Description of Profession  (back to top)
            Sport Management is composed of two basic elements- sport and management.  Getting things done with and through other people by planning, organizing, leading, and evaluating is the definition of management.  Sport management includes the functions of planning, organizing, leading and evaluating within the context of an organization with the primary objective of providing sport or fitness related activities, products or services.

Preparation at William and Mary:  (back to top)
            Most sport/fitness management curriculum are organized into three components.  These components are general education courses, major courses, and field experiences and they represent the critical elements in all sport management professional preparation programs.
                General Education Courses:  You will be required to take a significant number of general education courses as you work toward your undergraduate degree.  At William and Mary you have to fulfill the seven different General Education Requirements.  Some of these can be fulfilled within the Kinesiology and business department.  You want to take as many classes as possible having to do with your major so it is conveiniant to fulfill a GER while you are also taking a class having to do with your major.
                Major Courses:  The sport management major provides career information and opportunities for skill development that will prepare you for a career in sports or fitness management.  A major in Kinesiology at William and Mary requires 34 hours and has many required courses.  These courses consist of:  Biomechanics, Motor Learning, Statistics and Evaluation, Exercise Physiology, Philosophy in Kinesiology, Human Anatomy, Human Physiology, one concentration writing course, plus four activity classes.  The remaining 34 hours must be taken from any core courses offered in Kinesiology.  To be a Sports Manager not only is it helpful to have a major in Kinesiology but also to have a minor in Management.  A minor in Management at William and Mary requires 19 to 20 hours and also has many required courses.  The management courses required are:  Accounting or Introduction to Information Technology, plus Personal Management, Organizational Behavior and Management, Legal Environment of Business.  In addition to these courses you have to take three electives that may be chosen from the following list:  Organizational Structure and Design, Management Control Systems, Communication Law and Business Organization, Business and Society, Leadership, Psychology of Decision Making, and Psychology of Entrepreneur ship.
                Field Experiences:  Preparation for a Sports Management career can consist of many things.  Two major components are part-time work experiences and full-time work experiences or internships.  In these experiences you go into the work place and "practice" the types of jobs you might want to pursue after graduation.  Field experience benefits students in many ways.  They can explore career options, observe professionals at work, develop a better understanding of how selected businesses and agencies operate and gain valuable supervised work experience.
 
               Internship Listings 

Professional Preparation (Post W & M):  (back to top)
            After receiving the baccalaureate degree, some people may choose to pursue the master's degree in Sports Management.  Many sport related careers require the master's degree as a prerequisite to obtaining employment.  Reasons why a master's degree is often a prerequisite is because the science base in fitness is complex and requires additional study and many positions in intramural or recreational sport directing and sport organization management exist in a school or university setting where a master's degree is imperative.

                 Graduate schools for Sports Marketing

Professional Prospects:  (back to top)
            There are many professional prospects available in Sports Management.  There are three general areas that Sports Management careers are available in. These areas are Organization, Information, and Exercise and Sport Science Management.
                1.  Organization Management:  Some skills needed in this field are leadership and management skills, also planning, organizing, leading and evaluation within a sports enterprise.  Some careers in this area are found in sports clubs, municipal recreation programs, or sport associations for disable, also intercollegiate athletics, professional sport, and in the business aspect of any sport or fitness related enterprise.
                2.  Information Management:  Some skills needed in this field are writing and communication skills, also practitioners need to be able to acquire, organize, analyze, synthesize, store, and retrieve information regarding sport and fitness. Some careers in this area are sports marketing director, sports information director, or sports journalist.
                3.  Exercise and Sport Science:  In this area an extensive base of scientific knowledge is needed.  Careers in this area are exercise leadership, cardiac rehabilitation, sport conditioning, athletic training, aquatics settings, campus recreation programs and the physical fitness industry.

Recommended Sites:   (back to top)

 
 Graduate School Directories-sports administration, sports...
 Human Kinetics
 North American Society for Sport Management
 Management and Administration in Sport Gateway
 Health Fitness Management
 Contemporary Sport Management