• 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.

For more information about this program, visit the program webpage; contact graduate program coordinator Dr. Kevin Byon at kbyon@indiana.edu; or reach out to the director of the sport management undergraduate and graduate programs, Dr. Antonio S. Williams at aw22@indiana.edu.

Degree Requirements

The Master of Science in Kinesiology degree must include a minimum of 36 credits from within the Athletic Administration/Sport Management program. 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 must complete the Public Health Foundations online course no later than the end of their first semester of graduate study. 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 two courses (6 cr.):

• SPH-M 520 Research Methods in Sport Management (3 cr.)
• SPH-M 688 Sport Strategy and Application (3 cr.) 

Sport Management Emphasis Courses (30 cr.)
Complete 10 of the 11 courses listed below for a total of 30 credits.

• SPH-C 580 Sport Communications (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).