BSc (Hons) Sport Business Management
Learn to succeed in the ever-expanding sport business. This course is for those who are passionate about sport and want to develop the management, business and leadership skills required for career success in sports-related businesses.
Develop your own network across a range of sports and business sectors
Entry requirements
Three A-levels at grades CCC or above
Or BTEC triple grades MMM or above
Or Access 23-45 D/M with min 6D
T level P (C+)
And GCSE English Language at grade 4 or grade C or above
Applicants with other qualifications and/or experience will be considered on an individual basis. A DBS check is required.
UCAS points 96
UCAS code SBM1
UCAS institution code P63
Duration Three years full-time or up to six years part-time
Any questions?
Contact Tara Godber, our Applicant Support Coordinator, if you have any questions. Email applicantsupport@marjon.ac.uk and Tara will get back to you.
Course Summary
The BSc (Hons) Sport Business Management at Plymouth Marjon University equips you with the knowledge, experience, and professional edge to thrive in the global sport industry. Endorsed by both CIMSPA and the Chartered Management Institute (CMI), the programme blends business theory with real-world sport practice to develop the next generation of sport business leaders.
From day one, you’ll explore how sport operates as a business across public, private, and third-sector contexts. You’ll learn about sport leadership, marketing, operations, and finance, and apply these concepts in practical, industry-facing modules. Throughout, you’ll develop a strong foundation in business management while examining the socio-political, ethical, and cultural factors shaping sport today.
In your second year, you’ll deepen your expertise by delivering live sport events, managing budgets, and working directly with organisations through a dedicated work-based learning placement. You’ll study modules in People Management, Player Care, Sports Law, and Equity and Inclusion, helping you gain experience in both commercial and socially responsible aspects of sport. This year builds your professional confidence and gives you the opportunity to apply your learning in authentic environments.
Why this course at Marjon?
Industry-Endorsed by CIMSPA and CMI: Gain dual professional recognition at no extra cost, with qualifications endorsed by leading bodies in sport and management, giving you a competitive edge from day one
Real-World Experience from Year One: Apply your knowledge through live projects, sport event delivery, and hands-on placement opportunities with partners such as Plymouth Argyle Community Trust, Devon FA, and Challenger Sports in the USA.
Professional Practice Year Option: Take an extended year in industry to gain valuable work experience, grow your network, and graduate with real-world insight that employers value.
Innovative and Relevant Curriculum: Study modules that reflect the real demands of the sport industry, from player care and sport marketing to change management and global media, preparing you for modern leadership roles.
Small Class Sizes and Personalised Support: You’ll never be just a number. Learn in a supportive environment where your lecturers know your name, understand your goals, and help you develop personally and professionally.
Strong Career Prospects and Industry Links: Whether you want to run your own sport venture, manage a professional club, or lead a national programme, our curriculum and employer connections help turn your ambition into reality.
Modules for this course
Course Snapshot
“ "This course prepares students to lead and innovate in sport business. With real-world experience, industry connections, and a future-focused curriculum, we develop confident, adaptable graduates ready to manage people, projects, and performance in the sport industry, locally, nationally, and globally." ”
1st Year
Starting Out in Sport Management
Digital Sport Marketing and Communication in Action
Leading in Sport: Foundations of Influence and Change
Sport, Society and Social Change
Inside the Sport Industry: Systems, Power and Policy
Smart Finance: Building Business Skills in Sport
2nd Year
Sport Event Design and Delivery
Sport, Justice and Leadership: Law, Equity and Inclusion in Action
Sport Finance in Action: Budget, Tools and Strategy
Professional Practice and Industry Experience
Managing People and Teams in Sport
Building Your Professional Brand
3rd Year
Managing Events: From Concepts to Delivery
Sport Marketing and Fan Engagement
Innovating in Sport: Social Enterprise in Action
Insight to Impact: Applied Research in Sport
Transforming Sport Organisations
Building Sport Ventures: Enterprise and Strategy
Current students say...
Rhys Roffey
"My course has encouraged me to start my own business and take a lunge into the reality of sports business. I have gained useful academic knowledge, alongside useful tools and experience that have allowed me to develop myself professionally. I have enjoyed being able to a learn and develop as a person, whilst in a professional environment, with students and lecturers who I have been able to build working relationships with."
Jasmine Read
"I really enjoy the broad range of topics and modules we cover. There’s an insight into the sports industry and organisations within it, we look at specific business content such as finance and people management, and link them together to investigate the business side of sport. Personally, the course and the staff members have been accommodating with my commitments to Plymouth Argyle as I am the goalkeeper for the women’s team."
Ryan Jordan
"I enjoy the wide variety of modules taught that encompasses the business management side of the degree and the sports side. This mixture makes the course enjoyable and interesting learning new things and improving my knowledge. While completing my studies I have also completed a personal training qualification. The mixture of knowledge from this course allowed me to accompany my personal training qualification and get me a job in the sector I wanted to go into."
This course is perfect if you’re curious about
How sport organisations make strategic decisions and drive commercial success
What it takes to lead people, manage events, and grow sport businesses
Whether sport should prioritise profit, participation, or social good
How to market sport in a digital, fan-driven world
The role of leadership, ethics, and inclusion in the future of sport
How to build a career managing clubs, leagues, and sport enterprises
What might you become?
Graduates of this programme go on to exciting careers in sport business and beyond. You could become a:
- Sport Development Manager
- Events and Operations Manager
- Marketing and Communications Officer
- Business Development Executive
- Partnership or Commercial Manager
- Club or League Administrator
- Entrepreneur in sport or fitness ventures
Our graduates are equipped to lead projects, manage people, and drive innovation in sport organisations at all levels, from grassroots to global. Many also progress into postgraduate study or specialised training in areas like sport policy, business analytics, or leadership.
In association with:
Chartered Institute for the Management of Sport & Physical Activity (CIMSPA)
CIMSPA have certified that this course meets the professional standards set by employers in the physical activity and fitness sector.
The Chartered Management Institute (CMI)
CMI is the leading body in the UK for leadership and management. You'll earn their Level 5 qualification in Management and Leadership alongside your degree, at no extra cost to you and requiring no additional assessments.
How you’ll be taught and assessed?
How will you be taught?
You’ll learn through a mix of interactive lectures, seminars, practical workshops, and real-world projects. Teaching is hands-on and collaborative, with opportunities to work on live briefs, deliver events, and engage directly with sport industry partners. You’ll also benefit from small class sizes and 1:1 academic support throughout your degree.
How will you be assessed?
There are no traditional exams. Instead, you’ll be assessed through coursework designed to reflect real sport business tasks, such as reports, marketing plans, pitches, portfolios, and project work. You’ll also complete reflective essays and group presentations, helping you build the professional skills that employers look for.
Lee is as a Senior Lecturer and experienced Coach Developer. He has a wealth of experience in coach education, delivering on the FA Introduction to Coaching Football, UEFA C, UEFA B and National GK Coaching Courses, and supporting high-performance coaches with UK Coaching. Lee has coached in a variety of grassroots and performance settings, including at Bristol City FC Academy, with the FA Women's Talent Programme, and in Disability Talent Hubs. Lee has also been a Non-Executive Director in Regional Governing Bodies and therefore has an excellent understanding of the UK sport sector.
Fees and funding
Fees UK students: £9,535 per annum
Fees for International students: £14,600 per annum
This fee covers your tuition and access to course-specific equipment and facilities, as well associated services including access to the library, study skills support, IT support, student support and wellbeing services and membership of the Student Union. There may be additional costs by course.
Additional costs:
- A DBS check
- Marjon sports kit
Funding available for this course
Our Student Funding Advisors offer confidential and impartial advice about your funding options.
Student funding adviceLecturers
Lee is an experienced Sports Coaching lecturer who has worked in Higher and Further Education. Lee also works for the FA as a coach developer across their coach education programmes and a coach at the Women's High Performance Centre. Lee is a Director at the Somerset FA and the Chairperson of their Inclusion Advisory Group. Lee is a Talent Reporter for the FA's England Girls programme and an Associate Coach Developer for UK Coaching. Lee is also undertaking a Doctorate programme through Loughborough University aiming to reposition the role of Coach Developer towards Learning Designer. Lee is also a Co-Convenor of our CAPE Research and Knowledge Exchange Group.
Laura’s academic background is in business and management. She is researcher and her PhD focuses on the phenomena of lifestyle entrepreneurship and lifestyle sports.
Andreas teaches and researches with a particular emphasis on enterprise, entrepreneurship and workforce issues in the service industries. He has worked on consultancy projects for both public and private sectors including the International Labour Office, Enterprise Educators UK, International Finance Corporation and the Higher Education Academy. Andreas is co-editor research for the journal Entrepreneurship Education and Pedagogy and is founding member of the Tourism Workforce research group at the Icelandic Tourism Research Centre and Research Fellow at Neapolis University Pafos.
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