Get on-the-job experience, including two 50-hour practicums with our own Department of Athletics, working alongside those who manage our Division I sports programs in the Atlantic 10 Conference.
The Sports Management major prepares leaders to work in the business side of sports, where you will use the same management, financial, operational and marketing skills as any other business industry.
It's an exciting, in-demand industry, one the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts will see expansion through the end of the decade.
A business degree at its core, our Sports Management majors choose an area of concentration from one of four business disciplines:
- Accounting
- Finance
- Human Resource Management
- Marketing
Our program offers a balance between business theory and sports management, preparing you for a variety of career opportunities, such as:
- management and executive positions with professional sport franchises or collegiate athletics
- sports facility and event management
- sports marketing, sales, promotion and advertising
- student-athlete affairs
- sports information, fundraising and development
- hospitality management
- nonprofit sports organizations
You will be equipped with knowledge and understanding of fundamental principles required for success in the profession, including:
- practical knowledge and skill competencies for facility and event management
- an introduction to game and event administration
- successful sales and promotion behaviors for meeting organizational goals
- sport organization management
- effective leadership
- strategic planning and creative problem solving
What's more, the university's Franciscan values and mission are incorporated into our curriculum. You will be equipped to analyze moral and ethical issues related to sport, and to develop a personal philosophy regarding social responsibility and moral commitment in a sports management setting.
All Sports Management majors will complete a three-credit, 150-hour internship, and two one-credit, 50-hour practicums, which are essentially mini-internships.
The internship is served with an organization that will provide the student with practical sports industry experience directly related to the business world of sports. Students will seek internships on their own, with guidance from the School of Business internship coordinator. Learn more about School of Business internships.
The two practicums are served with the university's Department of Athletics, assisting with the planning, organization and conducting of activities in St. Bonaventure's highly respected Division I athletic programs. These are invaluable experiences that provide direct exposure to the business world of sports.