Sport Management, B.S.

The Sport Management major offers career-minded students the opportunity to gain a broad-based understanding of the major areas of the sport industry.  Graduates in Sport Management move on to challenging and exciting careers in major and minor league professional sports, high school and college athletics, nonprofit organizations, sport marketing agencies, or sport and recreation facilities.

The Sport Management major is designed to prepare students to blend general management skills with the specific demands of managing sport organizations.  Sport Management majors acquire a strong foundation in management, accounting, marketing, economics, communications, ethics, and legal aspects of business.  Specific courses provide students with an understanding of the role of sport as an industry, the role of management, and the opportunities to apply their knowledge in sport-related organizations.  Students supplement classroom teaching with a variety of experiential activities, such as field trips, working in sport management settings through completion of at least 6 credits of internship field placement and the Senior Seminar Capstone class.  Students in Sport Management gain both the knowledge and practical experiences which are necessary for their future success in a variety of sport-related careers.

The School of Business also offers a five-year 4 plus 1 degree option for those students who plan to pursue a Master of Science degree in Sport Business immediately following their receipt of the Bachelor’s degree from a variety of undergraduate programs at Neumann University.  Additional information about this option can be found in this section of the catalog or by calling the Program Director for Sport Management/Sport Business at 610-361-5291.

Mission

The undergraduate Sport Management Program at Neumann University, while embracing the missions of the University and the School of Business, specifically addresses the need to educate and prepare individuals for the diverse and ever-growing global sport industry as well as future graduate study.  While instilling the theories and skills that are necessary to succeed in this industry, the Program is mindful of the need to include social awareness and ethical values in discussions and decision-making practices.  The Sport Management Program is committed to producing quality managers, administrators, executives, and citizens.

Program Outcomes

In addition to meeting the School of Business program outcomes, upon successful completion of the Sport Management major, students will:

• Describe the key concepts, trends and industry organizations as a foundational knowledge base within the field of sport management.
• Demonstrate effective communication skills through oral and written techniques.
• Recognize and apply an understanding of diverse perspectives in conjunction with Neumann RISES values in the area of sport management.
• Demonstrate the practices of decision-making and teamwork in order to thrive in the competitive, diverse sport management marketplace.
• Analyze situations and issues faced by sport industry professionals using critical thinking and problem solving skills.

Admission Criteria

Candidates for admission to the Sport Management major leading to the Bachelor of Science degree are required to:

• Have a minimum 2.25 cumulative GPA.
• Complete at least 30 credits (and up to 75 credits), including the general business, major, and NU core requirements specific to the Sport Management major that are listed in the first year of the Recommended Four-Year Plan detailed below. Transfer students from another regionally accredited college or university, or from another division from within Neumann University, must have their application to the major reviewed by the Dean of Business after their first semester of taking School of Business courses at Neumann.

Progression Criteria/Degree Requirements

Progression in the Sport Management major leading to the Bachelor of Science degree requires students to:

• Maintain a minimum 2.00 cumulative GPA.
• Achieve a grade of “C” or higher for all general business, major, and NU core requirements specific to the Sport Management major.
• Complete a minimum of 122 credits.

School Repeat Policy

• General business, and NU core requirements specific to Sport Management may only be repeated once. Students must have written approval from the Dean of the Business School to repeat a non-Sport Management course in the School of Business.
• Students that receive below a “C” in any Sport Management course must have written approval from the Program Director to repeat the course.
• In total, only TWO different general business, major, or NU core requirements specific to Sport Management may be repeated.
• Failure to earn a grade of “C” or better for general business, major, or NU core requirements specific to Sport Management may result in dismissal from the School of Business or the Sport Management major.