Summary
This Level 4 course focuses on equipping those who work in the sports sector with the knowledge and key skills necessary to develop good governance practices within their organisation. Students who successfully complete the Level 4 Certificate in Sports Governance and have at least two years’ work experience are eligible to become Affiliated members and continue to benefit from the knowledge and support of our governance and compliance community.
Entry
If you hold a position with governance responsibilities – a paid or volunteer role – in a sports organisation of any size, from a national governing body or Active Partnership to a smaller local organisation, the Level 4 Certificate in Sports Governance provides an ideal foundation for your career. It is an accessible and practical qualification for those who work at all levels of the sector and those who are attracted to the sports industry and want to gain a key understanding of the principles of sports governance.
Job roles may include:
- Company Secretary/Assistant Company Secretary
- Sports Administrator
- Non-executive director
- Sports Development Officer
- Policy Advisor
Learning Outcomes
By the end of the course, students should be able to:
- Understand the principles of sports governance and their importance in the sports industry.
- Recognise the different types of sports organisations and their governance structures.
- Analyse the challenges facing sports governance and propose solutions to address them.
- Evaluate the impact of relevant legislation on sports organisations and their governance.
- Identify the risks facing sports organisations and develop strategies for managing them.
- Understand the importance of ethics, compliance, and stakeholder engagement in sports governance.
- Apply the principles of good governance to evaluate sports organisations and their governance structures.
Course Content
The course is delivered through an online learning platform (LMS), where you can also ask questions and discuss topics with other students. There are live webinar events, which are recorded so you can catch up if you can’t watch them live. The course is divided into four modules, each covering different aspects of sports governance in the UK.
Module 1 is common across a number of our Level 4 certificates and covers core governance knowledge and skills. This will give students an in-depth grounding in the principles of good governance.
Module 2 introduces sports governance, including its principles, structures, and relevant legislation.
Module 3 focuses on the challenges facing sports governance, including the influence of sporting federations and the role of governance structures.
Module 4 covers risk, compliance, and finance in sports, including funding, risk management, ethics, and stakeholder engagement.
The learning content covered by the certificate is also available in a modular format. This allows students to undertake one or more modules which are of particular interest to them, without the commitment of completing the entire course and the assessment process.
Study
The 25/26 cohort will start in October 2025.
The recommended study time for the Level 4 Certificate in Sports Governance is 200 hours, which includes the online content, webinars, practice tasks and assessment exercises.
This course is based around a self-study model and therefore requires a significant commitment to study, on top of the provided webinar sessions. You will be expected to study approximately eight hours per week to prepare for your assessment.
You will, however, be part of a cohort of fellow learners with whom you can interact, engage and share ideas and experiences. The SGA will facilitate networking opportunities for its bursary students.
The course schedule will deliver up to 17 live webinars with one of our experienced tutors using Microsoft Teams.
As a student you will have access to a community of practice with like-minded professionals and resources on our learning management system (LMS).
Assessment
Successful completion of this course will be dependent on you passing the assessment. Your overall grade at the end of the course is made up of marks from two components:
- A written assignment worth 60% of your overall result
- A multiple-choice assessment worth 40% of your overall result
To pass the course and achieve the qualification, you will have to achieve a pass for the written assignment and a pass for the multiple-choice question exam.
Fees
The fee for this qualification is £1,177.
This includes:
- Registration and certificate
- One assessment entry
- Electronic copies of the syllabus, materials and study text on the LMS
- Access to study support webinars
- Student membership and benefits for the duration of your course.
Register
Are you ready to start the Certificate in Sports Governance? Select the following button to begin your registration.