This innovative course cultivates knowledge, skills and practical experience required for a range of careers. The degree focuses on the impacts which the sport and leisure industries have on the global environment.
Overview
This unique and distinctive course looks at the wide ranging impacts that leisure, sport and tourism have on the natural environment and how these impacts can be managed to minimise the effects on biodiversity and enhance conservation.
By examining a wide range of examples, you will learn to recognise modern-day challenges while developing your knowledge, industry-specific and transferable management skills. You'll get the opportunity to undertake a wide range of practical exercises, including residential field courses, hands-on activities and work placements, as well as completing real-life projects set by senior managers.
By working with practitioners in the field, you will acquire the abilities, skills and attributes required to gain employment in assessing the environmental impacts of outdoor activities and developments, plus managing, developing and enhancing businesses within the sector.
Contact details
Email us
Telephone: +44 (0)115 848 8351
Course
Modules include:
- Sport, Leisure and the Environment
- Natural and Manmade Environments
- Ecotourism
- Outdoor Management
- Sport Marketing
- Event Management
- Field Investigations and Expedition Science (residential field course)
- Sustainable Resource Management (residential field course)
How do you study?
We emphasise a practical, hands-on approach to learning combined with the latest e-learning technology and the more traditional approaches you would expect from a university education. It is this combination, coupled with the expertise of our staff and the involvement of many organisations, managers and industry consultants that will enable you to identify and develop your strengths and plan for your future career.
During the course you will experience a mixture of lectures, seminars and workshops, and also:
- have the opportunity to use professional business software tools to solve problems
- enjoy guest lectures from leading industry professionals
- put theory into practice with practical laboratory classes, sport exercise studies and field work sessions
- work as part of a team on projects given by managers in a variety of organisations
- experience two eight-day residential field courses, where you will study the environmental impacts arising from sport and leisure activities
- experience a five-day work placement, where you will practice and develop your management skills
- undertake a dissertation or project in your final year which, in many cases, will involve you working in a business and gaining further, valuable, professional experience.
During the course, you can access all the latest information about your course and supporting material for your modules, through the University's new Virtual Learning Environment (VLE). The VLE makes it easy for you to contact your tutors as well as discuss ideas and share information with your peers and friends.
Choosing a dissertation or project
For many students, dissertation and projects are one of the highlights of their academic experience. By the time you reach your third year, you will probably have a clear idea of what you want to focus on in your dissertation or project, which is why we offer a varied and exciting range of options. For example, you may help a sport and leisure business to measure and reduce its carbon footprint following the internationally recognised methodology and using the most up-to-date business software tools. Or you may prefer to conduct your research project abroad. We can, for example, arrange for you to join a scientific expedition to study the impact of tourism and leisure activities on elephant populations in the national parks of Malawi.
Alternatively, you might decide to research some aspects of marketing, leadership, law, innovation or strategic planning. You might want to focus on ways in which businesses can improve their communications, or improve staff motivation. Perhaps you have other ideas and interests? Whatever direction you choose to take, we will support and guide your progress throughout.
Assessment
You will be assessed by a variety of methods including: a range of practical management activities; laboratory practical and fieldwork reports; formal assignments; case studies; oral presentations; multiple completion tests; poster presentations; and formal examinations.
Facilities
This course benefits from the excellent facilities and equipment available in the School of Science and Technology.
Careers
You will be able to work in a wide range of areas including:
- landscape and nature conservation
- sport, leisure and recreation
- public access
- pollution control and environmental management.
Posts associated with outdoor management include:
- Conservation Manager
- Development Control Officer
- Heritage Adviser
- Information Officer
- Public Rights of Way Officer
- Ranger
- Nature Reserve Warden
- Research Officer
- Rural Project Officer
- Business Environmental Manager.
- Environmental Consultant
- Outdoor Centre Manager
- Field Studies Council Tutor.
Your wide ranging skills will be valued in teaching and lecturing. The course also provides an ideal platform for research and postgraduate study to MSc and PhD level.
