Sports Management Degree Programs in Massachusetts (N-Z)

As college and professional sports organizations grow larger, students might want t consider some of the accredited sports management degree programs in Massachusetts to further their careers in this area. With programs at the undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral levels, the universities at Massachusetts offer a comprehensive approach to education and practical experience in this growing industry.

Rankings

Prestigious CAPOM accreditation helps to further boost the prestige of each program, giving students a powerful credential to add to their resumes as they begin their job search and start putting their academic skills to use in an entry-level sports management position. To see more accredited sports management programs, visit Sports Management Degree Programs in Massachusetts (A-M).

Nichols College

Department of Sport Management

Located in south-central Massachusetts, Nichols College is one of the state’s smallest liberal arts colleges. This gives sports management students access to some of the smallest class sizes in the state, which means more individualized attention and a greater level of access to professors and practitioners throughout the industry. In addition to being ranked as one of the best schools in the “North” region by U.S. News and World Report, Nichols College has also been named as having the best ROI for its business programs by PayScale.com. This means that students can expect to earn higher salaries than average, all while financing a smaller amount of their tuition costs than competing colleges in the state.

Bachelor of Science in Business Administration in Sport Management

Because the sports management program is considered a business pursuit, all students in this major must complete the general business core. This includes general courses in finance, accounting, economics, and management, with a few classes in strategic communication and marketing as well. Within the sports management curriculum, students will take courses in sports marketing, sports finance, sports law, facility management, coaching administration, athletic administration, event management, and sports communications. The program also requires a practicum course during the student’s third or fourth year of study, which will require placement in a relevant internship close to campus. This internship, in combination with the practicum course, is a key way for students to build on their academic skills and begin assembling their professional network before they officially enter the job market.

Accreditations

- - - New England Association of Schools and Colleges

Contact

Nichols College
Department of Sport Management
129 Center Road
Dudley MA 01571
Phone: (800) 470-3379
Email: Tim.Liptrap@nichols.edu
Website: https://www.nichols.edu/academics/degrees-and-programs/sport-management

Regis College

Health and Human Services

Regis College, a small Catholic institution just outside the city of Boston, offers a large number of benefits to its undergraduate students. The school is another of the state’s small liberal arts institutions, with fewer than 2,000 students across all programs. This means that individual attention is easy to find in the sports management program, from classroom experiences to placement in internships. Regis’ location just outside Boston also means that internship opportunities abound with some of the largest and most respected teams in the country, like the New England Patriots and the Boston Red Sox. The school’s students often work for these teams, as well as some Division I athletic programs, during their final year of enrollment.

Bachelor’s in Health and Fitness Studies in Sports Management

At Regis, students studying sports management are actually considered to be health and fitness majors, instead of business majors, which is unique among schools offering this particular major. Furthermore, the sports management focus is considered a concentration rather than a major itself. All students must therefore complete Regis’ health and fitness curriculum, which focuses on advanced nutrition, diet, exercise and athletic performance. The sports management curriculum includes classes in event management and promotion, sports communication, athletic administration, organizational behavior, financial accounting, sports law, and basic management. An internship is required as part of the capstone practicum course in the program, which will give students valuable professional experience and networking opportunities.

Accreditations

- - - New England Association of Schools and Colleges

Contact

Regis College
Health and Human Services
235 Wellesley Street, Weston MA 02493
Phone: (781) 768-7000
Email: admission@regiscollege.edu
Website: http://www.regiscollege.edu/academics/ug-department.cfm?id=sports_management

Salem State University

College of Arts and Sciences

Originally founded as a teachers’ college more than 100 years ago, Salem State University has evolved into one of the larger public institutions in the state of Massachusetts. Its comprehensive focus includes more than just education majors, and now includes a top-ranked sports management program. Offered through the College of Arts and Sciences, sports management is considered a concentration within the school’s “sport and movement science” degree program. Thanks to CAPOM accreditation and excellent relationships with local employers, Salem State University offers its students an excellent job placement rate and is considered a “best value” by leading publications like U.S. News and World Report. Low in-state tuition makes Salem State a particularly good buy for students within the Bay State.

Bachelor of Science in Sport and Movement Science in Sport Management

Because the sports management program is housed within the department that focuses on sport and movement science, students will take a unique array of core courses before they can focus on the management concentration. This initial core includes coursework in athletic training and conditioning, injury evaluation, and high performance management. The sports management concentration is relatively traditional, guided by the CAPOM accreditation standards for the program. Students will focus on sports in culture, sports law, athletic administration, talent and recruitment management, coaching administration, organizational behavior, sports finance, and economics. The program also requires an internship, paired with the sport management practicum course, during the student’s last year in the program. This internship is a powerful networking opportunity and can be pursued in Salem or throughout the region.

Accreditations

- - - New England Association of Schools and Colleges

Contact

Salem State University
College of Arts and Sciences
352 Lafayette Street
Salem, MA 01970
Phone: (978) 542-6000
Email:
Website: https://www.salemstate.edu/academics/schools/2564.php

Springfield College

School of Health, Physical Education, and Recreation

Springfield College, a private institution located in western Massachusetts, is one of the top schools for sports management in New England. The school has a reputation for landing its students some of the most prestigious internships in the country, including with teams like the New England Patriots, Baltimore Ravens, and Philadelphia Phillies. In addition to strong internships, Springfield is recognized for its generous, merit-based and need-based financial aid programs, making it a top pick for students who are looking for a great value. Springfield’s location at almost the exact center of the New England region also makes it a top draw for students in several states, leading to a competitive and diverse student body that has long benefitted from high job placement rates and high program satisfaction rates after leaving the school to begin a career.

Bachelor’s in Sport Management and Recreation

All undergraduate students in sports management need to complete the health-centered curriculum that is standard across all programs in the School of Health, Physical Education, and Recreation. These courses focus on basic and advanced nutrition, physical condition, injury treatment, recreation management. Sports management students then focus on their concentration, which will require them to learn about sports law, sports finance, sports marketing, basic athletic administration, coaching administration, human nutrition, talent management, sports recruiting, and program administration. An internship is required, and will be arranged in consultation with advisors in the School of Health, Physical Education, and Recreation. Additionally, internships are paired with a practicum course so that students can share their experiences in the field with their classmates.

Master of Science in Sport Management

Applicants to the M.S. degree in sports management must have an undergraduate or professional background in business or sports management. The program takes the undergraduate concentration and narrows it into a more advanced focus, with courses focusing on legal and ethical issues in athletic administration, advanced sports management, executive-level sports finance and marketing, talent acquisition and salary caps, and other considerations that are typically managed by executive-level leadership within college and professional sports organizations. An optional internship is offered as part of the program, giving students a great way to further expand their professional network in this industry as they pursue an advanced degree and consider high-level opportunities.

Accreditations

- - - New England Association of Schools and Colleges

Contact

Springfield College
School of Health, Physical Education, and Recreation
263 Alden St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Phone: (413) 748-3000
Website: http://springfieldcollege.edu/academic-programs/sport-management-and-recreation/sport-management-major

University of Massachusetts Amherst

Isenberg School of Management

Consistently ranked among the top public universities in the United States, UMass Amherst also operates one of the country’s best business schools. Students in the Isenberg School of Management receive a top-40 education at all levels, especially at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Isenberg has graduated a large number of successful business executives, including many CEOs, and is increasingly respected as a leader in sports management education. In addition to the school’s sterling academic reputation, Isenberg is ranked as a great value by leading publications in the business and higher education industries, including Forbes, Bloomberg, and U.S. News and World Report. Strong national alumni networks further enhance Isenberg’s attractiveness to students throughout the country.

BS in Sport Management

Undergraduate students are considered part of the Isenberg core curriculum in business administration, which requires them to complete an extensive series of general business competencies as they begin their sports management studies. Students must take Isenberg’s required courses in accounting, economics, finance, marketing, and business administration, totaling approximately 30 semester hours. The school’s sports management concentration then focuses on more specialized and advanced skills within these competencies, including sports law, sports finance, and sports marketing. Classes in athletic administration, talent management, and compensation are also required. During their last year in the program, students will be placed in a required internship with one of the professional or college athletic programs located in Massachusetts or nearby states.

MS in Sport Management

Students in the M.S. program in sports management will advance their understanding of the field from a more executive-level perspective. Advanced classes include a seminar in current issues and areas of debate within sports management, advanced sports law and athletic ethical considerations, and advanced sports financial and marketing management. Students will choose electives in areas like advanced athletic administration and even nutrition, depending on their unique professional interests. A capstone course, inclusive of a final project or thesis, is required prior to graduation with the Master of Science degree. Students wishing the advance into a PhD program generally opt for the thesis.

PhD in Sport Management

Some students have an eye on entering academia, teaching courses on sports management rather than practicing in the field. That’s where the Doctor of Philosophy degree in this field comes in. The PhD program at Isenberg focuses more on theory than on practice, introducing students to the ethical and professional issues that define a sports organization and determine whether it is managed successfully. A doctoral dissertation is required of all students, and it must include original research within sports management in order to be met with approval by a faculty panel.

Accreditations

- - - New England Association of Schools and Colleges

Contact

University of Massachusetts Amherst
Isenberg School of Management
121 Presidents Drive, Isenberg 236
Amherst, MA 01003
Phone: (413) 545-0441
Email: lmasteralexis@isenberg.umass.edu
Website: https://www.isenberg.umass.edu/programs/depts/sport-mgmt

Western New England University

College of Business

Located in Springfield, Western New England University is a private institution that excels in offering students a quality education at an affordable price. Top-ranked for value and ROI across all of its programs, Western New England University offers COSMA-accredited sports management program that routinely sees its students land internships with some of New England’s largest professional teams and Division I athletic programs. Professors in the program all hold doctoral degrees, and many are former sports management professionals who worked with some of the biggest names in the industry. This gives students a unique insight into the profession and how their skills will be applied upon landing their first position.

Bachelor of Science in Business Administration

The College of Business core requirements are the first classes that sports management students will take, including basic courses in accounting, finance, marketing, economics, management, and organizational communication. Within the sports management concentration, students will focus on the economics of sport, sports law, sports marketing, sports finance, athletic administration, facility management, and athletic administration. A capstone course will blend a professional internship with classroom discussion of applied sports management skills, helping students transition to the professional world with ease during the final year of their enrollment.

Accreditations

- - - New England Association of Schools and Colleges

Contact

Western New England University
College of Business
1215 Wilbraham Rd.
Springfield, MA 01119
Phone: (413) 782-3111
Email: learn@wne.edu
Website: http://www1.wne.edu/business/index.cfm?selection=doc.971

The wide range of available sports management programs in Massachusetts ensures that students throughout the state will be able to acquire the skills and professional experiences needed to succeed in this industry. As always, make sure to fully research each of the accredited sports management degree programs in Massachusetts in order to make an informed decision that will lead to the best possible job and career path upon completion of the degree requirements.

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