Four-Year Plan: Click here to view the Four-Year Plan for this specific program. To find out more about Four-Year Plans, visit the Policies and Procedures page.
Thinking about the discipline: Who sets the price of a Cincinnati Bengals 50-yard-line ticket? Who creates game-night promotions for the Florence Freedom? Who created the marketing strategy for the United States Women’s National Soccer Team? Who decided that M&M’s would sponsor a NASCAR team? What is the answer to all these questions? People working in the business of sport, of course. Whether amateur or professional, global or local, the sports and recreation industry continues to grow rapidly and provide a rich variety of career paths for business students.
The sports business program offers students a unique opportunity to earn a business degree with a difference - a focus on the business of sport. The program prepares students for a variety of career and leadership opportunities in sports business. A small sampling of career paths in the sports industry includes sport marketing and promotions, event management, sports media, sports sponsorship, athlete services, sports commissions, sports attorneys, high school sports administration, sports accounting and finance, college athletic fundraising, ticket sales, sports equipment manufacturing and distribution, sports facilities and operations management, and team, league and college athletic management and marketing. All students are strongly encouraged to discuss their career goals with sports business faculty for guidance in searching for the perfect job.
Special opportunities for our students: All sports business students complete a common sports business knowledge core of 9 courses (27 credit hours) that includes a field internship. This internship experience allows students to gain practical work experience and real-world networking exposure to the sports business environment at the local, regional, national or international level while under the guidance and supervision of a successful sports professional. The remaining 9 hours of course credit serve as a specialization elective where the student is given the freedom to choose 3 classes from the college of business (one or more as an additional SPB course) that fit their area of career interest. There is also an active student organization that provides outstanding professional networking opportunities at regular meetings and activities. Each year, the department faculty select the outstanding sports business student of the year.
Students earning the Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (B.S.B.A.) with a major in sports business are eligible to be considered for membership in Beta Gamma Sigma, the international honor society serving business programs accredited by AACSB International - The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business. Membership in Beta Gamma Sigma is the highest academic recognition a business student anywhere in the world can receive in a business college accredited by AACSB International.
You should also know: All students successfully completing the B.S.B.A. major in sports business automatically earn an interdisciplinary Minor in Business as part of their required course of study for the major degree. The Minor in Business satisfies the university’s minor/focus/second major requirement for graduation.
A grade of C or better in all program courses in the sports business major is required to earn the Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (B.S.B.A.) with a major in sports business.
Special admission requirements: The Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (B.S.B.A.) with a major in sports business is a selective admission program. Students enter the program as a Pre-Sports Business major. Upon successful completion of the selective admission course group (listed below) with a minimum grade of C- in each course and a minimum GPA of 2.50 across the group, students are officially admitted to the College and their major designation becomes BSBA-Sports Business. Some courses in the selective admission group may be used to satisfy university Foundation of Knowledge general education requirements.
♦ Indicates prerequisite.
These prerequisites are not included in the program totals in the table below, but they must be completed IN ADDITION TO other program requirements.
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