Program Overview

Introduction to the Sports Director Expert in Football Program

The Sports Director Expert in Football program is designed to meet the growing demand for trained professionals in sports management, specifically in the field of football. This program is a response to the need for professionals with the knowledge and technical profile to effectively manage football clubs and respond to the demands of the professional soccer sports system.

Objectives

The main objective of the program is to train professionals in sports management within the field of football, improving and strengthening the structures of football clubs and enhancing the professional and personal skills of their sports managers. Upon completion of this program, students will acquire the basic skills of a sports director.

Competences

The program aims to equip students with the necessary competences to succeed in sports management, including skills in institutional management, human resources management, legal and financial management, sports planning, and methodological direction in football.

Programme

The program consists of six modules:

• Module 1: The Sports Director - Skills and Professional Profile
• Module 2: Institutional Management and Human Resources Management in a Football Club
• Module 3: Legal and Financial Management
• Module 4: Sports Planning and Methodological Direction in Football
• Module 5: Communication, Marketing, and New Technologies
• Module 6: Final Project

Recipients

The program is designed for students who possess at least one of the following degrees:

1. Soccer Coach with level I, II, or III federative diploma, basic, advanced, or professional coaching course, or UEFA B, A, and PRO.
2. Graduates in Physical Activity and Sports Sciences, with a football federation degree. The academic committee may also admit candidates with professional or academic profiles closely linked to football, who demonstrate the necessary knowledge and skills to benefit from the program.

Selection Criteria

In the event that the number of applications exceeds the number of available places, a selection will be made based on the following criteria:

1. Members of the Coaches Committee of the Royal Spanish Football Federation.
2. Professional soccer experience.
3. Degrees related to football.

Number of Places

The program offers 65 places.

Academic Management and Faculty

The program is co-organized by the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) and the King Juan Carlos University (URJC). The academic director is Mr. Alexander Gil-Arias, and the co-director is Mr. Josep Sansó Nicolau.

Teaching Staff

The teaching staff includes professionals from both the URJC and the RFEF, as well as other experts in the field of sports management. The staff includes:

• Alexander Gil-Arias, University Professor and Specialist in Sports Didactics
• Fernando del Villar Alvarez, University Professor and Specialist in Sports Didactics
• Sergio Gonzalez Garcia, Physician Assistant and Specialist in Sports Law
• Israel Lopez Ferrer, Deputy Director of the School of Coaches, Spanish Football Federation, and National Trainer and Soccer Specialist

Duration and Development

The program is an in-person, superior university course with 8 credits and 80 contact hours. It will be delivered at the Las Rozas Football City, the headquarters of the Royal Spanish Football Federation, over 10 sessions on Mondays from 10:00 to 13:45 and 15:00 to 18:45, starting on February 7 and ending on April 5, 2022.

Reservation of Place and Enrollment

The pre-registration period is from November 2, 2021, to January 20, 2022, and the enrollment deadline is from January 21 to February 6, 2022. The title price is 3000 Euros, and there is no possibility of a scholarship.

Documentation to Attach, Forms, and Place of Delivery

Applicants must submit scanned documentation, including:

• National Identity Document or equivalent
• University Degree that provides access to the requested postgraduate degree
• Curriculum vitae
• Responsible declaration of veracity of the data provided in digital format
• Any other document required by the Academic Department of Continuing Education for acceptance

Students with foreign qualifications must also submit:

• Passport or Residence Card
• Foreign Higher Education Degree that gives access to continuing education studies
• Curriculum vitae
• Responsible declaration of veracity of the data provided in digital format
• Any other document required by the Academic Department of Continuing Education for acceptance

A university degree (bachelor's or bachelor's degree) is required to access both Master's and Expert and Specialist courses. However, people without a previous university degree but with professional experience related to the subject of the course may be considered for access, subject to the decision of the Course Director. These individuals will only receive a Diploma or a Certificate of University Extension, depending on the case.