Curriculum

The 12-course curriculum broadly educates sports managers about the industry while providing specific training in finance, sports personnel management, law, sports marketing, and facility/event superintendence. This combination of broad-based and specific skill training is a hallmark of the program and is evident in both the content and sequencing of courses.

Social-Historical Foundations of American Sport (SPRT K4220), the program’s foundation course, provides students with a thorough introduction to the history and socioeconomic foundations of the field, while exercising students' research and presentation skills. From there, students complete course sequences in finance and marketing, as well as a range of topical courses.

The finance sequence requires students to complete the general background courses, Financial Accounting (BUSI K4009), and then Introduction to Finance (BUSI K4001), followed by a rigorous course in sports accounting and finance (SPRT K4360). Additionally, one of three capstone seminars is required Seminar in Sports Business (SPRT K5150), Seminar in Sports Media (SPRT K5160) or Seminar in Sports Marketing (SPRT K5175). This comprehensive sequence is designed to train students in the basics of financial literacy specific to the sports industry as well as to provide a thorough grounding in and understanding of the macroeconomic concerns of the industry.

The sports marketing sequence requires completion of an introductory course in the science and theory of marketing Introduction to Marketing and Marketing Management (BUSI K4020), followed by an advanced course in one of three sports marketing topics: sales and marketing (Sports Marketing, Sponsorship, and Sales SPRT K4550), media (Sports Media Marketing SPRT K4560), or communications and public relations (Sports Business Communications and Public Relations SPRT K4570).

Students next complete a series of courses designed to expand and enhance their industry-specific knowledge and skills. All students complete Leadership and Management (SPRT K4410), and choose two from: Facility and Event Management (SPRT K4620), Sports Law and Ethics (SPRT K4460), or Intercollegiate Athletics Administration (SPRT K4740). This latter course permits students to apply the skills learned in the program to the college environment. In addition, students complete one elective – either a course in the program (such as a second marketing course) – or an approved elective elsewhere in the university.

By their final term, all students must complete either Internship in Sports Management (SPRT K4980) or Supervised Project in Sports Management (SPRT K4990), depending on their individual needs and interests.

The master's degree in Sports Management is a part-time program designed to accommodate the professional obligations of students who are employed full-time. This is a rigorous and concentrated graduate degree program that demands a serious commitment of time and energy. Students are expected to devote significant time to completing reading assignments, class assignments, and term projects outside of class. During the academic year, most courses are 14 weeks long, meeting on weekday evenings, from 6:10 to 8 p.m. Some business courses have accelerated, online options.

In order to receive the master's degree in Sports Management, students must complete all requirements of the degree within four years (eight terms, excluding summer) with an overall grade point average of 3.0 (B) or better. Please note that students without sufficient background in accounting and finance may be asked to enroll in preparatory courses in accounting and/or finance before completing the finance sequence.