The final intake to this course was in teaching period 2 2024. Students should contact Student Central for course, course map and enrolment information.
Turn your passion for sport into a rewarding career with Deakin's Bachelor of Sport Development. Ranked 7th in the world for sport-related subjects*, Deakin has world-class academics, facilities and industry connections to teach you the skills to use sport to drive positive change in the community.
You will learn to build the capacity of community sport organisations, clubs, leagues and associations and learn practical methods to guide sport organisations in strategy, governance, policy and risk management.
State-of-the-art sports precincts combined with a long list of sports partners - including the Deakin Melbourne Boomers, Netball Victoria and the Melbourne Vixens, Geelong Football Club, and Cricket Australia - mean you will be studying in elite environments, both on and off campus. With over 100 hours of work placement, you can work alongside established professionals in sport while building industry experience that will prepare you for your future career.
Want to make a difference to the health and wellbeing of individuals and communities through sport?
In the Bachelor of Sport Development, you will learn to develop and manage coaches, officials and other volunteers. We will teach you how to design funding applications and implement the programming that underpins community sport development covering topics such as inclusion, culture and diversity, integrity and safeguarding.
If sport has had a positive impact on your life, you are well placed to enter a career that focuses on ensuring current and future generations experience the benefits of sport. You will develop sport programs that improve health and social outcomes, and harness sport's capacity to bring people together in times of need. In particular, you will learn how sport can be used as a powerful tool to rebuild and re-energise communities that have suffered inequality or social challenges.
The study areas you will cover are relevant to the needs of the industry and give you a deep understanding of:
sport systems
programs and pathways
contemporary health and community development approaches
the organisation, management and governance of sport organisations.
Looking for a career that takes you out of the stands and onto the field? The course also trains you in skills related to athlete development and on-field performance. Get practical experience developing coaching programs and sport development philosophies and discover what it takes to prepare individuals and teams for game day.
Your studies will be enriched with real-world experience, and you'll have plenty of opportunities to apply your skills outside of the classroom.
* QS World University Rankings
Indicative student workload
You can expect to participate in a range of teaching activities each week. This could include lectures, seminars, online interactions, or professional experiences for Work Integrated Learning (WIL) units. You can refer to the individual unit details in the course structure for more information. You will also need to study and complete assessment tasks in your own time.
Course learning outcomes
Course Learning Outcome
Demonstrate core knowledge of the distinction between the development of and through sport by analysis and application of theory in sport development, coaching, and allied disciplines in order to provide effective management in the development and delivery of sport
Develop written, oral and visual communication skills around complex concepts for diverse stakeholders with interests in sport development and coaching including organisations in government and corporate sectors, and those involved in delivery of sport at community through to elite settings
Select and use a range of digital technologies in appropriate ways to manage and disseminate relevant information to stakeholders engaged in sport development and coaching
Demonstrate the ability to exercise reasoned judgement and reflection in relation to managing sport development and coaching
Identify and address issues, formulate solutions related to the development and design of sport policy, systems, pathways and practices to implement efficient strategic and operational outcomes for enhancing the development of and through sport
Demonstrate skills to work independently and take responsibility for continuing professional development
Constructively engage in teams to contribute to collaborative outcomes and be able to take on roles towards demonstration of sound management of sport development and coaching
Engage as a professional in the sport industry with the skills that are applicable to a variety of contexts (sport science, coaching, sport management) and issues (global, social, ethical, cultural) in the development of and through sport
Note – From 2026, Deakin commenced introducing Graduate Attributes (GAs), which define the distinctive characteristics of a Deakin graduate. You may notice some courses still refer to Graduate Learning Outcomes (GLOs) during this transition period.
Course rules
To complete the Bachelor of Sport Development, you must pass 24 credit points. This includes:
DAI001 Academic Integrity Module (0-credit-point compulsory unit) in your first study period
HSE010 Exercise and Sport Laboratory Safety (0-credit-point compulsory unit)
3 credit points of Foundation for Sport Development core units
6 credit points of Sport Organisation Development core units
5 credit points of Coaching core units
6 credit points of Community Development core units
2 credit points of Practicum core units
2 credit points of elective units (one from Business and Law and one from Health)
maximum of 10 credit points at level 1
Most units are equal to one credit point. As a full-time student you will study four credit points per trimester and usually undertake two trimesters per year.
Tuition fees will vary depending on the type of fee place you hold, your course, your commencement year, the units you choose to study, your study load and/or unit discipline.
Your tuition fees will increase annually at the start of each calendar year. All fees quoted are in Australian dollars ($AUD) and do not include additional costs such as textbooks, computer equipment or software, other equipment, mandatory checks, travel, consumables and other costs.
For further information regarding tuition fees, other fees and charges, invoice due dates, withdrawal dates, payment methods visit our Current students website.
Contact Student Central for assistance in course planning, choosing the right units and explaining course rules and requirements. Student Central can also provide information for a wide range of services at Deakin. To help you understand the University vocabulary, please refer to our Enrolment codes and terminology page.
