BA (Hons) Sport and Management

This Sport and Management degree makes you a highly desirable candidate for sports clubs seeking business-savvy graduates. Abertay is Scotland's TOP University for overall student satisfaction in Sport and Exercise (NSS 2023).

Course detail

Start Date

September

Duration

4 years (full-time)

Award Title

BA (Hons)

UCAS Code

CN62

Why study Sport and Management at Abertay?

This Sport and Management degree helps you gain the management, social and vocational skills needed to work in the sport and physical activity industry. Start your career as a business-savvy sport professional.

Get thoroughly prepared for a management career in sport and organised physical activity.  

Become a business-savvy sport professional

You'll evaluate the contexts of sport and physical activity, challenging ideas and concepts using business and management principles. 

You’ll focus on sport and community development, event management, and policy within the context of business, management of services, people, and the sporting environment. The curriculum includes entrepreneurship, human resources, sporting expertise, marketing and service operations.

Along the way you will discover how to critically evaluate information, challenging ideas and concepts using scientifically-based information. We encourage you to show initiative, research and develop your own knowledge, and apply your expertise as much as possible.

Practical focus and work placements

Practical activities help you apply theory to real-life situations. Work placements are a key feature, and employability is embedded throughout. Plus, you can work towards national governing body and industry qualifications.

You’ll get plenty of opportunities to play to your strengths as your interests develop, and graduate equipped able to arrange large events, manage facilities/people, or be a manager within sport organisations. 

We arm you with all the skills you need to effect change in a working environment and develop a strong CV. When you graduate you will be ready to join the network of professionals behind the scenes, helping to keep the world of sport and organised physical activity running effectively.

Abertay is Scotland's TOP University for overall student satisfaction in Sport and Exercise (NSS 2023).

Potential careers

There's a growing need for knowledgeable managers working in national governing bodies of sport, within sports businesses, and who can organise large sports events. Roles include: 

  • Sports agent.

  • Activity coordinator.

  • Community development officer.

  • Sports development officer.

  • Sports business manager.

  • Facilities manager.

  • National governing body officer.

  • Sports and leisure manager.

  • Events coordinator.

  • Sports marketer.

Your transferable skills mean you can use your abilities in the police force, fire service, armed forces or teaching, as well as applying for general business management graduate opportunities.  

Sport and Management Alumni

The Elite Athlete Development Programme

There are some international-class athletes here at Abertay involved in a range of sports competing at senior and age grade national levels. We support these athletes in their quest for international success through the Elite Athlete Development Programme (EADP).

We are immensely proud to have helped some students reach their sporting goals and represent their country. Find out how to apply.

About your modules

All modules shown are indicative and reflect course content for the current academic year. Modules are reviewed annually and may be subject to change. If you receive an offer to study with us we will send you a Programme document that sets out exactly which modules you can expect to take as part of your Abertay University degree programme. Please see Terms and Conditions for more information.

Modules

Year 1 Core Modules

You must study and pass all four core modules

Brief description

The key social issues in sport and exercise contexts.

Indicative content:

  • Recognising and defining the disciplines within social science: The major disciplines within social science in the context of sport and exercise (e.g., sociology of sport, sport development, sport history).
  • Discrimination in sport: Sources of discrimination in sport and exercise contexts (e.g., gender, class, ethnicity, LGBTI).
  • Sport Political Ideology: How political systems impact upon and use sport.
  • Ethics and sport: Moral and ethical issues in sport and exercise. This context provides a unique environment for moral and ethical issues.
  • Qualitative methodologies: Qualitative research and how this type of research has developed our understanding of sport and exercise.

Brief description

Introduction to the key theories, concepts and functions of management.

Indicative content:

  • Organisational structure and work design: Organisational structure, division of labour, job design.
  • Management theories: Evolution of management theories including, classical, motivational, systems, quality movement, knowledge management.
  • Leadership theories: Foundation of leadership including trait, behavioural and situational theories.
  • Management in practice: Managers’ roles and competencies, management functions – planning, leading, organising, controlling.

Brief description

The determinants and consequences of physical activity, and interventions to increase participation and decrease sedentary behaviours.

Indicative content:

  • Psychological determinants of exercise: Exercise motivation; self− competencies; social physique anxiety; attitudes and beliefs about health.
  • Psychological outcomes of exercise: Mechanisms and hypotheses; self-esteem; mood enhancement through activity; harmful psychological effects of exercise.
  • Models of health behaviour: Health belief model, Attitudinal-based theories, Self-efficacy and competence-based theories, Self-determination, transtheoretical model.
  • Physical activity promotion: Individual/group and community interventions.

Brief description

Introduction to the management of people and ideas and how different theories and practices can be used to enhance individual and organisational performance.

Indicative content:

  • Management in context: Organisations as social and economic entities; The influence of social and economic factors on individual and organisational performance; The impact of material and time scarcity on performance.
  • People management: Selection; Motivation; Employees development; Teamwork; Stress; Workplace diversity and equal opportunity; Unconscious bias; Ethical leadership.
  • Ideas management: Creating climate for creativity and innovation; Knowledge sharing networks; Knowledge management.
  • Using research in management practice: Employee opinion survey; Research design; Use of research findings in managerial decision making.

Year 1 Option Modules

You must study and pass one option module of your choosing.

This field is required

Brief description

Different business communication styles, how and when to use them and how to create a compelling narrative.

Indicative content:

  • Planning: Identifying the objective of the communication; audience and medium; different styles for different media; making your writing engaging.
  • Working with clients in a professional context: Professional practice expectations of working within a business environment. Introducing yourself, presenting information orally, running meetings, concluding and following up meetings.
  • Writing: The importance of aesthetic; punctuation; grammar and usage; structure; creating a logical narrative; use of evidence to support assertions. Considering the differences between writing styles e.g. for academic purpose (lit review) or more sales purpose (marketing poster).
  • Including diagrammatic and pictorial elements: Data visualisation; data dashboards and data maps; creating infographics.
  • Reviewing: Proofing, pruning and polishing; reviewing the work of others; acting on feedback.

Brief description

The major practical and theoretical principles that underpin leadership roles in physical activity and sport. 

Indicative content:

  • Role: The concept of leadership in sport and physical activity, and how we define these roles. The various contexts in which they operate and the issues of role ambiguity and role conflict.
  • Approach: How the attitude held by an individual acts as the guiding principle for the training and development of their participants. Identify your own leadership philosophy/style and the strengths/weaknesses of this.
  • Planning training sessions: The key stages in the planning of a sport/exercise sessions. The importance of systematic, integrated and serial sessions and the underpinning need to consider the context and participants.
  • Practical instruction: Engage in leading sessions as both a coach/instructor and as a participant. Work in a range of contexts and attempt to overcome different limitations within them.
  • Evaluation: Identify the success/failure of training sessions, the ongoing implications of this, and the limitations of the evaluation process itself.

Years 1 and 2 Elective Modules

You must study and pass one elective module of your choosing

Introduction of the concept of smart cities - hard infrastructure, social capital including local skills and community institutions, and digital technologies to fuel sustainable economic development and provide an attractive environment for all.

Module content:

  • Social impacts

There is an overall need for theoretical and methodological plurality in how we assess the impact and value of future cities in terms for individual and societal well−being. Gaps in our understanding relate to the complex ways individuals and groups engage with built and natural settings, the cultural goods and consequent benefits that may arise and the inequalities associated with these cultural benefits.

  • Security

Different types of cyber-attacks that could be launched against a Smart City. Impact of cyber-attacks. Approaches to securing the smart grid and critical infrastructure, i.e. improving cyber resilience.

  • Sustainable urban food production

Includes the long established allotments movement to large-scale projects based on sustainability throughout the food chain. Urban food production includes the long established allotments movement. The demand for urban growing also responds to the densification and intensification of living areas, due to population rise, migration and demographic aging with lower housing and ‘garden’ space standards placing greater importance on collective production.

  • Energy, waste and water

At present, water and wastewater facilities are often the largest and most energy intensive responsibilities owned and operated by local governments, representing up to 35% of municipal energy use. Future cities will need to utilise more sustainable methods of water and wastewater management and renewable energy production.

  • Digital technologies

​Digital technologies will play a major role in creating sustainable and resilient cities offering a vehicle for more inclusive decision−making process and promoting dialog amongst architects, urban planners, the public and technologists.

Develop a range of skills, knowledge and techniques within the natural, technological and social sciences relevant to the study of environmental sustainability and life in the twenty-first century. Understand the critical issues that confront humanity and begin to discern appropriate responses.

Module content:
The challenge of sustainable development
Problems associated with life in the 21st Century and the relationship to scientific provisionalism and uncertainty.

The genesis of sustainable development concept
Developments associated with the Club of Rome are outlined while Limits to Growth and the Tragedy of the Commons.

Evolution of sustainable development
The Reo Summit and Suitability, and Policy Developments thereof.

Scientific inquiry and sustainable development
Controversial issues like climate change, oil peak, and food production and the role of science in helping delimit them as problematic.

Mainstreaming sustainability
Sustainability and Mitigation, Adaptation and Resilience, as individual and social concerns, and their role in transformation.

Communicating sustainability
Human well-being, Environmental Justice, Environmental Policy and the practicalities of Sustainability in Scotland.

Sustainable development in practice
Community Empowerment associated with Land Reform. Energy Production and Food Production in Tayside.

Ethics and sustainability policy
Active citizenship and globalisation.

Innovating locally, transforming globally
Transformations required to embrace Sustainability.

Active relationship for sustainable futures
Thinking globally, acting locally.

How lifestyle can effect physical and mental well-being. This module enables you to reflect on your own lifestyle choices and how to incorporate good health behaviours into your life.

Module content:

  • Sleep and stress
    The impact of sleep and stress on health and performance. Completion of sleep diaries and questionnaires related to sleep patterns and stress.
     
  • Physical activity
    Current physical activity recommendations, components of physical fitness.
     
  • Physical inactivity
    Understanding why people are inactive. The link between physical inactivity, obesity and type 2 diabetes.
     
  • Physical activity and mental well-being
    The effects of physical activity on mental well-being.
     
  • The effect of carbohydrate consumption and exercise on blood glucose
    Measurement and recording of blood glucose in response to the carbohydrate ingestion and exercise.
     
  • Simple health and fitness testing
    Measurement and recording of data. Tests will include blood pressure, strength, endurance and flexibility. Data will be compared with normative values for these tests.

Develop critical thinking skills that form the basis for progression across the academic disciplines of the university. Learn how to recognise, construct, evaluate, criticise and defend different forms of argument.


Module content:
•    Potential 'timeless' debates 
Debates delivered by internal and external experts on: e.g. existence of God; privacy and civil society; private property; money as source of 'evil'; nature/nurture; free speech; pornography; capital punishment; prostitution; animal experimentation; meaning of justice; abortion; affirmative action; just war; trade union power; good life/good political community; human nature; monarchy; value of democracy; meaning of equality; citizenship rights.

•    Potential 'timely' debates
Debates delivered by internal and external experts on: eg, Scottish independence, academic freedom; drug legalisation; drug use in sport; immigration; free health care; war on terror; EU membership; euthanasia; progressive taxation; race and gender discrimination; gay marriage; human rights; politics/sport; global warming; internet censorship; nuclear power; education league tables; nuclear weapons; GM agriculture; religion; cloning; fair trade; value of contemporary culture.

•    Critical thinking seminars
Follow-up discursive discipline specific seminar sessions led by teaching staff on topics covered in formal debates. Learn to identify types of argument presented, evaluate perspectives and to reflect upon their own reasoning processes and value assumptions. The debates and seminars facilitate a foundation for the acquisition of graduate attributes.

•    WEB CT Wiki discussion forum
Work in small groups to write a short 800 word indicative "Thinking Summary" online Wiki of the arguments presented in each debate. These summaries will be constructed by each designated Thinking Group of three students using the Wiki facility on Blackboard which will facilitate further discussion on the moderated WEB CT discussion forum.

The social, managerial, economic, political, and technical challenges and opportunities associated with emerging renewable energy innovation, production, supply and consumption.


Module content:
•    Renewable energy non-technical challenges and opportunities
Social and political challenges and opportunities of renewable energy production supply and consumption. Economic and environmental challenges of renewable energy production supply and consumption. Strategic and managerial challenges of renewable energy production supply and consumption.


•    Renewable energy technological challenges and opportunities
Geotechnical, Geophysical and Hydrographic information; Knowledge of sources of hydrographic information and interpretation of published charts. Forces on structures; Appreciation of the various forces acting on marine structures. Technical limitations and challenges of energy distribution systems and energy storage. Current technological development trend, collaborative innovation in renewable energy.

An understanding of the concepts of tolerance, and the importance of making sound ethical decisions. Develop the qualities, characteristics and skills to meet the aspiration for Abertay graduates to become global and active citizens. 

Module content:
•    Introduction to equality and ethics legislation 

•    Diversity competence and moral/ethical reasoning 
Inclusiveness, equal opportunities, positive action, reasonable adjustment.

•    Attributes for the workplace and for global citizenship.

•    Reflective practice 
Application of models of reflective practice.

•    Contemporary issues

Learn how to adjust language to suit context. Analyse a range of linguistic issues, including “proper English”, how language can be used to create moral panics, and the ethics of communication.

Module content:

•    “Good English”
The role of standardisation, dialect and idiolect − how we choose language to reflect our identities and our role in a speech or discourse community.

Language and influence
How the media constructs narratives to persuade or inform the audience (and how to tell the difference).

Creating a narrative across genres
The conventions, freedoms and limitations of different forms; using these forms in new ways.

Narrative changes over time
How authors reinvent old stories to reflect current concerns.

Technical writing
The use and manipulation of data; hearing the author's voice; critiquing "bad science".

The ethics of communication
 (Electronic) media and ownership, attribution and theft.

“Personal” digital safety to make computer security fun, practical and eye-opening.  Learn the base knowledge that will continue to be relevant to future generations of devices.

Module content:
•    Current state of computer security
An overview including legal aspects.

•    Cyber-attacks, vulnerabilities and threats
Malware, Network attacks (denial of service, packet sniffing etc.), bots and rootkits. How the bad guys can obtain your password.

•    Information leakage
Recovery and forensics recovering deleted or corrupted files. What your browser knows about you. Web browser forensics.

•    Securing networks, accounts and devices
Defence against malware, honeypots, Secure protocols, intrusion detection, Password security, Mobile device security.

•    Human aspects of cyber security 
The Psychology of Hackers, Social Engineering, identity theft, Usability vs security.

•    Breaking the code
An introduction to cryptography, Encryption and Decryption, public and private keys, the key exchange problem.

•    History of cryptography 
The Caesar cipher, polyalphabetic ciphers, the Playfair cipher, the role of Enigma and the Bletchley Park cryptographers in WWII.

•    Computers and Crypto Diffie-Hellman and RSA encryption
Phil Zimmerman and “Pretty Good Protection". Quantum Cryptography – Provably unbreakable information hiding. Mathematical Underpinnings – Large prime numbers and why they matter.

•    Steganography
 A picture's worth a thousand words when you're hiding the wood in the trees.

•    The law, society and cryptography 
Why you can be imprisoned for forgetting your password. The Civil Liberties Arguments for and against strong-crypto. International perspectives on information hiding, information freedom, the right to privacy and the conflicts between these. Are unbreakable cyphers an unqualified “good thing”?

Develop perspectives on the key challenges faced by humankind such as environmental change, pollution, food security, energy provision, conflicts, terrorism, emerging diseases, and changing demographics. Understand the overwhelming complexity of the problems and the need for interdisciplinary approaches to create solutions.

Module content:

  • Interdisciplinary research
    Introductory lectures will discuss the definitions, methods, benefits, challenges, and drawbacks of disciplinary and interdisciplinary approaches and the role of public policy influencing research
     
  • Global challenges
    Challenges from different disciplines. Examples include: Climate Change: causes and impact; Serious Games: science and application of visualization and games; Global Security: valuing ecosystems: balancing policy, economics and environment; Contemporary Challenges to Healthy Living; Food Security: global threats and local needs; Energy Poverty: space travel.

Design an activity to communicate and present scientific principles to primary school children. Learn about working as a group and how to communicate complex ideas.

Module content:
Developing a science communication activity
Target audience, sources of information to identify suitable activities (CfE documentation etc.), health and safety, issues around working with specific groups, accessibility, ethics, costing and sustainability.

The landscape of engagement and current practice
Types of public engagement activities, target audiences, funding, role of learned societies, universities and other bodies. Public engagement in Dundee and Tayside.

Work in a team to develop game design concepts for serious applications. Gain the knowledge, processes and techniques of game design and study examples of serious games developed to benefit society.

Module content:
•    Overview of Games
A brief history of games, game art and gamification.

•    Games for change
Understanding how games can benefit society.

•    Game mechanics
Deconstructing core components of popular game genres.

•    Gameplay constructs
What is gameplay and how is this broken down and communicated within the game design.

•    The game design process
Conceptualisation, iteration, phases of workflow.

•    Game design theory and practice
Identifying the elements within effective design and how they are implemented.

•    Documenting the design interactive
Oriented design, technical design, capturing requirements.

•    Business models
Exploring methods that can be used to generate revenue within the game design.

Develop the knowledge and awareness required to make good career decisions and the skills and confidence to successfully navigate each stage of the recruitment process for graduate jobs.

Module content:

  • Developing self-awareness
    Profiling of personal strengths, values and priorities in relation to career choice.
     
  • Developing opportunity awareness
    Generating career ideas based on your personal profile; Exploring the range of graduate opportunities within job sectors of interest; Reviewing occupations that are directly related to your own subject discipline.
     
  • Developing a career action plan
    Matching your personal profile with best fit opportunities in the job market; Creating a timeline of actions to improve your prospects of meeting your aim.
  • Developing job seeking skills
    Sourcing suitable job opportunities - both advertised and unadvertised; Creating a professional image online; Identifying the skills and qualities employers look for in graduates; Learning how to produce targeted applications for specific job roles; Practising the presentation of your strengths and motivations in face to face selection activities.

Learn about natural disaster such as landslides and flooding, structural disasters such as the Tay Rail Bridge and the system of critical infrastructure (such as road, rail, air and shipping transport networks, power grid, gas and water networks, health system) that constitute the backbone of modern societies.

Module content:
•    Overview of the scope and the content of concept of critical infrastructure failure during natural disasters and resilience against such failures
The consequences of geophysical, hydrological and meteorological disasters on critical infrastructure and critical infrastructure protection capabilities against natural disasters. Interdependencies of critical infrastructures during large disasters, presents a brief review of current research being done in this field, and presents a methodology to address interdependencies.


•    The identification of the vulnerabilities of the critical systems
The critical systems upon which modern society, economy, and polity depend. The identification of the vulnerabilities of these systems threats that might exploit these vulnerabilities. The effort to develop techniques to mitigate these vulnerabilities through improved design.


•     Flooding in Scotland
General overview of fluvial, pluvial and coastal flooding, the structural, economic and societal impact and responses to flooding. Resources will include historical examples, current policies and information (including SEPA flood maps). Case study (with virtual/actual field visit?) the Perth Floods of 1990 and 1993 and the Perth flood defence scheme*


•    Landslide origins, types and mitigations
General overview what landslides are, why they happen and what can be done to prevent them.


•    Structural failure
An example such as why the Tay Bridge failed and what it meant for the Forth Rail Bridge.


•    Reports and investigations
The role of reports in accident and disaster investigations in creating informative reports; case studies of accidents, disasters, learning from history, learning from case studies, learning from common law

Introduction to the skills and knowledge needed to launch a small business successfully. This module will define and help you acquire the personal and professional skills needed to develop a professional career and/or to succeed as entrepreneurs in Small and Medium sized Enterprises (SMEs).

Module content:

  • Understanding entrepreneurship.
     
  • Generating successful business ideas.
     
  • Environmental scanning.
     
  • Developing a credible business plan that includes evaluating business ideas.
     
  • Presenting the business idea.

An understanding of some of the processes involved in food production. Discuss common misconceptions and ideas which present the food and nutritional industries in a bad light.


Module content:
•    Student led investigations
Student led investigations of the different sectors within the food and drink industry including: prebiotics – and the controversy surrounding the term; if barbequing is a healthy cooking method; and exposing the celebrity chef - common Myths about cooking.


•    Consumerism
Does the food industry listen to us? Understanding consumer and sensory science to better understand why you buy the products you buy.  How food/public health is reported by the media? The French paradox / Mediterranean diet.


•    Future of food
Ethical food production and the future of foods, and what’s waste got to do with it?


•    Debunking myths
Debunking food myths, more science than science fiction in our food today, like the science behind getting sauce out of a bottle and what to drink – Whisky or Beer?


•    Facts from fiction
Finding facts from fiction, investigating the three-second rule – should I eat things that have fallen on the floor? What’s so super about super-foods? Fat or sugar: Which is worse?

Learn how we approach and understand mental health, from historic, social, therapeutic, and individual perspectives. Explore questions such as ‘what is madness?’, ‘how does society position people with mental illness?’, and ‘how do we best respond to challenges to our mental health?’

Module content:

  • Historical and cultural perspective on mental illness
    How do we ‘think’ about mental health, and mental ill health?
     
  • Diagnosis and the anti-psychiatry movement
    Who holds the power to decide what is normal in terms of psychological well-being and behaviour?
     
  • Gender, culture and mental health
    How gendered cultural expectations and representations influence how we respond to mental health issues.
     
  • Media representations
    The impact of film and literature on attitudes and understandings of mental health.
     
  • Resilience, treatment and recovery
    Common mental health problems in the UK, treatment and management, and frameworks for enhancing well-being and resilience.

An introduction to the wide range of disciplines in forensic investigation. Learn how crimes are investigated from the moment of reporting through to the presentation of the evidence in court. A hypothetical case study provides an over-arching framework in which to explore the critical aspects of forensic investigations. It involves not only physical and electronic evidence, but also statements from witnesses, suspects and victims which requires cross discipline collaboration of professionals.

Module content:
Crime scene investigation
How a crime scene is examined in the context of incomplete contextual information and to avoid loss or contamination of evidence and the maximising of the value of evidential material.

Media involvement
Positive and negative effects of the media/public interest in the crime.

Forensic biology
Examination and evidential value of body fluids, DNA, hairs and fibres.

Forensic chemistry
Analysis for drugs, toxicological analysis, firearms, explosives, and trace evidence.

Digital sources
Evidence from CCT, mobile phones, computer hardware, on−line behaviour.

Forensic reasoning and practice
An introduction to forensic problem solving, thinking styles, case assessment and interpretation.

Psychology of witnesses and suspects
False confessions, offender profiling, effects and avoidance of cognitive bias in forensic science through process design.

Year 2 Core Modules

You must study and pass all four core modules​

Brief description

This module will give students the opportunity to lead, develop and/or support the delivery of physical activity sessions to school pupils in Dundee. Students will also have an opportunity to engage with a range of employers from the Sport and Fitness industry to gain insight into the requirements of particular roles. These experiences should enable the student to develop a career plan for future employment. Through engaging with this module you will develop the Professional, Personal, Digital and Active Citizen Abertay Attributes. 

Indicative content:

1. Planning and delivering activity sessions
Session planning; managing time/resources/people; working within a team; Active Schools/Positive Coaching Scotland training; physical literacy and the development of this in children, managing challenging behaviour; developing diversity competence; Growth Mindset; contemporary issues in the sport and fitness industry.
2. Personal Development Planning (PDP)
Completing SWOT analyses; personal objective/goal setting; action planning; electronic PDPs.
3. Reflective practice
Application of models of reflective practice; guided reflection to highlight learning; making theory− practice links; career planning.
4. Articulating skill development
Using electronic platforms and oral media to promote knowledge and skills to external audiences in the context of employability; careers/external speaker workshops.

Brief description

The overall purpose of this module is to develop students’ understanding of the core concepts of sport and exercise psychology and how these apply to real world environments. This will be achieved by explicitly addressing students’ knowledge of affect, behaviour and cognition within relevant contexts. Students will examine intrapersonal and interpersonal factors and explore how these factors both shape and are shaped by involvement in sport and exercise. Through engaging with this module you will develop the Intellectual, Professional, Digital and Active Citizen Abertay Attributes. 

Indicative content:

1. Definition of the field of sport and exercise psychology
2. Fundamentals of sport and exercise psychology
3. The role of personality in sport; models of achievement motivation and competitiveness; motivational climates; stress, arousal, anxiety and other emotional processes.
4. Group processes: Group and team dynamics, group cohesion, communication, leadership.
5. An introduction to psychological skills

Brief description

This module builds on students’ existing knowledge of human resource management and develops their understanding of HRM theory and practice.

Indicative content:

1. Introduction to HRM
Theoretical perspectives to HRM; practical approaches to HRM
2. Context and HRM
National, international, occupational, organisational and individual contexts of HRM in theory and in practice
3. Strategic HRM
Introduction to strategic human resource management; ‘best fit’ and ‘best practice’ approaches
4. HRM, work and wellbeing
Fair work; dignity at work; mental health and stress at work; the benefits and challenges of flexibility
5. HRM, equality and diversity
Inequalities in the labour market and in the workplace; managing diverse workforce
6. Managing conflict in the workplace
Conflict in the employment relationship; misbehaviour, discipline and grievance procedures; bullying and harassment; disputes
7. Contemporary HRM trends and future challenges
Continuity and change in work and employment; gig economy; (ir)responsible HRM

Brief description

This module explores the impact of festivals and events on their host communities. 

Indicative content:

1. Introduction: The theoretical background: Basic concepts, ideas, principles of festivals, events and communities; Forces-Stressors-State-Impact-Response (FPSIR) model).
2. Types of Events: Local community events to mega and online events.
3. Impact of events: Nature of impacts, impact assessments; Economic, social, environmental, tourism, political, psychological.
4. Future of events: Introduction to the future, industry perception of events future; future trends and issues. Live streaming.
5. Stakeholders: Stakeholder theory Corporate Social Responsibility theory.
6. Case studies in events

Brief description

This module covers some of the financial imperatives in managing an event. Students interested in Events Management might like to consider also taking BMT212 Cases in Events.

Indicative content:

1. Sources of funding
Determining where funding will come from for your event; funding policies; funding applications to external sponsors; convincing sponsors of the benefits of funding your event
2. Controlling finances
Pre-event controls, operational controls, post control mechanisms

Year 2 Microcredentials - Term 2

If you are a Direct Entrant (new student) to this year of study and have not previously taken module ABE101, then you MUST take ABE201 as part of your Microcredential selection. If you have previously taken ABE101 then you are NOT permitted to take ABE201.

Please choose a total of TWENTY credits worth of microcredential (ABE) modules in Term 2.

Brief description

Throughout the microcredential you will become familiar with university systems (including the virtual learning environment), consider what attributes make a successful student and develop key successful student habits.

Indicative content

  • Navigating Abertay Systems: Be introduced to and understand how to engage with Abertay systems and tools such as MyLearningSpace, MS Teams, OASIS, MyAbertay etc.
  • Expectations of University and You: Explore your own and the universities expectations of you and of the university; Consider the code of conduct; independent learning; blended learning; how university is structured; health and safety; and the Abertay attributes.
  • Understanding and Searching Information: How scholarly information is generated and disseminated, key characteristics of different information types. Planning, using, and refining appropriate search strategies; online search tools; using a range of web and database search functionality. 
  • Successful Student Behaviours: Develop strategies to key successful student behaviours including Defeating Procrastination, Time Management, Notetaking and preparing for classes, Growth Mindset, Accessing student support and opportunities.
  • Referencing: Understand what is meant by academic integrity, plagiarism, and the need for appropriate referencing; creating reference lists and in-text citations; use of referencing tools to manage information.
  • Sounding Academic: Explore what lecturers mean by “academic style” and “the right language”; Understand what is meant by and how to learn the rules of academic writing characteristics. Consider how this differs between college and university; Learn how to paraphrase. Explore how assessments, marking and feedback works at university.
  • Evaluating Information: Using appropriate quality criteria to critically evaluate information from any source to determine authority and bias.

Brief description

This microcredential provides you with the space and time to develop your skills in designing, planning, delivering, and showcasing an artefact responding to the societal issue. The microcredential is flexible and you will have a choice of what and how you create your response.

Indicative content

  • The Big Issue: You will be introduced to the big society issue that will be the focus of your artefact response. Learning materials available will help you consider your response to the challenge.
  • Developing Ideas: You will think creatively as to how you will respond to the big issue. You will consider your intended artefact aims, outcomes and target audience. 
  • Responding to the Challenge: Resources and guidance will be available as you respond to the challenge and create your artefact.
  • Preparing for the Showcase: Guidance will be available on how best to showcase your artefact for the assessment. You will develop your presentation skills to support you in showcasing the artefact. 
  • Showcase Event: You will attend a showcase event and present your artefact.

Brief description

You will discuss a range of anti-racist approaches and how they apply within the context of professional communications. You will examine case studies and scenarios to identify the nature of bias in society explore ways to be anti-racist especially in professional communications.

Indicative content

  • Racial Bias in Society: Using case studies and scenarios to discuss various forms of racism in society, you will explore the need for anti-racist practice in professional communications. 
  • Classification of Anti-Racist Practice: This section compares different anti-racists approaches applied across several contexts. You will discuss the challenges and benefits of each approach. You will identify barriers to implementation of anti-racist practice.
  • Discuss Anti-Racist Approaches for Successful Professional Communications: You will be introduced to various communications frameworks (e.g. the humanity-centric framework) and will explore scenarios for the application of these frameworks in a range of professional contexts.
  • Embedding Anti-Racism in Digital and Social Media Communications: How can you discuss matters of race and anti-racism on digital and social media while maintaining a professional persona. We will examine cases for best practices and explore ways to avoid bigoted language in digital communications. 

Brief description

In this module you will study two ways of analysing language: (i) a basic introduction to conversation analysis and discourse analysis as applied to ordinary talk/texting, and (ii) and introduction text mining, based on identifying patterns and developing insights from text-based data available on the Internet (e.g., social media data, online texts, online reviews etc).

Indicative content

  • Conversation Analysis and Talk and Text as Action: A brief overview of the CA focus on language as action; an examination of how people talk in terms of questions, answers, invitations, excuses, justifications etc.; an examination of texting, emojis, misunderstandings.
  • Text Mining: Introduction to text mining and its uses in a social sciences and business context; Online data sources; The text mining process: data collection, pre-processing and analysis; effectively communicating and visualising insights from textual data.

Brief description

By the end of this microcredential, you will be able to evaluate and select machine learning algorithms and AWS services to be appropriately applied to different business problems.

Indicative content

  • Introduction to Machine Learning: What is ML? ML process, business problem solved with ML, ML tools, Amazon SageMaker, ML challenges, supervised learning (regression, classification), unsupervised learning (clustering, dimensionality reduction), reinforcement learning, etc.
  • Implementing a ML pipeline using Amazon Sage Maker: Formulating ML problems, collecting and securing data, extracting, transferring and loading data, evaluating your data, finding corelation, feature engineering, data cleaning, dealing with outliers, training, deployment, performance evaluation, hyperparameters and model tuning.
  • Forecasting: Time series analysis, Amazon Forecast, Implementing a forecast model, Stock Predictions.
  • Computer Vision: Facial Recognition, Image and Video Analysis, Dataset Preparation.
  • Natural Language Processing: Amazon Comprehend, Polly, Translate, and Lex, Creating a chatbot, Alexa, etc.

Brief description

This online module will support you to get familiar with sustainability and introduce you to tools that can help you to understand and reduce your climate impact. By increasing your sustainability self-awareness, you will be able to make a positive difference in your own life, and in the organisations and communities around you.

Indicative content

  • What is sustainability and how is it linked to Climate Change?: We define sustainability, enhancing understanding of the links between society, economy, and environment. Climate change is explained and linked to sustainability. We provide clear accessible information about the reliable science of climate change. We describe the need efforts towards limiting human-induced global warming (limiting cumulative CO2 and other greenhouse gas emissions). 
  • Global Sustainability: We introduce the United Nations Sustainability Goals (SDGs). The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, adopted by all United Nations Member States in 2015, provides a shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet, now and into the future. At its heart are the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which are an urgent call for action by all countries - developed and developing - in a global partnership. They recognize that ending poverty and other deprivations must go hand-in-hand with strategies that improve health and education, reduce inequality, and spur economic growth – all while tackling climate change and working to preserve our oceans and forests. 
  • Personal Sustainability: The WWF environmental footprint tool is a great way to start your personal sustainability journey. The planet is in crisis - from climate change to the pollution in our oceans and devastation of our forests. It's up to all of us to fix it. Take your first step with our environmental footprint calculator. 
  • Community Sustainability and Climate Resilience: Community climate resilience comes in many forms. In this topic we introduce ideas which can provide multiple benefits of people, planet, and prosperity. We showcase inspiring examples whereby working with natural processes (Biophilic design, blue and green infrastructure) we can connect people with nature to improve their well-being and quality of life, whilst simultaneously tackling climate change and storing carbon.
  • Global Solutions: What is the world doing about it? What impact do Global Climate and Biodiversity agreements (COP26 etc) really have? What’s happening here? Where are the challenges and the good news stories? We showcase positive initiatives focussed on progress.

Brief description

By the end of the module, you will know more about key aspects of nutrition and health and be better equipped to identify and tackle the barriers that prevent you from eating well.

Indicative content

  • Healthy eating on a budget: This topic will show you that healthy eating doesn’t have to be expensive! You will be given basic nutritional knowledge, as well as skills and practical tips to be able to eat a healthy diet on a budget. You will then be able to develop your own menu and share it with your peers, so you learn from us as well as from each other.
  • Prebiotics, probiotics and health: You will learn about the importance of our microbiota on health, and how what we eat can modulate it. You will be provided with cooking tips and will be able to develop your own fermented foods for better gut health.
  • Fat or sugar, which is worse?: You may have heard that fats are bad for our health, or perhaps you have heard it is all about the sugars? You will learn about the role of both sugars and fats in our diet; what makes them good or bad for health and the science behind it. You will be given the tools to assess your own sugar and fat intake as well as tips to implement the changes you need to eat better. 
  • The British diet vs Mediterranean diet: What is a Mediterranean diet and what are its real benefits? Is it just a diet or a pattern? Can we get the same benefits as those living in Mediterranean countries? In this topic, you will explore how feasible it is for us to adopt the Mediterranean diet and lifestyle, considering the seasonality of ingredients as well as sustainability. 
  • What drives our food choices?: How healthy do you think your diet is? Do you find it easy to eat well? With this topic you will become more aware of our obesogenic environment, of how the food industry talks to us, and how the media report nutritional claims. You will learn to look more closely and more critically at your environment, so you can make healthier decisions.

Brief description

This microcredential will help you to refine your current writing skills through the analysis and discussion of a range of texts and exercises, enabling you to then apply these techniques to assignments for your other modules.

Indicative content

  • Speaking the language: How to develop your academic and professional vocabulary: understanding the genre; understanding your reader’s expectations.
  • Meeting expectations: Why different assignments have different requirements: decoding instructions; selecting appropriate writing techniques.
  • Tightening up the nuts and bolts: How to improve your writing accuracy: reviewing key grammar and punctuation issues; improving your editing and proofreading.
  • Standing on the shoulders of giants: How to borrow from the greats: reviewing the principles of citing sources; using writing techniques to incorporate research into writing.

Brief description

This module will help you develop a better understanding of the difference between media reporting and scientific evaluation. It will equip you with the skills to look beyond sensational stories related to human behaviour and dig deeper into a topic area to validate the evidence.

Indicative content

  • Paranormal Beliefs and Experiences: Is Extrasensory Perception Real? Is there really evidence that we can predict the future?
  • Myths about the Brain: Can repressed memories be recovered in therapy? How easily are false memories created? What are the implications for the justice system? 
  • Myths about our Mind and Body: Is the key to success in everyday life simply a case of posing like a powerful superhero? 
  • Myths about Language: Does being bilingual make you smarter and keep your brain younger? Are bilingual people less likely to get dementia as a result of this lifelong brain training?

Brief description

Through this microcredential you will gain an insight into what the world of work may look like in the (near) future. This includes developing a knowledge of how the economy and labour market evolves and why individual skills-sets and employability are so important and intrinsically linked to this process.

Indicative content

  • The future of work: What will the future of work look like? What is used to predict how the world or work will change? Can the future of the economy and of work be accurately predicted? 
  • Key factors that influence change: Identifying some of the key factors that influence how the world of work and our economy evolves and changes.
  • The key role of skills and personal employability: The emergence and decline of skills: skills are fundamental to the economy (and graduate employers). What skills will be most in demand and/or be most valuable to our economy in future and why? Understand the importance of skills to the economy (and to graduate employers) at both the macro and micro level. Know what specific new skills are emerging and becoming more valuable and sought after, (as others are in decline) for our modern economy and graduate labour market. 
  • Labour market information - what is it for?: Labour market Information is hugely important to our understanding of our economy at any given time: and also, in looking at the present and past to help predict future growth, opportunities, shortages and skills gaps. Recognise the importance of key Labour Market Information (LMI). Have the ability to source and use key Labour Market Information (LMI). Understand how to use accurate Labour Market Information as a tool to help their own personal development and future career planning. 
  • What now?: Some help and steer – suggestions to you may wish to use your new knowledge and insight to help with your own career aspirations, planning and personal/professional development while at university.

Brief description

Some businesses have the sole focus of making money whereas others exist to also make a difference. Social enterprises are becoming more popular, and recognisable, and are making an impact across the world. From supporting the homeless, to giving waste products a second life, social enterprises are fighting for various causes. 

Indicative content

  • What is a social enterprise and how does it function?: What the definition of a social enterprise is with examples from different sectors.
  • How do social enterprises identify problems to tackle?: How social enterprises decide on what they will tackle and how they will do it. 
  • How do you gather evidence that there is a problem requiring a solution?: Way in which you can gather evidence and data to validate the idea for a social enterprise. Determining needs and wants within a category. 
  • How to identify skills and knowledge gaps: Understanding the skillsets within a founding team to fulfil the tasks required to start a social enterprise. 
  • How to understand the problem you are trying to solve: Knowing the problem, you are trying to solve and how this effects the target customers the social enterprise is aimed at. Looking at the issues in a customer-focussed way. 
  • How to develop a social impact plan: What is involved in a social impact plan and how to put one together. 

Brief description

This module will introduce you to the study of AI and Society. Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a set of technologies and concepts and can be understood as using computers and software to denote problem-solving capacities and knowledge acquisition (intelligence) which otherwise we believe only belongs to natural beings such as humans.

Indicative content

  • Introduction to the core concepts: A brief introduction to the concepts of “artificial”, “intelligence” and “society”. 
  • Introduction to the problem of AI and Society: A discussion of where the problem of the impact of AI on Society comes from, presentation of some of the original debates and examples.
  • Contemporary debates: A discussion of the contemporary debates about the impact of AI on Society, with examples.

Brief description

What is Artificial Intelligence (AI) and how has it shaped our past and present? These are questions we will explore on a guided tour of AI from the past to the present and the future. You will develop a better understanding of what AI is and isn’t.

Indicative content

  • Historical AI: Tracing the historical development of “traditional” AI systems including aircraft autopilots, expert systems, and accounting/financial software.
  • Current AI: Covering the contemporary generation of AI technologies in areas such as speech recognition (e.g., Alexa, Siri) and recommendation systems (e.g., Amazon, YouTube). Examples will be drawn from Health, Sport, Games, Engineering, Business, Law and Computing. 
  • Future AI: Exploring the limitations of today’s AI when it comes to general intelligence and contextual adaptation. Examples will be drawn from Health, Sport, Games, Engineering, Business, Law and Computing.
  • My AI: How AI will impact your future, and how you can use AI to help you achieve your career goals.  Reflection on how AI may inform your subject area going forward.

Brief description

This microcredential is aimed at you, if you have an interest in technology but are not experts. The microcredential will develop your digital safety and how to stay safe online.

Indicative content

  • Threat Landscape: Cyberattacks and online threats. System vulnerabilities. Social Engineering. Rights and computer laws.
  • Authentication: Password security. Biometrics. MFA and Password managers. Good practices for authentication.
  • Secure Communication: Web browser security. Certificates and trust. Effective encryption. Secure communication methods.
  • Personal Information Privacy: Information leakage. Personal information privacy and open-source intelligence. Device encryption and security. Security mindfulness.
  • Malware: Types of malware. Identifying malicious software. Malware propagation techniques. Malware removal and preventative measures.

Brief description

This microcredential will help you to develop and build your own confidence in applying numeracy skills in real world situations.

Indicative content

  • What is my GPA and how likely am I to get a First? (BASIC NUMERACY): Calculation and manipulation of data using Percentages, Indices (Powers), Roots, Probability, and simple equations. 
  • The power of prediction (GRAPHS): Straight line graphs, Gradients, Equations of a straight line, Intercepts. Drawing graphs - Linear equations, Distances between points. Simultaneous linear equations.  
  • Love a good puzzle (ALGEBRA): Changing subject of formulae. Factorisation - common factors, Difference of two squares, Trinomials. Solving simultaneous equations by Substitution and Elimination.
  • Advanced power of prediction (FUNCTIONS): Introduction to functions – Linear and Quadratic and solving quadratic equations. Factorising Quadratic equations.
  • Love a good triangle (TRIGONOMETRY): Trignometric functions - Sine, cosine and tangent. Trignometric formulae.

Brief description

In this microcredential, you will learn more about how digital media production professionals in the UK and China are working together to reduce barriers and identify new opportunities for collaboration and growth.

Indicative content

  • History and future of videogames in China: Focussing on the videogame sector as a case study of Chinese digital creative industries, how has the videogames market and industry developed in China, how is the Chinese videogames economy currently constituted, and what does the future hold?
  • Consumer trends and audience preferences: What is popular with audiences in China? What can we note about preferences in terms of narrative content, aesthetics, play styles etc. when compared with other markets?
  • Policy and regulation: What unique regulations or limitations are imposed on digital media within China, and what similarities are there with other national and transnational regulations? How is creative content development and publishing shaped by policy in China? What social and ethical challenges are presented by regulation, in China as well as in the UK?
  • Transnational working and co-production: How is digital creative content conceived, developed, and released by professionals working across borders? What are the challenges for small and independent creative studios, compared with multi-nationals with studios based in and outside China?
  • Publishing in China: How do digital media content like videogames make it to market in China? What processes and requirements must creative businesses be aware of, and how do developers find, connect to, and work with Chinese publishers? How to consumers in China access content, including on grey markets?
  • Challenges and success: Hear from UK and Chinese professionals on the China market, co-operation, the hurdles they cleared, and how they found success.

Brief description

Increasingly, the role of creativity in supporting and maintaining wellbeing is being researched and celebrated. This module will introduce you to the current theory in this area, as well as a range of creative resources shown to be helpful for both self-care and the support of others.

Indicative content

  • Why does creativity matter?: An introduction to why creativity matters when it comes to mental health.
  • Your brain on words: The place of stories in their various forms as a resource for wellbeing.
  • Engaging the senses: The potential of tools such as music and art for self-care.

Year 3 Core Modules

You must study and pass all four core modules

Brief description

Critical overview of sport development in the UK to provide knowledge and expertise to effectively develop sport in line with current policies and strategies.

Indicative content:

  • Sport governance in the UK: How sport is structured and organised in the UK. The effectiveness of these structures.
  • A basis for sport policy: The underlying socio, cultural and political issues underpinning contemporary sport policy (e.g., health and wellbeing, physical activity, social inequality, protection of vulnerable people, elite sport)..
  • Sport policy: Contemporary sport policies at international, national, regional and local level.
  • Policy to practice: The way in which sport policy is sanctioned by national organisations as part of sport development, and sport development officers.

Brief description

Develop your ideas about research in sport, exercise, physical activity and health, to better understand and appreciate published research and carry out your own research project in your final year of study.

Indicative content:

  • The research process: Learn and engage in a research process to understand the steps associated with planning and conducting a research process.
  • Formulating and refining research questions: How research ideas are questions are generated and refined.
  • Research methodologies: Various research methodologies (e.g., quantitative, qualitative and mixed−methods) in order to develop an appreciation of diverse approaches to research in sport, exercise, physical activity and health.
  • Ethical issues: The key ethical issues associated with research in sport, exercise, physical activity and health.
  • Practical skill development: Develop practical research skills in your chosen discipline area.

Brief description

The challenges facing contemporary business organisations in an operating context in which they are expected not only to demonstrate an economic contribution and shareholder value, but increasingly, are expected to do so in a manner that reflects the interests of a range of stakeholder groups and being sustainable.

Indicative content:

  • The changing context of business: The changing nature of organisations from industrial to post-industrial society; globalisation structures, processes and arguments.
  • Sustainable business practice: Corporate social responsibility and The Business and Society Relationship; Corporate Citizenship: Social Responsibility, Responsiveness, and Business Performance.
  • Employee wellbeing at work: Employees as stakeholders: issues relating to privacy, safety and employee well-being.
  • The role of third sector organisations: Social and economic exclusion and business; understanding the conditions of inequality and social exclusion; factors influencing social mobility, The social contribution of third sector organisations.

Brief description

Apply the knowledge and skills you have developed during study to a real business problem, including diplomacy and negotiation when interacting with the business.

Indicative content:

  • Project briefing: Responsibilities of all parties involved; expectations of the module; requirements of professional conduct.
  • Managing your project: Project management techniques to schedule and control your project.
  • Business Investigation: Research the client-defined project management issue, making effective use of current and professional literature and providing short to long term recommendations.
  • Client Management: Acting in a professional manner e.g. being diplomatic, using negotiation skills, understanding the needs of the company may be different from idealised situations described in literature.
  • Team working: How to work in a self-managing team; team expectations; peer review.
  • Project debriefing: Self-reflection. Structured debriefing focused on student’s project learning, and on learning through experience.

Year 3 Option Modules

You must study and pass two option modules of your choosing, one from Group [A] and one from Group [B].  (You must do a Work Placement module in either Year 3 or Year 4.)

Brief description

Key areas of the subject from existing literature and from a set of example cases that illustrate operations and supply chains in many different settings and markets.

Indicative content:

  • Operations Management in its Organisational Context: The operations function within the organisation and its relationship with other functional areas; The role of the operations manager.
  • Introduction to Supply Chain Management: The supply network; designing the supply chain (make or buy); supply chain stages; uncertainly and risk factors, value chain.
  • Capacity Management: Demand v. production, models of capacity planning, measuring capacity (utilisation and efficiency calculations).
  • Inventory Management: Why hold stock? Costs of inventory, ABC analysis, economic order quantity, inventory management strategies.
  • Technology in Operations processes: E-supply chain, IT application in supply chain system, enterprise resource planning, technology strategies.
  • The end-to-end supply chain: Purchasing and supply, materials and distribution management, logistics, balancing flow within a supply chain, managing bottlenecks and restrictions.
  • Outsourcing: Make or buy decisions in sourcing strategy; supplier selection; outsourcing supply chain management; co- ordinating supply and managing supplier relationships & partnerships, supply chain risks management.
  • The customer interface: Meeting customer requirements, forecasting demand, lean operations and JIT, lean principles, reducing waste.
  • Contemporary supply chain dynamics: Supply chain measures, six sigma, strategic alliances and collaborative partnerships, characteristics of supply chains in the contemporary global economy.

Brief description

The concepts of coaching and learning and how to apply these to physical activity environments. Move beyond a reductionist view of coaching simply as a systematic procedure and consider the influence of the social aspects of coaching such as leadership, relationships, and social environments.

Indicative content:

  • Coaching and learning: The definition and purpose of coaching and learning. The purpose and definition of coaching, what it has to do with pedagogy and education.
  • The role of the coach: The role of the coach, what their purpose is, and what they are trying to achieve. The level of participation, demands placed on coaches by external bodies, and coaches own philosophies towards the instruction of athletes.
  • The coaching process: The key characteristics of coaching. Various leadership and relationship models and how these fit into the idea of coaching as a systematic process.
  • Skill development: The principles that underpin the creation on an efficient learning environment. Modern theories of skill acquisition and how they relate to effective education.
  • Participant Groups: Different categorisations of participants and the impact on the planning and delivery of the coaching process.

Brief description

Contemporary issues in sport and exercise, particularly those you are likely to encounter and have to navigate in future employment.

Indicative content:

  • Social theory: Key aspects of social theory that can be/ have been used to explain phenomena in sport and exercise.
  • Inequality and discrimination: The main sources of inequality and discrimination in sport and exercise (e.g., gender, social class, ethnicity, LGBTI).
  • Sport and politics: How various political systems/ ideologies and governing bodies use sport/athletes as a vehicle for social control.
  • Ethics and sport: Moral and ethical issues in sport and exercise (e.g., child protection). Sport and exercise cultures provide a unique environment for moral and ethical issues.

Brief description

How the complexities, dynamics and uncertainties of the contemporary business environment impacts on the organisation of work and the contemporary employment relationship.

Indicative content:

  • The future working context: The changing context of work, post bureaucratic society, millenial, and high performance contexts.
  • The new employment relationship and new forms of control: Flexible work and the precariat, the changing nature of capital - emotional and aesthetic labour, the psychological contract.
  • Conflict in the workplace: The changing nature of power and politics in organisational decision-making and management practice. The changing nature of contemporary employee relations; organisational misbehaviour and counter-productive work behaviours.
  • Human capital development: The learning organisation and organisational learning, technology mediated work processes, talent sourcing and human capability and knowledge management; career planning and development, rewards and recognition.
  • Outcomes: Learning from high performance organisations; Engaging employees, employee engagement and discretionary effort; building organisational resilience.

Brief description

Structured and practical experience in your own partiular area of the sports industry.

Indicative content:

  • Career pathways: refelct on your proespective career path. Identify strengths and limitations that can be addressed to enhance career progression.
  • Understand the prospective work environment and organisation: Identify appropriate organisations and opportunities to enhance professional development. Engage with the organisation of an appropriate work placement. Self led but guided by staff.
  • Work placement: Undergo an appropriate work placement in a prospective work environment which enhances your ability to progress in your selected career pathway.

Year 4 Core Modules

You must study and pass all three core modules

Brief description

Design and carry out an independent research project in an area of sport, health or physical activity.

Indicative content:

  • Research project topics: Select your research project topic with staff. Each student is allocated a supervisory tutor within the Division.
  • Supervisory sessions: Sessions will cover the identification of a research question; necessary elements of research design; the approach needed to prepare for and complete the research project; a range of appropriate research methods; appropriate statistical analyses; the structure of the research report; the interpretation of the research results; possible or probable conclusions; and the writing of the report.

Brief description

Examine organisational change and transformation in time of uncertainty.

Module content:

  • Analysing change context and drivers: The change context: globalisation, technology and changing market dynamics; change management and sustainability.
  • Theories of change and approaches to change management: Models of change and change management; transformational change and organisations; critical discourse in change management.
  • Human resources issues in change management: Participative change; managing psychological contracts, social identity, stakeholder positioning and dynamics in times of radical change; voice dialogue and rethinking resistances in radical change; culture habits and unlearning.
  • Change in context: This will change each year and form the basis of guest lectures.
  • Leading and managing change: Transactional and transformational leadership; a competency framework for transitional leadership; values and value-based systems in transformational change.

Brief description

The way sport can be used to address social issues, some of the problems with this approach, and how these issues can be overcome.

Indicative content:

  • Community development: A community development approach to sport delivery.
  • Community Practice: The community practice approach to sporting provision.
  • Sport for development and peace: The use of sport as a tool of international development.
  • Sport, globalisation and development: Recent changes in societies and their implications for sport and development.
  • Liberating education and critical consciousness: The notion of liberating education and how it can be applied to sport development work.
  • The politics of development: The political nature of development work and the utility of social movements for development.

Brief description

Fundamentals of how a business form can create and sustain a competitive advantage, and what strategic options are available in the public sector.

Indicative content:

  • Introduction to strategic management: What is strategy? Strategic analysis, classical and emergent schools, strategic thinking, levels of strategy.
  • Strategy context - competitive advantage of a firm: defining the business environment. Industry analysis: turbulences and dynamics. Porter's five forces; new dynamics in the 21st century.
  • Business level strategy - sources of competitive advantage: Competitive stance, business level strategy, corporate level strategy; generic strategies; hybrid strategy; value chains.
  • Beyond competition: The nature of competition; cooperation; co-opetition; strategic alliances and joint ventures; mergers and acquisitions.
  • Strategy in the public sector: Public-private partnership as a strategic tool of public sector management.

Year 4 Option Modules

You must study and pass two option modules of your choosing, one from Group [A] and one from Group [B].  (If you didn’t take the Work Placement module in year 3, you must take the Career Placement module in Group A.)

Brief description

The opportunity to expand your knowledge and understanding of your subject and its applications within a real−life setting.

Module content:

  • Career pathways: The student will be expected to reflect on their prospective career path and evaluate their subject− based and transferable skills, identifying strengths and limitations that can be addressed to enhance career progression.
  • Understanding the prospective work environment and organisation: The student will identify appropriate organisations and opportunities for enhancing their own continued professional development. They will engage in the organisation of an appropriate work placement. This will be guided by staff but self−led to enhance the students’ abilities to find and apply for appropriate employment.
  • Work placement: The student will undergo an appropriate programme within a prospective work environment which enhances their ability to progress within their selected career pathway.

Brief description

The challenges of managing in complex international business environments.

Indicative content:

  • Introduction: The theoretical background: Globalisation and international business; Analysis of international external business environment; political factors; economical factors; social factors; technological factors and implications for international managers; International trade theories and practices.
  • International Business Strategies: Strategy and international business; Country evaluation and selection; Export and Import strategies; Direct investments and collaborative strategies.
  • International and cross-cultural management: International Dimensions of Culture: Understanding various dimensions of culture; Hofstede’s (1980) National Culture Approach and Trompenaars (1993) Cultural Dimensions. Implications for International Managers.
  • Managing in international contexts: Culture and Communications: Understanding of cultural characteristics and how they influence patterns of communications; communication process and important considerations; issues arising from cross-cultural and intercultural communication. Culture and Negotiations: Understanding the relationship between culture and negotiations; how to reconcile possible conflicts regarding differences in culture and negotiations.
  • Contemporary issues in managing international business: Managing international human resources; Managing diversity in international business; Environmental issues and international business; the use of IT in international business and management.

Brief description

Knowledge and understanding relating to duty of care in sport.

Indicative content:

  • Safeguarding: What more could be done to strengthen sport’s position in relation to the protection of young people and adults at all levels of sport.
  • Equality, Diversity and Inclusion: Specific aspects of duty of care with relevance to equality, diversity and inclusion.
  • Injuries: How the likelihood of injury can be lessened and whether improvements can be made to how sporting injuries are treated in the short and long term.
  • Career transitions: The support people receive as they transition through the sport system, including entering and leaving top-level sport.
  • Mental health: Issues relating to the prevention, identification and management of mental health issues in sportspeople.
  • Education: How sportspeople can be supported to help them balance education with their sporting activities.
  • Representation of the participant’s voice: How the views of sportspeople are considered in decisions affecting them in sport.

Brief description

Organisational change and transformation in times of uncertainty.

Module content:

  • Analysing change contexts and drivers: The change context: globalisation, technology, and changing market dynamics; change management and sustainability.
  • Theories of change and approaches to change management: Models of change and change management; trans- formational change and organisations; Critical discourse in change management.
  • Human resources issues in trans-formative change: Participative change ; managing psychological contracts, social identity, stakeholder positioning and dynamics in times of radical change ; voice, dialogue and rethinking resistances in radical change; Culture, habits and unlearning.
  • Trans-formative change in context: (this will change each year and will form the basis of the guest lectures * 3 see teaching learning and assessment note): Transforming public sector services in times of resources uncertainty (as an example).
  • Leading and managing transformational change: Transactional and transformational leadership; a competency framework for transformational leadership; values and value-based systems in transformational change.

Brief description

The main concepts, approaches and tools of strategic management in the contemporary business environment. Tools of strategic analysis, strategic choices available to a firm, and elements and complexities involved in strategy formulation and implementation.

Module content:

  • Introduction to strategic management: What is strategy; strategic analysis; classical and emergent schools; strategic thinking; levels of strategy.
  • Strategy context. Competitive advantage of a firm: Defining the business environment. Industry analysis: turbulences and dynamics. Porter’s five forces; new dynamics in the 21st century.
  • Business level strategy: Sources of competitive advantage: Competitive stance, business level strategy, corporate level strategy; generic strategies; hybrid strategy; value chains.
  • Beyond competition: The nature of competition; co-operation; co-opetition; strategic alliances and joint ventures; mergers and acquisitions.
  • Managing change through effective leadership: Leadership - values and ethics. Managing stakeholders, change and uncertainty. Change management approaches.
  • Individual as a leader: Overview of trait, behavioural and situational theories. Moral aspects of leadership.
  • Leading as a team: Leader’s role, coaching, conflict.
  • Organisational leadership: Charismatic and transformational leadership, crisis leadership.
  • Global and cross-cultural leadership: Leadership in multinational business environment and in the cross-cultural context.
  • Leadership and value creation: The role of leadership in creating value for a competitive advantage, strategy formulation and implementation.

How the Course Works

Learning and Assessment

Learning is through a blend of lectures, small group seminars, activity-based practicals and private study.   

This includes both face-to-face and online teaching and we provide a flexible approach to study.  Overall, you’ll spend around 12 hours per week attending classes and will be required to undertake an average of 18 hours of independent study a week. 

As well as your core learning, you’ll be able to choose several optional modules, allowing you to follow personal interests in both management and sport-based areas. You’ll also be expected to undertake work placements, which will help reinforce the important link between theory and practice.  Additionally, you can also study abroad for one to two semesters during your four years of study. 

The range of skills you acquire during the degree will help you develop a comprehensive understanding of the component disciplines of sport and management. Throughout the degree you will be assessed by a combination of exams, essays, reports, practical assessment, presentations and portfolios. The focus will be on assessing your skills and knowledge in the most appropriate way linked to how you would use these abilities in actual employment. 

Entry Requirements

Please note: All applicants must have passes in English and Maths - National 5 grade C or GCSE grade C/4 or equivalent.  National 5 ESOL is accepted in lieu of National 5 English. National 5 Lifeskill Maths or Application of Maths accepted in lieu of Maths.

Higher Application of Maths at grade C accepted.

Below are the literate subjects we accept for entry on this course:

One of the following: Business Management; Classical Studies; Economics; English; ESOL; Geography; History; Media Studies; Modern Studies; Philosophy; Politics; Psychology; Religious, Moral and Philosophical Studies; Sociology

If there is a subject that does not appear, please contact our Admissions Office (admissions@abertay.ac.uk) who will be able to confirm whether or not it would be considered for entry.

Please visit our College Qualifications pages for suitable College courses.

Republic of Ireland applicants, click on the UK tabs and scroll down to find your Entry Requirements.

See information about studying and applying to Abertay for International students.

Qualification Type Grade Requirements Essential Subjects
Higher (standard entry) BBBC To include a literate subject or PE at B
Higher (minimum entry) We may make you an offer at the minimum entry grades if you meet the criteria. Find out if you're eligible for minimum entry (see below). BBC To include a literate subject or PE at B
A-Level CCC To include a literate subject or PE
T Level C or higher in Core Component in one of the following:- Education & Early Year, Health, Healthcare Science or Science
Irish Highers H3H3H3H3 To include a literate subject or PE
International Baccalaureate Diploma Based Programme (IBDP) 27 Points To include a literate subject or PE at S5 or H4
International Baccalaureate Career-related Programme (IBCP) We encourage applications with the IBCP but understand that your combination of qualifications may differ depending on where you are studying. We accept the International Baccalaureate Careers-related Programme (IBCP). Any subject requirements must be met as per our published IB Diploma requirements.
BTEC Extended Diploma MMM Sport, Sport & Exercise Sciences, Business
AHEAD   Successful completion of the relevant stream of our AHEAD programme
SWAP Access BBB Access to: University Study, Humanities, Community, Education & Humanities, Arts & Social Sciences and Primary Teaching, Languages with Business, Humanities & Primary Education, Degree Studies, Arts & Humanities, Humanities, Humanities (Teaching), Languages, Arts & Social Science
SQA HNC/HND B/BB Our Entry from College pages list approved HNC/HND courses
BTEC HNC M Sport
Qualification Type Grade Requirements Essential Subjects
Advanced Higher BBB To include PE and Business Management​
A-Level BBB To include PE and Business Studies
BTEC Extended Diploma DDD  
International Baccalaureate 34 Points To include Sport, Exercise and Health and Business Management plus one other Higher
SQA HNC B Our College Qualifications pages list approved HNC courses
SQA HND B/BB Our College Qualifications pages list approved HND courses
BTEC HND M Sport

International Baccalaureate Career-related Programme (IBCP)

See next column If you are taking HNC/HND with one or more Higher Levels IB subjects, your offer will be similar to our BTEC + A Level offer (see 'BTEC National Diploma / Diploma') but with an HL requirement of 6 for A, 5 for B, or 4 for C.

We accept a wide range of qualifications from applicants from across the world. Please select your country from the searchable list below to view different qualification entry requirements. If you have different qualifications to those listed, please contact us using the form below.

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Academic Requirements

Applicants will typically be required to achieve CCC at A-Level, to include any essential subject(s).

Applicants will typically be required to pass the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma with an overall score of 28 points, to include any essential subject(s) at S5 or H4.

English language: English B at S5 or H4 is accepted. For English A, no grade is specified. For alternative English language qualifications, please see below.

Applicants will typically require a High School GPA of 3.0, plus one of the following:

  • SAT (I) score of 1100
  • 3 AP Tests at grades 333
  • 3 SAT Subject Tests at 600
  • ACT Composite score of 25

A combination of AP/SAT II tests may be used, provided they are in different subjects.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE) with 6 units as follows: 4 units at III, 2 units at IV, to include any essential subject(s) at III.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the European Baccalaureate with an overall grade of 70%, to include any essential subject(s) at grade 7.

English language: English Language 1 at grade 6 or English Language 2 at grade 7 are accepted. For alternative English language qualifications, please see below.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the NECO in at least five subjects at an average of B/C, and the first year of a university degree in a relevant subject with an average grade of 54%/2.00, to include any essential subject(s) at 60%/2.70.

English language: English at C6 or higher in the NECO is accepted. For alternative English language qualifications, please see below.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the WAEC in at least five subjects at an average of B/C, and the first year of a university degree in a relevant subject with an average grade of 54%/2.00, to include any essential subject(s) at 60%/2.70.

English language: English at C6 or higher in the WAEC is accepted. For alternative English language qualifications, please see below.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Diplomë e Maturës Shtetëore with an overall grade of 7.5, to include any essential subject(s).

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Baccalauréat Technique / Commercial with an overall grade of 14, to include any essential subject(s).

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Baccalauréat de l'Enseignement Secondaire with an overall grade of 14, to include any essential subject(s).

Applicants with national school qualilfications will typically be required to pass the first year of a university degree in a relevant subject with an average grade of 12/20, to include any essential subject(s).

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Trayecto Técnico Profesional with an overall grade of 6.5, to include any essential subject(s).

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Título de Técnico Superior/Universitario with an overall grade of 6.5, to include any essential subject(s).

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Araratian Baccalaureate at Extended Level with grades CCC, to include any essential subjects.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Certificate of Secondary General Education wih an average of 13 and the first year of a university degree in a relevant subject with an average grade of 64%, to include any essential subject(s).

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Year 12 Certificate plus ATAR rank of 77 or Overall Position of 11, to include any essential subject(s) at Year 12 with grade B, grade 3 or Sound Achievement.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Reifeprüfung/Maturazeugnis with an overall grade of 2.8, to include any essential subject(s) at grade 2.

English language: English at grade 2 in the Reifeprüfung/Maturazeugnis is accepted. For alternative English language qualifications, please see below.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Tam Orta Tahsil Hazzinda Aggestat with an average of 4, and the first year of a university degree in a relevant subject with an average grade of 62%, to include any essential subject(s).

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Shahadat Al-Thanawaya Al-Aama/General Secondary Education Certificate with an average of 60%, and the first year of a university degree or post-secondary diploma in a relevant subject with an average grade of 65% or 2.25 (on the 4 point scale), to include any essential subject(s).

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Intermediate/Higher Secondary School Certificate at an average of 2.5, and the first year of a university degree in a relevant subject with an average grade of 50% or C+, to include any essential subject(s) at 60% or grade B.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Certificate of General Secondary Education at an average of 6, and the first year of a university degree in a relevant subject with an average grade of 6.0, to include any essential subject(s).

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Certificate d'Enseignement Secondaire Supérieur with an overall grade of 60%, to include any essential subject(s) at 65%.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Diploma van secundair onderwijs with an overall grade of 60%, to include any essential subject(s) at 65%.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Abschlusszeugnis der Oberstufe des Sekundarunterrichts with an overall score of 60%, to include any essential subject(s) at 65%.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Diploma de Bachiller at 64%, and the first year of a university degree in a relevant subject with an average grade of 63%, to include any essential subject(s) at 70%.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the General Certificate of Secondary Education at an average of 4.5, and the first year of a university degree in a relevant subject with an average grade of 70%, to include any essential subject(s).

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Certificado de Conculsão de Segundo Grau with an average score of 8.0, to include any essential subject(s) at grade 8.0.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Certificado de Conclusão de Ensino Médio with an average score of 8.0, to include any essential subject(s) at grade 8.0.

Applicants will typically be required to pass Brunei A Levels in 3 subjects at grades CCC, to include any essential subject(s).

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Diploma za Sredno Obrazonvanie with an average score of 4.5, to include any essential subject(s) at grade 5.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Diploma of Upper Secondary Education at average of C, and the first year of a university degree in a relevant subject with an average grade of 65%, to include any essential subject(s) at 65%.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Baccalaureat or Baccalaureat Technique at an overall grade of 12, to include any essential subject(s) at grade 12.

Applicants will typically be required to complete the Secondary School Diploma or Diplôme d'Études Collégiales with five grade 12 subjects at an average of 65%, to include any essential subject(s) at 65%.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Licencia de Education at an average of 4.5, and the first year of a university degree in a relevant subject with an average grade of 4.5, to include any essential subject(s) at grade 5.

Applicants will typically be required to complete Senior Middle/High School Certificate/Diploma at an average of 75%, to include any essential subject(s) at 77%; and pass GAOKAO with 500 points (based on the 750 points scheme).

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Bachiller Academico at an average of 3.25, and the first year of a university degree or Tecnico Universitario in a relevant subject with an average grade of 3.3, to include any essential subject(s) at grade 3.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Svjedodžba o Maturi with an overall grade of 3.2, to include any essential subject(s) at grade 3.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Apolytírio Lykeíou with an overall grade of 17.0, to include any essential subject(s) at grade 17.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Vysvědčení o maturitní zkoušce with an overall grade of 2.4, to include any essential subject(s) at grade 3 (Dobrý).

Applicants will typically be required to complete the Studentereksamen (STX), including 3 Level A subjects an overall grade of 7, to include any essential subject(s) at grade 7.

English language: Studentereksamen English Level A or B at grade 7 is accepted. For alternative English language qualifications, please see below.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Título de Bachiller at an average of 7.0, and the first year of a university degree in a relevant subject with an average grade of 13 / 60%, to include any essential subject(s) at 60%.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Gumaasiumi lõputunnistus with an average score of 3.2, to include any essential subject(s) at grade 4; and pass 3 state examinations at a minimum of 55% (or 2 states examinations plus C1 Advanced English CAE or IELTS).

English language: 75% in the English state examination is accepted, or C1 Advanced English CAE or IELTS (overall score 6.0 with no band lower than 5.5). For alternative English language qualifications, please see below.

Applicants will typically be required to complete the Studentsprogv at an overall grade of 7, to include any essential subject(s) at Level A grade 7.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Ylioppilastutkinto/Studentexamen at an overall grade 4, to include any essential subject(s) at grade 5.

English language: Advanced English at grade 5 within the Ylioppilastutkinto/Studentexamen is accepted. For alternative English language qualifications, please see below.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Baccalauréat Général/Professionnel/Technologique at an overall grade 12, to include any essential subject(s) at grade 13.

English language. English at grade 14 in the Baccalauréat Général/Professionnel/Technologique is accepted. For alternative English language qualifications, please see below.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Option Internationale du Baccalauréat at an overall grade 11, to include any essential subject(s) at grade 13.

English language. English at grade 13 in the Option Internationale du Baccalauréat is accepted. For alternative English language qualifications, please see below.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Sashualo Skolis Atestati (Secondary School Certificate) at an average grade of 7, and the first year of a university degree in a relevant subject with an average grade of 65%, to include any essential subject(s).

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Shualo Specialuri Sastsavleblis Diplomi (Special School Leaving Diploma) at an average grade of 7, and the first year of a university degree in a relevant subject with an average grade of 65%, to include any essential subject(s).

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Abitur with an overall grade of 2.4, to include any essential subject(s) at grade 11.

English language: Abitur English at grade 10 is accepted. For alternative English language qualifications, please see below.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Greek Apolytirion of Geniko Lykeio at grade 17 and 3 Pan-Hellenic exams at an average of 16, to include any essential subject(s) at grade 17.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Hong Kong HKDSE at 3333 in 4 core subjects, with elective subjects at 333 (for 3 electives) or 43 (for 2 electives), to include any essential subject(s) at 3.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Érettségi Bizonyítvány at an overall grade 4.0, with 2 higher subjects at grade 4, to include any essential subject(s).

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Stúdentspróf at an overall grade 6, to include any essential subject(s) at grade 6.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Indian Senior School (Year 12) exam at an average of 60%, to include any essential subject(s) at 65%.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Sekolah Menengah Kejuruan/Madrasah Aliyah (SMK / MA) at 71%, to include any essential subject(s).

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Post School Qualification Diploma 1 at 2.2, to include any essential subject(s).

Applicants from Ireland should check the UK Year 1 Entry tab for entry requirements with Irish Highers.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Te'udat Bagrut or Bagrut with at least 2 subjects at level 5 and 1 subject at level 4 at an average of 60%, to include any essential subject(s) at Level 5 with 65%.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Diploma di Esame di Stato at 70%, to include any essential subject(s) at grade 8 (on the 10 point scale) or grade 16 (on the 20 point scale).

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Upper Secondary School Leaving Certificate at grade 3.5, to include any essential subject(s) at grade 4.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Certificate of Completed Secondary Education at an average of 3, and the first year of a university degree in a relevant subject with an average grade of 70% / 2.33, to include any essential subject(s).

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) at an average of B, and the first year of a university degree in a relevant subject with an average grade of 50%, to include any essential subject(s) at 55%.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Certificate of Complete General Secondary Education at an average of 3, and the first year of a university degree in a relevant subject with an average grade of 3.4, to include any essential subject(s).

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Atestas par vispārējo vidējo izglītību with an average score of 7, to include 3 state exams at a minimum of 70%, to include any essential subject(s) at 70%.

English language: 80% in the English state exam is accepted. For alternative English language qualifications, please see below.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Baccalauréat Libanais or Baccalauréat II with 12, to include any essential subject(s) at grade 12.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Brandos Atestatas with an average score of 7 with a minimum of 70% in 3 state exams, to include any essential subject(s) at grade 8.

English language: 80% in the English state exam is accepted. For alternative English language qualifications, please see below.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Diplôme de Fin d'Études Secondaires at an overall grade of 42, to include any essential subject(s) at grade 44.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Certificate of Higher Secondary Education with 70%, to include any essential subject(s) at 73%.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Ensino Secundário Complementar with grade 2.6, to include any essential subject(s) at grade 3.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Cambridge Overseas Higher School Certificate (COHSC) with grades CCC, to include any essential subject(s) at grade C.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Malawian School Certificate of Education at grade 5, and the first year of a university degree in a relevant subject with an average of 60%, to include any essential subject(s).

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Sijil Tinggi Persekolahan Malaysia (STPM) with a minimum of 3 subjects at BCC or 2.30 GPA, to include any essential subject(s) at grade B/3.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Unified Examination Certificate (UEC) with 4 subjects at 70% / B5 B5 B5 B5, to include any essential subject(s) at grade 75%/B5.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Matriculation Certificate Examination with grades BC at Advanced level and CCCC at Intermediate level, to include any essential subject(s) at Advanced level grade C.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Diplomă de Bacalaureat with an overall grade of 6.0, to include any essential subject(s) at grade 7.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Certificate of Secondary Education at 70%, and the first year of a university degree in a relevant subject with an average of 70%, to include any essential subject(s).

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Higher Secondary Education Certificate (HSC) with 65%, to include any essential subject(s) at 65%.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Voorbereidend Wetenschappelijk Onderwijs (VWO) with an overall score of 6.6, to include any essential subject(s) at grade 7.

English language: English at grade 8 in HAVO is accepted. For alternative English language qualifications, please see below.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Secondary School Leaving Diploma/Matura with an overall grade of 3.5, to include any essential subject(s) at grade 3.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Vitnemål for Vidergaende Opplaering with an overall average of 3.6, to include any essential subject(s) at grade 4.

English language: English at grade 4 in the Vitnemål for Vidergaende Opplaering is accepted. For alternative English language qualifications, please see below.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Higher Secondary School Certificate at an average of 60%, and the first year of a university degree in a relevant subject with an average grade of 60%/2.5, to include any essential subject(s) at 68%.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Matura with an average score of 60%, to include 3 Advanced subjects at a minimum of 50%, to include any essential subject(s) at Advanced level with a score of 70%.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Diploma/Certificado Nível Secundário de Educação with an overall grade of 14, to include any essential subject(s) at grade 16.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Qatar Senior School Certificate (Shahadat Al-Thanawaya Al-Aama) at an average of 60%, and the first year of a university degree in a relevant subject with an average grade of 2.0/70%, to include any essential subject(s) at 2.5/75%.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Diplomă de Bacalaureat with an overall grade of 7, to include any essential subject(s) at grade 8.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Attestat o Srednem Obrzovanii (Certificate of Secondary Education) at an average of 4, and the first year of a university degree in a relevant subject with an average grade of 3.5, to include any essential subject(s).

Applicants will typically be required to pass the General Secondary Education Certificate (Tawjihiyah) with an average of 60%, and either the post-secondary diploma or first year of a university degree in a relevant subject with an average grade of 3.0/70%, to include any essential subject(s) at 75%.

Applicants will typically be required to pass Singapore GCE A-Levels with grades CCC, to include any essential subject(s) at grade 75%/B5.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Vysvedčenie o maturitnej skúške at grade 2.4, to include any essential subject(s) at grade 2.

English language: English at B2 level at grade 2 in the Vysvedčenie o maturitnej skúške is accepted. For alternative English language qualifications, please see below.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Maturitetno spričevalo at grade 3.5, to include any essential subject(s) at grade 4.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the National Senior Certificate (with Matriculation Endorsement) with 4 subjects at 5555, to include any essential subject(s).

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Título de Bachiller with an average score of 6.8, to include any essential subject(s) at grade 7.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Sudan School Certificate with an average of 60%/C, and the first year of a university degree in a relevant subject with an average grade of 65%/B, to include any essential subject(s).

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Avgangsbetyg/Slutbetyg fran Gymnasieskola with an average score of 15.5, to include any essential subject(s) at level 5 grade B.

English language: English Level 5 at grade B or English Level 6 at grade C in the Avgangsbetyg/Slutbetyg fran Gymnasieskola is accepted. For alternative English language qualifications, please see below.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Certificat de Maturité or the Maturitätszeugnis or the Attestato Di Maturità with an overall grade of 4.2, to include any essential subject(s) at grade 4.

Applicants will typically be required to pass Maturitätszeugnis with an overall grade of 4.2, to include any essential subject(s) at grade 4.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Attestato Di Maturità with an overall grade of 4.2, to include any essential subject(s) at grade 4.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Certificate of Complete General Secondary Education at an average of 3, and the first year of a university degree in a relevant subject with an average grade of 3.4, to include any essential subject(s).

Applicants will typically be required to complete the Certificate of Secondary Education/Maw 6 with an average of 70%/3.0, to include any essential subject(s) at grade 3; or complete the first year of a university degree in a relevant subject with an average of 2.0, to include any essential subject(s) at 2.5.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the High School Diploma at an average of 55%, and the first year of a university degree in a relevant subject with an average grade of 2.9 (on the 5 point scale) or 55 (on the 100 point scale), to include any essential subject(s).

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Certificate of Secondary Education at an average of 3, and the first year of a university degree in a relevant subject with an average grade of 3.5, to include any essential subject(s).

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Certificate of Complete General Secondary Education, and the first year of a university degree in a relevant subject with an average grade of 65% / 2.2 (on the 4 point scale) / 4.0 (on the 5 point scale), to include any essential subject(s).

Applicants will typically be required to pass the General Secondary Education Certificate Examination at 65%, and the first year of a university degree in a relevant subject with an average grade of 2.0, to include any essential subject(s) at grade 2.3.

Applicants will typically require a High School GPA of 3.0, plus one of the following:

  • SAT (I) score of 1100
  • 3 AP Tests at grades 333
  • 3 SAT Subject Tests at 600
  • ACT Composite score of 25

A combination of AP/SAT II tests may be used, provided they are in different subjects.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Diploma of Academic Lyceum at an average of 3, and the first year of a university degree in a relevant subject with an average grade of 60%, to include any essential subject(s).

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Título de Técnico Superior Universitario, and the first year of a university degree in a relevant subject with an average grade of 50% / 6.1 (on the 10 point scale) / 12 (on the 20 point scale), to include any essential subject(s).

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Zimbabwe General Certificate of Education at Advanced Level with grades CCC, to include any essential subject(s).


English Language Requirements

All courses at Abertay University are taught in English. If your first language is not English, you will need to demonstrate that you meet our English language requirements. Accepted English language qualifications include:

IELTS - overall score of 6.0 with no band lower than 5.5

TOEFL - overall score of 78 (individual elements: L-17, R-18, S-20, W-17)

Cambridge FCE/CAE/CPE - overall score of 169 on Cambridge Grading Scale

International Baccalaureate - English B at S5 or H4, English A no specific grade required

European Baccalaureate - English Language 1 at grade 6 or English Language 2 at grade 7

You do not need to prove your knowledge of English language if you are a national of certain countries. Please see English Language Requirements for the full list of accepted qualifications and further details.

 

If your academic qualifications aren't listed above, or if you have any further questions, please contact our international team using the form below. There is also lots of useful information for international applicants on our international pages.


Contact our International Team

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Not sure if you're eligible for entry?

If you have the potential and motivation to study at university, regardless of your background or personal circumstances, we welcome your application.  

We understand some people have faced extra challenges before applying to university, which is why we consider the background in which your academic grades have been achieved when making an offer.  

If you expect to receive passes in three Scottish Highers (grades A-C) and have...  

  • been in care, or are a young carer yourself

  • attended a school or lived in an area where not many people go to university

  • are eligible for free school meals

  • are a young person estranged from your family

  • are a government-recognised refugee or have asylum seeker status

  • are a registered pupil with sustained engagement in a targeted aspiration-raising programme such as LIFT OFF, LEAPS, FOCUS West or Aspire North  

... we encourage you to submit an application.

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Support for Ukrainian students

We're keen to offer help to Ukrainian students who may wish to transfer from their existing institution in Ukraine or to register with us as new students for intake in September. There will be no tuition fees charged for the duration of the degree programme, as those with refugee status are treated as ‘Home/Scottish’ students and will also have access to the Student Awards Agency for Scotland bursary and student loans. Our Recruitment Team can help guide applicants.

FIND OUT MORE

Fees and funding

The course fees you'll pay and the funding available to you depends on factors such as your nationality, location, personal circumstances and the course you are studying. 

More information

Find out about grants, bursaries, tuition fee loans, maintenance loans and living costs in our undergraduate fees and funding section.

 

Scholarships

We offer a range of scholarships to help support your studies with us.

As well as Abertay scholarships for English, Welsh, Northern Irish and international students, there are a range of corporate and philanthropic scholarships available. Some are course specific, many are not. There are some listed below or you can visit the Undergraduate scholarship pages.

Scholarships

Abertay RUK Scholarship: Science and Social Science

A scholarship for prospective undergraduate Science and Social Science students applying from England, Wales or Northern Ireland.

Abertay International Scholarship

This is an award of up to £12,000 for prospective international undergraduate students.

The Robert Reid Bursary

Two £1,000 awards for students who have overcome challenges to attend university.

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Paul Brand

Paul is currently Head of Performance Analysis at Manchester United Football Club.

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Debbi McCulloch

Debbi is Deputy CEO at Spartans Football Academy.

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The Discover Uni dataset

The Discover Uni dataset (formerly Unistats) is an official source of information about higher education. It collates comparable information in areas students have identified as important in making decisions about what and where to study.

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