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Sport Management

MSc

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Key information

Key information for 2026-27

Start date:
October 2026
Study route:

  • One year full-time, on campus

  • Two years part-time, on campus

Status:
Fully approved
Location:
Birkbeck Campus, Central London
Awarding body:
University of London
Study options:
Full-time | Part-time | On campus

Course overview

This MSc Sport Management is designed for ambitious graduates who wish to advance their understanding of sport and develop their careers in the rapidly evolving sport industry.

  • Why choose this course?
    • Through a unique blend of theoretical insights and practical applications, this course offers you a critical analysis of contemporary sport management practices and gives you access to leading research, ensuring your sport industry knowledge is up to date and relevant.
    • It benefits from the input of engaged, experienced academics and has excellent links with top sport organisations and expert industry speakers, including high-level Birkbeck alumni.
    • This well-established and respected sport management course has been running for more than 25 years and gives you the opportunity to learn alongside students from a range of personal and professional backgrounds in a fun, constructive and intellectually stimulating environment.

  • What will I learn?

    This MSc is unique in combining academic expertise from internationally renowned academics with expert insight into current sport management practices from the range of industry guest speakers we host.

    You will study key aspects of sport management, including:

    • economics
    • competition design
    • governance
    • marketing and strategy
    • the wider social, political and cultural aspects of sport.

  • How will I learn?

    You will learn through a dynamic mixture of lectures, interactive seminars, guest speaker sessions and independent study. You will find this combination of learning opportunities rewarding in itself, but it will also give you the analytical skills and networking opportunities to develop your career in the sport industry. This course is available to study full- or part-time and it follows an evening timetable.

  • How often will I attend classes?

    Full-time: Two to three evenings a week, October to July.

    Part-time: One to two evenings a week, October to July.

  • Pathways

    This course has additional Pathways to offer you the chance to specialise depending on your interests and career goals.

  • Course disclaimer

    Birkbeck makes all reasonable efforts to deliver educational services, modules and programmes of study as described on our website. In the event that there are material changes to our offering (for example, due to matters beyond our control), we will update applicant and student facing information as quickly as possible and offer alternatives to applicants, offer-holders and current students.

    Most of our courses are taught in the evenings, however some of our courses offer a daytime timetable. Where there is an option to attend daytime teaching sessions, this is stated in the How will I learn? section.

More highlights

  • You will benefit from studying in the heart of London with access to cultural highlights, as well as top sport organisations and extensive professional networks.
  • We have very well-established links with industry professionals across a wide range of sport organisations, including: UEFA, the FA, the Premier League, F1, UK Sport, Sport England, ECB, RFU, Premier League clubs.
  • Our staff are renowned researchers, publishing in the top academic journals, as well as engaged classroom teachers who are committed to supporting students in their academic and professional progress.
  • The course is directly associated with the Birkbeck Sport Business Centre, one of the world's leading centres for sport management research, teaching, training, consultancy and policy advice.
  • Birkbeck’s outstanding careers support offers you personalised coaching, tailored career programmes, micro-placements and digital skills development, ensuring you are fully prepared to thrive in today's dynamic job market.
  • The Birkbeck Women in Sport Scholarship is offered to an excellent and deserving female student.

Modules and Teaching

Birkbeck Business School

The school is research-driven across a wide range of disciplinary themes with academic staff who create new knowledge, push boundaries and publish in leading academic journals.

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Entry requirements

Our standard entry requirements for postgraduate courses are a second-class honours degree (2:2) in any area of study from a UK university, or an equivalent international qualification - find details of entry requirements and equivalencies for over 120 countries world-wide.

We welcome applicants without traditional entry qualifications as we base decisions on our own assessment of qualifications, knowledge and previous work experience. We may waive formal entry requirements based on judgement of academic potential.

On your application form, please list all your relevant qualifications and experience, including those you expect to achieve.

Apply now to secure your place. The earlier you apply, the sooner your application can be considered, and you can enrol. You do not need to have completed your current qualification to start your application.

  • What are the English language requirements?

    If English is not your first language or you have not previously studied in English, our usual requirement is the equivalent of an International English Language Testing System (IELTS Academic Test) score of 6.5, with not less than 6.0 in each of the sub-tests. We also accept other English language tests.

    If you don't meet the minimum English language requirements, please contact us or see our international study skills page for more details about how we can help.

    Visit the International section of our website to find out more about our English language entry requirements and relevant requirements by country.

  • What are the visa and funding requirements?

    If you are not from the UK and you do not already have residency here, you may need to apply for a visa.

    The visa you apply for varies according to the length of your course:

    • Courses of more than six months' duration: Student visa
    • Courses of less than six months' duration: Standard Visitor visa

    International students who require a Student visa should apply to study on our courses full-time as these qualify for Student visa sponsorship. If you are living in the UK on a Student visa, you will not be eligible to enrol to study part-time courses at Birkbeck (with the exception of some modules).

    As a Student visa student, you should also apply to study on campus only, as online and flexible options of study (if they are available for your course) may affect the conditions of your visa.

    For full information, read our visa information for international students page.

    Please also visit the international section of our website to find out more about relevant visa and funding requirements by country.

    Please note students receiving US Federal Aid are only able to apply for in-person, on-campus programmes which will have no elements of online study.

  • Credits and accredited prior learning (APL)

    If you have studied at university (or have an HND or Foundation Degree), you may have accumulated credits. It may be possible to transfer these from your previous study to Birkbeck or another institution.

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Fees

MSc: One year full-time or two years part-time, on campus, starting in October 2026

Academic year 2026-27

Part-time home students: £7,800 per year
Full-time home students: £15,600 per year
Part-time international students: £12,195 per year
Full-time international students: £24,390 per year

Students are charged a tuition fee in each year of their course. Tuition fees for students continuing their course may be subject to annual inflationary increases. For more information, please see the Fees Policy.

Discover the financial support available to you to help with your studies at Birkbeck.

Birkbeck's campus is located in the historic and vibrant Bloomsbury area of central London - named one of the best places to live in London 2025 by The Times.

Careers and employability

On successfully graduating from this MSc Sport Management, you will have gained an array of important transferable skills, including:

  • critical-thinking and analytical skills to evaluate complex scenarios and devise innovative solutions
  • professional communication techniques essential for influencing stakeholders and driving change
  • the ability to lead and manage teams effectively, making informed strategic decisions.

Studying this course will prepare you for management and leadership roles in a wide range of private, public and non-profit sport organisations. Possible roles include:

  • manager
  • consultant
  • analyst
  • agent
  • administrator
  • policy adviser.

Graduates from this course have gone on to be employed at the following organisations:

  • Arsenal Football Club
  • Alpine F1 Team
  • beIN Media
  • Borussia Dortmund
  • Brentford Football Club
  • Deloitte
  • FIFA
  • The Football Association
  • The Football Foundation
  • J-League Europe
  • The Lawn Tennis Association
  • Sky Sports
  • Tottenham Hotspur Football Club
  • YouGov Sport.

We offer a comprehensive careers service - Careers and Enterprise - your career partner during your time at Birkbeck and beyond. At every stage of your career journey, we empower you to take ownership of your future, helping you to make the connection between your experience, education and future ambitions.

Student support

Birkbeck offers study, learning and wellbeing support to undergraduate and postgraduate students to help them succeed.

Our Learning Development Service provides a lively programme of free weekly workshops building essential academic skills - from writing and critical thinking to maths and referencing - offering flexible sessions, practical tips, and online resources to boost your skills and confidence.

Our Disability and Mental Health Service can support you if you have disabilities, specific learning differences, mental health conditions or neurodivergence, by providing practical support to help you achieve your academic potential.

Our Counselling Service aims to support you with any emotional and psychological difficulties that are affecting your experience and engagement with your studies at university. It is a free, non-judgemental and confidential service which consists of a consultation process followed by time limited counselling contact.

Find out more about the full range of student services we offer at Birkbeck.

How to apply

You apply directly to Birkbeck for this course, using the online application link.

You will need to prove your identity when you apply. Find out more about how to apply.

Study routes for Sport Management (MSc)

Please select a study route below to continue your application.

Please note that international students who require a Student visa to study in the UK can only apply for full-time, on campus routes.

Starting in October 2026

Full-time

Part-time