Studying alongside your sports career? This is possible at the University of Oldenburg, in the Bachelor's programme "Business Administration for Competitive Athletes". A degree programme with its own rules.
There are no half measures in competitive sport. Athletes devote all their energy to their sport. After all, they want to get to the top or stay there. Coaches, fans and sponsors also expect full commitment. Is there any time left for studying? "For us, yes," says Manuel Karczmarzyk. The expert in academic further education and degree programmes coordinates the Bachelor's degree programme "Business Administration for Competitive Athletes" at the C3L - Center for Lifelong Learning. For twelve years, the University of Oldenburg has been offering the part-time degree programme under the direction of economist Prof. Dr Thomas Breisig - for anyone who does at least 20 hours of sport per week.
The idea: in parallel to their sporting activities, top athletes prepare for the time after their career. "Many ex-professionals move into management or the management of their club, and some also go into the private sector. They need business expertise for this," explains Karczmarzyk. This is what they get at the C3L - internet-based and therefore tailored to their busy sporting lives. The internationally recognised Bachelor's degree course is characterised by the alternation of online study and compact attendance phases. Classes are always held on Mondays and Tuesdays, i.e. outside of normal match or competition dates.
The standard period of study is eight semesters, but can easily be extended. Each student can decide for themselves how many modules they would like to complete per semester. Even breaks of several semesters are no problem. The degree programme requires a university entrance qualification. Athletes who do not have an Abitur can alternatively complete a specified number of compulsory modules and qualify for the degree programme in this way.
No written exam after the home defeat
And what happens if something comes up in the hectic everyday life of a sportsperson? Within certain limits, lecturers, mentors and coordinators can react flexibly to the needs of their students. Karczmarzyk gives an example: "If the team has lost 5-0 at the weekend, we don't assume that the student will turn up for the written exam on Monday morning". It goes without saying that professional athletes are first and foremost committed to their club, in this case the extra training session after the annoying home defeat. "It's now easy to rewrite written exams online," says Karczmarzyk.
The programme coordinator currently looks after around 40 "Business Administration athletes", including some well-known faces such as national football player Jonas Hector and handball player Sven Sören Christophersen. The 60 or so alumni include former Werder player Florian Bruns - now assistant coach at SC Freiburg - basketball player Jannik Freese and long-serving international footballer Hans Jörg Butt, who heads up sales and marketing at the family-owned loading systems company. "The footballers are certainly our best-known students," says Karczmarzyk. However, as professional athletes in a market worth billions, they are also under particularly high pressure. It can happen that the seminar paper has to be reminded again before something happens.
Stressed footballers, reliable triathletes
In his experience, triathletes have a different mindset: they tend to be calm and very reliable. They also like to prepare for tests alone - just as they do in their sport. It is similar with riders and sailors. "I don't believe in stereotypes, but every now and then you can discover some parallels," says the programme coordinator, who is himself active in sports acrobatics as a coach.
It is immensely important for competitive athletes to prepare for the time after their career. "So that things continue in a meaningful way and you don't fall into a hole after all the hustle and bustle," he explains. What's more, athletes can provide important impetus to the sports industry with their years of practical experience. "There is a lot of potential lying dormant that belongs in the executive floors of the clubs." Universities in Cologne, Jena and Leipzig offer similar programmes, but these are more geared towards sports management. The Oldenburg degree programme has a broader focus. An alumni survey in 2016 showed that 95 percent of graduates see the degree programme as a springboard into their "second" professional life. "They want to be more than 'just an athlete'. That's more than understandable, and we pave the way for them."
Those interested can still register for the 2019 summer semester until 15 February. An online information event will take place on 12 February at 6.00 pm. Registration is possible here.
