A unique scholarship programme designed to support women working in sport has been extended by Manchester Metropolitan University.
Manchester Metropolitan’s Master of Sport Directorship (MSD) will offer two ‘Women in Sport Leadership Scholarships’ of £6,000 and £3,000 to women who are applying for a place this year’s course.
The MSD is a part-time, executive level course delivered over two years. As the world’s first qualification of its kind, launched in 2014, it is aimed at professionals who want to gain a unique Masters qualification that prepares them for the role of sporting director.
The Women in Sport Leadership scholarships were first launched in 2017 and are open to any woman who meets the MSD criteria. The scholarships consist of a first prize of £6,000 and second prize of £3,000 reduction in the course fees.
The course’s high-profile alumni includes Manchester City Women FC and England goalkeeper Karen Bardsley, veteran Liverpool FC midfielder Becky Easton and general manager of Arsenal Women Clare Wheatley.
Mark Batey, MSD Programme Lead at Manchester Metropolitan, said: “It is vital that we improve female representation at every level of sporting organisations and ensure that women can progress to the top jobs in sport.
“The MSD Women in Sport Leadership scholarship helps to equip women already working in sport, with the leadership skills they need along with the acumen and organisation to drive sporting organisations forward in a commercial world.”
The under representation of women in senior roles within sport continues to be an issue that the MSD is helping to address, with UK Athletics chief executive Joanna Coates and chair of the MCC cricket committee Claire Taylor recently speaking out about the need for more women at boardroom level.
Batey added: “Through our scholarships we are helping to pave the way for more women to progress in their careers, with the support of our expert tutors and academics as well as the sporting community that has been built through the years of our MSD programme.”
Manchester Metropolitan University is currently constructing its Institute of Sport on Oxford Road, due to open in early 2022. The Institute, which aims to be an international centre of excellence, brings together world-leading researchers in musculoskeletal science from the Faculty of Science and Engineering, sports business and community impact experts from the Faculty of Business and Law, and a range of experts from the Faculty of Health, Psychology and Social Care.
Applicants for the Women in Sport Leadership scholarship should contact donna.ward@mmu.ac.uk before sending a CV and a 500-word outline of why they should be considered by 5pm on Friday, June 11.
