Departmental Honors Track
Sport Management students who meet the University's academic criteria (a GPA of 3.2) have the option of entering the Honors Program to pursue an enriched course of study. Honors courses in Sport Management allow students an opportunity to intensively explore issues, projects, and research in the profession. These courses enable students an opportunity to learn in small seminars with a faculty mentor.
During the junior or senior year honors students must embark on a “culminating experience” The sport management Department offers students two options. Students may either choose to do a thesis (499Y/499T) or an Honors Internship Culminating Experience (499k). Other Culminating Experience options are available through the school (ISOM) or the university.
Sport Management research/thesis option
The Department Honors track in Sport Management can culminate with the completion of a thesis, usually undertaken during the senior year. If students choose the thesis option, then they must undertake a research project upon which the thesis or project is based. This option is a two-semester sequence which counts as two of the required 6 honors courses (6 credits total). A successful thesis will be archived in the Library.
SPORTMGT 499Y - Honors Research
Interested students are advised to develop a research proposal which they submit for approval to three faculty who have the expertise to provide guidance. Faculty will form the student's research committee. Only the chair of the committee needs to be in the Sport Management Department. The Honors Research Form (available at the Honors Office) must be signed by the three sponsors. The committee usually helps the student decide whether to pursue the thesis or project option. A student's research may be part of a faculty member's ongoing research.
SPORTMGT 499T - Honors Thesis
Students present the results of their research in a written thesis. A common minimum is 40 pages, but some theses are 100 pages. Three components must be submitted to the Honors Office after approval by the research committee: manuscript, signed title page, and an abstract of 150 to 350 words. An oral defense completes the thesis.
Sport Management internship option
The Sport Management Honors Internship is a unique opportunity within Commonwealth College. It enables Sport Management majors to get practical experience and to intensively explore an issue or sport organization.
To be eligibly to sign up for 499K, students must first meet with the Honors Coordinator (Crosset) for orientation. Next the student must secure an approved internship with assistance of the internship director (Goff). Then the student must create an honors internship committee with assistance from the Departmental Honors Coordinator (Crosset)
SPORTMGT 499K – Internship (Take concurrently with 498K)
Honors students choosing the Sport Management 499K option must follow the guidelines outlined in the Sport Management Undergraduate Internship Handbook (see Internship Director, Goff) with the following additions or changes
1) The semester prior to leaving campus for an internship, honors students must secure a faculty sponsor (full-time sport management faculty member only) and at least one other committee member.
2) Prior to leaving for the internship, honors students will write a 5-10 page preliminary research report about the firms where they intend to intern and submit the reports to their faculty sponsors.
The content of the report will depend on the learning objectives and long-term goals of the student (see internship handbook), the type of firm/department, and the responsibilities of the intern position. The report should include a historical analysis of the firm and/or industry segment and a description of the strategic challenges facing the firm/industry segment.
3) While on the internship, honors students will contact their faculty sponsors bi-weekly via email. Since a weekly log is required (see internship handbook), these student/faculty email exchanges may use the log as a point of departure. Students are required to respond to faculty comments and advice. A copy of this email communication must be submitted along with the weekly log.
4) Per instructions in the Internship Handbook, upon completion of the internship, honors students will submit internship reports that meet both the departmental guidelines and the archiving standards of Commonwealth College (see www.comcol.umass.edu "For Current Students" / "Culminating Experience"). Successful honors reports will pay particular attention to Section IV: "Application of Theory", and "Recommendations" of the Sport Management Internship Guidelines.
5) The student will defend their reports to committees made up of their faculty sponsors, the Department Honors Coordinator, and the Internship Director.
6) The student will submit executive summaries of the recommendations section of their reports to their on-site supervisors.
7) Honors students' internship reports and defenses will be graded.
Honors Courses
EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING:
Within the Sport Management Honors Track, a number of opportunities for experiential learning are offered. These learning opportunities provide the student with practical experience in sport, through which to apply the vast theoretical basis of understanding gained in the classroom. See the course descriptions for the following experiential learning classes on the Courses Page:
SPORTMGT 397H - Community Relations in the Sport Industry
SPORTMGT 491H - Sport Event Sponsorship
SPORTMGT 492H - Sport Event Management
SPORTMGT 495H - Advanced Sport Marketing: Sales Strategy
SEMINARS:
The Sport Management department offers a number of honors seminars. Seminars are limited to 25 students. Examples include
SPORTMGT 494H - Ethics in the Management of Sport Organizations
SPORTMGT 497H - Advanced Issues in Sport Sociology
COLLOQUIA/INDEPENDENT STUDIES:
Non-honors courses can count as for honors credit if (faculty willing) two or more students in the class meet for an additional hour a week with the faculty member. In addition, with the assistance of a ComCol advisor and a full time faculty member students may create a 1-3 credit independent study course.
If you are interested in the honors track and have qusetions, contact Prof. Todd Crosset at tcrosset@sportmgt.umass.edu.