Sports Management Degree Programs in Indiana (N-Z)

The accredited sports management degree programs in Indiana are growing by leaps and bounds, driven largely by a move to specialize business degrees based on the industry in which they will be used after graduation. The sports management degree allows students to combine traditional business studies with the unique concerns of managing an athletic organization like a professional sports franchise.

Rankings

In these programs, available at public and private universities throughout the state of Indiana, student will also have the opportunity to combine a unique curriculum with specialized internships and professional experiences that will further build their resume after graduation. Students who are in the market for one of these graduate or undergraduate programs have several accredited, prestigious options throughout the “Hoosier State.” To see more accredited sports management degree programs in Indiana, visit Sports Management Degree Programs in Indiana (A-M).

Taylor University

School of Natural and Applied Sciences

Though small in size, with just over 2,500 undergraduate and graduate students, Taylor University has consistently earned praise from major publications that review colleges and universities throughout the country. In fact, Taylor University has consistently been ranked as the best of 109 small midwestern colleges and universities by U.S. News and World Report. This high ranking comes from the school’s smaller class sizes, its excellent internship and networking opportunities throughout the local community, and the overall high quality of its educational programs. Taylor’s sports management program is exceedingly broad, with two undergraduate degrees and an MBA specialization that will give students the skills and connections they need to make a lasting impression in the athletic industry.

B.S. in Sports Management

The Bachelor of Science degree in sports management has been designed as a comprehensive business program for students who may one day pursue graduate education in the field. This program therefore includes extensive studies of marketing, economics, accounting, finance, and sports management concepts. In fact, it requires more comprehensive study and mastery of these topics than the school’s B.A. program in the field requires. An internship is required as part of the B.S. curriculum. Students can opt to claim up to 3 elective credits for this internship, which may be a financial benefit to students trying to cut down on their costs toward the end of the program.

B.A. in Sports Management

Taylor’s B.A. in sports management has been designed as a broad business program that covers many topics, but does not go very in-depth on anything other than sports management itself. While students in the B.S. program must take at least 6 credits each in topics like accounting, finance, economics and marketing, those students who enroll n the B.A. program will take just 3 credits in each of those fields. They’ll be granted more elective coursework opportunities as a result, and they’ll be able to study sports management, rather than general management, more in-depth. This is a great option for students who aren’t sure if a general, graduate business degree is in their future.

MBA in Sports Management

Taylor’s MBA program is among the many nationwide integrating distance learning into its curriculum. The school currently offers all MBA courses in a hybrid format, cutting down on weeknight class meeting times. Students will replace one meeting per week with online discussion and group projects, cutting down on commuting requirements and making the program easier for working adults. The curriculum includes 18 credits in business and 18 credits in sports management. The business courses cover financial management, business research methods, cost management, international economics, and several other topics. Sports management courses are focused largely on the high-level skills that senior managers need to know. This means courses like sports law, administration, facility and event management, and sports policy are required. An internship is not, though students can elect to find one and use it for elective graduate credit.

Accreditations

- - - Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools
    - Commission on Sport Management Accreditation

Contact

Taylor University
School of Natural and Applied Sciences
236 W Reade Ave.
Upland, IN 46989
Phone: (765) 998-2751

Trine University

Ketner School of Business

Trine University serves more than 1,700 students throughout northern and central Indiana, using a combination of its main campus and several satellite locations throughout the state. Trine’s sports management program is based in its Ketner School of Business, which has earned accolades for its academic quality and the small class sizes that characterize the undergraduate program. Professors who teach at Ketner all hold doctoral degrees, and many have at least a decade of industry experience in either sport or general management. As a result, students benefit from a rich combination of professional and academic experience in the classroom, giving them the context they need to master sports management skills and put them immediately into practice via a required internship during their fourth year at the school.

B.S.B.A. in Sport Management

There are four components to the sports management program at Trine University. First, students must take the liberal arts core that the university requires across all of its graduate programs. Second, students must complete the business and management core that teaches basic concepts in marketing, finance, management, accounting, and organizational behavior. This core sets the stage for more specialized topics in sports management itself. The sports management curriculum includes classes in risk management, sports psychology, integrated marketing, leadership skills, facility planning, sports business planning, and more. All students must then complete one final aspect of the program: the capstone. In this case, the capstone consists of a 3-credit independent study course, paired with an internship. Internships are traditionally arranged by academic advisors in the semester prior to the capstone course.

Accreditations

- - - Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools
    - Commission on Sport Management Accreditation

Contact

Trine University
Ketner School of Business
One University Ave.
Angola, IN 46703
Phone: (260) 665-4100
Website: http://www.trine.edu/academics/majors-and-minors/major/sport-management/

University of Evansville

School of Public Health

The University of Evansville’s approximately 2,500 students are perhaps some of the worldliest graduates of any small Indiana University. That’s because the school operates its own satellite campus in England, and more than 80 percent of the school’s undergraduate students participate in at least one semester abroad at this location. In the sports management program, that means a more global view of management that spans both American and European athletic conventions. The sports management degree at UE also comes with several excellent internship opportunities, a fully doctoral faculty, and a history of strong professional, post-graduation connections throughout the community of Evansville.

Sport Management Degree

The sport management degree at UE focuses on a combination of traditional business skills and specialized sports management knowledge. Additionally, this program is one of the few that actually requires its students to schedule a few electives where they actually participate in team sports throughout the program. These 1-credit courses can be found in everything from basketball to swimming, water polo to volleyball. In more traditional business courses, students will master the basics of financial accounting, financial management, organizational behavior, marketing, and economics. Specialized sports management courses include principles of strength and condition, facility management, sport communication, officiating, sport psychology, and an introduction to exercise science. A required internship will be arranged by the school for students during their third or fourth years in the program.

Accreditations

- - - Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools
    - Commission on Sport Management Accreditation

Contact

University of Evansville
School of Public Health
Room 219, Wallace Graves Hall
1800 Lincoln Ave.
Evansville IN 47722
Phone: (812) 488-2288
Email: mn41@evansville.edu
Website: http://www.evansville.edu/majors/sportmanagement/

University of Indianapolis

College of Health Sciences

The University of Indianapolis has a history of producing professional athletes, with one of the nation’s best NCAA Division II athletic programs. This gives sports management majors, and graduate students studying this field, a great perspective on how to manage teams and larger athletic organizations. In addition to its athletic prowess, UIndy also features a strong reputation for smaller class sizes, highly qualified faculty, and a rigorous curriculum that produces highly competent graduates. The school’s major connections throughout Indianapolis, including with the NCAA’s national headquarters, will give students an added advantage among their peers when applying for entry-level jobs or promotions with their finished degree.

Sports Management Major

Sports management majors must take both the university liberal arts core curriculum as well as the traditional business core. This will ensure that students master everything from college mathematics to financial management and basic accounting. Within the sports management program, the UIndy program focuses on professional sports management, collegiate sports management, sports psychology, facility management, talent management, and negotiation. Students must complete an internship during their final year in the program, though this internship can be counted as 3 elective credits to help cut down on tuition costs and classroom attendance.

Master of Science in Sports Management

The M.S. in Sports Management program assumes that students have already graduated with an undergraduate degree in this field, and it focuses almost exclusively on advanced courses as a result. Introductory and foundation courses are not offered. Students will study advanced sports and exercise psychology, financial leadership and financial management, sports accounting, advanced talent management, advanced facility management and organizational leadership, and many other pursuits within this M.S. program. No internship is required, though a capstone project will ask students to complete a bit of research and make a presentation to a faculty panel prior to graduation.

Accreditations

- - - Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools
    - Commission on Sport Management Accreditation

Contact

University of Indianapolis
College of Health Sciences
1400 E. Hanna Ave.
Indianapolis, IN 46227
Phone: (317) 788-3368
Website: https://www.uindy.edu/health-sciences/kinesiology/sport-management

University of Southern Indiana

Pott College of Science, Engineering, and Education

This public institution is the center of higher education for the southern portion of the state, providing affordable access to two top-ranked, undergraduate degrees in sports management. USI is home to nearly 10,000 students who study at both the undergraduate and graduate levels, though its sports management options are limited to undergraduate degrees. The sports management department, uniquely locate din the College of Science, Engineering, and Education, gives students a well-rounded view of the field that includes hands-on experience with technology, decision-making, and more. With a highly qualified, all-doctoral faculty and a prestigious degree from a top-ranked university, graduates of this public institution will be able to compete strongly for entry-level jobs in the industry.

B.A. / B.S. in Sports Management

Students at the University of Southern Indiana can choose from either a B.A. or a B.S. degree in sports management. Unlike the program at Taylor University, however, this choice does not result in a significant change to the curriculum. In fact, the biggest difference can be found in the math requirements enforced by the degree. While B.A. students only need to master 3 credits of mathematics, those students who opt for the B.S. program will need to take at least three quantitative courses in order to graduate. Generally, this makes the B.S. program a slightly better choice for students aspiring to an M.B.A. program after graduation. All students in both programs will complete a business core in general management, marketing, finance, accounting and economics, and they will then move into sports management courses. These courses focus on sports organization leadership, facility management, event planning, athletic compliance, and sports law.

Accreditations

- - - Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools
    - Commission on Sport Management Accreditation

Contact

University of Southern Indiana
Pott College of Science, Engineering, and Education
8600 University Blvd.
Evansville, IN 47712
Phone: (812) 464-8600
Website: http://bulletin.usi.edu/preview_program.php?catoid=2&poid=410&returnto=64

Valparaiso University

College of Arts and Sciences

Known as Valpo by students and local residents, this private institution is among the best universities in the state of Indiana. The school is consistently ranked within the top 10 Master’s universities in the midwestern region of the United States, owing to its smaller class sizes, distinguished faculty, and excellent career placement statistics enjoyed by recent graduates. The school also earns high marks for its internship program, which requires that students complete at least one professional placement prior to graduation. Valparaiso professors largely hold doctoral degrees, giving them excellent qualifications that help students master tough material in the classroom. With degrees that range from undergraduate to graduate and professional, there really is an option for every type of sports management student at Valpo.

Bachelor of Science in Physical Education in Sports Management

The unique B.S. program at Valparaiso University is actually a combination of traditional physical education courses and sports management applications. Graduates will be highly qualified P.E. teachers under Indiana law, but this is not their only career option. Thanks to a few business courses in accounting and finance, as well as sports management classes that teach sports law, event planning, facility management, and athletic training, students will be prepared to lead a college or professional sports team as well.

The dual career options available after graduation make this one of the most popular degrees for student athletes, aspiring businesspeople, and students who simply want to maximize their career options after graduation. To further enhance professional preparedness, Valpo does require all of its students to complete an internship. In this program, the internship is often a student teaching placement alongside an existing physical education teacher in a nearby school.

M.S. in Sports Administration

Graduate students will find Valpo’s M.S. program in sports management to be an excellent fit for their long-term career objectives. Unlike many competing programs, this degree combines traditional sports management classes with advanced studies of kinesiology and exercise. It’s actually a perfect way to build on the school’s B.S. program that combines physical education with sports management. The curriculum includes courses in coaching theory, kinesiology foundations, advanced kinesiology, sports finance, sports psychology, governance of sports organizations, sports law, and many others areas. Well-rounded graduates will be ready to lead in professional or collegiate sports organizations, though some may choose to return to teaching physical education in a classroom setting as well.

Sports Administration (M.S.) and Law (J.D.) Dual Degree (J.D./M.S.)

For graduate students with even loftier ambitions, the combined J.D. / M.S. program at Valpo is an excellent option. The entire M.S. in Sports Administration curriculum is undertaken first, giving students a wide range of new skills and experiences in the managerial workplace. The law portion of the program, taken second, will allow students to earn a law degree while specializing in sports law and compliance with regulations that govern both collegiate and professional sports organizations. The combination of these degrees will prepare graduates to be teachers, lawyers, sports managers, executives, and strong leaders in virtually any professional setting they might encounter after the program has concluded.

Accreditations

- - - Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools
    - Commission on Sport Management Accreditation

Contact

Valparaiso University
College of Arts and Sciences
1700 Chapel Dr.
Valparaiso, IN 46383
Phone: (219) 464-5000
Email: david.rolling@valpo.edu
Website: http://www.valpo.edu/physicaleducation/study/sm-curr.php

Indiana has a number of very strong programs in sports management for today’s undergraduate and graduate students, featuring both regional and professional accreditation. These programs can give students a solid foundation on which to find entry-level careers or advance into new roles within an existing athletic organization. Some programs even combine sports management with other crucial skills, from physical education to exercise science, kinesiology, and law, giving students an excellent range of professional opportunities. If you are interested in online programs, read about them here: Top 15 Best Online Sports Management Degree Programs 2014. When choosing between the various accredited sports management degree programs in Indiana, remember to pick the one with the right combination of academics, accreditation, and affordability, ensuring a great educational fit for the duration of the curriculum.

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