A new honours degree aimed at international students eager for a career in the golf industry has been launched by The Professional Golfers’ Association (PGA) and the University of Birmingham.
The degree has been designed for the overseas market, particularly in China and other developing golf nations in the Far East and Asia.
Graduates will learn business and management aspects of the golf industry and harness wider expertise and knowledge to support the promotion of the game in developing golf nations.
The BSc (Hons) programme, entitled ‘Applied Golf Management Studies International’, is scheduled to start in October 2013 and has been created to meet the need of the global golf industry for high calibre graduates who can help grow the game in their respective countries.
The three year course, taught by specialist world-leading academics and researchers, covers subjects including ‘approaches to management and organisation’, ‘enterprise and employability’, ‘strategic marketing for golf business’, ‘golf operations management’, and ‘event management’.
Its launch follows the highly successful Applied Golf Management Studies programme, which this year marks its 10th anniversary and has paved the way for graduates to obtain a range of roles in golf, including Eleanor Woodall who landed a role as Ryder Cup project supervisor for the 2018 matches in France.
Eleanor said: “I knew I wanted to pursue a career and do a degree in golf but the course was not just about ‘golf’; it also provided a host of other knowledge to work in sport. The AGMS degree gave my job application added value, not only for what I learned but also for the experience I gained on placement.”
The new degree is expressly designed to allow foreign based students the opportunity to study with the University of Birmingham and The PGA (at The Belfry) for a degree in the management and development of the game.
PGA chief executive Sandy Jones said: “The PGA is keen to help grow the game across the world and well qualified people are essential to the growth of golf which is why the PGA has invested heavily in developing its own programmes and members.
“We are pleased that through our relationship with the University of Birmingham we are able to expand this, particularly to students from developing golf nations who can go back to their own countries and help grow this great game.”
Degree programme manager Dr Martin Toms added: “We are very proud of the relationship we have with the PGA, and the AGMSI programme further highlights the strength of this partnership. Over the past 10 years our graduates have begun to make a real difference within the game of golf around the world.
“To be able to play a part in the development of the game globally, and to partner the PGA in this endeavour is a great privilege, and to know that our programmes have high currency in the industry is great news for potential students.”
For more information about the course email Dr Martin Toms, programme manager from the Universityof Birmingham at m.r.toms@bham.ac.uk
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