Sport management courses that will get you work ready
Over the next 10 years Australia will host a calendar of major world sporting events, culminating in the 2032 Brisbane Games, set to create unprecedented opportunities for sport management professionals. The Queensland government estimates the 2032 Olympics and Paralympics will generate over 130,000 direct jobs alone.
A degree in sport management can help you become a professional, leading sport organisations in a range of activities. You’ll learn how to support marketable, profitable and competitive teams on and off the field, with specialised learning in systems, marketing, finance, management and law, complemented with real experience gained through industry placements.
Undergraduate
Undergraduate (your first degree)
An undergraduate degree is generally completed between two to four years, depending on the pattern of study and any recognition of prior learning you may have. Associate degrees, bachelor and bachelor with honours are all undergraduate degrees.
Postgraduate
Postgraduate (further study)
A postgraduate qualification can be undertaken by students who have already completed an undergraduate degree or possess significant, demonstrable work experience. Postgraduate courses include graduate certificates, graduate diplomas, masters and PhDs, as well as specialist programs for industry professionals.
Research
Higher Degrees by Research (supervised research)
Research degrees are research based master’s or PhD programs that focus on a single area of expertise. They provide students the opportunity to carry out highly specialised research under expert supervision.
Take learning beyond the classroom
Work on real industry projects with our professional partners so that you’ll graduate ready to seize career opportunities within diverse sports and business settings. These are just some of the recent internship opportunities offered to our students:
- social media marketing with Golf Australia and the PGA
- athlete management intern at TLA Worldwide
- data analyst support to NBA programs at Sportradar
- development officer at the AFL
- ticketing assistant at the Melbourne F1 Grand Prix
- event management intern at Cricket Australia for the ICC World Cup.
Career opportunities
Careers in the sport business industry are numerous and increasingly specialised. Career opportunities exist in:
- business development manager
- player agent
- professional players’ manager
- professional sports association official
- sports administrator
- sports coach
- sports development officer
- sports event coordinator
- sports governance official
- sports management consultant.
Whilst completing my internship... I was able to immediately implement the skills I was learning into the workplace and see firsthand how the elements I developed and considered for my assignments are implemented in the workforce, and not just in theory.
Jordyn Becker
Bachelor of Business (Sport Management) graduate
Our industry connections
Through our extensive alumni network, practicum placement partners and Industry Advisory Board, you'll have access to a wide range of industry connections and partnerships including:
- AFL
- Cricket Australia
- Deakin Melbourne Boomers
- Golf Australia
- Greenroom Digital
- Melbourne Cricket Club (MCG)
- Netball Victoria
- Sportradar
- Swimming Australia
- Tennis Australia
- TLA Worldwide
- YouGov Sport.
Why sport | Finding your purpose
After relocating from Hong Kong, Oscar Yam hit the ground running, graduating with a Master of Business (Sport Management) in 2023 – the longest running course of its kind in Australia. Oscar shares why he chose to study sport at Deakin.
Why sport | Sport management
Deakin is home to the world’s #1 sport science school and ranked #7 in the world for sports-related subjects. Learn how our world-leading sport management offerings prepared James, Oscar, Abishek and Alessia for unique and successful careers in the sport industry.
Global recognition
Deakin’s world standing in sport and business has been recognised with the following:
- Deakin is the #7 ranked university for sport-related subjects in the world.
- Deakin's School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences is ranked the #1 school of its kind in Australia.
- Deakin Business School holds accreditations from both AACSB and EQUIS, giving prestigious, global recognition of our faculty and courses. These accreditations provide an assurance of quality and make our graduates more employable worldwide.
Australia is entering an unparalleled golden decade of sport, hosting a range of major international events culminating in the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games. The eyes of the world will be watching us, and the opportunities will be plentiful for sport business professionals.
Andrew Travis
Chief Operating Officer at Melbourne Olympic Parks, Advisory Board Member
Research with us
As a Deakin sport management student, you’ll have opportunities to benefit from and participate in the latest research. You’ll also get access to our professional networks and contacts in the sports sector. Our research partners include:
- Australian Football League (AFL)
- AFLW
- Geelong Cats
- Deakin Melbourne Boomers
- Netball Australia
- Netball Victoria
- Indian Premier League (Rajasthan Royals).
We're here to support you through your journey at Deakin
If you're dreaming of an exciting and rewarding career in sport management, we'll help get you there.
What energises the leading sports management experts?
Interested in a career in sport management? Learn more about the dedicated teaching staff for Deakin's undergraduate and postgraduate sports management courses.
Helping athletes perform better through biomechanics
Dr Danielle Trowell has a successful biomechanics career in a partnership role between Deakin University and the Victorian Institute of Sport (VIS).