarks (where these are
available) and professional, statutory and regulatory body requirements (for professionally accredited courses). We review our courses annually and periodically, responding to student feedback and a range of information to enhance our courses. Our University is also subject to external review by the Quality Assurance Agency. Our latest report can be found on the QAA website at http://www.qaa.ac.uk/reviews-and-reports We appoint External Examiners to verify that our University sets and maintains standards for awards which adhere to relevant national subject benchmark statements and the FHEQ (UK), ensure standards and student achievements are comparable with other Higher Education Institutions in the UK, with which they are familiar, and ensure that assessments measure achievement of course and module learning outcomes and reach the required standard. External Examiners may also provide feedback on areas of good practice or potential enhancement.