Business with a Foundation Year

Business is one of the most versatile degrees available, developing a broad understanding of how commercial organisations operate, how strategic decisions are made, and how people, resources, and information are managed to create value. It covers the full range of business functions, from finance and operations to marketing and human resources, giving you a grounding that is relevant across virtually every sector of the economy and every type of organisation.

This five-year full-time programme at Loughborough University is specifically designed for elite athletes, providing an entry route for students who are classified as elite athletes by Loughborough's performance sport centre and who have not met the standard qualifications requirements for direct entry to the main degree programmes. The foundation year gives you the academic preparation to succeed on the degree itself, allowing you to build the knowledge and skills you need alongside your athletic commitments. Loughborough is uniquely positioned to offer this kind of programme: it is one of the UK's foremost universities for sport, and the combination of academic business education and high-performance athletic training is a genuinely distinctive environment.

Following the foundation year, you will complete one of Loughborough's business degree programmes, developing your commercial knowledge and professional skills in an environment that understands the demands of elite sport.

Graduates from this route go on to careers across business and commerce, bringing both the academic knowledge of business management and the personal qualities that elite athletic training develops: discipline, resilience, teamwork, and the ability to perform under pressure. Many find that their athletic background is itself a professional asset, particularly in sports business, sponsorship, events, and sports management roles. The Loughborough network, which spans both sport and business, provides strong career connections.

Postgraduate study in business, sports management, or related fields is available for those who wish to develop further.