University College Plymouth St Mark & St John

Excellent Employability Record

Excellent Employability Record    

With a 90% employability rate, employers value the UCP Marjon degree.

National Student Survey

National Student Survey   

UCP Marjon ranks top 15% overall and top 10% for both Teaching and Personal Development 

MA Applied Sport Development

Introduction

The MA in Applied Sport Development aims to provide the opportunity for practitioners in sport development and related professions to engage in a critical and intellectually rigorous investigation of the process of sport development from policy formulation through strategic planning to practical implementation in order to contribute to personal and career development.

As sport development continues to progress up the political agenda and increased resources are targeted at the process, the skills necessary for managing that process are changing.  They have moved beyond the implementation of specific development initiatives and increasingly require the capacity to adopt a strategic perspective that takes account of the work of a range of agencies and organisations.  The development of an MA in Applied Sport Development is linked to a desire to expand the portfolio of programmes run by the College, in order to meet these industry demands and to capitalise on the expertise in teaching and research.  With its excellent range of facilities, its locality and its links with the local and regional communities, UCP Marjon is well positioned to become the premier centre for sports development in South West England.

Course Code / Duration

Duration

One year full time or two years part time, with exit points at postgraduate certificate (60 credits)and postgraduate diploma level (120 credits)

Entry Requirements

  • Relevant honours degree or equivalent
  • Experience in the field of sport development
  • A commitment to the programme philosophy and ethos

Applying:

Apply directly to UCP Marjon
Application Form (word document)

Module Information

Programme Structure
The programme will be based on the 180 credit, 3 stage structure that will enable students to progress, as appropriate, from Certificate (60 credits) through Diploma (120 credits) to Masters (180 credits) levels. At the same time it should be noted that the Certificate and Diploma are valid post-graduate qualifications in their own right. The programme will be based on a mixture of 30 and 15 credit modules.

Post-graduate Certificate Level

  • Social Research Methods (30 credits)
  • Sport and the Policy Process (15 credits)
  • Physical Activity and Health (15 credits)

Post-graduate Diploma Level

  • Applied Professional Practice (30 credits)
  • Sport Development: National Policy, Local Practice (15 credits)
  • The Development of Athletic Performance (15 credits)
  • Masters Level
  • Dissertation (60 credits)

Method of Delivery
The programme organisers will adopt a range of approaches to delivery.  Typically this will consist of the following:

  • Key lectures
  • Guided reading
  • Workshops
  • Course conferences where a ‘panel of experts’ will deliver a series of papers that address contemporary developments in their field.
  • ‘e-learning’ through the Virtual Learning Environment (VLE).  In particular, the development of a Sports Governance VLE.66 www.marjon.ac.uk
  • Tutorial Support and Mentoring

Central to the philosophy of the College is its commitment to regular contact between staff and students, including its focus on the role of tutorial support.  This extends to support for students on existing post-graduate programmes.  While distance learning may form an important aspect of the Applied Sport Development programme, it is anticipated that one to one guidance to assist in academic and professional development, will be integral to delivery.

Assessment
Assessment on the MA programme will follow cross-College modular scheme guidelines.  The programme of assessment provides a measure of judgment on the strengths and weaknesses of individual students, using feedback to both staff and students. Assessment is by course-work. All work is moderated by an External Examiner.  Students are fully informed of the assessment methods for each module through the MA Subject Handbook and through individual module guides, which are published prior to the teaching of each module.
By the end of the course, students will have experienced a range of assessment methods which includes:

  • Essays
  • Case studies
  • Course Conference presentations
  • Professional Practice report
  • A research proposal
  • A Masters Dissertation

Fees and Funding

Postgraduate Diploma £2640
Masters £3240
£660 per 30 credit module
£600 per dissertation

Course Tutors

Career Opportunities

The establishment of a postgraduate programme aims to provide a professional development route for existing Sport Development Officers and practitioners in related professions, as well as a progression route for exceptional students from a range of sports related undergraduate programmes who have appropriate industry experience.


Additional Information

For the purposes of research and the administration of the Applied Professional Practice placement, the MA in Applied Sport Development will retain close links with the Centre for Sports Research and Development, which now forms an integral part of the School of Sport, Physical Education and Leisure at UCP Marjon.  The Centre plays an active part in promoting opportunities for sporting excellence within the College and in the local community and region.


Comment:

Please enter any observations or comments that you have on the content on this webpage.