Degree available as a Full-time (one year) or Part-time (two years) option, starting September 2022.
Degree overview
It is now essential to understand digital viewing trends, social media audiences and how to plan engaging and effective digital media coverage for an ever demanding fan base. The MSc Football Communications & Digital Marketing (Online) degree programme is designed for graduates and industry practitioners with a keen interest in football and sport.
This programme is ideal for those who already work, or aspire to work, in senior positions within the sports industry, and offers the flexibility to allow participants to gain a Master’s degree qualification around their busy lifestyle.
By having the opportunity to learn from the comfort of their own home, programme participants will be able to gain a further qualification to enhance their career prospects in a format that offers flexible hours and the chance to dictate their own work-life balance to fit around other commitments.
The programme is available through the UCFB Online Hub, which is accessible on mobile devices including tablets, phones and laptops. The UCFB Online Hub also has an app which you can download to access the programme content. This means you can truly study while on the go and around your other commitments.
Multiple time zone delivery
MSc Football Communications & Digital Marketing (Online) programme is delivered in time zones for the Americas, Europe and Africa. Synchronous, live sessions will be delivered for the GMT/BST and EST/EDT time zones to provide the greatest studying flexibility. To further enhance the learning experience around the world, there will be various touchpoints throughout the year for all students, including guest speaker sessions and networking opportunities.
Degree content
The programme leverages contemporary themes from marketing, such as digital marketing, fan engagement, customer relationship management and multimedia journalism, to enable students to evaluate the relationships between these areas. Those with a particular interest and experience relating to the marketing and communications industry are particularly suitable for this programme.
No longer are fan bases constricted to the home country. International audiences are now a vital, and in some instances more important, base to tap into and engage with. Premier League football clubs are global brands within themselves, let alone their all-star cast of players. Social media videos and strong in-house storytellers help to promote the club and its merchandise.
I was able to achieve things beyond my imagination because I was learning about something I cared about and had lecturers around me who had both knowledge and experience in the industry.
Your Programme Leader
Modules
- Global Sports Leadership
- Football Fan Engagement
- Digital Marketing for Football
- Multimedia Football Journalism
- Applied Professional Project
- Global Sports Consulting and Analysis (Option)
- Customer Relationship Management and Analytics in Sport (Option)
Students will choose one option at the beginning of their course.
The main educational aims of the course are to:
- To unite, inspire and equip the current and future leaders of the global sports industry, with the skills knowledge and network to take the world of sport to continually new heights.
- Prepare students for a career in the football communications, journalism and marketing sector.
- Provide students with the extended knowledge of the football communications, journalism and marketing sector of the economy.
- Enable students to develop the communication, analytical, problem-solving and creative skills, demanded for career enhancement in football communications and marketing.
- Develop students’ ability to reflect on contemporary approaches resulting in best practice for a dynamic football communications and marketing environment.
- Develop students’ critical analysis and problem solving skills for business digital transformation.
- Utilise distinctive delivery locations and professional relationships to provide students with opportunities to engage with industry throughout the programme.
- Enable students to believe in bold, passionate leadership with a focus on success.
- Develop students’ ability to adopt a diversity of thought, and recognise and apply ethical practices which shape the choices within football communications.
The Global Institute of Sport is an embedded college of the University of East London. All GIS graduates will receive a degree from the University of East London.
Entry requirements
Applicants should hold a 2:1 honours degree or a recognised overseas equivalent. Applicants may be accepted with a 2:2 honours degree (or equivalent) provided that they can otherwise demonstrate a strong profile with 50% or above in their dissertation module.
Professional experience and industry qualifications can be assessed for applicants without the standard entry requirements. All applicants will be provided with an opportunity to be assessed and to discuss their suitability for the programme with the academic team. All applicants are also provided with information relating to student services, with whom they can make contact, should they require additional support or advice as well as information related to appropriate bursaries and funds.
Applicants from non-majority English speaking countries will be asked for an English qualification which tests Speaking, Listening, Reading and Writing and will be asked to achieve an overall IELTS score of 6.0 (minimum of 5.5 in each section) or recognised equivalent.
If you are unsure whether you meet the entry criteria for this programme, or whether you require IELTS results, please email mastersenquiries@ucfb.com with a copy of your most recent CV including nationality, visa status if applicable, and undergraduate degree transcripts. Candidates with a strong CV may qualify for a supplementary admissions interview to support their academic application.
To apply for this degree, please click here and follow the instructions to complete your application via our Learner Portal.
Relevant documents for EU, UK and international applications:
- Completed and signed application form;
- Personal statement;
- Copy of transcripts of highest qualification achieved and English translations (if applicable);
- One academic and one professional reference and English translation (if applicable);
- Copy of proof of English language level e.g. IELTS (if applicable).
Career prospects
The specificity of sport, with its high media coverage and numerous stakeholders, requires managers to have uniquely honed business skills and an in-depth knowledge of the football industry. The programme has been developed for those with aspirations towards senior positions within the core media and marketing departments of football and sports clubs and similar organisations.
At GIS, we are proud that over 92% of our 2017 graduates are in full-time employment within six months and 82% of these graduates work in sport.
UCFB's Global Institute of Sport was also ranked in the top 5 'Best Universities for Employability' in 2021.
At GIS we bridge the gap between education and business, allowing a unique approach to education. We provide two curricula; the academic curriculum which encompasses exams and coursework and the Employability & Enrichment programme – a three year journey of professional and personal development.
This provides access to best-in-class industry guest speakers, additional qualifications and exceptional opportunities to apply for work experience placements to ensure our students graduate as well-rounded, empowered professionals.
The Global Insight Series is a thought leadership series, exclusively collated and made available for all GIS on-campus and online students. The Global Insight Series provides unprecedented access to GIS’ elite sports network; including interviews with LMA managers and other guest speakers, and content from Global Sports Summits at Inter Miami CF Stadium, New York’s Red Bull Arena, Atlanta’s brand new Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Toronto FC’s BMO Field and the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG).
Delivered across all GIS Master’s programmes to provide a foundation of knowledge of leadership and its application in sport, the Global Sports Leadership module provides a global sporting context to underpin each degree specialism.
Covering fundamental leadership principles including culture, performance analysis, diversity and inclusion, leadership styles and innovation within a contemporary sporting context, this module allows students to develop a broad appreciation of the sports industry and become leaders in their field.
A core aspect of the module is to bring in global leaders from the pitch, the boardroom and the industry to enable student to access and reflect on real life and current industry experiences and insight. Many of the sessions will be shared across multiple GIS degree programmes, allowing students to learn from and network with each other throughout the Global Sports Leadership module.
Luton Town’s rise over the last decade is well documented. After dropping into the National League in 2010 for the first time in their history, the club have since made their way back to the Championship and currently find themselves comfortably in mid-table. One person at the club who is now documenting their comeback is student Declan O’Reilly, who recently secured a work placement at the club as a videographer.
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From hosting her own show on The Football Terrace YouTube channels to networking with the right people, Mya Graham used her three years at UCFB wisely to ensure she had the best possible chance of employment upon graduation.
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Fees
These discounts are open to any UCFB, Buckinghamshire New University and University of East London graduate who has received and accepted an offer to study at postgraduate level with UCFB’s Global Institute of Sport.
- 15% fee tuition discount on all Master's programmes, excluding MSc Sports Directorship
- 15% fee tuition discount on MSc Sports Directorship and CEO of a Sports Organisation
If you’d like to extend your time with us, we’re pleased to offer all GIS graduates:
- 15% fee tuition discount on all Master's programmes, excluding MSc Sports Directorship
- 15% fee tuition discount on MSc Sports Directorship and CEO of a Sports Organisation
We're pleased to offer all UCFB and GIS business partners 15% fee tuition discount on all Undergraduate, Master's programmes.
Visit our dedicated page about fees and student finance.
For part-time courses the tuition fee will be split accordingly per year i.e 50% in year 1 and 50% in year 2 (for a two year programme) as per below table.
| Full-time (one year) | Part-time (two years) |
| £10,950 | £5,475 |
If Online students wish to attend Employability & Enrichment networking opportunities such as the GIS Global Sports Summits, Future Leaders in Football & Sport Conference, Careers Fair, Leadership Challenge or Graduation, then they can do so at their own expense. Costs will include travel to the events.
GIS has a range of scholarship options to help with the cost of studying and to encourage students to embrace their time at GIS and graduate with more than just their university degree. Click here to learn more.
Online students have the opportunity to participate in GIS’ global hub events in some of the world’s most exciting sports destinations, learning about the sports industry in the US, Canada and Australia at Inter Miami CF Stadium, New York’s Red Bull Arena, Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Toronto FC’s BMO Field and the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG).
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