Sports management degrees provide students with fundamental knowledge and skills centered on finance, management, marketing and law pertaining to the organizations in the sports industry. The coursework in sports management degree programs typically prepare students for careers with amateur, collegiate and professional sports organizations. These students are able to capitalize on several different types of sport related opportunities after graduating from a sports management program. Many established business professionals decide to go back to school in order to make a successful career transition into the sports industry. Both undergraduate and graduate students can benefit from considering a degree in sports management. The sports industry in America currently generates over $200 billion annually.
Recommended Sports Management Degrees
- BA/Sports and Recreation Management – Ashford University (Sponsored)
- B.S. in Sports Management – Post University
- Master of Science in Sport Management – Sport Administration – Liberty University Online
What does a sports management degree comprise?
Many times a sports management degree may be offered as a combined degree program with business, finance, law, health or some other related field. The focus of many of these sports programs is to prepare and enable students to apply critical thinking and techniques to solve real problems related to the sports profession. Many times colleges offer a Bachelor of Science in Sport Management, require a minimum 2.0 GPA and 120 credit hours to graduate with the undergraduate degree. Its important for students to remember that these sports management programs mainly are structured towards teaching how to identify, monitor, manage and manipulate the business dynamics and applications that routinely drive sports organizations.
What classes would someone take?
Some of the core classes and general prerequisites required to pursue a sports management degree include principles of management, economics, financial accounting, algebra, general psychology, physical or biological science as well. Statistics, humanities, public speaking and introduction to sports management are some of the classes sports management students have typically taken by the end of the fourth semester. Some of the classes sports management students typically take after the fourth semester include business finance, sport and society, sport facility design and management, principles of marketing, ethical issues in sport, sport and business finance, legal issue in sport and physical activity and sport marketing as well. Some of the best colleges provide internships with sports management firms as well.
What specialties could be chosen within the sports management field?
Students in this field typically graduate with a bachelors in sports management, masters in sports management, an MBA in sport management or a PhD in athletic administration/ sports management. This niche business degree prepares students for running and managing nearly all facets of a sports organization. Some students choose the MBA in sports management in order to specialize on developing the skills for fulfilling an operations or management role a sports organization. The masters degree is a popular choice for students that are interested in marketing, scouting or even coaching as well. Sports management programs prepare students to have successful careers in nearly any position of divergent athletic organizations. It’s important to consider the location of the program in terms of applying to internships as well.
Students that go to school around the Tri State area can benefit from the increased proximity to the ESPN campus. Its important to consider the number of professional sports organizations in the immediate area when choosing the best location to earn a degree in sports management. Its possible to become the GM of a major sports team eventually, but its takes a lot of hard work and long hours beyond earning the sports management degree. Building the sports management degree around a profession or skill set that can be successful in its own right is typically the best approach in building value as a potential employee in the sports industry. Many accounting, marketing or communications students eventually find a rewarding niche career that’s related to athletics from earning a degree in sports management.
What positions would someone be eligible for upon completing the sports management degree?
There are a variety of careers that students go on to succeed in after completing a sports management degree. Some of the common career choices for sports management program graduates include athletic trainer, college athletic administrator, player or coach agent, operations manager, team marketer, athletic team manager or the coach, ticket sales specialist, a director of communications or even a sports event planner. Some students also choose careers focused more so related to sports and the fitness nutrition fields. Many professionals believe that the right internship can be extremely helpful with establishing a career in the competitive sports industry. Several students are able to obtain front office positions with professional sports teams because they chose to earn a sports management degree.