LLM International Sports Law and Governance

From the Olympic Games to your local community club, sport is a global pastime, and for centuries, it operated as if the law did not apply to it. From concussion litigation to football transfers, human rights and breakaway leagues, it is clear that the law is very much involved in sport and, over time, a vast number of rules and regulations for sport’s internal governance have been put in place to ensure that it’s operating in accordance with the law.

On this course, our focus is on how the law is a driver for change in the ways modern sport operates and is regulated. Together, we’ll examine the national, international and transnational legal frameworks that apply to athletes, sports clubs, competitions, governing bodies and international organisations.

There are three core subjects that you’ll study:

Sports Law and Regulation

Within this module, we’ll explore the origins and impact of sports law and Olympic law, and the nature of the relationships between major sporting bodies such as the International Olympic Committee, the World Anti-Doping Agency and the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

Sports Law and Business

Here, we’ll examine the interaction of law with the business operations of sports organisations, clubs and competitions. We’ll focus on some of the most famous and controversial sports law cases, including Bosman and the European Super League.

Sport and Human Rights

This topic is rarely examined in depth on sports law courses. In this module, we’ll introduce the key frameworks by which human rights responsibilities are embedded in key documents, such as the Olympic Charter and the United Nations Guiding Principles on Human Rights in Business.

In addition to these core subjects, you’ll also have the opportunity to select from a list of specialist sports law option modules that will address a range of contemporary and sector-specific issues. Plus, you can also select from optional modules within our wider LLM portfolio.

Your specialist subjects are underpinned by modules that’ll provide you with essential research skills, such as research design, to ensure you can perform to the best of your ability in your assessments. All of the assessments on this course are coursework-based, and your final assessment will take the form of a dissertation.

We’ll teach you through a combination of workshops and a range of online resources, such as podcasts, short lectures and readings. In our workshops, we’ll provide the scaffolding for you to understand the theory behind the topics we’re discussing and then use case studies to help you identify how concepts operate in real life.

The teaching on this course will be supplemented by an extensive co-curricular programme. This will include masterclasses delivered by expert lawyers, administrators and policymakers from across the sector. These will enable you to:

• Achieve a full and detailed understanding of the legal, governance and regulatory issues affecting modern sport.
• Provide you with the research and analytical skills that will enable you to find and present solutions to these challenges.
• Learn from experts in the field about how they understand and address those same challenges.

You’ll also be invited to attend networking events with industry experts, including colleagues from the Sports Policy Module, have access to the Manchester Metropolitan University’s Institute of Sport guest speaker programme, and have the opportunity to join Manchester Law School’s pro bono and mooting programmes.

You’ll need a UK honours degree – at least a 2:2 – in law or a related humanities, social science or business discipline, or the international equivalent.

Alternatively, a Graduate Diploma in Law/Common Professional Examination (at least a 2:2); non-UK professional exemption or graduate conversion equivalent; or a related postgraduate diploma or degree.

English Language Requirements

Overseas students will require IELTS with an overall score of 6.5 with no less than 6.0 in any category, or an equivalent accepted English qualification. Accepted English qualifications can be viewed here.

Please refer to our international student webpages for any further requirements.