Are you living in Florida and asking yourself, “Is there a sports management degree near me?” Accredited sports management degree programs in Florida are a valuable option for students interested in sports and business. Although a general business degree may offer some of the information needed to work in sport management, a specialized degree is even more helpful. Most of the sport management degree programs at Florida’s many colleges are designed in such a way that they include an internship or practicum. These experiences are very valuable in fostering professional connections that may lead to employment after graduation.
Rankings
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- Top 25 Best Sports Management Bachelor’s Degree Online Programs
- 25 Most Affordable Top-Ranked Schools for Online Master’s in Sports Management Degree Programs
- Top 13 Best Sports Management Master’s Degree Programs
- 50 Most Affordable Selective Colleges for Sports Management
- 50 Most Affordable Urban Schools for Sports Management
- 20 Great Small Colleges for a Bachelor’s Degree in Sports Management
- 50 Most Affordable Small Southern Colleges for a Sports Management Degree (Bachelor’s)
- 20 Best Associates Degrees for Future Sports Management Professionals
- 25 Best Online Master’s in Sports Management Degree Programs
Florida offers students many different types of schools for sport management that range from small, private institutions to some of the largest schools in the country. Here are colleges in Florida for sports management. To see more accredited sports management colleges Florida, please visit Sports Management Degree Programs in Florida (A-F) and Sports Management Degree Programs in Florida (G-S).
University of Central Florida
College of Graduate Studies
The University of Central Florida is located in Orlando, Florida. It is considered the fourth-largest school in the nation based upon total enrollment. The school was initially established in 1963. It did not open its doors until 1968 as the Florida Technological University. The school’s purpose was to offer technical education to students interested in working at the nearby Kennedy Space Center. The school eventually expanded and turned into the University of Central Florida in 1978. Less than 2,000 students attended classes when the school first opened. By 2014 the school had reached over 60,000 students. Most students live on the school’s 1,415 acre campus.
Sport Business Management (MSBM)
The sport business degree program at UCF emphasizes a number of essential concepts including:
- diversity
- social issues
- ethical dilemmas
- moral considerations
Additionally, students receive an education in business described by the school as “rigorous.” They also receive lessons on leadership in sports. During the program, students perform community service with organizations associated with underserved youth as well as spend two weeks helping rebuild homes destroyed by Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans. The program requires 45 credit hours earned above the sports management bachelor’s degree level which includes a 3-credit internship. The program does not require a thesis and instead features an internship as its capstone. The program is designed as a two-year program that requires full-time attendance. Some of the sports-themed courses required include:
- Moral and Ethical Issues in Sport
- Strategic Sport Marketing
- Business of Sport Media
The capstone internship experience is designed as a full-time 15-week experience usually taken after completion of the program’s required academic courses.
Accreditations
- Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC)
Contact
University of Central Florida
4000 Central Florida Blvd.
Orlando, FL 32816
Phone: (407) 823-2766
Email: gradadmissions@ucf.edu
Website
University of Florida
College of Health and Human Performance
University of Florida is one college for sports management degrees in Florida. Regarded as a “public ivy” school for the quality of its education, the University of Florida is located in northern Florida on a large campus of more than 2,000 acres. U.S. News & World Report placed the University of Florida at the 29th spot for the best public universities in the country. The school has a long history with its earliest history dating to the 1850s and started offering classes from its present location in 1906. UF has a student population of over 60,000. The school’s sports teams have enjoyed much success with more than 30 national team championships won in the past 100 years.
Bachelor of Science in Sport Management
Students in the sport management bachelor’s degree program are taught fundamental business concepts and the best ways to employ those concepts within the realm of sport management. Opportunities for students who graduate with a BS include working with professional, collegiate, and amateur organizations across the country. Students enrolled in the sport management bachelor’s degree program must complete 120 credits. Most of the professional core courses are taken during the final two years of enrollment. Classes students will take include:
- Sport Marketing
- Legal Issues in Sports
- Sport & Business Finance
The sport management bachelor’s degree program features an undergraduate practicum designed to give students working experience in a sports environment such as an athletic program or sports agency. The school describes its sport management bachelor’s degree program as competitive. It has high GPA requirements. Learning outcomes for the program include several content knowledge skills, communication skills, and critical thinking skills. For example, students are expected to understand how ethical behavior impacts decision-making in sports in areas like:
- finance
- marketing
- management
Master of Science in Sport Management
The University of Florida masters in sports management program is an excellent option for an advanced degree. Students entering the graduate program in Sport Management may work in a variety of jobs after graduation including:
- professional sports
- intercollegiate sports
- organized amateur sports
Students make valuable connections during school which helps fuel job placement after graduation. While in the program, students may choose from a thesis or non-thesis route. The non-thesis option requires an internship or practicum with 36 completed credits. The thesis route requires 30 completed credits. The program has limited access and is competitive. However, there is an online version that students may consider if they are not accepted into the on-campus program. Sport management fundamentals studied in the program include:
- finance for sport organizations
- sport marketing
- principles of leadership
Topics discussed include law, finance, sociology, and marketing as they apply to sports. The school suggests that the program is a good choice for students who wish to work on the “behind-the-scenes” areas of sports that help organizations become successful and impactful. The University of Florida sports management masters is focused on the latest advances in the field of sports.
Accreditations
- Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC)
Contact
University of Florida
Gainesville, FL 32611
Phone: (352) 392-3261
Email: freshman@ufl.edu
Website
University of Miami
School of Education & Human Development
Located in Coral Gables, the University of Miami offers students the choice of 115 undergraduate degrees and 114 master’s degrees. The university also has a medical school and a law school. More than 17,000 students attend college at the University of Miami. The school boasts a large library and a significant number of books on Cuban heritage and music. The school’s sports teams compete in Division I of the NCAA. The football team has won a handful of national championships in the past thirty years. The school was established in 1925. It has cultivated a very international student body. Students are represented from all fifty of the United States, as well as an impressive 150 foreign countries. The University of Miami has an acceptance rate of 28%.
Sport Administration – B.S.Ed.
The Sport Administration program at the University of Miami is a Bachelor of Science in Education. The curriculum requires the student complete 39 program-specific credits, as well as choose a minor of 12 to 15 additional credits. The minor can be in any field. The school describes one of the exciting parts of the program as the internship that allows the student to make valuable professional connections within recreation, fitness, collegiate, and professional sports industries. The program is focused upon helping students obtain the real-life skills needed by professionals working in a variety of positions in sports. Some of the classes students take include:
- Sport Facilities and Event Management
- Essential Leadership in Sports and the Professions
- Legal Aspects of Sports
The program also features classes in areas like general education, finance, and business administration. Students are also required to take at least five classes that feature heavy writing components and are also given options for UF sport management electives in areas like human resources and marketing.
Sport Administration – M.S.Ed.
Like other accredited sports management degree Florida options, the graduate program in sport administration may be taken by students either as a classroom-based experience or through an online program. With recent expansions in the sport industry regarding the number of spectators for popular sports, as well as sports teams, there are many opportunities for employment for students who boast specialized training within sport administration. The University of Miami offers students the opportunity to complete a degree based upon their own professional goals and personal interests in sports. The school offers students the chance to participate in the Sport Industry Partner Program. The program recruits graduate students who have unique academic experience. Some of the benefits to the program include tuition assistance and placement in a valuable 12-month internship. Some of the places where students have had internship opportunities have included:
- Florida Marlins
- PR Racing
- Miami Dade Sports Commission
In addition, graduates of the program have worked for major organizations such as the Baltimore Orioles, the Super Bowl Host Committee, and the PGA.
Accreditations
- Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC)
Contact
University of Miami
School of Education & Human Development
5202 University Dr.
Merrick Build. Rm. 312
Coral Gables, FL 33146
Phone: (305) 284-5622
Email: wwhisenant@miami.edu
University of North Florida
College of Education and Human Services
The University of North Florida was established in 1972. It is a part of the State University system in Florida. It sits on the south side of Jacksonville. The 1,300 acre campus offers classes to a student body of more than 16,000. The school was originally designed for students at the junior and senior level of study. A little over 10 years later, the school also started admitting freshmen and sophomores. The school has made a concentrated effort to become a green campus with one of the first LEED-certified buildings built on its campus in the mid-2000s. Since then, the school has been active in building additional green structures. The acceptance rate at UNF is 77%.
Bachelor of Science in Sport Management
The school describes its sports management program as one that’s “fast paced” and valuable because of the recent popularity and expansion of various sports programs and facilities. Students who graduate from the program will have access to a variety of jobs in businesses like:
- college athletic programs
- professional sports teams
- community recreation agencies
Students who apply to the program must meet a minimum GPA requirement of 2.0. Students are required to complete an internship or practicum at an approved site in the Jacksonville area. The curriculum of the program features a variety of subjects including management, finance, and communication as they relate to sport management. In addition, students take several business courses. Some of the classes students will take include:
- Sport Finance
- Sport Law
- Governance and NCAA Compliance
Students must earn at least 48 credits in upper-division courses to obtain their sport management bachelor’s degree with a total number of 120 credits earned before graduation.
Accreditations
- Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC)
- Commission on Sport Management Accreditation (COSMA)
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Contact
University of North Florida
1 UNF Drive
Jacksonville, FL 32224
Phone: (904) 620-1144
Email: jason.lee@unf.edu
University of Tampa
College of Natural and Health Sciences
The University of Tampa is a private school in downtown Tampa. It was established in 1931. It is one of the D2 schools in Florida. There are around 7,700 students that attend classes at the school. It has an acceptance rate of 54%. The school was dubbed an outstanding school for its business programs by “The Princeton Review.” The campus is 100 acres. Students may choose from 200 different academic programs. About half the students attending are from Florida while the other half come from all 50 U.S. States, as well as over 130 other countries around the world. The school maintains a low 15 to 1 student-to-faculty ratio while using no teaching assistants.
Sport Management Major
Students who enter the sport management program will take classes designed to provide students with a combination of practical experience, as well as business theory in sports to help prepare them for a successful career. Around 250 students are in Tampa’s Sport Management program and they take classes from the College of Natural and Health Sciences, as well as the Sykes College of Business. In addition, students must complete a 12-credit hour internship with a local sport organization. Students have the opportunity to attend monthly meetings where representatives from Tampa Bay-area sport organizations attend to discuss a variety of volunteer opportunities and options for internships. Some of the organizations where students have had the opportunity to volunteer include:
- Tampa Bay Rays
- MLB Spring Training
- Tampa Bay Sports Commission
Classes in the program include:
- Media Relations and Communication in Sport
- Introduction to Sport Management
- Financial Issues in Sport
Accreditations
- Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC)
- North American Society for Sport Management
- National Association for Sport and Physical Education
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Contact
University of Tampa
401 W. Kennedy Blvd.
Tampa, FL 33606
Phone: (813) 257-3963
Email: jjsha@ut.edu
University of West Florida
College of Education and Professional Studies
Another option for sports management schools in Florida is University of West Florida. It is a public school in Pensacola. The University of West Florida is part of the state university system in Florida. There are almost 13,000 students who attend school at UWF. The school is considered a comprehensive research facility. Established in 1963, the school offers students one of the largest campuses in the state’s university system at 1,600 acres. The school was originally developed after the state’s legislature authorized the building of a college in Escambia County. Around 500 students attended classes when the school first started offering classes in 1965 from a small campus of seven educational buildings and 15 student housing buildings. Some students at University of West Florida may be interested in leisure studies. With an acceptance rate of 53%, admission to UWF is somewhat selective.
HLES – Sport Management
Students interested in the management and operations of a variety of sport organizations will find the University of West Florida’s program a valuable experience. The program at UWF is designed to prepare students to become leaders in sport administration as well as prepare them for study in graduate school. Students receive real-world experience by participating in an internship. The program is designed with three major sections that include:
- basic college courses
- major-specific courses
- highly detailed sport management courses
The school considers the internship as one of the most important features of the program because it helps students understand the professional responsibilities of the sport management workplace. Some internship sites include the:
- local YMCA
- Pensacola Sports Association
- Minor League Pensacola Pelicans
Upon graduation, students have the opportunity to apply for many jobs in different industries like:
- collegiate athletics
- youth sports programs
- college and recreational sports
- professional sports management
Accreditations
- Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC)
Contact
University of West Florida
11000 University Pkwy
Pensacola, FL 32514
Phone: (850) 473-7352
Email: csong@uwf.edu
Warner University
Physical Education
Warner University is a private, Christian school and is affiliated with the Church of God. Originally founded in 1968 as Warner Southern College, it would change to Warner University in 2008. The school is a relatively small establishment with just 1,200 students attending. The campus is 360 acres and is located just a few miles south of Lake Wales. The school has been recognized in the past for its diversity by “U.S. News & World Report” in a list of “America’s Best Colleges.” The student-to-faculty ratio is 16:1 and students hail from 26 states, as well as 18 different foreign countries.
Major in Sport Management
The major in Sport Management at Warner University requires that students complete at least 51 credit hours in the major, as well as 10 credit hours within the area of Physical Education. As with some accredited sports management programs in Florida, students aren’t required to have a minor. The rest of the credit hours are comprised of general education courses all students at the college must complete in the sport management bachelor’s degree program. Some of the sport management classes required of the program include Sports Psychology and Athletic Facility and Event Management. Students will also undertake a fellowship in sport management, a practicum in leadership and management, and an internship. The program also features several business classes in areas like:
- finance
- marketing
- accounting
While in the program, students may choose to apply to the school’s two honor societies including Alpha Lambda Delta for freshman who have a 3.5 GPA and Alpha Chi for graduates who are in the upper 10% of their class.
Accreditations
- Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC)
Contact
Warner University
13895 Highway 27
Lake Wales, Florida 33859
Phone: (863) 638-7212
Email: admissions@warner.edu
Webber International University
Undergraduate Programs & the Graduate School of Business
Webber is a private school in Babson Park and was established in 1927. The school was founded by a man named Roger Babson, who was known as a local entrepreneur and businessman. The school boasts one of the first business schools for women, and is also considered a military friendly college. The school is one of Florida’s smaller institutions with just 800 students attending the campus that overlooks nearby Crooked Lake. The school also has a very successful bowling program, which was established recently in the late 2000s. The team regularly advances to the National Championships and the women’s team won the intercollegiate championships in its first year of operation.
Sport Business Management Bachelor of Science Degree
Webber International describes the sport industry in sport management as an international industry and that future leaders must obtain specialized knowledge from their program to be successful. The program at Webber is designed with a core of business classes and additional credits taken in areas like sports information, promotion, and media, as well as facilities and event management. Some of the classes students will take include Introduction to Sport Business Management, Ethics & Issues in Sport Business Management, and Sports Information & Media Relations. The school regularly holds open house events where future students can visit the campus and decide of the program is the right fit. In addition to the business classes and sport management courses, students will also participate in an internship or they can choose to take a class instead called Advanced Topics in Sport Business Management. The school has a flexible program with choices in credits to offer students a program that’s tailored to their interests.
Sport Business Management MBA
Webber describes the significant growth in the sport industry as an opportunity for students who enter sport management programs. The graduate degree in sport management at Webber is offered as a business program that features a concentration in sport business management. Some of the classes required of the program include Integrative Approaches to Sporting Events and Management & Leadership Theory. In addition, students take several business courses on topics like finance, economics, and strategic thinking. Students may find a graduate program in sport management helpful when they have an interest in working at the management level in a sports organization. An undergraduate degree in sport management isn’t absolutely necessary to be successful in a graduate program, but prior sports management knowledge may help. Some of the areas where students may choose to work after graduation include collegiate sports programs, professional sports programs, and highly organized youth or amateur sports organizations which may be located anywhere in the country.
Accreditations
- Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC)
Contact
Webber International University
1201 N. Scenic Highway
Babson Park, FL 33827
Phone: (863) 638-2960
Email: aarontc@webber.edu
Conclusion
There are many sports management colleges in Florida that offer sport management programs, and students need not be a fan of a particular type of sport to find success in a program. Students who would like to be a part of sports but who aren’t able to participate on the field may find sport management a fascinating option for study. In addition, recent expansion of the sport industry means that there are a variety of new opportunities connected to sport management and administration of programs like professional ball clubs, collegiate sports organizations, and local amateur groups. Students interested in business and sports should consider accredited sports management degree programs in Florida.
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