This program appears in our ranking of Top 30 Bachelor’s in Sport Management Degree Programs.
Saint Leo University has nationally ranked undergraduate, graduate, and online programs. In fact, U.S News and World Report ranks Saint Leo University as one of the best values for education in the South Region. The university offers many programs but is renowned for its sports business curriculum. Undergraduate sports business majors learn about the following topics in thought-provoking classes:
- Sport Facility and Event Management
- Sport Governance
- Sport Marketing and Promotion
- Risk Management in Sport
- Legal Issues in Sport
- Media Relations in Sport Business
At the graduate level, students delve deeper into the “behind-the-scenes” operations of a sports franchise. Because the sports business master’s degree is also a Master of Business Administration, students get a thorough grounding in all aspects of business separate from the franchise itself.
Because the town of Saint Leo is a suburb of Tampa, students have access not only to the professional sports franchises of the Tampa Bay Rays, Tampa Bay Lightning, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers but also the Division II teams of the university itself. The university also has a partnership with FC Bayern München, the record title holders in the Bundesliga and five-time champions of Europe.
About Saint Leo University
The Catholic Church founded the university in 1889 and named it after the reigning Pope and the current abbot of the monastery at that location at the time, Leo Haid. A year later, the school became a military school and remained so for 13 years. After the Spanish-American War, Cuban students crossed the 90-mile gap to Florida and studied at Saint Leo University. During that period, they made up more than half of the student body. Also during that time, the university admitted its first black student, who was not able, by law, to attend classes with his classmates.
Throughout its early history, the university produced accountants and other financial workers in its graduating classes. In 1920, it ceased being a university and became a college preparatory school. Almost 40 years after that, it reverted to being a college and granted two-year degrees. In 1965, the Church separated itself from direct control of the university, and two years later, the school earned accreditation to award bachelor’s degrees. It wasn’t until 1994 that the school began offering graduate degrees. Since then, through expansion and general improvements, the university has risen to its present place as a bastion of education in Florida.
Saint Leo University Accreditation Details
The school’s regional accreditation comes from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, which is the body that granted the first accreditation to the school 51 years ago. Other accreditations include:
- Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology
- International Assembly for Collegiate Business Education
- Council on Social Work Education Office of Social work Accreditation
- Commission on Sport Management Accreditation
- Commission on English Language Program Accreditation
- Commission on Accreditation of the Council on Social Work Education
- Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs
Saint Leo University Application Requirements
Saint Leo University is a test-optional school when it comes to the SAT and the ACT. Undergraduate students who do not feel that the test scores adequately show their ability or potential do not have to submit the scores. Students must, however, submit two letters of recommendation and a graded writing sample from the last two years of high school. It should be a position paper, literary analysis, or the like. All incoming freshmen must have earned at least a GPA of 3.0 while in high school.Other items, such as class rank, frequency of advanced placement classes, and community involvement all play a part in the university’s assessment of each applicant. The university believes strongly in both accepting and graduating well-rounded students.
Graduate admissions are based upon the student’s chosen course of study. In the education department, for example, students who earned at least a 3.0 GPA in their undergraduate work at a regionally accredited institution are exempt from either the Miller Analogies Test or the Graduate Record Exam. Students who do not meet that qualification must earn at least the 68th percentile on the MAT or 1,000 or better on the GRE. Students who are interested in their chosen program’s requirements should check the website.
Tuition and Financial Aid
Undergraduate tuition on campus, assuming average meal plans and residency costs, amounts to $38,242 annually. This figure also includes books, travel costs, and the cost of incidentals. Certain degree programs have additional fees associated with them. Students should check with the bursar to figure out which fees apply to them and if they are included in the students’ total costs. Students without familial health insurance coverage will have to buy health insurance.
The costs for online study of any kind and graduate tuition, including doctoral tuition, are not available as of the writing of this article. Students wishing to know these data for the 2018 – 2019 school year and beyond should contact the bursar’s office. The costs for international students vary by the students’ situations, including American military service.
Students who need financial aid should start with the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. The FAFSA is a comprehensive form that allows both the government and the school to assess a student’s eligibility for various kinds of financial aid. These include grants, scholarships, loans, and work. Such work does not necessarily have to be a federal work-study program, however. International students who plan to work to offset part of their tuition should make sure that all applicable visas and other immigration documents are in order before applying, which will minimize any snags.
Of course, there are grants and scholarships available that are not associated with the school itself. Students should do the applicable legwork to find out about these. It should be borne in mind, too, that many such awards that do not have to be paid back have stringent academic requirements for students to keep the awards. Losing such an award generally means that any money already awarded and to be awarded would become unsubsidized Stafford loans. Students with further questions should consult with the Office of Financial Aid.
Saint Leo University provides students with faith-based educational opportunities that are nationally recognized for their excellence.
Learn more about Saint Leo University at the Sport Business program website.
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