Diploma for Graduates in Sports Business - New for 2011

Sport is a multi-billion dollar global growth industry and a rapidly developing sector of the New Zealand economy. In recent years that sports industry, both in New Zealand and elsewhere, has growth exponentially, and become increasingly business-orientated. Sport-related business development extends across various sectors of the economy, including sports marketing, sports law, sport-related tourism, events and conventions management, sports management, venue and facilities management, the personal fitness industry and athlete/sport management companies.

The recent widespread shift from club-based (amateur) to semi-professional and professional sports management structures, associated in many cases with investment in sports facilities and recreational resources, has created considerable challenges and opportunities in the business sectors. So too has growth in demand for sports-for-all events (catering for all participants from elite to purely social/recreational), such as the recent Wanaka Challenge Ironman, Mountain-biking challenge events, endurance/orienteering events and the like. The growth of these sorts of sports events has taken place in association with heightened demands upon sport entrepreneurs and event managers to be specifically skilled and business savvy. One legislated focus of Rugby New Zealand 2011 (RNZ 2011), created by the Labour Government in 2007 to host the next Rugby World Cup, is to create a legacy of success in hosting major international sports events as an investment in the future of the New Zealand economy. This is one of many aspects of sport business development that has resulted in heightened demand for sports and sport event business professionals.

There now exists and clear and rapidly growing need for qualified managers to serve sport, recreation and leisure organizations and businesses. Such careers are available to students who are enthusiastic about sport, and academically qualified in both business and sport-related subjects. The University of Otago offers existing courses in the School of Business and the School of Physical Education that, in combination, provide strong business skills, business acumen, and a rich scholarly and practical understanding of sport, recreation and leisure, as required for graduates seeking careers in sports-related fields of business. The city of Dunedin, and the wider regional context, provide learning environments that are rich in opportunities for applied learning, field-based enquiry, practicum development and, ultimate, graduate research. The wider national and global contexts are rich in career development opportunities.

Structure of Programme

126pts (72 pts at/or above 300-level)

Core Papers

BSNS 105 Management and Organisations

Two of

TOUR 216 Sport Tourism

MART 207 Sports Marketing

PHSE 204 History of Sport

PHSE 206 Sociology of Sport

Four of

The course consists of a total of 126 points and can be taken on a part-time or full-time basis on-campus.

Prescriptions

BSNS 105 Management and Organisations
Develops understanding of individual and group behaviour, communications, and the management of operations and human resources within organisations.

TOUR 216 Sport Tourism
An application of tourism development concepts and themes to the subject of sport tourism. Critical consideration of theoretical and applied aspects of sport tourism in the context of their manifestations in space and time. Management implications and strategies relevant to the sustainable development of sport tourism businesses and destinations.

MART 207 Sports Marketing
An introduction to the theory and practice of sports marketing, with particular emphasis on the New Zealand situation.

PHSE 204 History of Sport
An introduction to the historical study of sport via the intellectual frameworks of cultural and social history.

PHSE 206 Sociology of Sport
The significance of physical activity and sport in contemporary society and an understanding of the characteristics and processes of sport in the modern world.

TOUR 304 Event and Conventions Management
Principles of meetings, event and festival management. Topics include the significance of conventions and events, conventions and meetings design, management planning processes, methods and evaluation of conventions and events, infrastructural requirements, impacts, volunteers, sponsorship, programming, event planning and development.

TOUR 305 Tourism Product Development
An introduction to analysis of existing tourism products and the development of new tourism products, including how particular narratives are constructed to tell a story to be associated with the product. Also, this paper presents a framework, within persuasive communication, for managing consumer behaviour at the site where a product is offered.

PHSE 333 Leisure Dimensions
Historical perspectives on leisure behaviour; the role and scale of contemporary recreation and leisure; social, economic and behavioural determinants of the demand for recreation; the identification and evaluation of recreational resources.

PHSE 339 Sports Governance and Administration
An introduction to organisation theory and its application to New Zealand sport agencies. An overview of the sport delivery system in New Zealand is presented with an emphasis on the relationships between the various organisations. Involves a review of the context within which organisations operate, examining their roles and structures along with the key issues they face.

PHSE 340 Sports Management and Strategy
An examination of selected principles of management and public administration considered important to New Zealand sport organisations.

MANT 429 Advanced Industrial Relations 1
A first semester course covering a range of practical and theoretical industrial relations topics. Topic emphasis and learning methodologies vary according to student interest. For example, salary caps, player drafts, transfer fees, and free agency are industrial relations issues virtually unique to the professional sports industry, and attract the interest of many students.

MANT 430 Advanced Industrial Relations 2
A second semester course covering a range of practical and theoretical industrial relations topics. Topic emphasis and learning methodologies vary according to student interest. For example, salary caps, player drafts, transfer fees, and free agency are industrial relations issues virtually unique to the professional sports industry, and attract the interest of many students.

PHSE 430 Critical Aspects of Sport Management

An analysis of sport management, using the application of critical theory to develop practice. There will be an opportunity to examine, discuss, and critique contemporary sport management issues.

PHSE 422 Sport and Leisure Policy

An examination of sport and leisure policy formulation at the national, regional and local levels. Analyses social policy with respect to sport and leisure.

Enquiries

Diploma for Graduates Course Director

Dr Willem Labuschagne
Email: willem@cs.otago.ac.nz
Department of Computer Science
Tel 64 3 479-5735
Fax 64 3 479-8529
Office: G30, Owheo Building, 133 Union Street East

As this Diploma for Graduates is taught amongst a number of Departments please contact the following staff:

Application

The course will be limited to 30 full-time students per year.

Application for New Zealand students: http://www.otago.ac.nz/study/dipgrad/dipgrad_application.html

International students apply through the international website: http://www.otago.ac.nz/international/index.php

The application process for the Diploma for Graduates is separate to registration for entrance to the University of Otago. To study at Otago you need to look at the following website: www.otago.ac.nz/study/dipgrad

All enquiries and initial applications for admission to the course should be sent to:

Diploma for Graduates Course Director
Dr Willem Labuschagne
Email: willem@cs.otago.ac.nz
Department of Computer Science
Tel 64 3 479-5735
Fax 64 3 479-8529
Office: G30, Owheo Building, 133 Union Street East

Location

Contact