Combined Master of International Sports Business / Master of Sports Analytics

Globalisation is profoundly impacting the sports industry as a direct result of increased exposure through broadcasting and social media. Many sports brands are increasingly targeting overseas markets to reach new fans and customers, develop new revenue streams and gain competitive advantage. Marketing is central to contemporary business, and this course provides students with a foundation on which to better understand the sport marketing discipline. Students learn that the consumer is at the heart of all buying decisions and will explore consumer needs and the psychological processes that effective marketing addresses. The course explores the key principles and practices involved with identifying new markets and creating an effective marketing strategy. It also addresses how digital and social media communications strategies have revolutionised the connection between sports brands and consumers.

With sport sponsorship revenue surpassing billions annually, students explore the multifaceted decisions involved in sponsorship agreements, from selecting the right partners to negotiating deals that align with organisational objectives. Understanding the strategic positioning of sponsorship within sports marketing, students analyse how brands leverage sponsorships to enhance visibility, engage audiences, and build brand equity. Through in-depth examination of sponsorship activation measures and evaluation techniques, students learn to assess the effectiveness of sponsorships in achieving marketing goals.

Mastery of sports industry economics equips future leaders with knowledge and skills needed to navigate and influence a multi-billion-dollar global market. In this course students explore the intersection of economic principles with the dynamic knowledge and practices of the sport business world. Learning spans unique theoretical applications, such as supply and demand dynamics in sports ticket pricing, the economics of stadium financing, and the impact of player salaries on team performance. Students gain a deep understanding of how economics shapes decision-making in the sports industry, empowering the analysis of complex issues like revenue sharing agreements and the economic impact of sport mega-events.

Understanding the dynamics of human behaviour within the context of sports organisations is foundational to effective sport management practice. The course explores the psychological and sociological factors that influence individual and group behaviour, leadership styles, organisational culture, and decision-making processes within the sports industry. Learning through case studies, experiences, and academic research, students develop a deep understanding of how to effectively manage and lead diverse teams in the global sports business landscape.

Understanding and upholding integrity is crucial in the world of international sport, where ethical challenges impact players, organisations, and entire communities. Through examination of theoretical frameworks and real-world case studies, students analyse integrity issues such as matchfixing, doping, governance transparency, and ethical conduct. By developing critical analysis and ethical reasoning skills, this course provides students with tools to help navigate complex integrity dilemmas. The course also develops student knowledge of ethical business practices and social responsibility within international sport business contexts.

Explore the contemporary world of athlete representation and agency management within the sports industry. This course engages with multi-disciplinary knowledge spanning talent scouting, contract negotiation, brand management, legal considerations, and ethical responsibilities in athlete representation. By fostering critical thinking and strategic decision-making skills, this course empowers students to navigate the complexities of athlete agency management and excel in advocating for the holistic development and success of athletes in the global sports landscape.

Many factors influence organisational sustainability in sport, including governance, workforce, funding and finances, integrity, infrastructure, participant experiences, and environmental impacts. To fully examine sport leadership in a such a multi-faceted context, this course draws on two interpretations of “sustainability”. The first interpretation considers both the broader global impacts of the sport sector and engagement by sport leadership with sustainable development principles to manage social, environmental, and economic issues. The second interpretation relates to sustainability in the context of business continuity management, organisational performance management, and strategic planning. Understanding and application of both these sustainability interpretations is demonstrated to be essential for effective contemporary sport leadership.

In an era where digital engagement shapes fan loyalty and brand success, mastering new media analytics is central to sport business operations. This course explores the impact of new media on the sports industry, focusing on the use of digital communication technologies to enhance interaction between users and content. Students will learn how to analyse and leverage data from various new media platforms to increase engagement, enhance fan experiences, and support business decision-making. The course content includes social media analytics, content performance metrics, and the role of digital marketing in sports. Through practical applications and case studies, students develop skills to critically evaluate and utilise new media analytics in sport business contexts.

Experiencing the global sports industry first hand provides invaluable learning opportunities that can only be gained by exposure to diverse cultural and professional settings. This course expands the theoretical knowledge and skills developed in the classroom, immersing students in international sports business practice. In this course, students will undertake educational activities at a range of international sporting related venues and organisations, and also engage in a range of other activities designed to require engagement in and increased understanding of the social, political, cultural and sports business practices in other countries.

The pervasion of information technology into every aspect of life and the recent explosion of social media have resulted in the creation of huge volumes (Big Data) of typically unstructured data: web logs, videos, speech, photographs, purchase patterns, e-mails, GPS data and Tweets. Organisations have understood that there is a strong need for professional data analysts who are able to manage big data, to apply appropriate data analytics techniques (e.g. statistical learning, classification, and dimension reduction methods), and to utilise the critical knowledge within these enormous amounts of data. This course brings together several key theories and technologies used in manipulating, storing, and analyzing big data.

In today’s data-driven environments, effectively communicating the outcomes of data analysis is crucial for ensuring that decision- makers can understand and act upon the insights presented. This course explores the art and science of data storytelling, integrating it with fundamental principles of data visualisation. Students will learn how to transform complex data into compelling and actionable narratives fulfilling the essential role of a data translator across various applied settings.

In a world where ‘data is everywhere’, contemporary sport increasingly requires the use of analytical techniques. This course explores the key aspects of sports analytics, both ‘on the field’ and ‘off the field’. It examines the application of analytics in sports for purposes of in-game strategy, player performance, team management, sports operations, business development, fan engagement, sponsorship evaluation and other selected topics.

With data playing a pivotal role in modern sports, understanding statistical analysis and visualisation is key to uncovering insights that underpin success on and off the field. This course draws on statistical analysis and data visualisation to explore how data is used in sport to make evidence-based decisions. The course covers three areas. First, it provides a foundational understanding of quantitative analysis. Second, various data visualisation techniques are outlined (including exposure to relevant software programs) to develop skills in understanding and presenting complex data. Third, an applied understanding of the importance of data in identifying insights and trends in the sport sector. Recent examples from the sport industry, including ‘on-field’ performance and in commercial activities, will be used to illustrate these complex concepts.

Identifying and recruiting the right talent is essential to building competitive, successful sports teams and sports organisations. This course engages with the methodologies and analytical techniques used in the identification and recruitment of athletic talent. Students explore the principles of talent identification, including physiological, psychological, and performance metrics. The course covers various models and approaches used by sports organisations to scout, assess, and recruit athletes. Using case studies and practical applications, students gain insights into the strategic importance of effective talent identification, recruitment, and development in the sports industry.

In high-performance sports, the ability to turn data into actionable insights is essential to player development and delivering competitive advantage. This course provides an in-depth exploration of performance analytics in sports, focusing on the practical application of data analysis techniques to enhance individual and team performance. Students learn how to collect, interpret, and apply performance data in real time settings to inform coaching decisions, improve player development, and optimise team strategy. The course integrates theoretical frameworks with hands-on projects using real-world datasets, enabling students to understand the analytical tools and technologies used in performance analysis. Emphasis is placed on ethical data use, communicating insights effectively, and adapting analytical approaches to different sports contexts.

Extracting and communicating information from data lies at the heart of Statistics and Data Science. In practice, data isn’t often in an immediately useable format, requiring management, manipulation, and error-checking. Visualisation of data is an invaluable asset in error-checking as well as both finding and communicating key information. This course provides introductory methods for such data wrangling and visualisation of data.

Having an opportunity to apply skills and knowledge acquired through study is essential to students being ‘career-ready’. This course builds student employability by providing in-person exposure to the working world of sport businesses. Students undertake 140 hours of supervised work placement (work integrated learning) in partnership with a host organisation. Students observe and participate in a range of work practices as negotiated with the host organisation.

• Bachelor degree or
• Bachelor Honours degree or
• Graduate Certificate or
• Graduate Diploma or
• 7 years relevant work experience
• Relevant work experience includes: business, commerce, data analytics, international studies, journalism, media, sports, statistics or equivalent.
• Work experience can be demonstrated through certified copies of all relevant qualifications, a detailed CV, and a statement of service or signed letters from employers confirming your role, duties and period of employment.
• English Language Requirements: if you’re applying from a country where English is not the majority spoken language, you’ll need to demonstrate your English proficiency. We accept a range of internationally recognised qualifications, with the minimum standard being: IELTS score of 6.5 overall, with no individual component below 6.0, or an equivalent. Accepted qualifications include: IELTS Academic, IELTS for UKVI, TOEFL iBT, Oxford ELLT, PTE Academic, Cambridge IGCSE, ESOL, and IESOL.

Trimester 1, 2026

• 11 January 2026 — Last day to apply
• 19 January 2026 — Orientation date
• 27 January 2026 — Commencement date

Trimester 3, 2026

• 2 August 2026 — Last day to apply
• 10 August 2026 — Orientation date
• 17 August 2026 — Commencement date

Apply now via our partners the University of Newcastle

Trimester 1, 2026

• 3 November 2025 — Last day to apply
• 18 December 2025 — Last day to accept and pay
• 19 January 2026 — Orientation date
• 27 January 2026 — Commencement date
• 6 February 2026 — Last day to arrive in Australia

Trimester 3, 2026

• 22 June 2026 — Last day to apply
• 8 July 2026 — Last day to accept and pay
• 10 August 2026 — Orientation date
• 17 August 2026 — Commencement date
• 28 August 2026 — Last day to arrive in Australia

It is recommended you submit your application a minimum of 12 weeks before your intended trimester start date.

Apply now via our partners the University of Newcastle