Recreation & Sport Management

What is the Bachelor of Business (Hons) in Recreation & Sport Management course?

The Bachelor of Business in Recreation and Sport Management is a 4-year honours degree course. This degree is for students who love sport but are unsure what area of sport they would like to work in. Our unique course is equal part business and sport. The programme is designed to give our students a wide knowledge base through classroom-based learning, practical classes in our state-of-the-art facilities and real-world experience through site visits, industrial engagement, experiential learning and of course our brilliant work placement programme.

Sport as an industry is massive. This degree opens opportunities for students to work in areas such as coaching, performance analysis, sport psychology, sports facilities management, sports tourism, sports development, sport policy and governance, sport inclusion, sports participation and opportunity for all, sports marketing, sponsorship, strategic planning and business development, outdoor recreation, strength and conditioning, or take up any area in the fitness industry.  Maybe you won’t end up working in sport. Maybe you will use this degree and work in the world of business - this degree offers you the opportunity to do just that. 

Our degree is the longest running in the country and our staff are not only industry leaders, but once top athletes themselves and renowned researchers who are leading the way. More importantly our staff are kind, caring and dedicated individuals who care about your progression and well- being.  We are all sports lovers and because of this we work in close association with the sports office in SETU Waterford, linking up with their scholarship programme. We also operate a reserved places programme for students who are excelling in their sporting endeavours (see reserved places tab).

Unique Features

Students who complete this course graduate with a Bachelor of Business degree in Recreation and Sport Management.

Work Placement

Students complete 12-14 weeks of work placement in year three of the course. This provides vital real-world experience for students in their chosen area of interest while also expanding their knowledge and skill base.

Students can choose their own placements, therefore, have the opportunity to get real world experience of the job or career they would like to go into. Placements abroad are also available.

Here are some of the organisations that our students have worked with during their semester of placement.

• National governing bodies – FAI, GAA, IRFU, Athletics Ireland, Basketball Ireland, Cycling Ireland, Weightlifting Ireland
• Local Sports Partnerships – working with Sports Development officer, Sports Inclusion Disability officers and Community Development officers.
• National organisations – Special Olympics, Paralympics Ireland, Brothers of Charity, Irish Wheelchair Association, Barretstown
• Working in primary and secondary schools assisting teachers with physical activity and physical education programmes and classes.
• Working with younger people in Youth reach services, in schools’ completion programmes and Foroige.
• Students have worked in various gyms, leisure centres and fitness facilities all over Ireland including strength and conditioning roles in clubs and with teams
• Opportunities with UPMC and Cardiac Rehab Care are also possible
• Many students have taken to the outdoors and worked with various Outdoor adventure centres and surf schools.

Practical Components

There are several modules in the course with practical components.  In sports pedagogy 1 and 2, for example, students learn the basic skills of various sports for the purposes of leading and coaching groups in a variety of sporting activity contexts.

Other modules with practical components include event management, outdoor recreation, adapted physical activity, social media and digital professionalism, sports coaching and teaching and assessment methodologies for Aquatics. The practical fitness instruction stream allows students to gain professional qualifications in gym and group fitness instruction. We strive to get our students as industry ready as possible and therefore provide students with the opportunity to gain a number of external qualifications throughout their 4 years.

A sample of those include:

• Pool lifeguard – Irish Water Safety
• Occupational first aid
• Swim teaching qualifications – Swim Ireland and Irish Water Safety
• Coaching qualifications including Kick start 1
• Safeguarding – Sport Ireland
• Basic Gym Instruction
• Group Fitness Instruction
• Disability awareness and inclusion training - CARA
• Autism in Sport – CARA
• FAI – Football for All

Professional Accreditation

The practical fitness instruction modules are accredited against European Health Fitness Association (EHFA) standards, enabling students to gain access to the Register of Exercise Professionals in Ireland (REPS Ireland). Membership of REPS Ireland qualifies students to work in Ireland and abroad in many countries.