Master of Arts
Sport Management Degree
Online
Online
Build strong leadership skills for an exciting career in the sport industry.
Sport Management Degree
Understanding a Master's in Sport Management
A Master's in Sport Management is a graduate degree that enhances careers within the vibrant sport and recreation sector. Gain essential knowledge and skills for managing key areas like marketing, finance, and strategic planning in the sport industry.
Turn your passion for sports into a powerful career move with a Master's in Sport Management.
Whether you're a recent grad ready to fast-track your career or a working professional looking to level up, a Master's in Sport Management can give you the edge to lead in the fast-paced sport and recreation industry.
This graduate degree blends real-world industry trends and technology applications with business strategy—covering marketing, finance, and data-driven decision-making, so you're ready to take on leadership roles across athletic programs, sport organizations, and recreation facilities. The sport industry is growing and evolving fast. Step into the game with confidence—and position yourself where the action is.
Career paths and prospects
By combining theoretical concepts with practical applications, graduates are prepared for leadership positions across sport organizations, athletic programs, and recreational facilities. With the rapidly growing and changing sport industry, this advanced degree is increasingly valuable for aspiring leaders and managers.
Your potential employers range from nonprofit and professional sport organizations, retail and manufacturing organizations, and more:
- Community and youth sport organizations
- Sport media
- Sport marketing and management agencies
- Collegiate athletic departments
- Professional sport organizations
- Nonprofit sport organizations
Make your move.
The demand for skilled professionals in sport management has surged due to the industry's rapid growth. Factors like digital marketing, data analytics, and globalization have reshaped how sports are marketed and managed, underlining the relevance of this master's program to those seeking impactful careers.
You'll gain practical experiences with internships, allowing you to apply theoretical knowledge in real-world contexts, which will deepen your understanding of the sport industry and help you build a valuable professional network.
The sport management master's curriculum emphasizes strategic planning and critical thinking, preparing you to address the sport sector's real-world challenges, in these core areas:
- Sales, Branding & Marketing: Covers sales strategies, consumer engagement, brand development, and digital marketing to enhance organizational visibility and revenue.
- Global Perspective & Community Engagement: Integrates global sport dynamics with strategies for building strong community relationships and outreach initiatives.
- Leadership Development & Crisis Management: Emphasizes advanced leadership practices, decision-making, conflict resolution and preparation to lead through crises.
- Legal & Risk Management: Covers key legal areas such as liability, contracts, intellectual property, and labor law to support informed sport management leadership.
- Data-Driven Decision Making & Innovation: Focuses on collecting, analyzing, and visualizing sport data and trends to inform strategic and operational decisions.
- Strategic Planning & Internship Experience: Theoretical strategy and stakeholder engagement are enhanced with a required internship to apply practical skills in a real-world setting.
Take the next step to pursuing your master's in sport management. We're ready to help you get there.
Courses
What You’ll Learn
Bellevue University’s Master of Arts in Sport Management degree online will prepare you to:
- Evaluate complex data related to the enhancement of sport organization.
- Appraise legal principles and crisis management strategies within the sport industry.
- Design innovative branding and selling strategies for market presence and engagement within sport contexts.
- Synthesize current trends and global dynamics in sport.
Sport Management Degree Courses
Current students please login to BRUIN and select “Academic Progress” for your curriculum requirements.
Requirements (36 credit hours)
(Click a course name below to view course details).
This course explores sales strategies and sales team management techniques specific to the sport industry. Emphasis is placed on driving organizational goals through data analysis and enhancing team performance in a competitive market. Students will refine their sales skills through role-playing exercises that simulate real-world scenarios. Cross-listed with SM 420
This course explores challenges and emerging trends shaping the sport industry, including technological advancements, changing consumer behaviors, and evolving regulatory landscapes through a management perspective. Through critical analysis and strategic leadership, students will create plans for navigating growth and innovation within sport organizations. Cross-listed with SM 430
This course examines the interconnectedness of sport across cultures, economies, and political landscapes worldwide through current events. Students will have the opportunity to apply this knowledge by offering solutions and strategies associated with global events. Cross-listed with SM 450
This course examines strategies and practices for cultivating meaningful connections between sport organizations and their local, regional, or global communities. Students will develop practical plans for outreach initiatives utilizing marketing and communication concepts to strengthen community relations. Developing these plans will enhance students' ability to design initiatives that effectively drive engagement and foster impactful community relationships.
This course explores the legal landscape surrounding the sport industry, focusing on concepts such as liability, contract law, intellectual property law, and labor law from a management perspective. By integrating legal knowledge with strategic decision-making, students can refine their risk management skills, navigate legal challenges, and lead in an informed and proactive way.
This course focuses on the skills and knowledge needed for effective crisis management in the sport industry. With an emphasis on anticipation, preparation, response, and recovery, students will examine real-world case studies to understand how organizations navigate challenging crises. Additionally, students will develop a comprehensive crisis management plan tailored to the unique demands of a particular sport organization.
This course explores advanced leadership techniques tailored for the sport industry, focusing on implementing innovative leadership strategies that drive performance and enhance organizational culture. Through the analysis of real-world case studies, students will have the opportunity to enhance their leadership skills associated with decision-making, change management, communication, and conflict resolution. Further development of professional networks and mentoring relationships within the sport sector will also be included.
This course examines the building, managing, and leveraging of brands within the sport industry. With a focus on consumer engagement, students will explore the role of digital and social media management within marketing communications. Students will then use data analysis and market research to identify revenue generation strategies and develop a branding plan for a sport organization that enhances organizational goals.
This course provides insights on leveraging data for strategic decision-making in the sport industry. Students will gain skills in collecting, analyzing, and predicting data using industry-standard tools and software, including data visualization platforms and predictive analytics models. These skills will enhance students' ability to make informed decisions that drive success in sport management and operations.
This course explores the strategic development process and the leadership of strategic initiatives within sport organizations. With a focus on stakeholder engagement, innovative growth opportunities, and data-driven decision-making, students will create strategic plans and initiatives to enhance sport organizations.
The internship course offers an educational work experience within a business or industry environment related to Sport Management. Students will apply knowledge from their academic coursework while acquiring valuable hands-on experience and refining professional skills. Work expectations will be established in collaboration with the site supervisor and faculty sponsor. This course requires 240 clock hours of internship experience under the mentorship of an experienced professional. Prerequisite: 18 credit hours completed in an appropriate graduate program. Permission of the Sport Management Program Director is required.
University Accreditation
Bellevue University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (hlcommission.org).
Whether a college, university, or program is accredited is important to students with financial aid, employers who provide tuition assistance, donors, and the federal government.
This program is considered a non-licensure degree/certificate program and is not intended for those seeking licensure or the practice of licensed profession. This program may be relevant to multiple occupations that do not require licensure and was not designed to meet educational requirements for any specific professional license or certification.
*Consult with an admissions counselor to determine your eligible credits, as well as to verify minimum graduation requirements for this degree. Transfer credits must be from a regionally accredited college or university. Bellevue University makes no promises to prospective students regarding the acceptance of credit awarded by examination, credit for prior learning, or credit for transfer until an evaluation has been conducted.
We work with the experience you bring to the table so you can earn your master's in sport management more efficiently.
Format
100% Online learning that works for your life and your goals.
Our flexible online courses are designed to bring quality learning into a format that fits your schedule, without sacrificing meaningful faculty feedback and collaboration with peers across the country. Stay on track with the help of your Student Coach — with you from day one to graduation.
See how online learning can make earning a master's in sport management possible for you.
Tuition & Financial Aid
Graduate degrees can be more affordable than you think.
Earning a degree is an investment in yourself. We want to help you make sure it’s a wise one.
2024 / 2025 Academic Year
$660 In-Class or Online Cost Per Credit
(Additional fees may apply to individual courses within your major requirements)
2025 / 2026 Academic Year
$680 In-Class or Online Cost Per Credit
(Additional fees may apply to individual courses within your major requirements)
Curious about financial aid? We’ve got the answers.
As a graduate student, you may be eligible for up to $20,500 per year in unsubsidized Direct Student Loans.
And, students often apply for graduate program scholarships through Bellevue University or tuition reimbursement through their employers. Talk to us and we’ll help you explore your options.
Move forward with a more affordable master's that gives you a professional edge.
Admissions
Start on the path to your master’s. No GRE or GMAT required.
We believe in reducing roadblocks to education. That’s why our admissions requirements focus only on what matters—helping hardworking students access the education they deserve.
For admission to Bellevue University, applicants must:
- Possess a bachelor’s or master’s degree from a regionally accredited college or university, or a U.S. equivalent degree from a nationally or internationally accredited college or university.
- Have maintained a GPA of 2.5 or better from the most recent 60 credits of coursework earned toward the bachelor’s degree or have maintained a GPA of 3.0 or better in previous graduate level coursework earned toward the graduate degree.
If you haven’t already, take a moment to request information about your masters program and get in touch with our admissions team. We’ll help make sure you have what you need and answer your questions.
When you’re ready to apply, start your application online. You’ll then:
- Submit your deposit to Bellevue University. (You can do this at any point in the process.)
- Submit your transcripts from past institutions and any other required documentation.
- Complete the FAFSA and see what grants and loans you’re eligible for.
If you are an international student, please see the following specific information: International Student Master Admissions.
You'll just need to create an account and complete a pre-application to Bellevue University through Guild. Once you receive confirmation that your pre-application to Bellevue University has been approved, you'll need to complete the required steps to get fully accepted and registered. These include:
- Submitting transcripts from past institutions
- Submitting related documentation
Ready to get started?
Reach out to admissions.
- Get your questions answered about the Sport Management Degree
- Understand your financial aid and scholarship options
- Map out a schedule that fits with your priorities
