Why Study / Key Benefits

The Bachelor of Business (Professional), majoring in Sports Management, combines general business education with specialist sports-management studies. The major is designed to develop the business mindset needed to manage sport organisations and venues, identify risks and opportunities, use sport data analytics, understand strategic leadership, and investigate emerging trends in the sports industry.

Key benefits include:

• Practical business skills covering management, economics, marketing, statistics, entrepreneurship and digitalisation.
• Specialist knowledge of the sports industry, sports business analytics, sport media and technology, sport branding, sustainability and leadership.
• Industry-connected learning, with Swinburne citing research, assignments and experiences involving organisations such as Richmond Football Club, the Australian Football League, Tennis Australia, government agencies and sports-technology start-ups.
• A 12-month paid professional work placement opportunity, with placement study contributing academic credit toward the degree.
• Development of communication, critical thinking, digital literacy, entrepreneurship, people management and teamwork skills.
• The Bachelor of Business (Professional) is AACSB accredited and aligned with PRME.

Programme Structure and Subjects/Topics

The programme combines business core subjects, the Sports Management major, electives/other study and professional placement.

Core business units

The eight core units comprise:

1. Financial Information for Decision Making – ACC10007
2. Business for Sustainability, Social Change and Impact – BUS10014
3. Creative Mindset and Entrepreneurship – BUS10015
4. Economics for Business Decision Making – ECO10005
5. Financial Statistics – FIN10002
6. Business Digitalisation – INF10024
7. Contemporary Management Principles – MGT10009
8. Marketing and the Consumer Experience – MKT10009

Sports Management major

The eight major units are:

1. The Sports Industry – SPO10001
2. Business for Sustainability, Social Change and Impact – BUS10014
3. Building Sport Brands – SPO20001
4. Sport Business Analytics – SPO20003
5. Sport, Media and Technology – SPO20004
6. Sport and Sustainability – SPO30004
7. Leading Sport Organisations – SPO30001
8. Future of Sport – SPO30003

Indicative study sequence

The published Semester 1, 2026 sequence provides an example of how the degree can be structured:

Year 1 focuses on the eight business core units.

Year 2 includes:

• The Sports Industry
• Sport, Media and Technology
• Sport Business Analytics
• Leading Sport Organisations
• Elective units.

The professional placement is undertaken through the four placement units listed above.

The later stage of the programme includes:

• Building Sport Brands
• Sport and Sustainability
• Future of Sport
• Business Consulting Project
• Elective units.

Disciplines/Specialisations

The selected specialisation is Sports Management.

The broader Bachelor of Business (Professional) also offers majors including:

• Accounting
• Business Administration
• Business Analytics and Analysis
• Entrepreneurship
• Finance
• Human Resource Management
• Logistics and Supply Chain Management
• Management
• Marketing
• Sports Management.

Programme Highlights

• 4-year professional bachelor's degree.
• Sports Management major worth 100 credit points.
• 375 credit points in total.
• Hawthorn campus in Melbourne.
• Semester 1 and Semester 2 entry.
• 12-month paid professional placement opportunity.
• Industry-connected sports learning.
• Exposure to sport data analytics, branding, media, technology and sustainability.
• Business foundation across management, economics, statistics, marketing, entrepreneurship and digitalisation.
• AACSB-accredited business school environment.
• PRME affiliation.
• CRICOS course code 095883G

Career Outcomes

The course page specifically identifies potential career opportunities including:

• Sports administrator
• Corporate sponsorship director
• Brand manager.

International Student Visa Requirements

International students studying this programme in Australia generally require an Australian Student visa, subclass 500.

According to the Australian Department of Home Affairs, Student visa holders can:

• Study an eligible course in Australia.
• Travel in and out of Australia while the visa is valid.
• Work up to 48 hours per fortnight while their course or training is in session.

Key requirements include:

• Enrolment in an eligible course.
• A valid Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE) when the visa is decided.
• Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC), unless an applicable exemption applies.
• Meeting applicable health and character requirements.
• Meeting the Genuine Student requirement.
• Complying with Australian visa conditions and laws.