Online colleges with sports management programs may help students apply principles of management, marketing, finance, and more, to the industry they love: sports. You may study areas like player representation, ticket sales, and facility & event management. And, you may prepare for potential career paths with a sports emphasis.
For a list of colleges with sports management programs, skip to the bottom of this article. Otherwise, take the time to learn more about what earning an online sports degree might be like.
What Is Sports Management, Exactly?
Maybe you’re drawn to pursuing a sports management degree because of your love of baseball, football, hockey, or something else. But what you may not realize is just how multifaceted sports management can be.
Simply put, sports management involves the concept of business management, applied to sports and recreation. After all, professional sport franchises, intercollegiate athletics, ticket sales, and other aspects of the sports industry may call for knowledgeable leadership and organization. Studying sports management might be a great way to understand, and potentially prepare for, the challenges of helping sports run smoothly.
What Colleges Have a Sports Management Major?
Check out our list of colleges with sports management programs worth checking out.
Ashford University is an online school offering both undergraduate and graduate programs. They got their start as St. Clare College in 1918, and now focus on serving nontraditional college students who need the flexibility of online learning. Ashford is accredited by WASC Senior College and University Commission.
Sports Management Programs Worth Exploring: The online Bachelor of Arts in Sports and Recreation Management at Ashford features five-week courses you can pursue one at a time. And, you may be able to expand your business chops by adding a specialization in Entrepreneurship, Marketing, or another area.
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Lasell College has been serving students for over 150 years. They offer bachelor's and master's degree programs with a professional focus, including online programs. Lasell’s campus is located eight miles from Boston.
Sports Management Programs Worth Exploring: The undergraduate sports management program at Lasell is accredited by the Commission on Sport Management Accreditation (COSMA). It also has a fifth-year program, where students can pursue a Master’s in Sports Management in their fifth year of study. Lasell is also home to MS in Sport Management programs in the following areas: Sport Leadership, Sport Tourism & Hospitality, Parks and Recreation, and Athletic Administration.
Liberty University is a liberal arts institution in the evangelical Christian tradition. They offer over 550 programs across 17 schools and colleges. Their main campus is located in central Virginia, but Liberty also offers a variety of online programs.
Sports Management Programs Worth Exploring: Liberty offers residential undergraduate programs in sport management and coaching, as well as a Master of Science in Sport Management (M.S.) program offered both on campus and online. Master’s candidates may choose from concentrations such as Outdoor Adventure Sport, Sport Administration, and more. And finally, Liberty offers potential minors in coaching, sport management, and sport outreach.
Tiffin University got its start in 1888, and has since evolved into an innovative school offering both online and traditional programs. Their main campus is located in Tiffin, Ohio, and they have other campus locations throughout Ohio. Tiffin University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC).
Sports Management Programs Worth Exploring: Tiffin is home to a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) – Sports program, based on campus. Students may choose concentrations in Sports Marketing or
Athletic Administration. Tiffin also offers an MBA in Sports Management program, which may be pursued either online or on campus.
Georgetown University is an academic and research institution located in Washington, D.C. They were founded in 1789, making Georgetown the oldest Catholic, Jesuit institution in the U.S. And, the Georgetown University School of Continuing Studies offers exciting graduate education, including professional master’s programs.
Sports Management Programs Worth Exploring: The Georgetown School of Continuing Studies offers a Master's in Sports Industry Management program that may be earned both online or on campus. Students may learn from sports business practitioners as they explore the global sports industry. Earning the degree requires 30 credits, which may be pursued on a part-time or full-time basis.
Adelphi is a doctoral research university based in Garden City, New York. They were founded in 1896, becoming Long Island’s oldest coed university. Adelphi offers 50 undergraduate majors and 130 graduate programs, including online programs.
Sports Management Programs Worth Exploring: Adelphi offers a B.S. in Sport Management program. Students may opt for tracks in sports marketing and business and sport and media with communications. Adelphi is also home to an M.S. in Sport Management program, which may be pursued online or in person. M.S. students may be able to specialize in Sport-Based Youth Development.
American University is a Methodist-affiliated research institution located in Washington, DC. They serve over 12,000 undergraduate, graduate, and law students from around the U.S. and the world. And, they offer online programs designed to help students pursue their goals no matter what stage they’re at.
Sports Management Programs Worth Exploring: American University features an Online Master of Science in Sports Analytics and Management, which explores analytics and evaluative technologies as they relate to the business of sports. They also offer a Graduate Professional Studies Sports Management and Media program, which may be an awesome opportunity for grad students to pursue credits an internship experience, and more.
The University of Kansas is a major public research and teaching institution with five campuses throughout Kansas. They serve about 28,447 students, who participate in more than 370 degree programs.
Sports Management Programs Worth Exploring: The University of Kansas has a well-regarded Bachelor's Degree in Sport Management program. The program offers a flexible curriculum and the chance to engage in developing research and learning with the Amateur Sport Research Center. KU also has a flexible Master's in Sport Management program, which may combine online learning, classroom learning, and fieldwork.
What Might I Learn in an Online Sports Management Degree Program?
You may pursue core business courses, like finance, marketing, and business law. Plus, you may study how business topics like accounting and human resources can be applied to situations specific to sports. For example, you might explore how an athletics facility is designed and managed, or learn how a golf club is run.
Of course, what you learn may depend on the degree level of the sport management program you pursue. For example, an online sports management bachelor’s degree program may require you to take general education courses like college algebra, psychology, and composition.
You might also pursue courses such as:
- Sport Ethics
- Contemporary Issues in Sport
- Sport Marketing
- Sport Finance
- Sport Law
- Media and Public Relations in Sport
- Sport Sponsorship
- Sport Sales and Promotions
- And more
And, you may also be required to complete a practicum and/or an internship in sports management, depending on the bachelor’s program.
An associates degree in sports management online program may not be quite as common as a bachelor’s program, but it may explore various aspects of sports administration, like promotions, public relations, and fundraising.
And an online sports management master's degree program may be a chance to drill even more deeply into the field of sport management. For example, you may able to choose a focus area, like sport administration or coaching and athletic administration. And, you may be able to pursue research or independent study in an area of sport management that interests you.
Some courses you might take in a sport management master’s program include:
- NCAA Compliance
- Sports Contracts
- Consumer Behavior in Sport
- Labor Relations in Sport
- Sport & Event Tourism Planning
- Coaching Theory
- Sport Governance
- And more
Remember, every program is different. It’s a good idea to check with your prospective college to learn more about their sports management major or program.
Sports Management Degree Requirements
As with the curriculum you could study, requirements for pursuing a sport management degree depend on your degree level and school. For example, enrolling in a sports management master’s program means you’ll need to have earned a bachelor’s degree, and some schools may require you to have had some work experience.
Here are some potential requirements for pursuing an undergraduate degree in sports management:
- Minimum high school or transfer college GPA. Be aware of your program’s minimum accepted GPA, which is generally no lower than a 2.0, or C.
- Test scores. You may need to submit SAT or ACT scores, as a freshman student. However, this requirement may be waived if it’s been awhile since you graduated high school.
- Prior coursework. You may need to have completed certain required high school coursework, like a certain number of years of English and math.
Discover More About Colleges with Sports Management Programs
Whether you’re interested in earning a B.S. in sports management, an M.S., an MBA, or something else, you’re in the right place. Check out our listings for colleges with sports management programs. (FYI: many of them offer online learning!) If you see a program that looks like the ideal fit, request info to get started.