BSc (Hons) Sport Management (HKU SPACE, Hong Kong)

Sport Research in Practice moves you further on in your research enquiry by supporting you to generate a research question, and to learn how to collect and analyse data to answer this.

In order to do this you will be introduced to key concepts, perspectives and activities in social research relevant to your study of sport. You will develop knowledge and understanding about:
- research questions and rationales
- belief systems about what we can know and how we can know it (Ontology and Epistemology),
- how we can go about finding out? (Methodology),
- collecting or generating data (Methods) and;
- analysing and interpreting findings (Analysis).

You will learn how to bring all these elements together by working ethically through a research process and engaging in practical research design using both quantitative and qualitative methods. The module focuses on practical interviewing and questionnaires experience, as well as ethically appropriate data collection and analysis. Ultimately, the module prepares you to cover all requirements of a research dissertation in level 6, in terms of theoretical understanding and practical use of research tools and subsequent analysis.

You will learn about strategic management and planning, coupled with the frameworks and techniques used in analysing strategic plans. You will focus on the key components of strategy and why they are essential so that you can then critically appraise a sport strategic plan. Topics will include internal and external factors affecting sport organisations, formulating strategic options and implementing and evaluating plans.

The sport sector has grown rapidly into a multi-billion pound global industry and is now recognised as big business. You will focus on the business principles that sit at its core and consider key factors, processes, concepts and ideas pertinent to the development of the world’s most creative industry. You will examine the work of sport business professionals, agencies, organisations and governing bodies to gain a critical appreciation of how business principles are applied to the sports industry. You will be encouraged and supported to tailor your creative and innovative spirit to the development of new sport product and service ideas and apply them to a real-world case study situation. This module will help to coalesce your critical insight and application of the principles of strategy, governance, marketing, finance, legal issues and
performance management through a consumer, business-focused lens. This is a module aimed at enhancing your employability skills and experiences through the provision of a platform to practice a number of academic and key transferable skills that will develop your confidence and enthusiasm to seek a career in the sports industry.

This module is designed to provide you with the opportunity to undertake a tailored programme of professional development activities relevant to your own sport-related career interests and needs. In addition you will develop your knowledge and understanding of the value of professional development activities in enhancing employability within the sport industry. As part of the module you will also be encouraged to develop your critical reflection skills both in reflecting upon your own professional development and your awareness of the wider sport industry. Module content will be based around understanding the meaning of employability within the sport context, exploring professional development and work-based learning, and developing employability based skills such as action planning, reflection and interview skills to enhance your work readiness.

In this module your focus will be sport facility and operational management. These areas are intrinsically linked and are usefully explored together. The module will focus on issues and skills relating to strategic planning, marketing, programming, management of operations, finance, technology, security and information. The module will provide you with the opportunity to critically consider the operation of sport facilities, by integrating concepts and theories from sport specific, leisure management and business literature.

You will learn how to plan, implement, and evaluate a sport event. This module is designed to provide you with a vocationally-relevant sport management experience, founded upon theoretical principles. You are required to work in a group to plan and deliver a sports event, and then individually evaluate one aspect of the event. The module is intended to promote entrepreneurship and creativity as well as personal and collective responsibility by means of a real-life challenge.

On this module you will conduct a critical analysis of sport event literature, evaluate planning models, conduct market research, and reflect on the acquisition of graduate attributes, such as;
· Creativity
· Resilience;
· Teamwork and leadership;
· Advanced communication skills;
· Entrepreneurship and Employability;
· Cultural awareness and ethical behaviour within the sport environment.

Planning, implementing, and evaluating a sports event is challenging. It will test your knowledge and skills across a number of academic disciplines. Similarly, the live project assessments will add a new dimension to your learning experience. They are designed to be authentic, as such you will have a significant degree of autonomy in how you develop your team, conceptualise your event plan, and begin the implementation process. Due to the autonomous, yet supportive, teaching philosophy adopted on this module, you will find it a highly rewarding experience.

Generally through your active engagement with this module, you will develop a portfolio of evidence to demonstrate your professional competencies in a range of skills and attributes, which are transferable and desirable in a number of industry sectors.

This module will develop your knowledge of the relationship between sport managers and the media. You will develop skills required to initiate, maintain and enhance positive relationships with different publics. The module will briefly examine the increasing interest of the media in sport and the impact on sport management. The focus of the module is on the role of media management within the public relations strategies of sport organisations. Skills required in managing relations with the media and to influence the portrayal of the organisation's image will be covered. The module will consider the scope of media management from positive copy in the local newspaper, to events organised in conjunction with the media. Finally, the involvement of the sport manager with print, broadcast and social media, and associated competencies and skills will be covered.

On this module you will learn about and will conduct an applied research project. You will develop in-depth knowledge of a specific area in sport (within the remit of your degree programme) in relation to a research problem of contemporary relevance to the industry or profession. You will do this by conducting and writing up a research project, through independent study, under the supervision of a tutor. As such, you will use the knowledge and skills previously developed in level 5, Sport Research and Practice and multiple-knowledge based modules, to engage in the research process. You will define a research question, critically review previous literature, design and implement an empirical study, after ethical approval. You will learn to design a project that is well planned, coherent, logical and ethical. After this you will learn how to disseminate research in written and poster format. You will learn how to apply the knowledge you create to make practice recommendations.