This program appears in our ranking of 50 Most Affordable Selective Colleges for Sports Management.
The Exercise and Sport Science Major Bachelor of Science at Bluefield College adheres to the American Kinesiology Association’s guidelines to train service-oriented practitioners for the $84 billion fitness industry. Chaired by Dr. Doug Minnix, the 120-credit, eight-term program offers three emphases: Sport Management, Sport Medicine, or Physical Education. The 14:1 student-professor ratio keeps on-campus courses like Racquet Sports, Outdoor Living, Athletic Injury Assessment, Sport Governance, and Coaching Principles interactive. Ambitious scholars with 3.3 GPAs or better can add “Honors-Enhanced” classes, such as lab research and term papers. Teams, such as the Richmond Kickers, Lynchburg Hillcats, Roanoke Rail Yard Dawgs, Danville Braves, and Virginia Squires, offer internship credits. Curricula currently satisfies the ACSM Certified Health Fitness Specialist requirements.
On campus, Bluefield undergrads following the B.S. Sport Management Track access cutting-edge facilities like the 10,000-seat Mitchell Stadium, Graham Rec Park, Dome Gymnasium, Bowen Field, and East River Soccer Complex. The NAIA “Champion of Character” has 14 varsity teams in the Appalachian Athletic Conference. In 2009, the baseball team won its first national title with a record 41 wins. For six straight years, Bluefield has hosted the NCCAA Softball World Series. Annual events like the Golfers’ Challenge, Mud Pig Day, and Celebration of Appalachia are fun. Athletic enthusiasts pick from 25 campus organizations, such as Alpha Delta, Outdoor Club, Swim Club, and the Student Activities Leadership Team. Other opportunities include taking the China May Cultural Exchange trip, adding the E-Business minor, continuing for the MBA, and competing at the Dahlgren Trail Half-Marathon.
About Bluefield College
Bluefield College was opened by R.A. Landsell with the Baptist General Association of Virginia in 1922 for all-male, Christian higher education. Enrolling nearly 500 veterans after World War II, Bluefield became coeducational in 1960 and granted its first baccalaureate in 1975. Known for dropping its tuition by 23 percent in the 1990s, BC now holds a $6.8 million endowment as a private, nonprofit Christ-centered liberal arts school. Across 19 departments, Bluefield College enrolls 912 Rams, including Sport Management majors, in classes averaging 15 students. Near the West Virginia border, Bluefield holds an 82-acre Tazewell County campus facing East River Mountain. Linked to 3,480 LinkedIn alumni, BC has trained Jon Link, Kenneth Massey, Pete Young, John F. Nash, David Gianesin, and others.
The U.S. News & World Report ranked Bluefield the 41st best South college with the 153rd best online bachelor’s education nationally. On Niche, BC has America’s 249th safest campus, 294th most conservative values, and 1,010th most diversity. College Factual named Bluefield the 29th best Baptist institution with the 193rd most focused fitness studies. Christian Universities Online chose Bluefield College as the 11th most beautiful. According to The Economist, BC is the country’s 44th best private value. WalletHub placed Bluefield 318th for educational outcomes. In Washington Monthly, Bluefield stood out from baccalaureate colleges with the 49th most service and 85th highest PhD completion.
Bluefield College Accreditation Details
In 2013, Bluefield College submitted to comprehensive evaluation from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) to renew its Level III accreditation for another 10 years under president Dr. David Olive. This regional agency in Decatur is recognized by the Council on Higher Education Accreditation to check student achievement data for Bluefield’s 24 baccalaureate, four master’s, and 13 concentration programs in Southwest Virginia or online. The Exercise and Sport Science B.S. major in Physical Education is also accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP).
Bluefield College Application Requirements
Classified as “minimally difficult” by Peterson’s, Bluefield College accepted 85 percent of applicants in Fall 2016. First-year Rams wanting the Exercise and Sport Science B.S. need to graduate high school with a fixed pattern of credits. Four units of English, three units of Math, three units of Science, and two units of Health are rudimentary. Earning a General Education Development diploma with a 2250 composite score or better is acceptable too. Freshmen should rank in the top 50 percent of their class with a minimum 2.0 GPA, but the average is 3.1. Scoring above 18 on the ACT and 860 on the SAT is expected. Transferring to the Sport Management Track is encouraged after 12-60 credits with 2.0 averages or higher. International admission adds a TOEFL exam step for 500 (paper) or 61 (internet) scores.
Bluefield College has rolling admission year-round until August 31st for Fall and December 31st for Spring. International students should reserve 3+ weeks before term starts for processing. Interested Exercise and Sport Science B.S. majors create online keys to file the Traditional Application online. Extra materials might be mailed to 3000 College Avenue in Bluefield, VA 24605. Assistance is available at (800) 872-0176 or bluefield@bluefield.edu if needed. Future sports managers can hit a homerun by submitting these:
- $30 application fee (or waiver request)
- Sealed transcripts from every school
- Official SAT and ACT score reports
- One non-family letter of recommendation
- Typed, 500-word personal statement
- Tests of English as a Foreign Language
Bluefield College Tuition and Financial Aid
Pursuing Bluefield College’s Exercise and Sport Science B.S. major in Sport Management will cost $12,260 per term or $24,520 annually full-time. Studying part-time costs $817 per credit. Online courses only cost $365 per credit, and are discounted to $329 for military and first responders. Living at the campus dorms like Cruise Hall or East River Hall adds $9,701 for yearly room and board. Budgets should include $460 for textbooks and $3,300 for personal expenses. Annual cost of bachelor’s attendance equals $37,403 for residents and $30,160 for commuters.
According to the NCES College Navigator, 88 percent of full-time BC Rams share $9.36 million in financial aid packages that average $11,124 each. Institutional awards include the Lansdell Scholarship, Harman Scholarship, Alumni Scholarship, BC Access Scholarship, Virginia Baptist Housing Scholarship, Spire Scholarship, Billy G. Moore Scholarship, and Trent Argo International Scholarship. The Pathways Tuition Plan cuts costs by 50 percent from $24,520 to $12,000 for rural Appalachia natives. Completing the FAFSA form with code 003703 determines eligibility for free Federal Pell and FSEOG Grant funds. Old Dominion residents could claim the $3,300 Virginia Tuition Assistance Grant or Virginia Commonwealth Award. Undergrads can work up to 20 hours weekly at Federal Work-Study jobs, including in the Athletics Center. Bluefield College also reports average debt of $27,225 from Direct, Plus, Health Professions, and private loans.
Learn more about Bluefield College at the College of Sciences website.
Related Resource:
