Course Descriptions

Courses are 3 credits, unless otherwise specified. Curriculum is subject to change at any time, and not all courses will be offered every semester.

• SPORTMGT 200 - Sociology of Sport and Physical Activity An examination of the social relations within the institution of sport and its role in the reproduction and transformation of society. Topics include socialization, stratification, gender relations, race and ethnicity and social change.
  
  
• SPORTMGT 202 - History of Sport and Physical Activity A survey of the history of modern sport and other forms of organized physical activity. Emphasis is placed on the struggles of women, people of color, and athletes to gain access and control of organized sport in the United States.
  
  
• SPORTMGT 210 - Introduction to Sport Management An overview of the business of sport, including career opportunities. A study of the value of professional management to sport organizations.
• SPORTMGT 321 - Sport Marketing A study of basic marketing concepts with applications to sport organizations, both amateur and professional. Topics include promotions and public relations, sport consumer behavior, strategic market planning, marketing information management, marketing communications, and sponsorship. Prerequisite: MKTG 300 or MKTG 301.
• SPORTMGT 323 - College Athletics An introduction to the management of college athletics, including a review of the organizational structure in regards to the intercollegiate athletic department, conferences, and the NCAA. Analysis of the prevailing issues in college athletics including financial trends, academic recruiting legislation, conference realignment, reform, and Title IX/gender equity.
  
  
• SPORTMGT 335 - Introduction to Sports Law A presentation of the basic legal system, its terminology, and principles as applied to professional and amateur sports. Emphasis is on identifying and analyzing legal issues, the ramifications of those issues, and the means of limiting the liability of sport organizations.
  
• SPORTMGT 375 - Public Assembly Facility Management An investigation of the functions of management in terms of operating and financing public assembly facilities. Included are public and private arenas, coliseums, and stadiums.
• SPORTMGT 377 - Professional Sports Industry An examination of professional team sports as well as individual based sports such as professional golf, tennis, autoracing, and boxing including topics such as ownership, league operations, governance, the role and impact of television, labor/management relationships, licensing and sponsorship, and the perceived role of professional sport in American society. Course content will be disseminated through a combination of lectures, guest speakers, videos, readings field trips, and student presentations.
• SPORTMGT 391B - Seminar: Sport Broadcasting An introduction to the relationship between sports and broadcasting in the American culture. A survey of historic, economic, legal and technical aspects of broadcasting, including an investigation of audience research, selection of events, networks, and rights fees.
• SPORTMGT 391C - Sport Agencies Exposure to the development and evolution of the sports agency industry, with a particular focus on the legal and ethical issues raised in that segment of the professional sports industry. The key areas of emphasis include contracts, antitrust law, labor relations, and agent-athlete relations. While the majority of the course materials focus on North American professional team sports, a global view of professional sport and the law will be encouraged.
  
• SPORTMGT 396 - Independent Study Projects, papers, or research. Must be approved and sponsored by a faculty member and approved by the Chair of the Curriculum Committee.
• SPORTMGT397H - Community Relations in the Sport Industry A seminar course combining readings from sociology, urban studies, social change and sport marketing to explore the state of community relations within the sport industry. The goal of the course is to introduce the theoretical foundation, and provide the technical knowledge, to students who want to work in community relations in sport. This course also offers a 1.0 credit Community Service Learning option during the semester.
• SPORTMGT 424 - Sport Finance and Business Basic theory in finance and accounting applied to managerial control of sport organizations. Included are forms of ownership, taxation, financial analysis, feasibility studies, and economic impact studies.
• SPORTMGT 431 - Amateur Sport and the Law Introduction to the case method of legal study, with an examination of legal issues particular to amateur sport. Identifying and analyzing the legal ramifications of actions of amateur athletic associations and their athletes. Emphasis on the regulation of amateur athletics, constitutional issues, and tort liability. Prerequisite: SPORTMGT 335.
• SPORTMGT 498Y - Internship in Sport Management (minimum 12 credits) On-the-job learning experience in a segment of the sport industry. Minimum of 13 weeks. Pass/Fail only. Internship track and consent of advisor.
• SPORTMGT 480 - Sport Management Policy Critique of existing policies and development of suggested policies for the management of sport organizations. A discussion of ethical issues encountered by today's sport managers. Capstone course for the seniors integrating academic work studied throughout the curriculum.
• SPORTMGT 488 - Professional Sports and the Law An in-depth case-study analysis of the law as it applies to the professional team sports industry. Emphasis on contracts, labor law, antitrust law, collective bargaining, arbitration, and presentation of the professional athlete. Prerequisite: SPORTMGT 335.
  
• SPORTMGT 491H - Seminar: Sport Event Sponsorship (Fall Semester) Overview of all elements of sport event sponsorships, including rationale, benefits, proposal development, and solicitations. Key component is solicitation of sponsorships for spring event. Open to Sport Management Majors with permission of the instructor.
• SPORTMGT 492H - Sport Event Management (6 credits) (Spring Semester) Overview of all elements involved in sport event management. Key component of course is the planning, organizing, marketing and conducting of an event during the semester. Open to Sport Management majors with permission of instructor.
• SPORTMGT 493A - Seminar: International Sport Management Overview of organization and management of international sport, including the Olympic movement. Examination of the globalization of U.S. professional sports.
• SPORTMGT 494H - Seminar: Ethics in Management of Sport Organizations An analysis of moral and ethical issues in organized sport. Emphasis is placed on the conflicts sport managers face as they attempt to operate commercial enterprises without compromising the basic tenants of sport and within the confines of the governmental structure of leagues. Open to Sport Management Majors with permission of instructor.
• SPORTMGT 495H - Seminar: Advance Sport Marketing (Sales Strategy) (Spring Semester) An applied sport promotion class involving the application of promotional theory, event planning and management, public relations, sponsorship proposal writing and solicitation to an existing sporting event in order to enhance its presentation and meet class defined objectives. Open to all Sport Management Majors. Prerequisite: SPORTMGT 321 and permission of instructor.
• SPORTMGT 497A - ST: Advanced Sport Sociology
  Explores the history of violence and discrimination in the world of sport. These particular problems continue to perplex sports administrators and enthusiasts. This course will examine in close detail the problems and possible solutions.
• SPORTMGT 497B - Seminar: Sports and Violence  Sports and Violence utilizes Smith's typology of
  Sports Violence and Syke's categories of Moral Worth to investigate supposed legitimate and instances of violence in and out of sport.  Students will investigate the use of abusive practices by players, coaches and administrators.  We will also study instances of self abuse as well as preventive practices to lessen abuse.
• SPORTMGT 497C - Seminar: Race and Sport   Race and Sport investigates how racial and gender formation degraded, defamed and denied women and people of color the opportunity to participate in sport.  The course will recognize the important milestones overcome and those yet to be broken.  This course puts a premium on students being able to critically analyze the institution of sport.
• SPORTMGT 497H - ST: Advanced Issues in Sport Sociology
  Explores one or two fields or sociological research in detail in combination with experiential learning. Built around recent research and writings and will depend on the instructor's interests and the current state of the field. Recently the course has explored sport in the context of Urban Sociology/Community building with an eye toward developing skills for a career in Community Relations. Students are expected to put in 40 hours of volunteer work in addition to course work. Open to all Sport Management majors.
  
  Additional Courses are available to students in the honors track.
  
• SPORTMGT 391A - Sports Strategic Communication

International Studies

Qualified students have the opportunity to study abroad during their junior year at Deakin University in Victoria, Australia, The University of Brighton's Chelsea School of Physical Education in the United Kingdom, or at Hogeschool van Utrecht in the Netherlands. The international exchange program broadens a student's academic program through an enriching exposure to a different culture. Additionally, the exchange programs enable Sport Management students to explore international sport issues through concrete experience.