MSc Football Communications & Digital Marketing

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.

Click here for the course specification for this degree

• 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.

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.

International students

GIS cannot currently sponsor non-EU students’ visas.

You will not need a visa to study in the UK if:

• You are a British citizen
• You are a citizen of a European Economic Area (EEA) member state or Switzerland
• You have a visa to stay in the UK for another purpose that allows you to study

If you are still unsure whether you would need a visa to study in the UK, or for more information, please contact admissions@ucfb.com. You can also study one of our Online Master's degrees.

Applicants should normally have graduated with an overall GPA of 3.0 (UK 2:1 honours degree) or be on course to achieve that score.

Graduates with a GPA of at least 2.5 (UK 2:2 honours degree) will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Graduates with a GPA of less than 3.0 and non-graduates with professional experience and industry qualifications will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Relevant academic experience in business, marketing or sport is desirable but not essential.

All applications should be accompanied by a personal statement from you, the applicant, your current CV and your degree certificate or degree transcript up to this point.

If you are still studying for your degree, please supply an academic reference from your teaching team and if you are applying based on your professional experience, please supply a reference from your current or most recent line manager.

The language of instruction for all of our postgraduate programmes is English so, if English is not your first language, please provide us with evidence of your highest English language qualification.

Ideally, you will already hold a Bachelor’s degree in a sports-related degree with the equivalent of a UK 2:1 grade from a UK ENIC recognised institution. A full range of equivalencies, can be found on the website of the UK Graduate Recruitment Bureau.

Applicants who hold a non-sport related degree, a degree classification lower than a 2:1 or significant professional experience without a degree will be considered on a case by case basis and may be required to submit a portfolio of evidence to demonstrate sports management experience in addition to passing a remote academic-led interview.

All applicants should submit a clear and comprehensive personal statement and provide a copy of their CV along with one academic and one professional reference.

Applicants whose first language is not English should submit evidence of their highest English language qualification with their application or expect to do so as a condition of an offer for a place on the programme. 

Priority Application Deadline - 31 August 2023

We strongly encourage you to submit your Masters application well before our 31 August 2023 priority application deadline (8 January 2024 for courses starting in January) to allow sufficient time for assessment of application, ensure availability on the course and enrolment in time for the beginning of your studies. Applications received after this date will only be considered on a case by case basis.

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 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.

Find out more

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 GIS guest speakers, and content from Global Sports Summits at Inter Miami CF Stadium Campus, New York’s Red Bull Arena, Atlanta’s brand new Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Toronto FC’s BMO Field and the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG).

Find out more

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.

Visit our dedicated page about fees and student finance.