Curriculum - Module Description

Core subjects

Module 1 – Theory, planning, application, statistical analysis and presentation of research data
Coordinator: Professor Christos Kabitsis
1. Types of variables, research hypothesis, hypothesis testing
2. Sampling, defining/listing the population, sample size, sampling error
3. Checking the validity of the research, threats to the internal-external validity, pilot study, missing values.
4. Factorial designs, advantages and disadvantages, interpretation of results, types of error, level of significance, creating significant differences, steps in research procedure, identifying the problem, stating the proposal.
5. Writing of the thesis, title, abstract, introduction, literature review, purpose and significance of the study, terminology, operational definitions, writing of the thesis, basic assumptions, limitations/delimitations, research-statistical hypotheses, method, results, discussion, conclusions, recommendations, bibliography, appendices
6. Types of variables, frequency distributions, graphics of frequency distributions, curves, deviations from normality, indices of central tendency, variance, coefficient of variation, correlation, linear regression, partial correlation.
7. Normal curve, level of confidence, level of significance, critical value, descriptive and inferential statistics, parametric-non-parametric methods advantages/disadvantages of parametric/non-parametric methods
8. χ2 (chi-square), contingency tables
9. Factor analysis
10. Testing the difference between two groups, testing the difference among two or more groups, ANOVA, repeated measures, post hoc analysis, MANOVA, selecting the appropriate method.

Module 2 – Services Marketing 
Coordinator: Associate Professor Ethan Strigas
1. Introduction to Services - Unique Aspects of Services Marketing. 
2.  Customer Behavior, expectations & perceptions. 
3. Service Research.
4. Customer relationships and recovery. Service development and design blueprinting.
5. Customer-Designed service standards. 
6. Physical evidence and service scape.
7. Employee and customer roles.
8. Best and worst encounters .
9. Managing demand and capacity. Pricing of services.  
10. Integrated Marketing Communication. 

Module 3 – Human Resource Management
Coordinator: Assistant Professor Zyga Sofia
1. Management theories.
2. Ηuman resource management.
3. Decision making.
4. Leadership.
5. Group dynamics.
6. Communication.
7. Organizational culture. Organizational psychology and behavior.
8. Training and Development.
9. Motivation and job satisfaction.
10. Change and crisis management.

Module 4 – Organizational Behavior  (O.B.)
Coordinator: Assistant Professor Travlos Antonis 
1. Organizational behavior today.
2. Contemporary challenges to organizations.
3. Ethics and OB.
4. Learning and theories of learning.
5. Values, attitudes and personality.
6. Work stress.
7. Perceptual process and attribution theories.
8. Group development and group dynamics.
9. Power, empowerment and organizational politics.
10. O.B. and globalization.

Module 5 – Public Relations and Communication in Sporting and Leisure Organizations
Coordinator: Dr. Nikolaidis Dimitrios
1. The Nature and the Profession of Public Relations  
2. A Theoretical Basis in Public Relations and Communication
3. Research: Understanding Public Opinion
4. Strategic Planning for Public Relations Effectiveness
5. Action and Communication
6. Media Relations
7. Employee Communication
8. Corporate Social Responsibility (Part I)
9. Corporate Social Responsibility (Part II)
10. Media Evaluation and Selection for Advertising Plans

Module 6 – Principles of Service Management
Coordinator: Assistant Professor Alexandris Kostas

1. The sport-leisure industry.
2. Introduction to management theory.
3. Managing the organisational environment.
4. Managing the global environment.
5. Managing organisational structure.
6. Managing employees-internal service quality.
7. Motivation.
8. Leadership.
9. Managing service quality.
10. Managing specific sport sectors.

Track 1: Managing Sport Organizations

Module 1 – Facility Management  
Coordinator: Dr. Nikolaidis Dimitrios  
1. The Health Fitness Industry – Understanding your Customer
2. Member Management – Service Desk Management
3. Program Management – Day to Day Operations
4. Profit Center Programs
5. Staff Selection and Development
6. Health Fitness Equipment Considerations
7. Health and Safety Guidelines – Risk Management (I)
8. Health and Safety Guidelines – Risk Management (II)
9. Facility Maintenance Management
10. Financial Management – Legal and Insurance Issues

Module 2 - Event and sport events volunteers management
Coordinator: Assistant Professor Alexandris Kostas

1. Introduction-Specific characteristics of sport events, impact & planning.
2. Control, budgets and operational issues. 
3. Event marketing (i) & marketing (II).
4. Event sponsorship & service quality.
5. Evaluation and research.
6. Basic principles of voluntarism, the volunteers’ profile.
7. Basic principles of sport events management and the incorporation of the volunteers program, the participation motives of sport volunteers, basic principles of human resources management.
8. Sport volunteers management: Recruitment, coordination. planning and organization.
9. Sport volunteers management: Program evaluation.
10. Case study 1: Special Olympics World summer games ATHENS 2011 volunteers program- Case study 2: Athens classic Marathon volunteers program.

Track 2: Sport Marketing

Module 1 – Principles of Sport Marketing 
Coordinator: Assistant Professor Theodorakis Nikolaos
1.  Sport marketing thrusts. Unique characteristics of the sport services. The strategic and sport management and marketing process.     
2. The sport consumer. The role research in sport marketing. Segmenting the sport market. Target groups.
3. Marketing mix: Developing sport services, Pricing in sports, promotion of sport services & distribution of sport services.
4. Case Study: Marketing plan in public sport organisation.
5. Models of behavior of consumers I &II
6. Managing the sport marketing mix, Planning for market selection decisions–Marketing research and MIS.
7. Logistics in sports (service & sales management supply chains). 
8. Communications management in sports.
9. Sport advertising & sport sponsorship. Sport retail management.
10. Technology-based Strategies in Sports – Sport E-Business & E-Commerce.

Module 2 – Consumer Behavior in Sports
Coordinator: Assistant Professor Theodorakis Nikolaos
1. Introduction in sport consumer behaviour. Course overview.
2. Sport consumers’ characteristics.
3. Decision making theories in sports and recreation.
4. Sport consumer behaviour paradigms.
5. Motivation theories in sports and recreation.
6. Service quality in sports and recreation.
7. Sport consumer satisfaction.
8. Loyalty among sport consumers.
9. Involvement in sport and recreation.
10. Psychological commitment in sports and recreation. Leisure constraints in various sport settings.

Track 3: Sport Rehabilitation

Module 1 - Rehabilitation management
Coordinator: Associate Professor Stergioulas Apostolos
1. Introduction to rehabilitation management.
2. Characteristics of the injured athletes.
3. The rehabilitation team.
4. The organization of a rehabilitation center.
5. Case study. The organization and management of 2004 polyclinic during 2004 Olympic games.
6. The organization of a Physical Therapy center.
7. The selection of physical modalities (I).
8. The selection of physical modalities (II).
9. The exercise as remedy for various musculoskeletal problems.
10. Case study. Soccer players with serious tibia fractures.

Module 2 - Advanced rehabilitation.
Coordinator: Associate Professor Stergioulas Apostolos
1. Biomechanics of the injuries (I) & (II).
2. Cervical & Lumbar spine injuries rehabilitation in athletes.
3. Shoulder & elbow injuries rehabilitation in athletes.
4. Rehabilitation of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) of the knee. The dilemma in the choosing of the proper technique for the ACL reconstruction.    
5.  Meniscus rehabilitation.
6. Strains, sprains, ankle ligaments and hematomas rehabilitation.
7. Fractures rehabilitation (I) & (II).
8. Ice or heat in early acute injury rehabilitation?
5. Overview of overuse injuries rehabilitation. Rehabilitation of achilles tendonitis, patellar tendonitis, runner’s knee and baker’s cyst and plantar fasciitis.
10. Cases study. The injury of patellar tendon of the soccer player Ronaldo.       

Track 4: Sport Organization for Disabled

Module 1 - Planning sport services for the disabled. Special management risk issues in sport for the disabled.
Coordinator: Dr. Varsamis Panagiotis

1. Disability in the light of the World Health Organization’s recent models / definitions (International Classification of Functioning). Consequences of contemporary disability theory for designing sport services, organizing sport events and developing clubs.
2. The role / meaning of sport in the life of people with disabilities. Implementing contemporary disability theory. Understanding the continuum between therapy and recreation. The role of parents in disabled children’s sport participation.
3. Basics of empathy as a critical personal / vocational competence in the work of sport organization professionals for disabled. Incentives / motives for participating in adapted physical activity. Motivational profiles among and across selected disability groups.
4. Suggesting adapted physical activities for persons with physical disabilities (indications and contraindications for sport).
5. Suggesting adapted physical activities for persons with intellectual disabilities (indications and contraindications for sport).
6. Suggesting adapted physical activities for persons with multiple / severe disabilities (indications and contraindications for sport).
7. Why different? – Special socioeconomic, ecosystemic and other critical characteristics of people and athletes with disabilities.
8. Adaptations and methods on getting information from selected disability groups and their parents (research methodology issues). Managing issues of diversity and different identities.
9. Some special factors in risk assessment and risk control. Models for predicting attrition in disability sport. Factors to be considered when estimating financing.
10. National legal principles and insurance claims. Transportation and related decision plans. National prerequisites in recruiting volunteers. Searching for related resources on the internet.

Module 2 - Aims and structures of central sport organizations for the disabled
Coordinator:  Dr. Varsamis Panagiotis

• International Structure of Disability Sport Organizations.
• Selected issues of international organizations / federations.
• Structure of the International Paralympic Committee.
• National Structure and Disability Sport Organizations.
• Examples of good practice in Disability Sport Organizations.
• Paralympics, Deaflympics, Special Olympics and other international games-sport opportunities for athletes with disabilities.
• Classification of athletes - Consequences for sport development.
• Paralympic or not? The case of Standing Volleyball.
• Special issues and current challenges for professionals working for sport organizations, federations or disability sport clubs.
• Searching for related resources on the internet.