• Description of Program
• Degree Requirements
• Special Opportunities
• Careers

Description of Program

Athletic administration and sport management involves applying marketing and communication concepts as well as the management principles of planning, organizing, leading, and directing to the unique industry of commercial sport. Emphasis is placed on the production, facilitation, promotion, and organization of sport products and services. Because the $510 billion sport industry demands sport communicators, marketers, administrators, and managers with a specialized combination of functional business and sport management skills, the athletic administration and sport management program at IU is intended to serve students who have a desire to be involved in any aspect of the commercial sport-related enterprise.

Click on this link to learn more about the M.S. in Athletic Administration/Sport Management at Indiana University. For more information about this program, please visit the program Webpage or contact the sport management Master's degree coordinator, Dr. Kevin Byon at kbyon [at] indiana [dot] edu, or the director of the sport management undergraduate and graduate programs, Dr. Paul M. Pedersen at ppederse [at] indiana [dot] edu.

Degree Requirements

A minimum of 36 credit hours is required for this program. The Master of Science in Kinesiology degree must include a minimum of 20 credits from the Department of Kinesiology. A minimum 3.0 cumulative grade point average (GPA) is required for graduation. A minimum grade of C is required in each course. All electives for completing the degree must be approved by the advisor. The requirements for this degree are as follows.

Public Health Foundations Requirement (0 credits)
All new Master's degree students should complete the Public Health Foundations online course prior to registering for their first semester courses. Complete details and registration information for this course can be found at the following Website: https://iu.instructure.com/enroll/MNG3L6.

Athletic Administration/Sport Management Foundation Courses (6 cr.)
Complete the following three courses (9 cr.):

• SPH-M 520 Research Methods in Sport Management (3 cr.)
• SPH-M 688 Sport Strategy and Application (3 cr.) --or-- SPH-K 550 Special Topics in Kinesiology: Topic: Sport Strategy and Application (Culminating Experience) (3 cr.)

Sport Management Emphasis Courses (30 cr.)
Complete 10 of the 12 courses listed below for a total of 30 credits.

• SPH-C 580 Sport Communications (3 cr.)
• SPH-K 550 Special Topics in Kinesiology: Topic: Sport Brand Management (3 cr.)
• SPH-M 511 Legal Issues in the Sport Environment (3 cr.)
• SPH-M 512 Issues in Commercial Sports (3 cr.)
• SPH-M 513 Sport in Higher Education (3 cr.)
• SPH-M 514 Sport Marketing and Sponsorship (3 cr.)
• SPH-M 515 Principles of Management in the Sport Industry (3 cr.)
• SPH-M 518 Governance in Sport Management (3 cr.)
• SPH-M 522 The Role of Sport in Society (3 cr.)
• SPH-M 581 Sales and Service Management in Sport (3 cr.)
• SPH-M 611 NCAA Compliance (3 cr.)
• SPH-M 615 Financial Analysis in Sport (3 cr.)

Electives:
Electives must be chosen in consultation with the student's major advisor. Students have access to graduate courses within the School of Public Health-Bloomington and outside the School.

Special Opportunities

Faculty members share industry expertise and research opportunities with the students. In order to gain professional or research experience, many students complete SPH-K 605: Internships in Sports Management or SPH-K 693: Independent Study and Research (maximum of 3 credits), respectively. SPH-K 605, however, does not count toward the 36 credits required for graduation.

Careers

Majors in athletic administration and sport management are prepared to enter the many areas of the multifaceted sport industry. These areas include careers in sport media and sports information (e.g., media relations, public relations, new media management, advertising sales), professional sport management (e.g., promotions, concessions, ticketing, operations, human resource management), event and facility management and marketing, collegiate and interscholastic athletic administration (e.g., compliance, fundraising, academic counseling, facilities), and marketing and sales (e.g., sponsorship, sport marketing agencies, promotions, entrepreneurship, brand management, retailing).