Is it your dream to work in the sports industry? Well, there’s good news. This is an industry that’s thriving, which means there are more jobs than ever before – and that’s expected to continue into the future, too.
What’s even more exciting is that the range of jobs available is genuinely diverse. You might work in player management, sports marketing, sports admin, or one of the many other roles within the industry.
So yes, the good news is that there are plenty of roles. The not-so-good news is that competition for these roles can be fierce. To get ahead in the sports management field, you’ll need a relevant qualification. Fortunately, there are plenty of outstanding sports management business courses in Australia. In this post, we’ll run through some of the best.
1. ICMS: The Best Sports Management Business Degree in Australia
ICMS has made a name for itself thanks to its strong graduate employment outcomes. Its Bachelor of Business (Sports Management) degree provides the framework for students to launch a successful career within the sports industry – and ICMS has the data and external rankings to prove it.
Graduates of the course have gone on to find employment in a wide range of roles within the industry, including sports marketing manager, sports agent, sports brand manager, and sports administrator. The course combines strong academic performance with a Work Integrated Learning (WIL) program that sets students up to immediately move into roles within the sports industry.
Unlike other learning institutions, which typically track graduate outcomes long after the students have left, many graduates of the Bachelor of Business (Sports Management) course have already secured roles by the time they leave ICMS. This is a result of the institution’s strong network of industry partners, which include:
- Football Federation Australia (FFA)
- Sydney Football Club
- FIFA Women’s World Cup
- National Rugby League (NRL)
- Australian Rugby Union
In an industry that’s famously competitive, ICMS’s commitment to providing a strong academic foundation and real-world experiences – the course includes a minimum 600 hours of industry training — ensures that its students are fully set up to reach their professional goals as soon as possible. The course is available online or at its Northern Beaches and Sydney City campuses, and can be completed in 3 years full-time (or part-time equivalent).
2. ECU: Good For Global Sports Management Careers
ECU may be a relatively young university, but it’s already regarded as one of the leading universities in Australia. Its Bachelor of Global Sport Business Management course provides everything that students need to set themselves up for success in the industry, combining lessons with work placements to ensure that graduates have the theoretical understanding and real-world experience to have confidence that they can land a job sooner after graduation.
This wide-ranging course touches upon many different aspects of the sports industry, including event management, sport facilities management, global sport marketing, and sports funding and finance. The course is available on a part-time, full-time, and online basis, with graduates going on to work as sport corporate relationships managers, sport venue managers, player managers, and sport development managers.
3. Swinburne: Best For People Wanting a Business Degree With Sport Supplement
Swinburne offers a Bachelor of Business degree with the option to major in sports management. A three-year full-time course, the tailored business degree allows students to learn the fundamentals of business while also benefitting from sports-based expertise. It also offers tremendous opportunities to connect with industry experts, potentially opening the door for full-time work upon graduation.
The degree primarily focuses on the business skills required to run sports organisations and venues, with graduates typically going on to work in roles such as sports administrator, brand manager, and corporate sponsorship director. It ranks as one of the top 5% of business schools in the world, and number one in Melbourne for graduate salaries one year following graduation. It’s also possible to pair the sports major with a minor in another field, such as computer science or data analytics.
4. Flinders: A Business Degree With Sports Major
As with Swinburne, Flinders sports management course isn’t a standalone degree. It’s a business degree with a major in sports. The course delivers skills such as marketing, leadership, finance, and digital innovation through a sports lens, giving graduates the skills, tools, and connections they need to work for sports clubs, venues, and within sporting programs.
Highly rated by The Good Universities Guide, the first year of the Flinders course covers key business topics. The second and third years are focused on sports, and students also have the option to add an additional minor that aligns with their overall career goals.
5. Notre Dame: Students Looking For a Career In Recreation
Notre Dame’s Bachelor of Sport & Recreation Management course, run by its school of law & business, expands beyond sports to include recreation, too. A three-year course, it combines business fundamentals such as accounting, marketing, management, and communication with sports and recreation-focused specialties, including events management, physical activity and health, and the Australian sports system.
Once complete, graduates will have the necessary knowledge and tools to apply for operational-level roles within the sports and recreation sector, before eventually advancing to more senior roles. A broader degree than others mentioned on this list, students have the option to apply for roles across multiple industries and areas, including:
- Recreation associations
- Player management
- Professional sports clubs
- Health and recreation-focused government departments.
Overview of the Best Sports Management Business Courses in Australia
There’s no shortage of outstanding sports management business courses for students looking to work in the sports industry. All of the options above have a proven track record of giving students the tools, knowledge, and real-world experience required to confidently apply for positions upon graduation – and some, such as ICMS, even have a strong track record of placing students in jobs by the time they’re graduated.
To choose the right one for your career, it’s recommended to think about your end goal and your preferred studying method. People looking for a fast-track into sports management may choose ICMS, while others looking for a business degree with a sports major may choose Swinburne.