Curriculum & Courses for the Master of Science in Sport Management

Administration of intercollegiate athletics programs occurs at the national as well as institutional levels. This course will orient students with principles and procedures associated with administering intercollegiate sport programs. Member institutions must comply with operating regulations and bylaws; therefore, compliance at the institutional level will be covered in this course. This course will also focus upon the organization and operation of academic support programs for student-athletes. Diversity management, ethical conduct, and leadership will also be addressed in this course.

Intercollegiate athletics programs conduct events within various facilities. This course will provide students with knowledge of strategies and procedures associated with effectively administering intercollegiate athletics facilities and events. Planning, executing, and evaluating events will be addressed. This course will also orient students with processes associated with facility scheduling and maintenance.

Intercollegiate athletics programs are highly dependent upon the support provided by various benefactors. This course will focus upon initiatives utilized by intercollegiate programs in order to generate revenue, including sponsorships, ticket sales, and annual giving programs.

Communications personnel within intercollegiate athletics departments (e.g., sports information directors, media relations directors) assist the media in their coverage of a program's student-athletes and athletic events. In addition, they promote the program through issuing press releases and also participate in crisis management activities (e.g., acting as a spokesperson, arranging press conferences). This course will focus upon the roles and responsibilities of communication personnel within intercollegiate athletics departments. Students will become familiar with the processes associated with gathering, editing and distributing information for publication among various forms of media. Students will gain exposure to software utilized in the creation of various athletics department publications.

This course will familiarize students with legal concepts in operating areas relating to sport management. Students will learn to develop strategies for dealing with risks inherent in sports and sports activities. Areas of focus will include management of risk. A particular focus will exist with regard to managing liability with sport-related facilities. Legal issues with regard to the management of intercollegiate and professional sport programs will also be addressed.

The purpose of this course is to provide students with skills and strategies needed to effectively and efficiently manage human resources within sport organizations. This course will also orient students with various processes related to human resource management. Interviewing, training, supervision, and evaluation of employees will be addressed. As an employee in a sport organization, students will interact with subordinates, colleagues, and superiors. Content related to management style, communication, negotiation, and team building will also be focused upon in this course.

Internships offer students opportunities to apply the knowledge they have acquired in practical settings. Through the internship experience, students will gain a better understanding of the job tasks in which sport organization personnel engage. Students will be able to further develop skills that will make them suitable candidates for employment in this setting.

Internships offer students opportunities to apply the knowledge they have acquired in practical settings. Through the internship experience, students will gain a better understanding of the job tasks in which sport organization personnel engage.