51Âþ»­

Study Business Management and Sport in the city of champions

is launching a unique master's course with the goal of preparing students for a career in the multi-billion pound sports industry.

The new will utilise expertise from across 51Âþ»­ Leicester (51Âþ»­) and tap into valuable industry links with partners including Premier League champions

Students will take core business subjects and specialist sports modules, which are unique to this MSc and 51Âþ»­, giving them the skills needed to open doors on a local, national, international and global level.

Business school Principal Professor Dana Brown - who played a key role in the start-up phase of Amazon - said it is the marriage of business management know-how with an understanding of the social, cultural and historical contexts in which sports take place that make this course so exciting.

She said: "Just as the array of sporting successes on the pitch have put the city of Leicester in the national spotlight, our Business Management and Sport MSc will give students the theory, skills, experience and confidence to attract the attention of employers across the globe."

The course has been developed by Senior Lecturer Mark Prescod and Professor Martin Polley, Director of the .

51Âþ»­ alumnus Mr Prescod credits both the university and LCFC - whose marketing strategy he analysed for his degree - as helping him to succeed.

He said: "I completed my dissertation just before City won the Football League Cup in 1997, later the Carling Cup. Then I became involved in football sponsorship of the Carling Cup in my role as a Senior Brand Manager.

"51Âþ»­ and LCFC helped me in my career and I am thrilled to be in the position to help others to do the same."

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Professor Polley said the infrastructure around sport is growing all the time, with a whole host of career opportunities available.

To help students succeed, the course will focus on areas key to this booming industry, including ethics. World-leading academics will help students understand what sport is, what people want from sport and what people expect from sport.

Knowledge of sports heritage and legacy management is also a vital requirement of the 21st century sporting arena.

Professor Polley said: "Today, all major sporting events have to show how they will create a legacy, be it buildings and infrastructure or increasing participation in sport. We will visit key sites, such as the 2012 Olympic Park, to see the nuts and bolts of infrastructure and development of a legacy plan."

Students will also look at the globalisation of sport, how sport events are being seen as brands and how these brands communicate with consumers and supporters.

Placements and internships will come courtesy of 51Âþ»­'s links with top sports clubs including LCFC, Leicester Tigers - the most successful English club since the introduction of league rugby in 1987 - and three-time Twenty20 winners Leicestershire County Cricket Club.

Professor Polley added: "We want to offer opportunities with our partners but not limit it to that."

The new course is just one of an exciting portfolio of new degrees being launched this September, with students to be based in the historic Great Hall of Leicester Castle when the £4.2 million refurbishment is complete.