Sport Management

Sport Management

The Bachelor of Arts in Sport Management is designed for students with a career interest in athletic administration, coaching, personal training, sports media and business. The primary goals of this program are to develop an in-depth knowledge of managerial planning, organization and administration, evaluated within the context of a sport organization, and develop competent leaders who desire to continue their study in a graduate program focusing on Sport Management.

The Sport Management Program is built upon a strong foundation that consists of seven powerful Pillars of Learning:

1. Leadership
2. The management of people, facilities and organizations
3. The design, development and marketing of sport programs and sporting events
4. The financial management of sport and sport organizations
5. Ethics, law, safety and compliance in sport
6. Outstanding communication skills in speaking, writing and making presentations
7. Successful personal career preparation and career development, while understanding the high level of skills, knowledge, commitment and hard work on a daily basis that is required for success in the field of sport due to the quantity and quality of competition

Fast facts

• Experiential learning opportunities available through the Bobcat Athletic department and the Mountain Television Network.
• Lees-McRae has 17 athletic teams that students are able to get involved with and learn from.
• Our program is led by instructors who have had successful careers in collegiate and professional coaching as well as sport management.

What You'll Study

All of the courses in our Sport Management program are designed to fulfill the fundamental principles of all seven pillars of our Sport Management program. Therefore, every course will include components from each of the seven pillars within the course in order that our students will come to understand every aspect of each crucial pillar, and in addition, so that our students develop the inherent and ingrained ability to consider and allow for all seven pillars with every challenge and decision they are faced with throughout their careers.

Some of the topics you will study are leadership in sport, sport finance, sport law, organization and administration of sport programs, sport facilities and venue management and contemporary issues of sport.

Beyond the Classroom

Our Sport Management students gain valuable and rewarding experiences outside of the classroom. These experiences include excellent internships with championship-winning professional sports teams, golf resorts, our Lees-McRae Athletic Department, area ski resorts, the YMCA and sports development organizations.

After Graduation

The sport industry has many opportunities for graduates who are interested in professional sports, college and high school sports, amateur athletics, community sport programming, sport in the corporate sector, and sport for development. As the sport industry continues to grow, new career opportunities are becoming available in areas such as business, recreation, facility, and event management. Sport professionals find themselves in a unique and rewarding industry that crosses paths with many other industries.