I often receive emails from some of our avid readers inquiring about the various academic opportunities available for sports programs. I would like to share a very special one with all of you. It is known as the “FIFA Master.” The program is about 7 years old and has made a huge impact on the international sports scene. You can find some of the highlights of the program below.
The program for native English speakers begins in September and ends in July (10 months). There is an optional English course (August-September), which is probably not necessary for most of our readers (at least I hope). From there, the masters program is broken up into 3 separate topical segments, which are each taught in 3 separate locations in Europe.
First, you will start the program at De Montort University in Leicester, England. From September to December, you will learn about the Humanities of Sport. This segment offers courses in the History, Sociology & Ethics of Sport; Research Methods; The Birth of Modern Sport; The Professionalization and Commercialization of Sport; Sport and Management: The British Experience; and lastly, Internationalization of Sport.
After Humanities, you will have a “Communication Week,” which consists of topics such as corporate, legal, and media communications. Following this, you will then have a Final Lauch Project. This program will provide some instruction for the Final Project that you will be responsible for at the end of the program.
After a little traveling around Europe and your holiday break, you will then pick up with the second segment of the program at the School of Management at SDA Bocconi in Milan, Italy. From January to March, you will cover the Management of Sport. This area includes the following sub-topics: Strategy, Finance, Marketing, Information and Communications Technologies, and The Organization and Human Resources Management.
The third segment of the program takes you to The Universite De Neuchatel in Neuchatel, Switzerland. Here, you will cover the Law of Sport, Event Management, and conclude the program with your Final Project. For the Law of Sport, you will learn about The Private Sector of Sport, The Status of the Sportsperson, Sport and Health, Sports Business and Law, and Methods of Dispute Resolution.
Event Management is a one-week training course in June. Students are introduced to the complexities specific to the organization of sports events, through a mix of theoretical lectures, workshops, and case studies.
To conclude the “FIFA Master” you will work on and present your Final Project from June to July. You will have 4-5 weeks to tie up the loose ends from your preliminary research that you start after the Final Project Launch in the first segement and produce a thesis. You will present the final project to a panel composed of various individuals from the sporting world. Some of the more interesting Final Projects included “The sport village of hope”: is a Palestinean-Israeli football village feasible? and Sport & tourism: a future of converging industries.
During the program, you will have a chance to hear guest speakers from the most premier organizations throughout the world: Sports Clubs & Teams (e.g. A.C. Milan), Sport Consulting groups, National Sport Associations (e.g. the FA Premier League, Rugby Football Union, etc.), International Sport Organizations (e.g. FIFA, FIBA, MLB), Sporting Good Industry (e.g. Adidas), Sport Marketing & Media (e.g. SFX Europe, Sportcal), Sport Events (e.g. Euro 2008, the London Marathon), and Others (e.g. CAS Court of Arbitration for Sport, Rugby School).
The Alumni as of 2006 features 126 graduates from 48 different nationalities. The job placement is very impressive–FIFA, IMG, Octagon, and the list goes on and on.
If you plan on applying, you must submit your application by March 15th 2008. This gives all of you procrastinators plenty of time. The application is not too extensive, but does include a few essays. The selection procedure takes 3-4 months.
Of course, my rundown of the program would not be complete with costs. As of last year, it cost 20’000 Swiss Francs. You can make your own conversions, but it’s fairly competitive with most universities in the US that offer Masters Programs.
If you have never studied abroad, want a diverse experience, exposure to the international sports industry, or if you just want to delay getting a real job for another year, this program is perfect for you.
The website provides all the information you need:
http://www. FIFAmaster.org
But as I always recommend to the readers, your best bet is to go to law school. However, I would highly recommend this program to make your resume more competitive.
-Matthew Allinson