Sports Management Degree Programs in Illinois (N-Z)

Students have many opportunities to attend accredited sports management degree programs in Illinois, and the major is swiftly becoming a popular option for students interested in the business of sport. The state offers educational opportunities at large schools, as well as small private schools, so students should be able to find a sport management program that suits their taste and goals.

Rankings

Proximity to the major city of Chicago means that during internships and after graduation, students will have access to a city with many opportunities within the sports management field. The profession is also one that can take a student almost anywhere in the United States since sports are ubiquitous and universal. To see more sports management degree programs in Illinois, visit Sports Management Degree Programs in Illinois (A-I) and Sports Management Degree Programs in Illinois (J-M).

North Central College

Human Thought and Behavior

Established in 1861, North Central College describes itself as a private liberal arts college. Located in downtown Naperville, North Central College sits on a campus of 65 acres. The school underwent a few name changes during its early years and was given money by philanthropist Andrew Carnegie to expand facilities. Several of the buildings on the campus date from the 1920s. The college also expanded in the early 2000s with a new fine arts center and received millions of dollars in financial gifts from former students. The school is described as “more selective” by magazines like “U.S. News & World Report.”

Bachelor of Arts in Sport Management

North Central College describes its sport management program as a degree that may lead to a dream career for some students. The program is designed to prepare students who love sports to work in various athletic departments in administrative areas rather than teach sports. The school says that graduates may find employment after graduation in a variety of areas like managing local sports recreation centers, promoting large sporting events, or becoming the director of athletics at various institutions. The curriculum is described as broad and includes a variety of business topics like marketing and sales. In addition, students learn about psychology so as to gain an understanding about how people operate in modern sports, as well as how human decisions impact health in today’s marketplace. Students get to take an internship with a Chicago-area sports facility which may include a wellness center, health club, school, or sports medicine facility. The first class students will take is History of Physical Education and Sport.

Accreditations

- - - Higher Learning Commission
    - COSMA

Contact

North Central College
30 North Brainard Street
Naperville, IL 60540
Phone: (630) 637-5100
Email: admissions@noctrl.edu

North Park University

School of Business and Nonprofit Management

Located on the north side of Chicago, North Park University has operated since 1891 when it was founded by the Evangelical Covenant Church. There are around 3,100 students attending school in pursuit of a variety of bachelor’s and master’s degrees. The Christian denomination responsible for founding the college was originally formed by a group of Swedish immigrants who came to settle in the Midwest. Over the years, the school has changed in a variety of ways including a few name changes, as well as a switch from a very religious university to one focused more on diversity. Today, the school describes itself as a liberal arts university that is also Christian.

Bachelor of Arts in Business and Economics in Sports Management

The university describes students who choose to study sports management will be eligible to enter a $200 billion industry with many job opportunities. The school suggests a variety of industries will be open to graduates including athletic departments, health clubs, and recreation centers, in addition to any program or organization that has a sports department. The school reveals that its location in North Park is ideally situated for students who wish to find many opportunities for work in the region after graduation. Students will also have access to valuable internships while enrolled. The Chicago area is home to many major and minor professional sports leagues, and it’s also where the YMCA has its national headquarters. During study, students will need to complete an internship of at least 300 hours with a local sports organization in Chicago. After graduation, a student may seek out work in professions like athletic director for a university or team manager for a local sports team.

Bachelor of Science in Business and Economics in Sports Management

In addition to a selection of classes in sport management, students in this program will also take business-related classes and economics classes. Some of the sports management courses students will take include Introduction to Sports Management, Sports Marketing and Sales, and Sports Finance and Operations. Jobs that will become available to graduates include Director of team finance and operations, Sports philanthropist, and Community recreation director. During study, students must maintain a GPA of at least 2.5 to graduate. Some of the business courses a student will take include Financial Accounting, Business Law, and Foundations of Marketing. The degree program at sports management features a concentration in business and economics, so students will be infinitely prepared to run the business side of sports when they graduate. Upon graduation, students will be able to find many jobs in the Chicago area, as well as seek out employment anywhere in the country where sports directors are needed.

Accreditations

- - - Higher Learning Commission

Contact

North Park University
3225 West Foster Avenue
Chicago, IL 60625
Phone: (773) 244-5500
Email: admissions@northpark.edu
http://www.northpark.edu/Academics/School-of-Business-and-Nonprofit-Management/Undergraduate-Programs/Business-and-Economics/Sports-Management

Northern Illinois University

College of Business

A research university in DeKalb, Northern Illinois University was founded as Northern Illinois State Normal School in 1895. Today, the school has around 25,000 students attending and also boasts over a quarter of a million alumni. The modern campus is over 900 acres. The programs offered by the university are arranged in seven different colleges with several programs nationally recognized for their high academic quality. Programs that have been nationally recognized for their quality include business, visual and performing arts, nursing, and engineering. The sports teams at the university play in Division I sports and the school’s teams are known as the Huskies.

Master of Science in Sport Management

The school’s sports management program was developed in 1986 as a Master of Science in Education with a specialization in sports management. Over time, the program changed to accommodate new directions in the industry. The program was transitioned to a dedicated sports management degree in 2001. The school boasts that it has one of the only master’s degrees in sports management, so the program is popular with students looking for an advanced education. The college suggests a degree is valuable because of the worldwide popularity of sports and the importance of business knowledge for today’s sports professionals. Upon graduation, students are ready to find work in a variety of fields including professional, international, private, and intercollegiate sports organizations. Students may also choose to enter fields like fitness and recreation. To obtain their degree, students must complete 36 semester hours. Students may choose a thesis or non-thesis option when entering the program.

Accreditations

- - - Higher Learning Commission

Contact

Northern Illinois University
1425 W. Lincoln Hwy
DeKalb, IL 60115
Phone: (815) 753-1000
Email: univinfo@niu.edu
http://cedu.niu.edu/knpe/graduate/sportmgmt/index.shtml

Northwestern University

School of Professional Studies

Northwestern University has campuses in Evanston and Chicago, and offers classes to around 20,000 students. The school was founded in 1851 by local business leaders to serve the people of what was then the Northwest Territory. Northwestern has been recognized as a highly respected research institution. The school is only around 12 miles south of Chicago and sits on a campus of 240 acres. The university is a private school and as such, is the only private founding member of the Big Ten Conference. The school’s sports teams compete in Division I of the NCAA, and the teams play under the mascot of the Wildcats.

Master of Arts in Sports Administration (MSA)

Northwestern says that sports is one of the largest economic industries in the world and employs tens of thousands of professionals around the world. Particularly valuable to the industry are those individuals who have been trained in the business of sports, as might a student in an MSA program. The school has designed its program to accommodate working professionals who want to move into sports, as well as other graduates who wish to enter the sports industry. There is a part-time program for students who are short on time but who still want to get an advanced education. The school describes its faculty as first-rate, and students will have access to a variety of faculty who have worked in the industry before. The proximity of the school to Chicago means that students have many opportunities to interact and build working relationships with current professionals. The program boasts a variety of hands-on experiences that will help the student find work in jobs like front office manager, sports marketer, or college athletics administrator.

Accreditations

- - - Higher Learning Commission

Contact

Northwestern University
339 East Chicago Avenue
Chicago, IL 60611
Phone: (312) 503-0875
Email: spsadmissions@northwestern.edu
http://sps.northwestern.edu/program-areas/graduate/sports-administration/

Olivet Nazarene University

School of Professional Studies

Olivet Nazarene is a liberal arts school affiliated with the Church of the Nazarene. Around 4,600 students attend classes at the 250 acre campus in Bourbonnais. The school was originally chartered in 1909 and it underwent a few name changes and location changes over its first few decades of existence. The school attained university status in 1986. The campus’s relocation to Bourbonnais allowed for a healthy amount of new construction, and the school has been focusing on expansion and growth within its seven academic buildings. A recently completed recreation center has expanded options for relaxation and student life and also boasts an Olympic-sized pool.

B.S. in Sport Management

Olivet Nazarene suggests that its program is designed to accommodate a Christian worldview when working in sports. The school suggests that the major is one with much potential for future success because of the $200 billion the industry feeds into the United States economy each year. Some of the activities students will undertake while attending classes at Olivet Nazarene, include creating marketing proposals for various sports groups, working with sports groups like the Chicago Bears, and taking a variety of business courses so as to understand how business influences modern sports. A few of the careers that students may be able to seek out after graduation include managing director, operations manager, community marketing manager, event manager, and recruiter, as well as almost any administrative or business-related job within a sports organization. Students will join the North American Society for Sport Management (NASSM) while enrolled, which will put them in close contact with other professionals and some exciting employment opportunities after graduation.

Accreditations

- - - Higher Learning Commission

Contact

Olivet Nazarene University
One University Avenue
Bourbonnais, IL 60914
Phone: (815) 939-5011
Email: admissions@olivet.edu

Quincy University

School of Education

A private liberal arts school, Quincy University is headed by a group of Franciscan friars and was originally used to train future Franciscan priests. The school began admitting women in the 1930s and would eventually close the seminary in 1970 in favor of running the school as a traditional liberal arts college. Around 1,500 students attend the college, which is located in a town of the same name. The school attained university status in 1993. Students take classes from one of four different divisions or two different schools including the School of Education. The school is a member of the National Catholic Education Association of American Colleges.

Bachelor of Science in Sports Management

The school describes its sports management program as one that’s terrific for people who love sports and helping the teams that play on the field become successful. The program is described as challenging and offers students a wide level of business knowledge in many areas like personnel administration, business planning, and financial accounting. Students also build leadership and communication skills while in the program, which are essential for working behind the scenes in a sports business environment. Some of the courses students will take include Sociology of Sport, Sport Governance, Facilities Management, and Introduction to Sport Psychology. Some of the jobs students have obtained after graduation from Quincy’s program include sales representative for the Chicago Wolves, account executive for the Phoenix Roadrunners, and sales manager for Cole Haan, which is a Nike affiliate. During study, students have the opportunity to establish connections to potential employers with an internship at sites like Advance Fitness Center, WGEM Television Sports Department, and the Quincy Racquet Club.

Accreditations

- - - Higher Learning Commission

Contact

Quincy University
1800 College Ave
Quincy, IL 62301
Phone: (217_ 228-5210
Email: mahonel@quincy

Southern Illinois University Carbondale

Department of Kinesiology

A public school in Carbondale, Southern Illinois University has operated since 1869. The school is the flagship campus of the university system and around 18,000 students attend classes there. The university is rated as one with high research activity by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Learning and is recognized for intensely research-oriented nature of its doctoral programs. Students may choose from over 200 different majors and specializations for undergraduate work, as well as dozens of master’s and doctoral degree plans. The school was originally a teacher’s college and began adding different programs over the years as it expanded significantly in the middle of the 20th century.

Sport Administration

The university describes its sport administration program as one that readies the graduate for roles in a variety of different administrative areas. While enrolled in the program, students will study topics like ethics, legal issues, and business, as well as the sociological and psychological issues that impact the way modern sports are run. Some employment options open to students after graduation include sport marketing, coaching, and sports media. Like other accredited sports management degree programs in Illinois, students may also enter facility and event management and management of athletic teams from a business perspective. Some of the classes students will take during study include Foundation, Organization, and Administration of PE, Intro to Sport Administration, and Team Building. Students will also take an internship in sport administration with a local business involved in sports. Additionally, students will take a variety of courses in business like Accounting Principles and Computer Concepts. Students also get to take 19 electives.

Accreditations

- - - Higher Learning Commission

Contact

Southern Illinois University Carbondale
1263 Lincoln Drive
Carbondale, IL 62901
Phone: (618) 453-3159
Email: parkm@siu.edu
http://ehs.siu.edu/kinesiology/undergraduate/sports_administration.php

University of Illinois

College of Applied Health Sciences

Established as Illinois Industrial University in the late 1960s, the University of Illinois is the flagship of the University of Illinois system. Before a site was chosen for the school, an intense bidding war erupted between residents and lawmakers regarding what type of classes the college would offer students. It’s the second-oldest public institution of higher learning in Illinois. The school is proud of its library as it is the second-largest library associated with a university, second only to Harvard. There are around 45,000 students attending the college with more than 2.5 million students also served through the university extension system.

Bachelor of Science Sport Management

The university describes its sport management program as “unique,” and that it’s appropriate for students who want to understand many topics in sports and how business is important to the industry. The school suggests that anyone who likes watching sports or participating in sports will find the program a valuable experience for finding future work as part of a sports program. In addition to a variety of general education requirements, the curriculum also features classes in leisure studies, management, and sport management. Some of the sports classes a student will take include Foundations of Sport Management, Legal Aspects of Sport, and Ethical Issues in Sport. In total, students must complete 128 hours to earn their bachelor’s degree. During the program, students will use the knowledge they learn in the classroom during an internship that is a semester-long experience with a local agency. Students may use this experience to help build a professional career after graduation.

Master of Science Sport Management

The graduate program in sport management at the University of Illinois is like other accredited sports management degree programs in Illinois in that it requires a variety of electives and core courses. Students may choose to complete a thesis option for the degree or a non-thesis option, and each option requires 36 credits. The thesis option requires a thesis of 8 credit hours while the non-thesis option requires a professional paper of 4 credit hours. The non-thesis option also requires more core courses. Some of the classes all students will take include Theories and Concepts of Leisure, Critical Issues in Sport Management, and Advanced Leisure Research Methods. The program also requires that students spend at least one semester on campus. The program is designed to take students three or four semesters, depending upon the course load a student takes on during study. Students may also study part-time if they have other professional obligations like a job.

Accreditations

- - - Higher Learning Commission

Contact

Department of Recreation, Sport and Tourism
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
104 South Fourth St.
Champaign, IL 61820
Phone: (217) 244-2695
Email: lkpaden@illinois.edu
https://siu.edu/

University of St. Francis

College of Arts and Sciences

There are around 3,300 students attending classes at the University of St. Francis, which is a Catholic university located in Joliet. The campus is around 35 miles southwest of Chicago and covers 22 acres in a suburban environment. The school is in a picturesque section of town and students are within walking distance of a variety of historic venues in town. The school’s slogan is “Respect, Service, Integrity, Compassion,” and the school’s sports teams have a mascot named Bernie the St. Bernard. The school’s main building was built in 1922 and is called Tower Hall. The school’s library has over 110,000 volumes and contains many subscriptions, research areas, and study areas.

Bachelor of Science in Recreation, Sport, & Tourism Management

The school describes sports and leisure as necessary elements of a strong community and suggests students who are committed to serving their communities will find value in the St. Francis program. Some of the career paths students may choose after graduation include Community Recreation Manager, Athletic Coordinator, and Campus Recreation Manager. The curriculum students will experience is designed as one that combines experiential learning and innovative instruction. The school shares that some of the valuable features of its program include personalized advising, a nationally recognized program, and a professionally active faculty. After graduation, students are eligible to take the Certified Park and Recreation Professional (CPRP) exam. Students interested in sports will focus on the Sport Operation Management Concentration. Classes required of the concentration include Sports Information, Business Ethics, and Recreation and Youth Development. During study, students also have the opportunity to take an internship with a local sports organization. Some of the sports venues where students have found internships have included the McCook Athletic and Exposition Center and the United States Soccer Federation.

Accreditations

- - - Higher Learning Commission

Contact

University of St. Francis
500 Wilcox Street
Joliet, IL 60435
Phone: (800) 735-7500
Email: admissions@stfrancis.edu

Sports is a dynamic and interesting industry, and the business of running it requires specialized information about sports, sociology, and business. For students who want to be involved at a high level in a sports organization, gaining an advanced education in college is a terrific way to become qualified to work for various sports organizations. The state of Illinois features a number of respected schools and nationally recognized programs. Students should have no trouble finding an accredited sports management degree programs in Illinois that will cater to the student’s specific life goals.

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