Sport policy

6 ECTS credits
150 h study time

Offer 1 with catalog number 4023762DNR for all students in the 1st and 2nd semester at a (D) Master - preliminary level.

Semester

1st and 2nd semester

Enrollment based on exam contract

Impossible

Grading method

Grading (scale from 0 to 20)

Can retake in second session

Yes

Taught in

Dutch

Faculty

Faculty of Physical Education and Physiotherapy

Department

Bewegings- en Sportwetenschappen

Educational team

Kristine De Martelaer
Veerle De Bosscher (course titular)
Inge Derom
Margot Ricour
Elisabeth Matthys

Activities and contact hours

48 contact hours Lecture
21 contact hours Independent or External Form of Study

Course Content

The content of this course unit consists of three parts that follow each other throughout the academic year. In the first semester, sports law is framed and the structures and actors in the sport and exercise sector, the sources of sports law and dispute resolution are explained. Then attention is paid to the legal framework and dispute resolution of transgressive behavior, the status of the athlete and the various actors in sport, the fight against doping and the basic principles of liability in the sport and exercise sector. The topic of transgressive behavior is further explained in function of the creation of a safe and healthy sport climate. Insights are given into ethical aspects within supervision (school, club, private organizations), management (good governance, code of ethics) and policy (Flemish and international) so that students can identify problems and explain correct procedures in terms of prevention and reaction policies to avoid problems when they occur.

In the second semester the focus is on sports policy. One starts with an introduction on what policy is, for whom it is meant, with what purpose, who organizes and in what way. Then students gain insight into the policy cycle and how policies are created, from agenda setting, preparation, determination, implementation and evaluation. They apply this theory during class, constructing the policy cycle in small groups through Flemish case studies based on a policy problem. Afterwards, attention is given to the importance of good policy planning and the students have to analyze bottlenecks, needs, observations and trends. They go through the phases of policy planning (start phase: steering committee - sounding board group; mission; data collection; data analysis; objectives; plan of action; evaluation and adjustment). The next section deals with the policy instruments that are used to realize policy. Initially, we make policy plans available to the student, on the basis of which they identify policy instruments themselves. The second part of the course deals with specific themes mainly within the Flemish sports policy, where the students critically reflect on these topics. The application of the policy cycle is used as a means to gain insight into the policy themes. The themes can vary from year to year and according to current events. We work with a number of guest speakers in this phase, mainly within Flanders. These classes require mandatory attendance. Within each theme, the course aims at students gaining insight into the problem through selfwork, being able to reflect critically on a theme, analyze the strengths and weaknesses, formulate and argue solutions. Examples of themes: trainer policy, disadvantaged groups, the meaning of sports, youth sports, sports clubs, sports policy at the Flemish and local level, top sports policy. Finally, we want to encourage the students to think about the sports policy of the future.

The study material is made available through the Canvas learning platform and includes the presentations of the lectures, chapters from textbooks, scientific and practical articles and video material.

Additional info

There is mandatory attendance for presentations of guest lectures; absence must be communicated to the instructor in advance with valid reason (such as doctor's notice).
In the context of the sports policy lessons, the student is regularly given assignments to apply the policy cycle, and to reflect on the possible impact of social trends. These assignments count towards the exam.
In addition, the students are given an assignment for sports policy, which consists of developing a policy at the Flemish or international level with the description of policy instruments for one or more (sports) actors around a particular sports policy problem/theme: describing a problem/theme, making a stakeholder analysis, describing policy measures and arguing the choice, outlining the policy cycle/policy process, and writing strategic and operational objectives and indicators.

Learning Outcomes

General competencies

The student knows the structures in the sport and exercise sector, its policies, sources of rights and obligations, forms of dispute resolution, reporting and support channels, and can apply them in daily practice.
The student can identify possible issues or problems for actors in the sport and exercise sector in function of policy, ethics and law. The student can explain the correct procedure(s) to address these issues or problems.
The student understands the ethical and legal framework of working with athletes, coaches, administrators and other actors in sport (including APIs, labor law, social security and liability law).
As a function of policy, ethics and law, the student understands the responsibilities to create a healthy, ethical and ethical sporting environment.
The student can explain and argue what sport policy is, who organises and how policies is formed
The student has insights in the policy cycle and policy instruments that can be used in sport, policy planning and the fundamentals of Flemish, local or European policies. The students can describe these, explain and argue these.
The student can analyse a policy plan and apply a policy cycle and planning process starting from a specific policy problem.
The student can develop a policy plan; they understand how to apply/include information from the environment (e.g. trends, stakeholders) in the policy plan.
The student can formulate their perspective on a policy issue in Flanders, can argue/reason the specific problem and suggest alternatives.
The student scan make links between different policy aspects, can analyse a policy plan, create a SWOT of policies, compare with other cases and as such propose a policy planning for a specific theme.

Grading

The final grade is composed based on the following categories:
Written Exam determines 50% of the final mark.
Other determines 50% of the final mark.

Within the Written Exam category, the following assignments need to be completed:

exam law and ethics with a relative weight of 50 which comprises 50% of the final mark.

Note: closed book exam for topics of law and ethics

Within the Other category, the following assignments need to be completed:

exam policy with a relative weight of 50 which comprises 50% of the final mark.

Note: regular assignments (during semester) + assignment on policy plan

Additional info regarding evaluation

There is no written exam for sports policy. Students must apply the lessons in regular assignments that count toward the final exam. The assignments are distributed as follows for the sports policy component: The policy plan (for a sports club, or in function of a policy problem) counts for 60% of the points. The intermediate assignments are at 40% of the points. These will be posted on CANVAS and communicated in class. Deadlines must be respected.

Absences during the guest lessons sports policy are noted; per illegal absence (e.g. without doctor's notice, or exception confirmed in advance) 10 points are deducted from the total grade for sports policy (at 100). No points will be awarded from 3 illegal absences or more. In order to pass component sports policy, students must have submitted all components. If a student fails to submit one component, they will not receive a final grade. If the student was successful in this component, however, this grade may be carried over to second session time.

The student must obtain a result of at least 10/20 for all partial results. The partial results, with a result of at least 10/20, are automatically transferred to second session time. A student cannot waive the automatic transfer of the partial result.

Allowed unsatisfactory mark

The supplementary Teaching and Examination Regulations of your faculty stipulate whether an allowed unsatisfactory mark for this programme unit is permitted.

Academic context