Sports management and leadership (5 cr)

Objective

You are familiar with different organisational models and understand the meaning of leadership in the organisations of physical activity and sports.
You identify organisational strategies and understand what working in line with strategies means.
You know and can identify features of modern leadership.
You can apply the good practices that relate to managing and leading volunteers in practical work.
You can apply methods of modern leadership in your activities.

Content

How are different professional positions of the physical activity and sports field organised and how are they managed?
What does strategic management mean and how are strategies put into practice?
What are modern leadership and managerial work like?
How to lead and manage volunteers?

Course material

The literature and other study materials used in the course will be distributed during the implementation/published in the Learn environment at the beginning of the course.

Study forms and methods

Teaching is conducted as in-person instruction on the Savonlinna campus according to the schedule. Remote participation is not possible. In-person instruction is generally not recorded, nor is it replaced by remote lectures when in-person instruction is provided according to the schedule. Part of the teaching takes place in a simulation environment. Attendance at simulation exercises/oral exercises/workplace visits is essential for completing the course.
Studies are structured around group meetings according to the timetable and independent/group learning tasks. The course consists of a weekly lecture session during the autumn semester and individual and small group tasks conducted during the class. Additionally, the course includes a project task carried out in collaboration with the working life.
Teacher guidance is available during in-person classes and in separately scheduled Teams sessions.
Assessable tasks are done independently/as a group/in pairs.
The course utilizes various feedback methods, such as written and oral feedback. Peer feedback can also be utilized.

RDI and work-related cooperation

Representatives from the working life will visit the course to give expert talks and introductions on the theme being addressed.

Workplace visits will be conducted to complete learning tasks. For example, the small group project in the course will be carried out by interviewing and observing representatives from the working life, and the findings will be reported according to the task instructions.

Timing of exams and assignments

Learning tasks for each section of the course must be submitted by the specified deadlines. The course includes an exam, the details of which will be provided during the orientation sessions.

During the course, group project tasks will be completed and must be ready by the submission deadline or the end date of the course.

The course concludes at the time specified in the implementation details, by which students must have submitted the required assignments, completed any exams, and met all other requirements for a passing grade.

Student workload

1 credit corresponds to approximately 27 hours of student work. However, the workload depends on the student’s study skills and prior knowledge.

For a 5-credit course, the student’s workload is approximately 135 hours, of which about 60 hours are lectures and group work under the teacher’s guidance according to the timetable, and about 75 hours are independent learning tasks.

Course part description

The sections of the course and their implementation methods are as follows:

* In the development task, students will familiarize themselves with a selected workplace in the sports sector. Through interviews/observations, they will report on how the management and tasks of the company/workplace are organized and managed.
* Strategic management: What does it mean in practice, and how is the strategy implemented into practical actions?
* Theories and practices of management in the sports sector. What is modern management and supervisory work like?
* The activities of volunteers in sports-related tasks. How are volunteers managed and engaged, for example, in sports club activities?

Evaluation scale

1-5

Assessment methods and criteria

Assessment is based on the learning objectives and evaluation criteria of the course. Passing the course requires completing the learning tasks related to the course themes and the final exam with a passing grade.

The course is graded on a scale of 1–5.