Sarah Down
Programme Manager at the British Judo Association
If you are interested in a career in the sports industry, then a sports degree is the best thing you can do!
There are many different jobs you can go into with a sports degree, from a Sports Manager to a Teacher to Sports Psychologist. There is a whole host of opportunities out there and you are not limited to what you can do. Sports Management covers a lot of business management topics, therefore if you decided that in life you do not want to go specifically into a sporting company, there are thousands of other careers you can do.
Post 16 Education: A Level Business, PE & Communication and Culture studies
Higher Education: BSc Sport Management
What was the Sport Management course about for you?
Sports Management covers a wide range of both Sport & Business Studies, as well as a few specific topics that look at Sport as it’s own industry. My favourite modules included Marketing, Sport Psychology, Nutrition and the Olympic Studies. It gave me a broad understand of the sport industry and an insight into what I may want to go into the future.
Why did you choose Sport Management?
I’ve always had a keen interest in Sport, since studying PE for GCSE I knew this was an industry I wanted to go into.
I started studying Business Studies when I joined sixth form and it was then that I realised that I wanted to go down the sports management route. I had a genuine interest in the subject and knew that I wanted a career in sport following university. There were lots of different sport degrees I could have studied, however I did my research and chose Sports Management as the modules covered in this degree played to my strengths.
Sarah's advice
Take notice of what subjects interest you. What do you enjoy learning about. You will want to study something that you enjoy.
Start researching universities as soon as possible as there is lots of choice out there. And work hard for your A Levels as they determine which university you get into. It is important to choose something that you are genuinely interested in and something that you will enjoy learning about as then you will have the motivation to work hard when you get to university.
For me, I knew that I wanted to study sport, but what I discovered when doing my research is that there are so many different types sport degrees, including Sports Science, Sports Management and Sports Coaching. Therefore, my advice would be to research all the different options thoroughly, look at the modules taught on the course and pick the one that interests you the most.
I would also have a think about what sort of job you want to go into in the future and see if your degree is relevant for that job. The more information you get on your chosen subject the more informed you will be and therefore you can choose the degree which is best for you.
Sarah’s experience as a student
Studying at university was easily the best learning experience of my life. The atmosphere of university is fantastic, and for the first time I was treated as an adult and given responsibility for my own workload. I enjoyed the flexibility of university, with less contact time than school. There was always support from lecturers when needed and the resources at Loughborough University allowed me to get the most out of my education.
Sarah’s Career
I currently work as a Programme Manager at the British Judo Association, I started working for the company whilst in my final year of university, initially working part time in an administration role. I worked my way up in the company until I reached the position I am in today.
Loughborough University offers undergraduate degrees in:
Sport Science, Coaching and Physical Education / Sport and Exercise Science / Sport Management / Sport and Exercise Psychology / Psychology / Sport Technology
Please note: Degrees and their titles change over time. Some graduates may have studied degrees that have evolved and changed in response to changes in demand from employers.