Sport Management BSc (Hons) - i2i International Soccer Academy

The BSc (Hons) Sport Management’s philosophy is that you will learn to become a sports manager in an authentic, dynamic, interactive and supportive environment, graduating as a fully industry-ready graduate who can think for yourself and make informed judgements.

The above means that, as well as actively engaging in lectures, seminars and workshops, you will undertake field trips, group projects and a 12-week sports industry placement.

Our assessments are based on the types of tasks that sports managers are required to perform, such as writing reports, making presentations, evaluating information and developing strategic plans. For example, in your final year, you will use all of your knowledge and skills to plan, implement, and evaluate a sports event of your choosing. Previous events have included: charity golf days, sports dinners, events to support public health initiatives, zorb football, the RFL North East season launch, the Sky Super-league Netball Launch, and an annual five-day swimming gala.

• Download a PDF containing all core and optional modules from Year One - Year Three

Your academic tutors will use a variety of teaching methods including lectures, seminars, problem-based workshops, case discussions, practical activities, group work and tutorials. To facilitate the essential learning that needs to take place outside of formal contact sessions, there will be directed learning tasks during every module.

Teaching is backed by a well-designed support system that will underpin your learning journey. You will have a Guidance Tutor with whom you can discuss academic or personal issues and we ensure extensive feedback - from tutors and student peers - is built into the course wherever possible.

Whether you are interested in traditional sports, emerging sports, e-sports, or marketing through sport, the BSc (Hons) Sport Management degree has been designed to support your academic and vocational development. Based on robust management theory you will engage with topics as diverse as social media marketing, economics and finance, sports event management, strategic planning, resource management, and personal branding, all within the context of sport.

Our Sport Management degree is taught in a sports department, rather than a business school, by staff with significant sports business experience and contacts with industry partners. What this means is that all of your modules are related to sports and are taught by people who understand the relationship between theory, practice, and industry requirements.

i2i Soccer Academy Coaches

Holding internationally recognised UEFA Pro and A coaching licenses, the i2i Coaches work closely with each player to help maximise their soccer abilities and support them to pursue various career options, inside and outside of the sports industry. Discover more information below, including contact details for i2i's recruiters as well as Northumbria's Recruitment and International Projects Manager - Chris Bunten - who will help guide you on your journey to us.

The Department of Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation aims to give all student-athletes a first-class education in world-class learning and teaching environments.

Expect a first-class education in a world-class environment, from our social spaces and hub areas to lecture theatres and exhibition spaces - our facilities are exceptional. For example, the 24/7 university library achieves some of the highest levels of student satisfaction in the UK and has held the Cabinet Office accreditation for Customer Service Excellence since 2010.

The equipment within our labs is state-of-the-art meaning you will be taught vocationally relevant skills in an exciting and stimulating setting. Some of the facilities you will have access to are specialist physiology, biomechanics and nutrition laboratories, strength and conditioning suites, indoor sprint tracks, an environmental chamber and the DXA bone scanner. Explore your learning spaces virtually here.

We are committed to helping you make the most of Technology Enhanced Learning (TEL) by embedding it throughout the course. Tools such as the ‘Blackboard’ eLearning Portal and electronic reading lists are there to help you efficiently and thoroughly prepare for seminars and independent research. Lecture capture software means you can revise previously lectured material online in your time, as well as at your speed.

Outside of the classroom, we have a wide range of socialisation and study spaces for students to utilise from our award-winning Student Central and Library to your dedicated Students' Union.

As an i2i student-athlete, you will have full access to Northumbria University's extensive state-of-the-art sports facilities.

Our sporting facilities comprise a City Campus facility - Sport Central - which was a £30 million investment made in 2010. Sport Central comprises a fitness centre, swimming pool, sauna and steam room, squash courts, four full-sized basketball court sports halls, indoor track, meeting rooms/performance analysis pods and strength and conditioning suites, the latter of which is only accessible by our scholar and i2i student-athletes. 

We also have our Coach Lane Sport Centre which is the focus of all our outdoor sports and the home of our soccer and i2i programme. Coach Lane Sport Centre is 3 miles away from our City Campus and Sport Central. At Coach Lane, we have four full-sized grass soccer pitches and two full-sized 3G pitches, with one pitch recently built in September 2022. There is also an indoor sports hall, player lounge, performance analysis rooms and a strength and conditioning suite.

Along with access to our strength and conditioning suites with our qualified coaches, i2i student-athletes receive a free commercial gym membership where they can access a swimming pool, sauna and steam room. as well as an extensive timetable of exercise classes.

As part of our offer to all i2i student-athletes, we have a great support services package. This includes:

Results from the Research Excellence Framework (REF 2021) show Northumbria's research power ranking rose to 23rd in the UK, making Northumbria the sector’s largest riser in research power ranking for the second time. In terms of Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation, we rank 5th in the UK (REF 2021) for Research Power.

Northumbria's research ethos underpins the problem-based, experiential learning approaches embedded within our research-rich curriculum. This approach will equip you to apply and develop knowledge in ‘real world’ situations, mindful of the cultural context and able to act ethically with integrity.

Our sport management teaching team are active researchers in their chosen specialisms and they routinely incorporate their expertise into their teaching which is also informed by current developments in sport management. As such, your critical thinking will be developed during the course when you undertake an independent research project.

Your project will involve choosing an appropriate research problem that interests you, designing a study to answer a stated research question and then writing up a dissertation of 8,500 words. In addition to the write-up, you will have the opportunity to present your findings and respond to rigorous questions from staff, your peers, and sports management professionals at the dissertation conference.

Sport is a competitive, fast-paced, growing industry offering a wealth of high-profile exciting careers. Studying Sport Management at Northumbria will ensure that you are equipped with the knowledge and skills required to meet the challenges and opportunities provided by sports in the 21st century.

We make your personal-professional development and career planning a priority across all years of study with us and you will develop your knowledge and understanding of the graduate labour market, and of current trends in graduate recruitment and selection, applying this to your career planning. 

We offer several additional opportunities to enhance your CV, develop your employability or enterprise skills, and increase commercial awareness; opportunities may include work placements, overseas travel and study, guest speakers and networking. There are also volunteering programmes both within and outside the University, and representing your course at Programme or School level.

Examples of jobs held by former students include Marketing Executive at Manchester United, Partnerships Assistant at Tottenham Hotspur FC, Sales Manager (Match & Advertising) at Middlesbrough Football Club, Sport Manager with the Qatar Olympic Committee, and Account Executive with Nike.

As an i2i student-athlete, you will be in a unique position to prepare yourself for a career both inside and outside of soccer. Whether you are looking to go into playing soccer at a professional level or are hoping to engage with a career elsewhere in the soccer or sporting industry, you will be able to take advantage of a unique programme offering that prepares you for a multitude of career paths.