Study sports abroad

Sport is a broad field of study which asks you to think critically about the role of sport in today’s society.

Throughout your program, you’ll look at topics including coaching, managing sporting events, administration, barriers to participation, and contemporary issues in sport. You’ll examine how the perception, organization and operation of sport differ in different cultural contexts.

Studying sport abroad is a fantastic opportunity to enrich your knowledge of the subject, network with international professionals and travel the world. It’s one of the best ways of understanding how the meaning and function of sport varies internationally.

Sports programs are sometimes called sports studies. It’s important to remember that sport and sports studies are different from the more specific courses of sports science and sports management.

You can study sport at undergraduate and postgraduate levels. A BA or BSc is usually studied over three or fours years, with an MA taking an additional one or two years. A PhD typically takes four or five years on top of this to complete.

It’s common for sport to be studied alongside another related subject like education, psychology, business or sociology. This gives you the opportunity to tailor your degree to suit your future career ambitions.

If you’d like to study as an undergraduate in the US, you’ll major in sport. This means that you’ll complete two years of general education before focusing on sport-specific modules for the remainder of your program.

Every sport program will vary slightly in content and structure, but most will be taught through lectures, seminars, tutorials, and practical classes. You’ll probably be assessed through a combination of exams, coursework, presentations and practical deliveries of sessions.

Below is a list of core modules that are common to most sport programs around the world:

• Sports coaching
• Sports psychology
• Social issues in sport
• Subcultures and sport
• Sport and the media
• Power and politics in sport
• Globalization and sport

There are plenty of career opportunities for sports graduates, both on and off the field. Your communication, leadership and teamwork skills will be useful in a range of roles, including:

• Coach
• Personal trainer
• Sport development officer
• Physiotherapist
• Sports psychologist
• Sports journalist
• Sport and leisure manager
• Nutritionist
• Teacher

Practical experience is essential for many roles in the sports industry. Making the most of any volunteering and internship opportunities during and after your studies will help you to stand out from the crowd.