Course length: One year (full-time) and two year (part-time) options available
Priority Application Deadline: 31 August 2023 for September 2023 entry
Degree overview
This in-depth programme is designed for those who wish to develop an appreciation of key areas shaping the current landscape of the football industry. The programme provides opportunities to engage in different aspects of football business including areas such as governance and regulation, consumer engagement, operational management and business development. From TV deals to player transfers, football is now a global, multi-billion-pound industry that is in need of more industry specific qualified individuals.
Intake Date: September 2023
This degree is available at UCFB Manchester Campus – one of the world’s most famous footballing cities with a thriving student population.
Intake Date: September 2023
This degree is available at UCFB Wembley, London, which the iconic Wembley Stadium at the heart of its campus. What could be more motivating for a future career in the sports industry than walking into the most famous stadium in the world? Our UCFB Wembley campus enjoys excellent facilities with lecture theatres, seminar rooms, quiet study areas, library and media suites.
Intake Date: September 2023
Our Distance Learing degrees are taught by the same leading industry experts who teach our on-campus degrees with teaching delivered online via our dedicated Online Hub which can be accessed anytime making this a flexible study option that fits around your existing commitments.
Each module typically has 6 live teaching sessions for you to attend, enabling you to interact and collaborate with academics and your peers. These sessions are also recorded.

The football industry is one of many opportunities for budding professionals, and also poses numerous challenges on a personal and business level. Due to the unique nature of the football industry, it is essential to have the knowledge and experience to be able to deal with a range of ever-changing scenarios. This programme will allow students to be aware of the diverse and often unique situations that impact on the football business, as well as recognise best practice and ethical choices.

The ability to use GIS’s network is great as so many of the staff members and alumni are interconnected to the sporting industry all around the world.
Your Programme Leader
Modules
The Global Institute of Sport is an embedded college of the University of East London. All GIS graduates will receive a degree from the University of East London.
This module will explore the importance, variation and motivation which influence football consumer behaviours. You will identify key factors which explore the changing nature of football consumer typologies, including the globalisation of fan engagement and the importance of customer relationship management and data analytics. This module explores and analyses the dynamic nature of football fan
engagement and the online and offline tools being used to capture existing and new fans. Finally, the module examines the metrics and insights required to drive the business of football consumption.
In this module you will explore the impact, vision and activities of commercial operations and project management in a footballing context. You will develop an insight and understanding of approaches for managing football operations, in order to achieve successful delivery. You will be able to comprehend and apply alternative academic and best practice perspectives in terms of operational outcomes with a project management perspective.
This module will introduce you to the importance of finance as a discipline and decision tool in professional football clubs. You who may not have experience of accounting or finance, but want to build an understanding of its growing importance as a core management discipline in the football and sporting industries. In order to work in a management position in the business of football, an appreciation of the underlying financial mechanisms, regulations, and cash flow has become increasingly important. You will learn about the European Football Finance Landscape, and the importance of match day, broadcast and commercial revenue, through to financial regulation, cost management and all aspects of revenue generation. You will consider how existing governance frameworks have evolved, corruption and the function of Boards of Directors. There will be a strong focus on interpreting and monitoring financial outcomes and appraising club financial data, KPI’s and valuations.
Leadership is a fundamental element of both sport and business operating in a dynamic global arena. On this module you will review and conceptualise different approaches to leadership from both an applied and theoretical perspective to allow you to analyse critical incidents in order to judge organisational leadership performance. You will be able to apply leadership theory to examples from industry professionals who have experience of leading teams in a sporting setting. Cross-cultural leadership underpins many of the behaviours and skills discussed within the leadership framework, alongside diversity and inclusion, strategic leadership, communication and reflection. The module allows you to take responsibility for your own leadership development and effectiveness through the development of an e-portfolio and skills audit, alongside exposure to sports leaders from the global network of partners contributing to the live case studies.
This module will advance your research and critical thinking skills, and support you in applying these to the sport industry and its associated workplace environments. This module aims to prepare you for research, reflective, and evidence-based development, important for your future career and higher study where applicable. The undertaking of an applied project will give you the opportunity to develop your problem-solving skills regarding topical issues in your area of interest, whilst also allowing you to evidence your academic ability and knowledge. By completing this project and consulting with your tutor, you will establish expertise in an applied area of interest, aiming to have real impact on the relevant industry.
This module will give you a live insight into sport business issues. You will gain a thorough practice-based understanding of project design, conduct and action. As a result, you will be able to design and manage an applied project, and show potential to contribute to academic knowledge and industry practice – making
you highly desirable for potential employers.
Working in the global sports business as a manager, you will be called upon to work on new projects and within new or existing project teams, where some of the team may be based in other countries. This will test your ability as a manager and your team-working skills. You will be asked to work in a group and be given a consultancy project by a sporting organisation. Assigning roles to each team member, you will have to carry our research in order to investigate the current situation that the company finds itself in, and find the data that you need to inform your report. You will need to demonstrate a critical awareness of the current issues that face the sports organisation. You will then analyse this data and make your recommendations to the organisation.
Sport is big business but the right to exploit its commercial value is not unfettered. This module explores how English and European Law intertwines with sport across a variety of topical areas, equipping you with the ability to interpret and critically assess legal disputes and agreements, especially from a commercial context.
The module places this legal discussion in a multidisciplinary context by examining the historical commercialisation of sport and how that has contributed to the juridification of the sector, through to the importance of good governance, CSR and ethical practices in sport. The module examines whether the specificities of sport preclude the application of UK and EU law to a variety of business practices or whether the law should treat sport in the same way as any other economic activity.
Requirements overview
- Undergraduate degree - minimum 2:2 (ideally a 2:1) or international equivalent
- Applicants with a 2:2 should have some experience of studying or working in business or sports related areas.
- English language qualifications: Applicants from non-majority English speaking countries will be asked for an English qualification which tests Speaking, Listening, Reading and Writing and will be asked to achieve an overall IELTS score of 6.5 (minimum of 6.0 in each section) or recognised equivalent.
Offers to applicants currently studying an undergraduate degree will be conditional on them going on to achieve the entry requirements on completion of their degree.
Applications that do not meet the standard entry requirements but demonstrate relevant education and/or work and/or life experience in the course subject area are welcomed.
Eligibility will be assessed on the basis of the information provided in the application – in particular the personal statement.
For more information, please contact admissions@ucfb.com.
Priority Application Deadline - 31 August 2023
We strongly encourage you to submit your Masters application well before our 31 August 2023 priority application deadline (8 January 2024 for courses starting in January) to allow sufficient time for assessment of application, ensure availability on the course and enrolment in time for the beginning of your studies. Applications received after this date will only be considered on a case by case basis.
To apply for this degree, please click here and follow the instructions to complete your application via our Learner Portal.
- Application form
- Evidence of highest academic and/or professional qualifications
- Evidence of relevant experience, where required
- 500 word personal statement
Applications made through the flexible entry route may require a course leader review. The course leader will determine whether a professional reference or task is required.
Scholarships
The Global Institute of Sport is proud to offer an extensive suite of scholarships to support outstanding students as they embark on their postgraduate study. From scholarships to aid our elite athletes, to attracting aspiring sports leaders, and scholarships which support inclusivity and diversity within the sporting industry, our scholarships are there to support students who want to make a meaningful difference to the future of the sporting world.
Career prospects
The programme has been developed for those with aspirations towards senior management positions within the core functional departments of the football industry, spanning financial and accounting roles or operational roles within football, including the ability to rise to senior managerial roles due to the management aspect of the degree.
Fees

These discounts are open to any UCFB, Buckinghamshire New University and University of East London graduate who has received and accepted an offer to study at postgraduate level with UCFB’s Global Institute of Sport.
- 15% fee tuition discount on all Master's programmes, excluding MSc Sports Directorship
- 15% fee tuition discount on MSc Sports Directorship and CEO of a Sports Organisation
If you’d like to extend your time with us, we’re pleased to offer all GIS graduates:
- 15% fee tuition discount on all Master's programmes, excluding MSc Sports Directorship
- 15% fee tuition discount on MSc Sports Directorship and CEO of a Sports Organisation
We're pleased to offer all UCFB and GIS business partners 15% fee tuition discount on all Undergraduate, Master's programmes.
For part-time courses the tuition fee will be split accordingly per year i.e 50% in year 1 and 50% in year 2 (for a two year programme) as per below table.
Full-time (one year) | Part-time (two years) | ||
Home Students |
International Students |
Home Students |
International Students |
£10,950 | £16,450 | £5,475 | £8,225 |
In some instances, optional Employability & Career Planning activities provided may carry an additional cost for participants (e.g. qualifications with external certification such as FA Coaching Badges). Any additional costs will be provided to students in advance of any such sessions running.