What do you learn in a sports management master’s program?

The sports economy, which today encompasses everything from sports events and professional leagues to consumer brands, is projected to reach $8.8 trillion by 2050.¹ This suggests that prospective sports professionals can look forward to vast career opportunities in the coming years.

As the global sports industry undergoes big changes due to new technologies, investment, and ownership models, sports managers will have a particular opportunity to shine.² Tasked with overseeing athletic programs as well as law, accounting, taxation, and public relations within the industry, these professionals will be the key links that hold teams and organizations together.

Sports managers will also have a unique opportunity to play a role in promoting sports in an increasingly inactive society, fostering connections and helping people lead healthier, more fulfilling lives.¹

If you’re hoping to play a part in shaping how the world experiences sport, this is a pivotal moment to earn your degree in sports management. Read on to learn more about programs in sports management, from the skills you’ll gain to the opportunities you can seek after completion and how the University of Kansas online master’s in sport management* will prepare you for your future career through extensive sports knowledge, professional networks, and applied experience.

What does a sports management master’s degree consist of?

A sport management master’s degree is structured to take a deep dive into the business of sport. Expect to combine foundational graduate coursework with sport-specific applications.

Students take core courses that provide foundations in leadership, organizational behavior, ethics, and operations marketing. Most programs also include coursework that explores sponsorship, marketing, and the legal aspects of sport. These sports management classes build a framework for understanding how athletic departments, professional franchises, and other sport-related organizations operate.

Hands-on learning is a crucial component of these types of programs. Internships and capstone projects allow students to apply what they learn in the classroom to real-world situations. Together, these elements give you a well-rounded graduate experience that prepares you for a career in the sports industry.

Essential skills and knowledge you gain

What do you learn in a sports management degree that’s more valuable than another master’s degree? You build essential leadership and strategy skills grounded in sport-specific theory and practice.

Leadership and organizational management are central to success in today’s sports industry. From overseeing multimillion-dollar budgets to managing staff, athletes, sponsors, and community stakeholders, sport leaders must balance performance goals with operational demands.

Courses teach you how to conduct market research, face ethical dilemmas, pursue corporate partnerships, manage budgets, and design appealing ad campaigns. These are capabilities employers actively seek to help them reach their economic and organizational goals.

At KU, networking and professional development are also interwoven throughout the program. You engage with experienced faculty, connect with peers, and learn from guest speakers representing collegiate athletics and professional teams. These interactions expand your perspective and strengthen your professional network, opening the door to future career opportunities.

Key sports management classes and specializations

An online master’s in sport management degree should provide a complete exploration of how the industry operates. Sport management classes typically include the following topics:

• Sport facilities: Examine current trends in how college and professional sport facilities are funded, planned, designed, and constructed
• Socio-cultural dimensions of sport: Explore how American social values and cultural patterns shape sports and physical activities
• Ethics in the sport industry: Learn to make thoughtful, ethical decisions in sport settings
• Organizational behavior in sport: Analyze workplace culture and behavior within sport organizations
• Sport finance: Study how finance and economics work in the sports industry
• Sport marketing: Examine product, price, promotion, and placement marketing while learning about branding, research, sponsorship, event marketing, and global strategies
• Legal aspects of sport: Understand the foundations of the American legal system and apply them to contracts, risk management, labor relations, governance, and liability in sport
• Sport sponsorship: Evaluate how sponsorships are developed and activated, assess sponsor fit and effectiveness, and track trends in corporate partnerships
• Sport fundraising: Study fundraising strategies in sport

At KU, students also complete a capstone project and a supervised internship. For the capstone, you’ll apply the theories, research methods, and analytical skills you developed in the program to develop a business plan for a new or emerging sports organization. The internship provides hands-on experience in a selected sport management setting. You can complete it in any semester, either on its own or alongside other courses.

Career opportunities after graduation

A master’s degree in sport management prepares you for a wide range of roles. Graduates pursue sport management jobs in collegiate athletics, professional sports organizations, community and youth sport programs, and sport marketing agencies. Common titles include:

• Athletic Director
• Compliance Officer
• Marketing Manager
• Event Operations Director
• Facilities Manager
• Sponsorship Sales Executive

What you learn in sports management also prepares you for advancement into leadership and executive roles. Some professionals focus on revenue generation and brand development, while others specialize in governance, athlete services, or facility and event management.

How KU’s online sport management program prepares ambitious graduates to lead

The University of Kansas School of Education and Human Sciences offers an online sport management master’s program designed for working professionals who want to advance without putting their careers on hold. The program is delivered in focused eight-week courses with three start dates each year, making it easier to find a schedule that works for you.

Faculty members combine their academic expertise with firsthand experience in sport organizations. Students get to practice decision-making through industry simulations and projects that mirror real-world settings. Then, a required internship grants supervised experience in a sports organization that aligns with your goals.

Students are paired with one-on-one alumni mentors working in college athletics, professional sports, or sports marketing. This creates networking opportunities and exposes students to current trends and career pathways, opening the door to actionable steps after graduation.

Advance your sports career with KU’s online master’s in sport management

Earning an online master’s in sport management from KU positions you for meaningful advancement in an increasingly competitive and rapidly changing industry. Become a leader of a successful team by learning to plan and execute strategies across the sector, from marketing and public relations to event logistics and fundraising.

Choose your desired role in the sports sector and learn to excel in it with the help of the North American Society for Sport Management (NASSM) aligned curriculum and real-world simulations and projects. Apply your knowledge in an internship you can customize to your needs, and open the doors to the sports industry by connecting with like-minded alumni.

An online master’s in sport management from KU is 100% online, so you can complete it while working or caring for other life responsibilities. A small cohort allows for advanced, focused learning, and expert faculty with real sports industry experience bring fresh insights you can take right to the real world.

If you’re ready to help shape the future of sport, contact an admissions outreach advisor today to learn more about our admission requirements.

*The University of Kansas online program is a Master of Science in Education (M.S.E.) degree in health, sport management, and exercise science with an emphasis in sport management.