SP7028 - Strategic Sport Policy, Governance and Leadership

Taught content will be delivered in a variety of formats including lectures and seminars and all learning materials will be accessible on the eLP. The learning and teaching strategies used on this module will reflect an analytical social scientific approach to the subject. The lectures will introduce the underpinning knowledge and relevant concepts. The module will then be primarily delivered through a range of interactive sessions in which students and staff will lead the discussions. These sessions are intended to: create a broader debate, enhance application of theory to practice, develop analytical skills, and encourage critical discussion. Students will also be set independent tasks informed by key literature to complete outside of class time.

Module information, assessment requirements and expectations, and important module announcements will be made through the eLP. Material to support your learning will be uploaded in advance of sessions. You will be provided with content verbally and guided through tasks during timetabled sessions. A dedicated assessment session will afford you the opportunity to ask assessment related questions in class. The Module Leader is there to support you with any queries that you may have about the module content, and all staff members will provide tutorial time outside of class time. Module tutors will provide you with the necessary information on how to arrange a tutorial. You will have the opportunity to receive formative feedback on your development during the module, and you will receive feedback on summative work to help you identify areas of strength and areas for development. There will be the opportunity to discuss your feedback with a member of staff during a tutorial. Academic skills support is also available from the University Library services.

All modules at Northumbria include a range of reading materials that students are expected to engage with. Online reading lists (provided after enrolment) give you access to your reading material for your modules. The Library works in partnership with your module tutors to ensure you have access to the material that you need.

Knowledge & Understanding:

1.) Use the sociological imagination to explore issues, tensions and contradictions surrounding the process, role, position and outcomes of sport policy, governance and leadership.

Intellectual / Professional skills & abilities:

2) Analyse, synthesise and critically re-interpret relevant literature to develop insight into international, national and local sport policy, governance and leadership issues and contexts.

3) Make judgements and maintain a logical and persuasive argument that articulates and challenges sport policy, governance and leadership knowledge, theories, paradigms, principles, and concepts.

Personal Values Attributes (Global / Cultural awareness, Ethics, Curiosity) (PVA):

4) Appraise how the international socio-political context of sport impacts on current practice in policy, governance, and leadership.

5) Reflect critically on the role and nature of sport policy, governance and leadership across time and space.

Summative Assessment
Students are required to write a 4500-word critical commentary essay, adhering to the style of a relevant peer-reviewed academic journal (to be agreed with staff). This critical commentary essay must: (a) use the sociological imagination to explore an issue relevant to sport and policy, governance and leadership; (b) analyse and critically interpret relevant literature to develop insight into international/national/local sport policy, governance and leadership; (c) articulate a logical and persuasive argument that challenges related knowledge, theories, paradigms, principles, or concepts; (d) reflect critically on the role and nature of sport policy, governance and leadership (MLO 1-5, 100%).


Formative Assessment and rationale for tasks
Formative feedback will be in the form of oral presentations and discussion-based tasks. Each week in preparation for seminars, you will be asked to prepare a presentation or discussion points that will contribute to a group task or form the basis of a debate on a given topic. The intent is to encourage you to spread your efforts evenly across the module and to elicit higher order skills in terms of going beyond factual recall to synthesise material and apply theory to practice. There is an emphasis on formative assessments in seminar presentations and debates so that you are encouraged to be more creative and 'risk-taking' in your application.

Feedback Strategy
You will receive written or audio feedback on your summative assessment to help you identify areas of strength and areas for development. There will be the opportunity to discuss your feedback with a member of staff during a tutorial.

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This module is wide ranging as we consider issues that influence the whole of sport organisations and systems. We examine policy, governance and leadership within international, national and local organisations pertaining to sport. Our approach will be to consider these areas separately and in conjunction with each other, from a research and practice perspective. Sport policy and policy making processes alongside some of the complex relationships with modern sport cultures and other aspects of wider society will be considered. The governance of organisations and sport systems, in the context of legislative, societal, financial, and commercial developments will be explored. We will examine sport organisation purpose and strategy, governance models, and ‘good’ or ‘better’ governance, versus ‘bad’. In doing this we will look at the whole organisation structure, systems, and culture. This leads us to consider the role of leadership in this context where we will explore leadership approaches, inter and intrapersonal dynamics, leadership within and across organisations, roles and responsibilities for governance and enacting strategy. In doing so, a social scientific approach will be taken to critique the nature, role, challenges, micro and macro politics of these connected fields, both nationally and internationally. The module will provide opportunities to discuss, amongst other issues: the relationship between changing government’s political priorities and sport policy; the reform and modernisation of the sport sector to address poor governance practice; and leadership and corruption in global sporting bodies. We will critically consider the research within and across these fields, to discuss how the knowledge provided applies to real world situations. Critical conversation and debate will be continually encouraged among the module cohort group.