Since the last third of the twentieth century, Sciences of Physical Activity and Sport have begun to generate self-knowledge which is not only used by our graduates, but it provides solutions to other professional fields. This is due to the wide applicability of scientific knowledge of our field to the daily lives of people, either to improve their quality of life, prevent and treat diseases, improve education, regulate and control sporting entertainment and performance or to improve the physical activity and sport management. This is indicated by the increasing number of journals in the category of Sports Sciences of the Science Citation Index which in 2009 had 71 periodicals ( http://sauwok.fecyt.es/admin- apps/JCR/JCR ).
We therefore think we need to propose this Master’s degree in “Physical Activity and Sport Management”, whose closest precedent is the Master’s degree in “Research and Intervention in Physical Activity and Sports Sciences” in which there was a 6 credits-module of applied research in sport management, and also the Inter-University Master’s degree in “Physical Activity and Sport-Related Organisation and Facility Management” in which the University of Valencia participates. The demand of postgraduate students in physical activity and sport management and the growing importance of this field in society require the implementation of this master’s degree specifically at the University of Valencia. The first of these master’s degrees has had an enrolment of 21 students in its first edition, and the full quota of 24 students was covered in the second edition, leaving out students who applied. The third edition, now in the process of registration (2nd stage), has already
covered its 24 places although there is still a third stage. On the second master’s degree, there have been 40 preregistered students and 30 enrolled in the first edition and a total of 45 enrolled students in the second edition held during the academic year 2011/12.
Another precedent of this master’s degree in our university is the doctoral programme 987- 122 A “Physical Education and Sport” active since 1999. This programme sparked a great demand among potential students in our area having an annual average of 50 applications and an annual average enrolment of 22 students, according to the Computer Service of the University of Valencia. In addition, its productivity has resulted in 49 Diploma d'Estudis Avançats (a tertiary education degree) and 28 doctoral theses defended so far, as indicated by the data recorded in the Department of Physical and Sports Education.