Hartpury University’s new MSc Sports Management degree has gained accreditation from the Digital Marketing Institute (DMI). DMI is the global certification body that sets the standard in education for digital marketing, operating in more than 100 countries.
While the DMI accredits many university programmes globally, this course is one of only a handful of sports management degrees to earn such an endorsement. DMI credentials will help to shape the content on this course across a range of digital marketing disciplines.
Students will be certified based on their existing curriculum assessments, achieving DMI Associate level certification upon competition of the course.
The partnership is an important example of how Hartpury University continues to bridge the gap between academic learning and industry knowledge, part of its wider commitment to boost the career readiness of graduates.
Dr Alex Kay, Lecturer in Sports Business Management and DMI facilitator, said: "Digital marketing is an increasingly important part of sports management and business, and we’re thrilled to have received accreditation from the Digital Marketing Institute. Partnerships such as this one help to ensure our students gain knowledge and skills in important subject areas that can be recognised by employers and applied in the workplace.”
Students enrolled on the MSc Sports Management degree are also entitled to Senior Manager membership of the Chartered Institute for the Management of Sport and Physical Activity (CIMSPA).
The Hartpury Sport Business Hub is also benefitting students on the programme via industry partnerships and projects with businesses including Gloucester RFC, Bream RFC, Forest Green Rovers and Hockey Wales. The hub provides a useful link between students and employers, enabling students to make a difference and grow their network even before their course is completed.
Earlier this year, Hartpury was ranked number one in the UK for its postgraduate sports degrees, achieving 100 per cent student satisfaction, against a sector average of 81 per cent in the Postgraduate Taught Experience Survey, 2021. Degrees in this group include MSc Sports Coaching, MSc Strength and Conditioning, MSc Applied Performance Analysis in Sport and MSc Professional Development in Sports Coaching.
