A degree in Sport Sciences opens doors to working with sport, leisure and health industries as tools for social change. These six jobs show just how broad the playing field actually is.

Manager

Are you a budding business mogul with next level leadership skills? As a sport manager, you are tasked with governing sports organisations like professional athletic leagues or sports marketing firms. You’ve got to have the know-how to oversee operations as well as develop organisations as a whole. A degree in Sport Sciences* can prepare you to call the shots – whether you’re figuring out how to make an enterprise more economically effective, adaptable, or how to incorporate sustainable practices into your game-plan.

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Find out more about Malmö University's Department of Sports Science

Developer

Sport has the power to change the world for the better; it unites people, creates opportunities, and can be a vehicle for inclusion. The UN even considers sport a fundamental right, pointing out that universal values such as solidarity, fairness and discipline can promote peace and equality. If you’re passionate about harnessing sport as a force for good, you might want to consider a Sport Sciences degree at Malmö University. Students analyse issues such as gender and accessibility, as well as the impact of sports on the environment. Sports developers need to be team players, since the job often involves working with many different groups, from schools and NGOs to politicians and government organisations. 

Entrepreneur

Sport is at the frontier of innovation, from VR-training and video assistant referees at the World Cup to new models for health and inclusion. Societal trends like migration and globalisation also mean that there is more need for original concepts that deal with current-day challenges. Could your idea be the next game-changer? A Sport Sciences degree is a great way to learn how to identify problems in sport where creativity and a ‘just do it’ attitude can be used to find new, ground-breaking solutions.

Educator

Sports wouldn’t be what they are without managers, coaches, volunteers and practitioners, but who shows them the ropes? Well, why not you? As a sport educator, you are responsible for helping others to hone their professional skills and instructing them when it comes to pedagogy, implementing strategies and being aware of political, social and ethical factors in sports. If you have the gift of the gab and can imagine yourself training and inspiring others, this could be your ideal career path. 

Photo: Malmö University

Researcher 

Does the idea of having ‘Dr’ before your name give you a buzz? If you’re into sports in a nerdy way, perhaps you should consider the research route and go for that PhD. A career in academic research means delving into the topics you find most fascinating. Are you interested in performance enhancing drugs, violence and hooliganism in football, or perhaps how gender and athletics are entwined? Whatever your interest, a career in academia offers a wide array of options and approaches, from laboratory experiments to critical analysis of interviews or archival material. Malmö University’s Sport Sciences master’s programme offers a solid foundation for doctoral education. Find out more about how to apply. 

Being Will Ferrell (actor)

Is it a coincidence that sports information graduate Will Ferrell has landed so many roles in sport-related films? Probably. But still, the star of Blades of Glory, Semi-Pro and the coming-soon ski film Downhill, does prove that a sports degree can open more doors than you can swing a bat at. 

*Malmö University also offers a two-year Sports Sciences program

This article was sponsored by Malmö University.