Home > Course Descriptions

Sports Management

SPMT 101 FOUNDATIONS OF SPORTS MANAGEMENT

Fall/Spring, 3 credit hours

This course is designed to provide students with an overview of sports management issues, trends and career opportunities. The course will examine marketing, financial, ethical, and legal management principles and apply those principles to amateur, professional and lifestyle sport settings. Three hours lecture per week.

Prerequisites: Introduction to Business (BSAD 100) or permission of instructor

SPMT 202 SPORT IN SOCIETY

Fall/Spring, 3 credit hours

This course examines sports using the sociological perspective. The course will focus on current and past issues within the sociology of the sporting landscape. Students will utilize critical thinking skills, past research and theories to examine the role of sports as a key social institution that influences and is influenced by the larger society. Three hours lecture per week.

SPMT 203 LEADERSHIP FOR SPORT PROFESSIONALS

Fall, 3 credit hours

This course will first introduce students to theories, approaches, and styles of leadership, as well as, the role that ethics and ethical decision making play in shaping leader behavior. Students will analyze leadership practices within different sport settings. Case studies of sport leaders from multiple sport levels and structures will be used to examine best practices in sport leadership. Critical issues in sport leadership such as gender and ethnicity will be examined as well. Students will also begin to explore their own leadership thoughts and tendencies and emphasis will be placed on the promotion of personal leadership development with a focus towards successful sport leadership. Three hours lecture per week.

Prerequisites: Foundations of Sport Management (SPMT 101) or permission of instructor

SPMT 304 LEGAL ISSUES IN SPORT

Fall/Spring, 3 credit hours

This course is designed to introduce students to legal applications within the sport industry. Through the use of case studies, an in-depth look at amateur and professional sports legal issues, such as; due process, anti-trust, free speech, duty of care, care owed to athletes and spectators, injuries, assumption of risk, contributory negligence, Title IX, contracts, tort law, and the growing instance of violent acts or as a result of sporting events. Three hours lecture per week.

Prerequisite: Business Law I (BSAD 201) or permission of instructor

SPMT 305 SPORTS FINANCE

Fall/Spring, 3 credit hours

This course deals with the importance of finance and accounting theory within the sport industry. Students will explore elements that influence the financial world then apply such elements to the specific sport business world. From case studies, this course will examine business structure, sources of capital and financial management in the unique business environment of professional and college sports. Three hours lecture per week.

Prerequisite: Introduction to Business (BSAD 100) and Introduction to Finance (FSMA 210) or permission of instructor

SPMT 306 SPORTS OPERATIONS AND FACILITIES MANAGEMENT

Fall/Spring, 3 credit hours

This course familiarizes students with the scope and functions of operating and maintaining sport and recreation facilities. The course will provide the framework for students to learn the management, organizational tasks, and laws and guidelines required for successful and safe operation of stadiums, golf courses, aquatic centers, ski areas, playing fields, ice arenas and other sport and recreation venues. Three hours lecture per week.

Prerequisite: Human Resource Management (BSAD 310), Leadership for Sport Professionals (SPMT 203), Principles of Management (BSAD 301) or permission of instructor

SPMT 307 SPORTS MARKETING

Fall/Spring, 3 credit hours

This course examines the various techniques and strategies used in meeting the wants and needs of consumers in the sports industry. The course also makes a comparison between sports marketing and traditional marketing. Students will learn about the importance of market research and segmentation in identifying the right sports consumer. Students will also learn about how data-based marketing can be used to connect them with the sports consumer and the development of sponsorship and endorsement packages. Three hours lecture per week.

Prerequisites: Foundations of Financial Accounting (ACCT 101) and Expository Writing (ENGL 101), or junior level status, or permission of instructor.

SPMT 308 SPORT EVENT MANAGEMENT

Fall/Spring, 3 credit hours

This course will focus on the fundamentals of sports events management at multiple levels – recreational, college, and professional. Components will include program planning, organization, budgeting, marketing, risk management, staffing, conducting the event, program evaluation, and other factors associated with successful management of sport events. Students will be responsible for the management of at least one college sport event on campus. Three hours lecture per week. This course is designed to run con-current with Sports Marketing (SPMT 307).

Prerequisites: Sports Operations and Facilities Management (SPMT 306) or permission of instructor

SPMT 309 SPORTS GOVERNANCE

Fall/Spring, 3 credit hours

This course is an examination of governance structures within professional and amateur sport organizations. Students will explore policy elements and issues within scholastic, amateur, campus recreation, intercollegiate athletics, professional sport (North American and International), and Olympic sport. This course will examine the mission, structure and function of sport governing bodies such as the NCAA and NAIA in Intercollegiate Athletics, Players Associations in Professional Sports, and the IOC, NOC’s and OGOC’s in Olympic sport. Three hours lecture per week.

Prerequisites: Introduction of Business (BSAD 100) and Foundations of Sports Management (SPMT 101) or permission of instructor

SPMT 410 ORIENTATION TO CULMINATING EXPERIENCE IN SPORTS MANAGEMENT

Fall/Spring, 1 credit hour

This course prepares the student for their internship or senior project in sport management. Through participation in this course, creating a mock internship and fulfilling the paperwork process will provide the student with the practical experience necessary to successfully apply for and complete their capstone internship. Alternatively, if the student chooses the senior project route, the course will provide them with the collaboration with their advisor and classmates that will create the foundation for, and plan of, what is to be accomplished in satisfaction of the requirements for completion of the senior project. One hour lecture per week.

Prerequisites: Senior level status in SPMT and completion of required Sport Management courses through semester six, or permission of instructor

SPMT 411 SPORTS PUBLIC RELATIONS

Fall/Spring, 3 credit hours

This course focuses on the application of media relations, communications, sport marketing, and demographical concepts in a sport organization. Students will develop a sport public relations campaign that will utilize various broadcast, electronic, and print media. Students will learn how to generate and run focus groups, as well as generate media packets, press releases, and presentation of their public relations campaign. Three hours lecture per week.

Prerequisites: Sports Operations and Facility Management (SPMT 306), Sports Marketing (SPMT 307), Sports Event Management (SPMT 308), or permission of instructor

SPMT 412 SPORTS SALES AND SPONSORSHIPS

Fall/Spring, 3 credit hours

In this course students will learn techniques and strategies for enhancing and expanding sport sales and sponsorships. Students will examine the sports sales process and compare the strengths and disadvantages of various selling strategies and methods. Sponsorship opportunities will be reviewed and students will learn key elements of sport sponsorship sales, implementation and evaluation. Three hours lecture per week.

Prerequisites: Sports Marketing (SPMT 307) or permission of instructor

SPMT 413 CONTINUING ISSUES IN COLLEGE SPORTS ADMINISTRATION

Fall, 3 credit hours

Using a seminar format, this course will study the enterprise of college athletics in the United States. Primary focus, discussion and research will center on current contemporary issues in college athletics including but not limited to gender equity & Title IX, graduation rates, recruitment ethics, hazing, drug testing, pay for play, diversity in coaching, financial issues, student-athlete behavior, and academic reform and how these issues impact the function, management and leadership of intercollegiate athletic programs. Three hours lecture per week.

Prerequisites/Corequisites: Senior level status in SPMT or permission of instructor

SPMT 414 LABOR RELATIONS IN SPORT

Fall/Spring, 3 credit hours

This course is an examination of labor markets in sport and the infrastructural interests of management (league and teams) and players (players associations, players, agents/attorneys). Students will review collective bargaining agreements and evaluate the impact of salary caps, free agency and athlete compensation frameworks. This course will examine athlete salaries and agent representation and the unique labor markets of Major League Baseball and the National Football League. Three hours lecture per week.

Prerequisites/Corequisites: Legal Issues in Sport (SPMT 304), Human Resource Management (BSAD 310), or permission of instructor

SPMT 421 SPORTS MANAGEMENT INTERNSHIP

Fall/Spring, 9-15 credit hours

The internship for sport management students provides a structured opportunity to apply theories, concepts, and skills learned in the classroom in a sport management/industry setting. The internship is individualized based on the career interests of the student and the specific needs of the organization. Internship proposals are presented and approved prior to registration for the course.

Prerequisites/Corequisites: Orientation to Culminating Experience in Sports Management (SPMT 410); completion of all other professional content courses required for degree.

SPMT 422 SPORTS MANAGEMENT SENIOR PROJECT

Fall/Spring, 3-15 credit hours

This course is an alternative to SPMT 421 for students unable to complete a 15-credit internship. Students complete a senior research project specifically addressing a critical issue in a sport management setting or germane to a sports profession. Under the guidance of a faculty mentor, the student submits a research proposal, conducts research, prepares a thesis style report, and presents a defense to a thesis committee. Length and depth of the project dependent upon credit value.

Prerequisites/Corequisites: Orientation to Culminating Experience in Sports Management (SPMT 410); completion of all other professional content courses required for degree.