Program Overview

Introduction to the MA Leadership in Sport

The MA Leadership in Sport is a part-time master's program designed to equip students with the skills and expertise needed to excel in top industry roles. The program is co-delivered by Loughborough University London and the Institute of Sports Humanities.

Qualification(s) available

The qualification available for this program is an MA (Master of Arts) degree.

Fees

The fees for the program are as follows:

• UK fee: £17,500 (for the academic year) and £18,100 (for the academic year)
• International fee: £31,750 (for the academic year) and £32,800 (for the academic year)

Scholarships available

There are several scholarships available, including:

• Loughborough University Alumni Bursary: 10% off tuition fees
• Leadership in Sport Scholarship: 50% off tuition fees
• Excellence Scholarship: up to 20% off tuition fees

Entry requirements

The entry requirements for the program are:

• A 2:2 honours degree or equivalent work experience
• English language requirements: applicants must meet the minimum English language requirements, which can be found on the International website

Program structure

The program is designed to fit around and accelerate the student's career, with each module delivered across four weekly evening online seminars, all recorded for even more study flexibility. The program can be taken over 12 or 24 months.

Modules

The modules on the MA Leadership in Sport program have been carefully put together to give students the most up-to-date and relevant set of skills and knowledge for progressing in their chosen career. The modules include:

• Management & Decision-making (15 credits)
• The Sports Industry and Entrepreneurship (15 credits)
• Sport Governance, Law and Ethics (15 credits)
• Leadership Models and Practices: Application to a Sport Context (LiS) (15 credits)
• Sport and Globalisation (15 credits)
• The Sporting Event (15 credits)
• Sport, Society and Equality (15 credits)
• Critical Reflective Leadership and Sport Management (LiS) (15 credits)
• Dissertation (60 credits)

Dissertation

The dissertation module gives students the opportunity to study a subject or research question in depth and to research the issues surrounding the subject or background to the problem. Students will be guided through three options available to them to complete their dissertation:

• A desk-based research project that could be set by an organisation or could be a subject of the student's choice
• A project that involves collection of primary data from within an organisation or based on lab and/or field experiments
• A full professional placement within an organisation during which time they will complete a project as part of their role in agreement with the organisation (subject to a suitable placement position being obtained)

Assessment

Students can expect to complete essays and reports of varying lengths, as well as presentations, projects, and exams.

Career prospects

The MA Leadership in Sport is designed to give students the skills and expertise needed to excel in top industry roles. Graduates of this course have taken their skills into wide-ranging roles, including:

• Director of operations
• Head of marketing
• National cricket captain
• TV producer
• Director of tennis division
• Professional rugby player
• Professional cricketer
• Referee
• Director of sport
• Performance director
• Sponsorship / partnerships director
• Director of equality, diversity and inclusion
• Head of women’s sport

Some of the employers they’re now working with include:

• The FA (Football Association)
• City Football Group
• Rugby Football League
• Surrey County Cricket Club
• Team GB
• Premier League Productions
• London Marathon Events
• IMG
• Middlesex Cricket
• International Taekwondo Federation
• Omnicom Group
• British Table Tennis
• LIV Golf
• Professional Cricketers Association
• England Netball
• Foreign & Commonwealth Office

Related master's degrees

Related master's degrees include:

• Sport Analytics and Technologies MSc
• Sport Business and Innovation MSc
• Sport Business and Leadership MSc
• Sport Management MSc
• Sport Management, Politics and International Development MSc
• Sport Marketing MSc

Our academics

The program is taught by leading academics and industry practitioners, including:

• Professor Tony Ghaye
• Dr Eddie Mighten

Your development

At Loughborough University London, students will get the strong grounding they need to move forward confidently along their chosen career path. The program provides plenty of opportunities to develop skills, take part in career-focused activities, and tap into all the support needed along the way. By the end of the program, students will be able to:

• Make important decisions by drawing on different kinds of evidence through an interdisciplinary lens
• Develop frameworks and tools for improving decision-making within organisations
• Address the challenges of sustaining fair competition and use best practice to retain and improve public trust
• Understand sport’s reach, impact, and political influence and apply critical thinking to solve organisational and high-profile challenges
• Communicate effectively to stakeholders at all levels

Why you should choose us

Loughborough University is ranked 1st in the world for sport-related subjects (QS World University Rankings by Subject). The university is also ranked Top 15 in the UK for Business and Management Studies (The Complete University Guide 2026) and Top 10 in the UK for Business and Management (The Guardian University Guide 2026). The Institute of Sports Humanities' mission is to nurture and inspire sport’s current and future leaders around the world – smart thinking leading to better decisions and braver leadership.