Master in Sports Law
Helpful Links
About Program
Program Learning Outcomes
About Program
There are many potential types of legal infringement committed under the banner of professional sports today, whether in marketing and advertising, broadcasting, reputation management or celebrity privacy.
Sports Law seeks to create a framework related to sports that can be regulated and relied upon by national and international sporting bodies and organizations. Governmental bodies concerned with sports, such as the Ministry of Youth and Sports and its affiliated bodies, require specialists in the rules that govern them; this program exists to create such specialists.
Program Goals
- To provide the graduates of Masters in the Sports Law all legal cultures with a specialization in the field of sports through which the graduate can face the local, Arab and global market through a series of scientific studies and advanced theory.
- Providing the UAE and Arab society with a group of legal competencies in the field of sports capable of giving and perform in an institutional excellence manner through an integrated study of all sports- related contemporary issues.
- Conducting studies with legislative comparison between the GCC, Arab and international sports regulations and laws, with the implementation of all successful experiences and benefiting from various applications thereof.
- Attempt to develop all the scientific capabilities and the skills of scientific research for the student in the masters of sports law in order to provide a graduate who is capable of solving all scientific and research problems related to contemporary sports issues.
- Provide the community with graduates able to make a change in the leadership processes and the formulation of sports regulations, rules and legislation in a manner consistent with international rules and national sovereignty.
Program Learning Outcomes
- Explain the knowledge in the field of sports law in an in-depth and comprehensive manner, as well as the related rules and regulations in terms of national and international scope.
- Use constructive critical thinking skills to provide professional advice of legal relevance in the sports field related to the determination of the scope and jurisdiction of responsibility.
- Practice the drafting of legislation and the preparation of draft sports laws and regulations and national and international sports contracts.
- Develop innovative and smart solutions related to settlement procedures and resolving sports disputes.
- Analyze the contemporary knowledge of scientific research to be the basis for constructive critical thinking with knowledge of latest developments in the framework of sports laws and regulations.
- Use the basic skills related to the field of sports law in terms of his/her ability to analyze and interpret, which represents a complete ability to use them within the field of specialization.
ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS
For further information, please click here
GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS
For graduate degree completion, graduate students must satisfy the following requirements:
- Earn a minimum CGPA of 2.00 on a scale of 4.00.
- Successfully complete all courses as described in the study plan.
- The Degree Completion requirements must be met within the timeframe of the program.
- Successfully complete the “Thesis” course.
ACCREDITATION
The American University in the Emirates is licensed by the UAE Ministry of Education – Commission for Academic Accreditation | caa.ae
PROGRAM STRUCTURE
Course Category
Total Number of Courses
Total Number of Credit Hours
Bridging Courses
8
16
Core Courses
7
18
Electives
3
9
Thesis 1
1
3
Thesis 2
1
6
Total (Excluding Bridging Courses)
36 Credit Hours
Bridging Courses
Core Courses
Elective
Thesis
Bridging Courses
BRIDGING COURSES
8 COURSES | 16 CREDIT HOURS
This course covers the theory of law, its divisions, branches, and the division of the legal rule in reference to its binding force and the criteria for distinguishing between the jus cogens and the complementary rules, the definition of the concept of public order and morals and their applications in public and private law, the sources of the legal rule and the scope of its application and interpretation. The course also delves into the theory of rights, in terms of defining rights, and types of rights, as well as their sources, pillars, and when they are due, also the stakeholders, and legal protection of rights.
The Course covers the voluntary sources of obligation, which are the contract and unilateral will. It enables students to learn the idea of the contract, including its definition, elements (offer, acceptance and Consideration), scope, legal implications and expiration. Also, students will understand the unilateral will, which include Terms of commitment and provisions.
This course addresses the definition of tort liability and the distinction between tort and contractual liability, as well as the combining and selecting between the two liabilities. Also, the elements of tort liability (harmful act, damage and causation relationship), harmful acts are explained in terms of individual mistakes and liability for someone else’s work as well as liability for objects. The course also deals with damage and its two categories physical and moral, the causation relationship between the harmful act and damage, and the study of the tort and compensatory liability lawsuits, the study of the beneficial act and the law, considering them as involuntary sources of obligation.
This course covers the definition of commercial law, its history and sources, the study of commercial business theory, the study of merchants, including the definition of the merchant, as well as the obligations of merchants “registration in the commercial registry, keeping commercial books”. Also, the study of commercial contracts, commercial mortgage, agency commission and brokerage generally, and legal protection for shops.
The Course provides a detailed and analytical study of the general theory of crime in terms of the definition and types of crime. Moreover, it focuses on studying the two main elements (physical and moral) of a crime, the scope of application of the law in terms of time, place and people, complicity and its elements, impediments to criminal liability and causes of non-responsibility
This course deals with the study of the general principles of labor law, starting with the definition of labor law, its significance and characteristics, the historical development of labor law and sources of labor law, also the legal provisions regulating the individual labor contract and the collective labor contract, the elements and conditions of a contract, its duration, the effects of its termination, and the consequent obligations on the worker and the employer as well as the guarantees granted to the parties of the work contract and the issues addressed by the UAE Labor Law in the field of the employee’s relationship with employers, the Social Security Law and its significance, work injuries, occupational diseases, insurance against disability and old age in a country such as the UAE, and the means to settling individual and collective labor disputes
The Course covers the definition of the Code of Civil Procedure and judicial organization in terms of the constitution of courts, degrees of litigation, judges and their assistants, rules of jurisdiction, case theory, judicial decisions and their types and appeals.
The Course focuses on studying both general and special provisions of evidence law, evidentiary methods and the impact of scientific and technological evolution on the evidentiary provisions.
Core Courses
CORE COURSES
7 COURSES | 18 CREDIT HOURS
This course includes a study of the origins of sports law, in terms of the concept of sports language and terminology, as well as the definition of sports law, its nature and characteristics of this law, what distinguishes it from other laws and its relationship to other laws such as civil law, criminal law, commercial law, labor law, administrative law and other various laws. While also learning about the sports legal rule, and its concept and the characteristics of this legal rule, and how mandatory it is, as well as the origin behind how it acquired its mandatory status, despite how most of it was not issued by the national legislator or individuals working on drafting the sports law. The course also covers the sources of sports law, its types and sections, which include international and national legislations such as international agreements in the matters of sports, national laws and legislations issued by the national legislator, as well as international and national non-governmental legislations such as international sports charters – the Olympic Charter – and sports laws issued by international sports’ federations as well as national non-governmental sports legislation issued by national sports federations serving as the statutes of those federations, regulations, instructions and other conditions issued for organizing sports activities and many other topics that are required to be studied by students of the program upon joining the program.
This course includes a study of all sports’ disputes and their relationship to the mechanisms of filing and drafting the various lawsuits, the nature of the International Sports Court, introduction to arbitration, the nature, types and patterns of sports arbitration, the formulation of the arbitration clause, the mechanisms for resolving sports and local disputes according to the CAS Court, the management of procedural sessions and the categorizing of sports disputes. The formation of the arbitral body, arbitration chambers, their primary and cassation types, mediation and negotiation systems, and all mechanisms for settling sports disputes. The course also emphasizes studying the mechanisms of drafting a case and formulating procedural rules’ systems for sports arbitration centers and the systems and basics for operations in such centers.
This course includes topics on the legal provisions for the professional players and the amateur players, in terms of the definition of professionalism and hobby, how to distinguish between them, the special rules regarding sports sabbatical licenses established in the UAE by the prime minister’s office, and their legal impacts in terms of proving the degree of professionalism. Also, the player’s registration in a sports federation and its provisions. The course is particularly focused on the contracts of sports professionalism in terms of its aspects and conditions, the extent of its legitimacy, those conditions and their agreement with jus cogens rules… the required eligibility for the contract and the extent to which sports applications comply with the overall rules of law, the disciplinary and financial penalties imposed on the players in terms of what they are and the extent of its agreement with the overall legal rules. The course covers the provisions related to the transfer of players, the regulations established in this regard, as well as everything related to taking players on loan and the citizenship status of players and its internationally established conditions. As well as the role of the players’ agent in contracting and the rights resulting from that.
This course discusses the sports’ legal terms in the English language, in the field of sports contracts, international sports’ charters, sports disputes and other legally related sports topics.
This course covers the study of the legal responsibility of athletes – sportsmanship responsibility, criminal responsibility, and civil responsibility – as well as the study of crimes committed due to sports, such as crimes related to referees expressing bias to or against one of the teams with the intention of the team winning or losing. Or the sports administrations’ involvement with the intention of changing the course of a game’s outcome, or that which relates to gambling manipulation with the intent of illegitimate gain, also acts of violence committed during the practice of sports are originally considered to be crimes unless legislator allows for the practice of such acts within the games thus it’s necessary to become aware of reasons behind allowing for acts of violence within sports’ games, as a player’s assault against his peers; by word or deed by beating or with an insulting act are all considered as their criminal or civil responsibility as well as their sportsmanship responsibility which all fall under sports regulations. The course also covers many other crimes that may be committed on the occasion of holding sports activities, these acts are crimes that entail responsibility leading to penalty for the perpetrator.
This course includes the study of all contractual transactions and commercial contracts which organize events and sporting events, as well as all that which relates to them in terms of marketing contracts, ticket sales and everything related to aspects of business in the sports field – as well as studying the legal systems for trademarks and intellectual property rights in the sports field related to federations, clubs, and solid Olympic research. This course also covers the study of all sports contracts for players, administrators, coaches, and contracts for the establishment of sports corporations (ownership and management) in the sports field and the investment aspects resulting from the establishment of such corporations.
The course incorporates topics of the sports’ rights of both players and coaches in terms of their right of image, right of identity, right of the name, and the relationship of commercial systems to the idea of transforming a hobby to a professional career, cash flow rates, sports tax works, and value added within the sports field.
This course provides an introduction to the use of quantitative and qualitative methods in research as well as applied statistical methods. Students will learn the language and terminology of research, how to research, the use of different data sources and statistical techniques, measurement issues such as confidence and weight scores and validity, as well as research tools including questionnaires and personal interviews. The course enables preparing students to conduct independent studies, including formulating research questions, reviewing previous studies, selecting research methodology, and appropriate analytical and statistical models, in order to answer research questions. The course has an applied orientation and students will develop basic research skills and knowledge to use research effectively in decision-making and solving organizational problems. Students will be trained in the use of SPSS and NVivo software and will learn to apply SPSS-based statistical methods in their quantitative research as well as the NVivo method in their qualitative research. The course focuses on the importance of the cultural dimension in the design and implementation of empirical studies related to various aspects.
Elective
ELECTIVE COURSES
3 COURSES | 9 CREDIT HOURS
This course includes training students on ordinary courts, arbitration centers, sports institutions and bodies such as sports’ federations, sports’ clubs, sports’ administrations and councils, as well as the General Sports Authority and the National Olympic Committee. The student will be introduced to the practical mechanisms of operation in the field of sports law, in addition to developing skills related to resolving sports’ disputes and proposal of legal solutions related to what was previously covered in their studies.
This Course aims to introduce to students the legal rules related to doping in sports, as well as prohibited substances, causes for prohibition, procedures for detecting the violations, implications of proving the use of dopes, and appeals against the procedures and decisions issued in this regard. In November 2019, the World Anti-Doping Agency was founded to develop, harmonize and coordinate anti-doping rules and policies across all sports and countries. And the International Convention Against Doping in Sport was introduced in 2005.
This Course discusses one of the contemporary legal topics on sports such as financing sports organizations, changing clubs into joint stock companies, security of stadiums and sports arbitration.
The Course aims to keep students updated with the latest developments and help them create legal beliefs that enable them to deal with the requirements of the labor market.
This Course is concerned with studying the various provisions of sports insurance, as well as its definition, parties and the insured person. Sports insurance covers injuries that happen during a sporting event, professional civil liability, casualties of riots.
Moreover, the beneficiary of sports insurance may be the player himself. The club may provide its players insurance against injuries, where this is deemed insurable interest. Given that the athletes constitute a national asset that must be preserved, the Course shall weigh considering sports insurance mandatory, to secure the best interest for beneficiaries
This Course include topics that covers the sports asset management, which comprises planning, organizing, leading the efforts of the sports organization’s personnel, as well as the use of all capacities to achieve the goals.
This Course discusses some sports organizations such as the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), which is one of the most important sports organizations in terms of its objectives, membership, membership application procedures, obligations and rights of the members, and the terms of suspension, expulsion and resignation. FIFA is the governing body of the continental confederations.
Moreover, the Course includes the FIFA’s four general bodies: the congress, the executive committee, the general secretariat, and standing and ad hoc committees.
This Course aims in introducing students to the sponsorship of sporting events, marketing and investments in sports, which include broadcasting contracts, sponsorship contracts, advertising, betting, ticket offices, and sports tourism, which centers on a sporting event and the attendant hotel accommodation contracts, airline tickets and souvenir purchases, as well as the legal implications of all of this.
Additionally, the Course focuses on studying sports industry and the transactions that take place upon them, as the UAE LAW considers sports as a business. The prevalence of professionalism has turned sports into a business.
Additionally, the Course focuses on studying sports industry and the transactions that take place upon them, as the UAE LAW considers sports as a business. The prevalence of professionalism has turned sports into a business.
This Course covers topics related to the sports charters and the laws of some sports to ensure providing up to date legal and technical information. The charters and laws aims to ensure fair play and competition.
In football, for example, students will study the laws that ban all form of commercial advertising on the field of play, control the number of players and substitutes, and determine the use of yellow and red cards to discipline players.
Also, the powers and duties of a football referee include enforcing the laws of the game, making decisions, taking advices from his assistants, and providing the appropriate authorities with a match report on disciplinary action and any other incidents that occurred before, during or after the match. A football referee is not responsible for any losses incurred by others as a result of his decisions, and is authorized to show red cards to players in certain cases, including serious offenses such as violent conduct or an illegal and purposeful obstruction of a goal scoring.
In football, for example, students will study the laws that ban all form of commercial advertising on the field of play, control the number of players and substitutes, and determine the use of yellow and red cards to discipline players.
Also, the powers and duties of a football referee include enforcing the laws of the game, making decisions, taking advices from his assistants, and providing the appropriate authorities with a match report on disciplinary action and any other incidents that occurred before, during or after the match. A football referee is not responsible for any losses incurred by others as a result of his decisions, and is authorized to show red cards to players in certain cases, including serious offenses such as violent conduct or an illegal and purposeful obstruction of a goal scoring.
Thesis
THESIS
2 COURSES | 9 CREDIT HOURS
Students in this course will work with their thesis supervisor to develop a thesis proposal and begin their distinctive, applied research project. The primary goal is for the student to practice the mechanisms of transitioning from concept to active inquiry. Depending on the nature of the topic, the student will develop a study questions, conduct a literature review, develop a methodological approach, and begin preliminary research. Students are expected to apply qualitative, quantitative, and comparative research approaches to the chosen topic.
In this course, students will continue developing their thesis project, revising techniques (if required), addressing challenges, analyzing findings, and eventually articulating the complete experience. Students will build on work from the previous semester and put all of the pieces together to complete the final thesis project, following the required research process and procedures. Students will be required to provide a verbal defense as part of the assessment and fulfilment of the course.
ATTENDANCE
Weekday Morning Classes
THU – THUR | BETWEEN 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM
MON – WED | BETWEEN 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM
MON – WED | BETWEEN 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Weekday Evening Classes
TUE – THUR | BETWEEN 4:00 PM – 9:00 PM
MON – WED | BETWEEN 4:00 PM – 9:00 PM
MON – WED | BETWEEN 4:00 PM – 9:00 PM
RECOMMENDED STUDY PLAN
Core Courses
Thesis
Elective Courses
