Sports Management Degree Programs in Texas (S-T) - Sports Management Degree Guide

Students wishing to combine a love of sports with a lucrative business career may want to consider one of the following sports management degree programs in Texas. These programs provide a typical business education as it applies to the sports industry, with courses in such subjects as finance, marketing, business law, and business management. Graduates find satisfying and lucrative careers in the sport industry, working as managers, scouts, coaches, or marketing and public relations specialists for just about any sport and varying from amateur sports franchises to collegiate level to professional. To see more Sports Management Programs in Texas, visit Sports Management Degree Programs in Texas (A-R) and Sports Management Degree Programs in Texas (T-Z).

Rankings

Sam Houston State University

College of Health Sciences

Named for Texan hero Sam Houston, Sam Houston State University was founded in 1879 and has since continually provided educational opportunities geared toward preparing students for meaningful lives of achievement. While striving to honor its historical roots through academic excellence, the university also strives to meet the needs of contemporary students by offering programs online as well as on campus. The College of Health Sciences encompasses several departments with programs designed to promote health and quality of life for both local and global populations.

Master of Science in Sports Management

The Master of Science in Sports management degree program is part of the Department of Kinesiology within the College of Health Sciences. This program is designed to prepare students for executive positions within athletic and sports organizations at the community, collegiate, and professional levels. The program combines classroom instruction with research and internship opportunities. Students can choose from either a thesis or non-thesis option when working toward this graduate degree, completing a total of 36 credit hours either way. Both options require 30 credit hours of coursework, with the thesis option needing an additional six credit hours of thesis. For the non-thesis option, six hours of practicum experience are required in place of the thesis. Courses for this degree program involve subjects such as Legal Issues in Sports, Finance and Sales, Event and Facility Management, and Ethics in Sports Management.

Accreditations

• Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC)

Contact

Sam Houston State University
College of Health Sciences
1900 Avenue I
PO Box 2301
Huntsville, TX 77341
936-294-2301
Email: graduate@shsu.edu and gradstudies@shsu.edu
http://www.shsu.edu/academics/health-sciences/kinesiology/index.html

Schreiner University

Trull School of Sciences and Mathematics

Located in the Texas Hill Country, Schreiner University is a liberal arts college offering degrees in the sciences, arts, business, education, and nursing. Designated both a Hispanic Serving Institution and a Yellow Ribbon school, Schreiner is proud to serve an undergraduate population that is at least 25 percent Hispanic and to be instrumental in helping military men and women complete degrees quickly and easily so as to transition into successful careers that much faster. The Trull School of Sciences and Mathematics is one of three subdivisions within the university, offering degrees in the various sciences, mathematics, engineering, public health and nursing, exercise health and sports management.

Bachelor of Arts in Sports Management

Of all the sports management degree programs in Texas, this is one of the few Bachelor of Arts rather than Science programs to be found. This particular degree is designed for students looking to enter the fields of marketing and business as they pertain to the sports industry, as well as sports management. Graduates can choose administrative careers such as high school athletic directors, work with professional sports teams and/or athletes, or manage sports facilities such as arenas, health clubs, or ball parks. This degree can also lead to further graduate work to prepare for positions working at the college or university level in athletics. Curriculum for this degree combines coursework in exercise science and sports ethics with business courses in areas such as finance, marketing, and business law.

Accreditations

• Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC)

Contacts

Schreiner University
2100 Memorial Blvd.
Kerrville, TX 78028-5697
800-343-4919
Email: bshaw@schreiner.edu (Dr. Barry Shaw, Dept Chair)
http://www.schreiner.edu/academics/majors-and-programs/sport-management/index.aspx

Southern Methodist University

Annette Caldwell Simmons Schools of Education and Human Development

Cox School of Business

Southern Methodist University was founded by what is now the United Methodist Church in partnership with civic leaders of the time. It provides a strong foundation in the humanities and the sciences and takes a nonsectarian view of teaching, emphasizing academic freedom and open inquiry as part of the overall learning process. Being located in Dallas, one of the top sports markets in the country, provides for many opportunities for internships and experiential learning within both undergraduate or graduate courses of study. This particular university offers two of the sports management degree programs offered in Texas, housed across two of the seven schools that make up SMU.

Bachelor of Science in Applied Physiology and Sports Management

The Bachelor of Science in Applied Physiology and Sports Management degree combines a solid understanding of the biological basis of health and fitness principles with the business background needed by professionals in the sport, health, and fitness industries. The curriculum involves both academic coursework and experiential learning and prepares students for careers in both the business side of sports management, such as marketing and management of sporting organizations, and in health management, to include corporate wellness and commercial health and fitness facility management. The program culminates in a mentored senior project in which the student chooses a concentration in sports management that integrates the science and business components of the program content and demonstrates research and evidence-based practices in his or her particular concentration.

Master of Science in Sport Management

The Master of Science in Sport Management degree at SMU is housed in both the Simmons School of Education and Human Development and the Cox School of Business. This full-time, 12-month program takes the experiences gained in the Bachelor of Science degree described above to the next level by providing industry-specific training with emphasis on analysis, research, strategic thinking, and effective business communication skills. Courses are taught and mentored by sports management professionals with decades of experience at the executive level in a wide variety of areas in the sporting industry, including professional leagues and teams, media and broadcasting, sponsorships, and facility management. Business courses such as Financial Accounting, Managerial Economics, and Strategic Management are taken within the Cox School of Business, and skills are then applied specifically to the sports management industry. This program also continues the mix between classroom learning and experiential learning that was present in the undergraduate degree, providing graduates with real-life case studies, internships, and practicums.

Accreditations

• Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC)
• The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)

Contacts

Annette Caldwell Simmons Hall
Southern Methodist University
P.O. Box 750382
Dallas, TX 75275-0382
214-768-7587
Email: sehd@smu.edu
https://www.smu.edu/Simmons/AreasOfStudy/APW/SportManagement

Texas A&M University

Division of Sport Management

Texas A&M University, or TAMU, was founded in 1876 and was the state’s first institution of higher learning. It has since grown into the flagship research-intensive university that it is today. The Division of Sport Management at TAMU is part of the Department of Health and Kinesiology, which in turn is housed within the College of Education and Human Development. This particular school provides a solid option for students seeking sport management degree programs in Texas at the doctoral level, as this is one of the few schools in the state to provide this advanced degree.

Bachelor of Science in Sport Management

Students seeking this undergraduate degree at TAMU have two options for pathways, one internship option and one non-internship option. Students wishing to enter the sports industry through field experience would do best to choose the internship option. Students will study sport management from a business perspective within the classroom and then participate in a 13-week internship that is designed as a capstone experience and provides the chance to apply the concepts and theories learned in the classroom to real-world settings. The internship experience also provides opportunities for students to network and possibly transition into a job or career post-graduation.

Students seeking the non-internship option are more likely to seek administrative and management positions in health, athletic and country clubs or entry-level positions in management within collegiate or professional athletic organizations. With this option, students are required to complete two minors as well as their major coursework, and these minors can be chosen from a list that includes business, journalism, coaching, parks and recreation management, and tourism resource management. Alternately, students can create a personal cognate program with the assistance of their advisor.

Master of Science in Sport Management

The MS in Sport Management degree provides for a thesis or non-thesis option and can be taken in a traditional classroom setting or completely online. Graduates with this degree are prepared for roles as administrators and managers of sport organizations such as collegiate and interscholastic athletic departments, professional sports, media and communications operations, as well as diverse roles in many other areas of sports-related businesses. Regardless of whether students study on campus or online, thesis or non-thesis, students are required to complete a total of 36 credit hours for completion of this degree program.

In each case, courses include such subjects as Revenue Generation in Sport, Personnel Management in Sport, Sport Marketing and Sport Law. In addition, all options involve practicums and either direct study or independent study time. The thesis option involves eight credit hours devoted to the thesis development, while the non-thesis and online options add in more practical experience in the form of internships.

Ph.D in Kinesiology: Specialization in Sport Management

This degree program is designed for students who will seek teaching and research careers in the field of sport management, and students are only accepted into the program through the agreement and acceptance of a member of the graduate faculty who is willing to advise the student. The program involves a minimum of either 67 credit hours beyond the Masters level degree or 96 credit hours beyond the baccalaureate degree. Depending upon experience, students may be required to also complete undergraduate or graduate work as part of this program. Coursework for this degree heavily emphasizes research and analysis as students prepare their dissertation for eventual publication, a requirement to complete this program. As with most doctoral programs, a teaching internship is also a part of this program.

Accreditations

• Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC)

Contacts

College of Education and Human Development
Department of Health and Kinesiology
4243 TAMU
College Station, TX 77843-4243
979-845-3109
Email: info@hlkn.tamu.edu
http://hlknweb.tamu.edu/divisions/division-sport-management

Texas A&M University Corpus Christi

Department of Kinesiology

Part of the prestigious Texas A&M system, this university is nonetheless the only one in the nation to reside on its own island. Established in 1947, the university offers more than 80 of the most popular degree programs in the state and does so with the same academic integrity and rigidity as its parent university. As with the main TAMU, the sport management degree described below is housed in the Department of Kinesiology, which in turn is part of the College of Education and Human Development. This particular campus offers only the undergraduate degree in this particular field.

Bachelor of Science in Sport Management

Like many of the other sports management degree programs in Texas described here, this degree program prepares graduates for jobs and careers with professional athletic teams, collegiate sports organizations, and amateur sports organizations, as well as within marketing and sales of sporting equipment and event promotion. Students will complete a minimum of 124 to 127 credit hours for this degree, which includes the general education requirements for any four-year degree. Major requirements involve various foundational courses in kinesiology, nutrition for human performance, and the psychological aspects of kinesiology, as well as the courses in legal, financial, and promotional aspects of sport management. Beyond these core courses, students take 18 credit hours in special foundations courses. These can be general business-related courses or can involve declaration of a minor in either business administration or marketing.

Accreditations

• Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC)
• The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)

Contacts

Department of Kinesiology
Texas A&M University Corpus-Christi
6300 Ocean Drive, Unit 5820
Corpus Christi, TX 78412-5820
361-825-6072
Email: Elizabeth.Perez@tamucc.edu
http://kinesiology.tamucc.edu/kines_sport_management.html

Texas Tech University

Department of Kinesiology and Sport Management

Texas Tech University provides two of the many sports management degree programs in Texas, one at the undergraduate level and one at the graduate level. At Texas Tech, the goal is to foster student achievement above all else and to be seen as one of the top research universities in the nation. The university is large enough to provide the best possible facilities and technology while still remaining small enough to provide individual attention to each student. The department of kinesiology and sport management provides the bachelor and master degrees described here, as well as minors in sport management and kinesiology, athletic coaching, and health and public health.

Bachelor of Science in Sport Management

Beyond the general education requirements for the four-year undergraduate degree, this particular BS of Sport Management involves 36 credit hours of major-required coursework and the addition of a required minor that adds an additional 18 credit hours. Minors can be chosen in such fields as General Business, Legal Studies, Communications Studies, Journalism, Electronic Media, and Public Relations. As with other degrees of this nature, students are prepared upon graduation to enter administrative positions within collegiate, amateur, and professional sports organizations, with particular career options likely coinciding with the student’s choice of focus within his or her chosen minor. Courses in this major involve fundamentals, social aspects, financial and economic aspects, leadership and management aspects, and international sport management concepts. These are then supplemented with the specifics of the chosen minor.

Master of Science in Sport Management

With this particular graduate program, students can choose to complete internships, participate in research projects, or provide a thesis as part of the requirements for completion. The program strives to provide a challenging environment which equally mixes classroom instruction with practical experience and application. Some of the areas of particular emphasis with this degree are sport marketing, risk management, sport leadership, and sport organizational behavior. Whether the thesis or non-thesis option is chosen, the degree requires a minimum of 36 credit hours for completion. With a thesis, students spend six of those credit hours devoted to the thesis. For the non-thesis option, students spend those six credit hours for an additional internship. Graduates of this program have successfully found jobs and careers with such sports organizations as the Texas Rangers, Houston Astros, and Texas Tech Athletics.

Accreditations

• Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC)

Contacts
Texas Tech University
Department of Kinesiology and Sport Management
Box 43011
Lubbock, TX 79409-3011
806-742-3371
http://www.depts.ttu.edu/ksm/

The options for combining business principles with a love of sports are as varied and numerous as ever, not to mention profitable. For anyone interested in pursuing a sport management degree program in Texas, these schools provide some solid options and a variety of focuses to meet individual student desires.

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