Courses | Faculty
Contact: Elizabeth Kazinskas
Academic Adviser, Isenberg School of
Management
Office: 206 SOM
Phone: (413) 545-5610
Website: www.isenberg.umass.edu/sportmgt/
The Field
Throughout virtually all of its long history, sport management functioned without formal support from higher education. This situation began to change in the early 1970s when the first degree programs in sport management were established. Today, over 200 North American colleges and universities are engaged in the preparation of management personnel for sport organizations.

The course of study consists of three major segments. The first is composed of a group of courses devoted to the theoretical perspectives of sociology, and history of sport. The second is devoted to the foundations of business and management. The third aspect of study is devoted to courses on the application of management theory to the specifics of the sports industry, and to the various aspects of sport management. These areas include but are not limited to sport marketing and public relations, sport law, sport economics and financial and business operations for sport organizations, the management of events, the management of facilities, broadcasting, sales, and collegiate athletics.

Majors also have the option of gaining on-the-job experience with a sport organization through an internship. Internships are arranged with a variety of organizations, including professional sport teams and leagues, collegiate athletic departments, collegiate conferences and associations, public and private facilities, sport event agencies, sport marketing and consulting firms, and various amateur sport organizations. The internship is arranged for course credits.

In structure and content the curriculum is fashioned to provide graduates with lifelong career advantages in the sport industry.
The Major
Students majoring in Sport Management are assigned to the General Curriculum Track for advising purposes. The election of a curriculum with an internship is possible once the following requirements have been satisfied:
1. Seventy-two or more University graduation credits.
2. Twelve or more Department credits (inclusive of SPORTMGT 210).
3. A 3.0 grade point average in Department courses.
4. Three or more of ECON 103, MATH 121, ACCOUNTNG 221, and CMPSCI 105.
5. Completed and signed “Selection of an Internship Track” form.
Restrictions
Courses used to satisfy major requirements may not be graded on a Pass/Fail basis. Students may not use Independent Study courses in place of required SPORTMGT electives.

Admission to the Sport Management Major
Enrollment in the Sport Management major is restricted. Students will be admitted to the major on a competitive basis. Those interested in being accepted directly into the major upon freshman or transfer admission should apply through the Admissions Office, which will evaluate applications. Students who are currently matriculated at the Amherst campus and are considering changing their major to Sport Management should contact the Isenberg School of Management Undergraduate Advising Office directly, tel. (413) 545-5610, for information on predictor courses required and the application process.
Education Abroad
Students have the opportunity to study abroad during their junior year at sport management programs abroad. The international exchange program broadens a student’s academic program through an enriching exposure to a different culture. Additionally, the exchange program enables Sport Management students to explore international sport issues through concrete experience.

Students in Sport Management can spend a semester abroad studying at Deakin University in Burwood, Victoria, Australia; the University of Stirling, Scotland; and the University of Brighton at Chelsea in England. Students who participate in the exchange program are often interested in pursuing career opportunities in international sport management.
Career Opportunities
Graduates of the program are employed by professional sports teams, intercollegiate and intramural athletic departments, national sport federations, management/marketing firms, sporting goods operations, and spectator sport facilities.

Universities and Colleges offering Sports Management