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A Sport Administration student on the sidelines at a football game

Sport Administration - B.S.

The Sport Administration B.S. curriculum blends coursework in sports management, marketing, finance and law to prepare you for a career in the sports industry. With hands-on experiences through internships and real-world projects, you'll gain the skills and knowledge to excel in this exciting field.

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Program Information

Program Description

Full Description

The Bachelor of Science degree in Sport Administration prepares students for careers in the sport industry through a balanced academic program and numerous practical experiences.

Students complete a core group of courses developed to exceed accreditation guidelines, and all students are required to complete one of the following minors:

The curricular balance of sport, business and sociological courses along with three required practical experiences make the program of study one that is cutting edge compared to other programs within the state of Ohio and across the country.

Admissions

Admission Requirements

The university affirmatively strives to provide educational opportunities and access to students with varied backgrounds, those with special talents and adult students who graduated from high school three or more years ago.

First-Year Students on the Kent Campus: First-year admission policy on the Kent Campus is selective. Admission decisions are based upon cumulative grade point average, strength of high school college preparatory curriculum and grade trends. Students not admissible to the Kent Campus may be administratively referred to one of the seven regional campuses to begin their college coursework. For more information, visit the admissions website for first-year students.

First-Year Students on the Regional Campuses: First-year admission to Kent State’s campuses at Ashtabula, East Liverpool, Geauga, Salem, Stark, Trumbull and Tuscarawas, as well as the Twinsburg Academic Center, is open to anyone with a high school diploma or its equivalent. For more information on admissions, contact the Regional Campuses admissions offices.

International Students: All international students must provide proof of English language proficiency unless they meet specific exceptions. For more information, visit the admissions website for international students.

Transfer Students: Students who have attended any other educational institution after graduating from high school must apply as undergraduate transfer students. For more information, visit the admissions website for transfer students.

Former Students: Former Kent State students or graduates who have not attended another college or university since Kent State may complete the reenrollment or reinstatement form on the University Registrar’s website.

Admission policies for undergraduate students may be found in the University Catalog.

Some programs may require that students meet certain requirements before progressing through the program. For programs with progression requirements, the information is shown on the Coursework tab.

Current Kent State and Transfer Students: Active Kent State students who wish to change their major must have attempted a minimum 12 credit hours at Kent State and earned a minimum 2.500 overall Kent State GPA to be admitted. Students who have not attempted 12 credit hours at Kent State will be evaluated for admission based on their high school GPA for new students or transfer GPA for transfer students. Transfer students who have not attempted 12 credit hours of college-level coursework at Kent State and/or other institutions will be evaluated based on both their high school GPA and college GPA.

Learning Outcomes

Program Learning Outcomes

Graduates of this program will be able to:

  1. Demonstrate comprehensive knowledge in the areas of promotion and marketing as related to sport.
  2. Effectively and safely implement sporting events and fundraising events.
  3. Demonstrate an understanding of the policies and organizations that govern sport.
  4. Demonstrate knowledge of basic legal concepts and theory as it applies to sport.
  5. Demonstrate financial knowledge of accounting, economics and finance as it applies to sport.
  6. Demonstrate an understanding of ethics in sport management.
  7. Demonstrate an understanding of management and organizational skills in sport.
  8. Demonstrate an understanding of behavioral dimensions in sport.
Coursework

Program Requirements

Major Requirements (courses count in major GPA)
BA 24056BUSINESS ANALYTICS I 3
or BMRT 21004 BUSINESS ANALYTICS I
or MATH 10041 INTRODUCTORY STATISTICS (KMCR)
SPAD 15000INTRODUCTION TO SPORT ADMINISTRATION 3
SPAD 25000SPORT IN SOCIETY (DIVD) 3
SPAD 25092PRACTICUM I IN SPORT ADMINISTRATION (ELR) 11
SPAD 35021GOVERNANCE IN SPORT 3
SPAD 35025FACILITY MANAGEMENT 3
SPAD 35065HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY OF SPORT AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITY (WIC) 23
or SPAD 45029 HISTORY AND CURRENT ISSUES IN COLLEGIATE ATHLETICS
SPAD 35092PRACTICUM II IN SPORT ADMINISTRATION (ELR) 11
SPAD 45020ORGANIZATION, ADMINISTRATION AND LEADERSHIP IN SPORT 3
SPAD 45022EVENT PLANNING AND PRODUCTION 3
SPAD 45023SPORT MARKETING 3
SPAD 45024SPORT IN GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE 3
SPAD 45026SPORT AND THE MEDIA 3
SPAD 45027PUBLIC RELATIONS AND PROMOTION IN SPORT 3
SPAD 45030SPORT ENTERPRISE (WIC) 23
SPAD 45032SALES MANAGEMENT IN SPORT AND ENTERTAINMENT 3
SPAD 45091SEMINAR FOR INTERNSHIP PREPARATION 1
SPAD 45092INTERNSHIP IN SPORT ADMINISTRATION (ELR) 16-12
SPAD 46080LEGAL ISSUES IN SPORT AND RECREATION 3
Additional Requirements (courses do not count in major GPA)
ACCT 23020INTRODUCTION TO FINANCIAL ACCOUNTING 3
ARCH 10001UNDERSTANDING ARCHITECTURE (KFA) 3
COMM 15000INTRODUCTION TO HUMAN COMMUNICATION (KADL) 3
ECON 22060PRINCIPLES OF MICROECONOMICS (KSS) 3
ECON 22061PRINCIPLES OF MACROECONOMICS (KSS) 3
MKTG 25010PRINCIPLES OF MARKETING 3
PHIL 21001INTRODUCTION TO ETHICS (DIVG) (KHUM) 3
PSYC 11762GENERAL PSYCHOLOGY (DIVD) (KSS) 3
or SOC 12050 INTRODUCTION TO SOCIOLOGY (DIVD) (KSS)
UC 10001FLASHES 101 1
Kent Core Composition6
Kent Core Mathematics and Critical Reasoning 33
Kent Core Humanities3
Kent Core Basic Sciences (must include one laboratory)6-7
General Electives (total credit hours depends on earning 120 credits hour, including 39 upper-division credit hours)23
Minimum Total Credit Hours:120
1

State and Federal background checks may be required for practicum and internship experiences.

2

A minimum C grade must be earned to fulfill the writing-intensive requirement.

3

Students should review the mathematics requirement for their selected minor prior to registering for their Kent Core Mathematics and Critical Reasoning. If MATH 10041 has been taken, additional general electives may be required to maintain the 120 minimum total credit hours for graduation.

Progression Requirements

Student must maintain a minimum 2.500 overall GPA and the minimum GPA for their selected minor(s) every semester, until graduation.

Students who do not maintain the minimum required GPA1 will receive a warning and will be required to meet with their faculty and professional advisor to develop a plan of continuation. The plan will include all actions necessary to continue in the current program, the opportunity to declare a different program, a timeline of when actions should occur, and next steps if actions are not followed.  Please refer to the Not Permitted to Continue policy in the Academic Policies section in the University Catalog.

1

Undergraduate students who have not completed a minimum of 12 Kent State University credit hours will be evaluated for advanced study and professional phase based on their high school GPA for new freshmen or transfer GPA for transfer students.

Graduation Requirements

Minimum Major GPA Minimum Overall GPA
2.500 2.500
Roadmap

Roadmap

This roadmap is a recommended semester-by-semester plan of study for this major. However, courses designated as critical (!) must be completed in the semester listed to ensure a timely graduation.

Plan of Study Grid
Semester OneCredits
SPAD 15000 INTRODUCTION TO SPORT ADMINISTRATION 3
UC 10001 FLASHES 101 1
Kent Core Requirement 3
Kent Core Requirement 3
Kent Core Requirement 3
Kent Core Requirement 3
 Credit Hours16
Semester Two
ARCH 10001 UNDERSTANDING ARCHITECTURE (KFA) 3
COMM 15000 INTRODUCTION TO HUMAN COMMUNICATION (KADL) 3
PSYC 11762
or SOC 12050
GENERAL PSYCHOLOGY (DIVD) (KSS)
or INTRODUCTION TO SOCIOLOGY (DIVD) (KSS)
3
Kent Core Requirement 3
General Elective 3
 Credit Hours15
Semester Three
!ECON 22060 PRINCIPLES OF MICROECONOMICS (KSS) 3
PHIL 21001 INTRODUCTION TO ETHICS (DIVG) (KHUM) 3
SPAD 25000 SPORT IN SOCIETY (DIVD) 3
!SPAD 25092 PRACTICUM I IN SPORT ADMINISTRATION (ELR) 1
Kent Core Requirement 3
General Elective 3
 Credit Hours16
Semester Four
ACCT 23020 INTRODUCTION TO FINANCIAL ACCOUNTING 3
ECON 22061 PRINCIPLES OF MACROECONOMICS (KSS) 3
!MKTG 25010 PRINCIPLES OF MARKETING 3
SPAD 35065
or SPAD 45029
HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY OF SPORT AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITY (WIC)
or HISTORY AND CURRENT ISSUES IN COLLEGIATE ATHLETICS
3
General Elective 3
 Credit Hours15
Semester Five
!BA 24056
or BMRT 21004
or MATH 10041
BUSINESS ANALYTICS I
or BUSINESS ANALYTICS I
or INTRODUCTORY STATISTICS (KMCR)
3
!SPAD 35021 GOVERNANCE IN SPORT 3
SPAD 35025 FACILITY MANAGEMENT 3
SPAD 45026 SPORT AND THE MEDIA 3
General Elective 3
 Credit Hours15
Semester Six
!SPAD 35092 PRACTICUM II IN SPORT ADMINISTRATION (ELR) 1
SPAD 45020 ORGANIZATION, ADMINISTRATION AND LEADERSHIP IN SPORT 3
SPAD 45023 SPORT MARKETING 3
SPAD 45032 SALES MANAGEMENT IN SPORT AND ENTERTAINMENT 3
SPAD 46080 LEGAL ISSUES IN SPORT AND RECREATION 3
General Elective 3
 Credit Hours16
Semester Seven
SPAD 45022 EVENT PLANNING AND PRODUCTION 3
SPAD 45024 SPORT IN GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE 3
SPAD 45027 PUBLIC RELATIONS AND PROMOTION IN SPORT 3
SPAD 45030 SPORT ENTERPRISE (WIC) 3
!SPAD 45091 SEMINAR FOR INTERNSHIP PREPARATION 1
General Elective 2
 Credit Hours15
Semester Eight
!SPAD 45092 INTERNSHIP IN SPORT ADMINISTRATION (ELR) 6
General Elective 6
 Credit Hours12
 Minimum Total Credit Hours:120
Program Delivery
  • Delivery:
    • In person
  • Location:
    • Kent Campus

Examples of Possible Careers and Salaries

Coaches and scouts

11.8%

much faster than the average

292,000

number of jobs

$36,330

potential earnings

Education administrators, all other

8.1%

much faster than the average

52,100

number of jobs

$87,580

potential earnings

Fundraisers

14.3%

much faster than the average

100,600

number of jobs

$59,610

potential earnings

Market research analysts and marketing specialists

17.7%

much faster than the average

738,100

number of jobs

$65,810

potential earnings

Marketing managers

6.7%

faster than the average

286,300

number of jobs

$142,170

potential earnings

Sales and related workers, all other

1.9%

slower than the average

142,900

number of jobs

$30,550

potential earnings

Sales managers

3.5%

about as fast as the average

433,800

number of jobs

$132,290

potential earnings

Miscellaneous entertainers and performers, sports and related workers

4.2%

about as fast as the average

33,300

number of jobs

$N/A

potential earnings

Personal service managers, all other; entertainment and recreation managers, except gambling; and managers, all other

-1.8%

decline

1,189,200

number of jobs

$116,350

potential earnings

Notice: Career Information Source
* Source of occupation titles and labor data comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Outlook Handbook. Data comprises projected percent change in employment over the next 10 years; nation-wide employment numbers; and the yearly median wage at which half of the workers in the occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less.

Practical Experience Application Forms