The University of Connecticut offers both undergraduate and graduate degrees in sport management. The program provides an education experience that blends classroom learning with research and field experiences. This allows students to gain an understanding of sport management and to develop skills necessary to succeed in the field. Graduates are not only scholars, but practitioners and researchers who want to lead the sports industry and who see sports as a way to achieve positive outcomes.
Courses required for the undergraduate program include general education courses in social sciences, art and humanities as well as science and diversity. Students must also complete courses like Sport in Society, Sport Facility and Event Management, Introduction to Sport Marketing and Financial Management in the Sport Industry. An internship is also required.
The master’s program requires courses that include Principles and Methods in Educational Research, Sport Marketing, Management of Sport Services, Legal Aspect of Sport and Sport in Society. Students must complete a Capstone course as well. The master’s degree is available in both a non-thesis option, which requires an internship, and a thesis option that does not require an internship.
Through the Learning, Leadership and Education Policy Program offered at the University of Connecticut, students can earn a doctorate with a concentration in sport management. Students are provided a blend of classroom, research and field experiences. Students learn to apply social justice and organizational change in institutions of higher education as well as sports organizations. Students are able to critically examine questions related to sports using research methods as well as how to construct theoretical models based on sound research to guide policy.
The University of Connecticut has four full-time faculty in the sport management program which provides students with easy accessibility to those who are leading the program.
Unlike other universities, the University of Connecticut emphasizes the impact of sport on society, making the program unique. The program is small so students have better access to faculty and receive more one-on-one education.
Students who wish to attend the sport management program must have a 3.0 cumulative GPA during their first two years of undergraduate study. All general education requirements should be completed before students apply for the program. Students who wish to enter the graduate programs must have a 3.0 cumulative GPA in their undergraduate program for master’s degree and the same GPA in their Master’s degree program to apply for the Ph.D. program. Students applying for the Ph.D. program must provide official GRE scores as well. The scores are not required for the Master’s program.
Related Resource: Top 24 Best Sports Management Degree Programs
About University of Connecticut
The University of Connecticut got its start in 1880 when land and money were donated by Charles and August Storrs. The brothers wanted to start an agricultural school, donating 170 acres of their farm, a former orphanage and barns along with $6. The Storrs Agricultural School was established in 1881 and became Storrs Agricultural College in 1891. Women were admitted that same year and the school was named Connecticut’s land-grant college that year as well.
The name of the school changed again in 1899, becoming Connecticut Agricultural College and became Connecticut State College in 1933. It gained university status in 1939. At that time, the school was named the University of Connecticut.
Today, there are over 23,800 undergraduate students and over 8,300 graduate students enrolled at the University of Connecticut. U.S. News & World Report ranks the university as one of the top 25 public universities in the country. The school receives more than $185 million in research funding each year.
University of Connecticut Accreditation Details
The University of Connecticut is regionally accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges, Commission on Institutions of Higher Learning. Accreditation lets parents, government leaders, employers and students know that the school provides high quality education. Accreditation is required if students will apply for grants or loans provided by both federal and state governments. In addition, employers require a university to be accredited in order to provide tuition assistance to their employees.
University of Connecticut Application Requirements
Students who have not completed college credit after high school graduation are considered freshmen applicants. They must complete either the Common Application or the Coalition Application and pay the required fee. Students must provide an essay and may include up to two letters of recommendation, although letters are optional. Students must provide official high school transcripts and official SAT or ACT scores.
Any student who has earned college credit after high school graduation are considered transfer students. Students must complete either the UConn Application or the Common Application and pay the required fee. Students must provide official high school transcripts as well as official SAT or ACT scores. Students over the age of 21 are not required to provide SAT or ACT scores or for those who have completed 24 credits or more after high school graduation. Students must also provide official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended. An essay is required as well.
Students who wish to enter the University of Connecticut graduate school must hold a bachelor’s degree or higher from an accredited college or university. Students must have a 3.0 or higher GPA for their entire undergraduate career. Students must provide official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended. Some departments require the submission of GRE or GMAT scores as well.
University of Connecticut Tuition and Financial Aid
Full-time tuition for undergraduate programs at the University of Connecticut is $12,848 per year for students living in Connecticut and $35,216 who live out of the state. Graduate tuition for in-state students is $1,314 per credit hour while for out-of-state student’s tuition is $2,499 per credit hour. Students may also qualify for regional tuition which is $1,887 per credit hour.
Financial aid is available in the form of grants, loans and scholarships at the University of Connecticut. Annually, students receive more than $184 million in scholarships and grants as well as over $199 milion in loans. Students may also qualify for work-study programs and have earned $24.2 million in tuition savings through those programs.
The University of Connecticut offers a sports management degree that is different than other colleges and universities due to its focus on the impact of sport on society. In addition, the University of Connecticut offers both a master’s and doctorate level degree in sport management that prepare students for leadership positions in the field.
