MA Leadership in Sport

Give yourself the edge as an effective sport industry leader on this flexible part-time master’s, co-delivered by Loughborough University London and the Institute of Sports Humanities.

Robust leadership is critical for positive results in sport – on and off the pitch. As well as highly effective management and decision-making skills, the best sport leaders have a deep understanding of unpredictability, the historical context of sport and certain sectors, governance, law, ethics, equality, and sport’s impact on society.

Explore all these areas and more on this out-of-hours master’s designed to fit around – and progress – your working life.
 

Dive into theory and practice with a diverse and ambitious cohort

Taught by leading academics and industry practitioners, the course has a strong emphasis on peer-to-peer learning – with every student in the cohort contributing their own expertise in a non-competitive yet ambitious environment.

Throughout the course, you’ll apply the concepts and frameworks you’re learning about to real-world, real-time sport, witnessing how theory and practice challenge and refresh each other.

See best practice in action at in-person special events across the course at venues like the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst (home of the British Army), Lord’s Cricket Ground and Twickenham Stadium. These also provide invaluable networking opportunities with fellow students and industry professionals.

For your dissertation, you’ll take a deep dive into a particular area that supports your own journey and aspirations.
 

Designed to fit around and accelerate your career

You can take this course over 12 or 24 months, with each module delivered across four weekly evening online seminars, all recorded for even more study flexibility.

It’s an ideal next step for sport business professionals looking to step up, athletes with a drive to progress to leadership, and non-sport professionals wanting to springboard into the field. Whatever your starting point, you can expect to push the limits of your own development and gain the leadership skills needed to keep sport moving forward.
 

Why choose this degree

• Why you should study this degree Become a highly effective and reflective sports leader with an interdisciplinary perspective.
• Develop key leadership skills like decision-making and communicating effectively to build consensus and effect change.
• Study with leading academics and learn from a diverse cohort in a non-competitive environment.
• Experience leadership in action at special events at venues like the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst, Lord’s Cricket Ground and Twickenham Stadium.
• Hybrid evening delivery to fit your studies around your current employment.
• Study at the UK’s number 1 university for sports related subjects.
• Full immersion in each topic area through block teaching.
   

Where you'll study

Based on our vibrant London campus, you’ll have access to all our on-site facilities, as well as opportunities to learn off campus.

Entry Reqruirements

Our entry requirements are listed using standard UK undergraduate degree classifications i.e. first-class honours, upper second-class honours and lower second-class honours. To learn the equivalent for your country enquiry with the university. |
 

Your future career

The MA Leadership in Sport is designed to give you the skills and expertise needed to excel in top industry roles – whether you’re an elite sportsperson or on the business or governance side.

You’ll graduate equipped to make critical decisions and manage teams and organisations in a complex, fast-paced industry, helping to maintain the positive impact and influence of sport.

Graduates of this course have taken their skills into wide-ranging roles including:

• Director of operations
• Head of marketing
• National cricket captain
• TV producer
• Director of tennis division
• Professional rugby player
• Professional cricketer
• Referee
• Director of sport
• Performance director
• Sponsorship / partnerships director
• Director of equality, diversity and inclusion
• Head of women’s sport
   

Some of the employers they’re now working with include:

• The FA (Football Association)
• City Football Group
• Rugby Football League
• Surrey County Cricket Club
• Team GB
• Premier League Productions
• London Marathon Events
• IMG
• Middlesex Cricket
• International Taekwondo Federation
• Omnicom Group
• British Table Tennis
• LIV Golf
• Professional Cricketers Association
• England Netball
• Foreign & Commonwealth Office