Degree Offered
- Bachelor of Science
Nature of the Program
Since its inception in 1981, the WVU Sport Management undergraduate program has prepared students to work across all levels of sport as the team behind the team. The curriculum has received national and international recognition as one of the best of its kind. Students are required to complete a minimum of three credit hours of internship. This “hands-on” experience is mutually beneficial and serves to help students gain full-time employment in the sport industry. The internship provides the student an opportunity to learn the sport industry while the sport organization evaluates a potential future employee. In essence, the internship has become the cornerstone of a student’s learning experience. The curriculum is multidisciplinary. Students have the flexibility through elective space to complete courses from many other schools and colleges across campus including Journalism, Communications, Business and Economics, and Arts and Sciences.
Admissions for 2025-2026
Direct Admission Criteria
First time students who meet University requirements are directly admitted to the Sport Management major.
Students admitted from other majors within WVU must be in good academic standing (2.0 GPA).
Students transferring from another institution must be in good academic standing (2.0 GPA).
Major Code: 5511
General Education Foundations
Please use this link to view a list of courses that meet each GEF requirement.
NOTE: Some major requirements will fulfill specific GEF requirements. Please see the curriculum requirements listed below for details on which GEFs you will need to select.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| General Education Foundations | ||
| F1 - Composition & Rhetoric | 3-6 | |
| Introduction to Composition and Rhetoric and Composition, Rhetoric, and Research | ||
or ENGL 103 | Accelerated Academic Writing | |
| F2A/F2B - Science & Technology | 4-6 | |
| F3 - Math & Quantitative Reasoning | 3-4 | |
| F4 - Society & Connections | 3 | |
| F5 - Human Inquiry & the Past | 3 | |
| F6 - The Arts & Creativity | 3 | |
| F7 - Global Studies & Diversity | 3 | |
| F8 - Focus (may be satisfied by completion of a minor, double major, or dual degree) | 9 | |
| Total Hours | 31-37 | |
Please note that not all of the GEF courses are offered at all campuses. Students should consult with their advisor or academic department regarding the GEF course offerings available at their campus.
Degree Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| University Requirements | 66 | |
| Professional and Career Development Sequence* | ||
| Sport Management Major Requirements | 54 | |
| Total Hours | 120 | |
University Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| General Education Foundations (GEF) 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 (31-37 Credits) | ||
| Outstanding GEF Requirements 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 | 25 | |
| PASS 191 | First-Year Seminar | 2 |
| General Electives | 39 | |
| Total Hours | 66 | |
Professional and Career Development Sequence
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Sequence * | ||
| First-Year Seminar | ||
| Career Exploration in Applied Human Sciences | ||
| Capstone Experience in AHS | ||
Sport Management Major Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| A grade of C- or higher must be earned in all the following courses. | ||
| SM 125 | Sport Facility Management | 3 |
| SM 137 | Sport Event Management | 3 |
| SM 240 | Sport Governance | 3 |
| SM 287 | Contemporary Issues in Sport Management | 3 |
| SM 370 | Sport Finance and Economics | 3 |
| SM 375 | Sport in the Global Market | 3 |
| SM 380 | History and Philosophy of Sport | 3 |
| SM 426 | Liability in Sport | 3 |
| SM 485 | Management of Sport Organizations | 3 |
| SM 486 | Sport Marketing & Sales | 3 |
| CAHS 300 | Career Exploration in Applied Human Sciences | 3 |
| CAHS 489 | Capstone Experience in AHS | 3 |
| SEP 371 | Sport in American Society | 3 |
| Professional Minor ** | 15 | |
| Total Hours | 54 | |
- *
PASS 191 is accounted for in the University Requirements, PASS 300 and PASS 489 as part of the Major Requirements.
- **
Students must select a professional minor (at least 15 credits) in consultation with their Student Success Specialist. Grade requirements for the professional minor depend upon the minor selected.
Suggested Plan of Study
| First Year | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| PASS 191 | 2 | SM 137 | 3 |
| ENGL 101 or 103 (GEF 1) | 3 | GEF 4 | 3 |
| SM 125 | 3 | GEF 5 | 3 |
| GEF 2 | 4 | GEF 6 | 3 |
| Elective | 3 | Elective | 3 |
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Second Year | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| SM 240 | 3 | SM 287 | 3 |
| ENGL 102 or 103 (GEF 1) | 3 | Professional Minor Course 2 | 3 |
| GEF 3 | 3 | Professional Minor Course 3 | 3 |
| Professional Minor Course 1 | 3 | Elective | 3 |
| Elective | 3 | Elective | 3 |
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Third Year | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| SM 380 | 3 | CAHS 300 | 3 |
| SEP 371 | 3 | SM 370 | 3 |
| Professional Minor Course 4 | 3 | SM 375 | 3 |
| Professional Minor Course 5 | 3 | GEF 7 | 3 |
| Elective | 3 | Elective | 3 |
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Fourth Year | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| SM 426 | 3 | CAHS 489 | 3 |
| SM 485 | 3 | SM 486 | 3 |
| Elective | 3 | Elective | 3 |
| Elective | 3 | Elective | 3 |
| Elective | 3 | Elective | 3 |
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Total credit hours: 120 | |||
Accelerated B.S. Sport Management/M.S. Executive Sport Management Program
Students in this accelerated bachelor's to masters (ABM) program have the opportunity to concurrently complete their undergraduate degree in Sport Management and their master's degree in Executive Sport Management via an accelerated pathway. Students may apply for admission to this ABM in the fall semester following completion of a minimum 60 credits and/or at least three semesters of full-time coursework. Only enrolled WVU Sport Management majors may be considered for admission to the program. Transfer students must complete at least 24 credit hours as degree-seeking students at WVU before applying. The minimum standard for admission is a cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.0, with no provisional admissions allowed. Regular admission will not be offered to students with less than two semesters to complete the bachelor's degree. Students may apply using a Qualtrics application form that requires a resume and personal statement. Applications are due by October 15th with program admission decisions communicated by the end of the fall semester. Applications will be reviewed by an established ABM admissions work group.
Students in this ABM program must maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 throughout their enrollment in both the undergraduate and graduate programs. Students in this ABM will complete all 30 credits of master's degree courses, 12 credits of which will count toward elective credit at the undergraduate level. Grades from selected courses (i.e., 12 credits) will be counted toward the students' GPA at both the bachelor's and master's degree levels for the purposes of determining satisfactory performance. Unless given specific permission by the Dean's Office, students admitted to this ABM program must maintain full-time continuous enrollment during fall and spring terms. Enrollment requirements in the summer term include the completion of 6 credits at the graduate level across consecutive years. Students' eligibility to remain in this ABM program will be evaluated at the end of each semester. Students failing to meet program or University standards will be placed on program probation for no more than one semester, after which they will be terminated from the ABM program. Terminated students as well as students who choose not to continue the ABM program will be eligible to receive their bachelor's degree after completing the traditional bachelor's degree requirements.
Accelerated BS/MS Degree Requirements
Degree Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| University Requirements | 54 | |
| Sport Management Major Requirements | 54 | |
| MS Executive Sport Management Degree Requirements | 30 | |
| Total Hours | 138 | |
University Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| General Education Foundations (GEF) 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 (31-37 Credits) | ||
| Outstanding GEF Requirements 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 | 22 | |
| CAHS 191 | First-Year Seminar | 2 |
| General Electives | 30 | |
| Total Hours | 54 | |
Sport Management Major Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| A grade of C- or higher must be earned in all the following courses. | ||
| SM 125 | Sport Facility Management | 3 |
| SM 137 | Sport Event Management | 3 |
| SM 240 | Sport Governance | 3 |
| SM 287 | Contemporary Issues in Sport Management | 3 |
| SM 370 | Sport Finance and Economics | 3 |
| SEP 371 | Sport in American Society | 3 |
| SM 375 | Sport in the Global Market (GEF 7) | 3 |
| SM 380 | History and Philosophy of Sport | 3 |
| SM 426 | Liability in Sport | 3 |
| SM 485 | Management of Sport Organizations | 3 |
| SM 486 | Sport Marketing & Sales | 3 |
| CAHS 300 | Career Exploration in Applied Human Sciences | 3 |
| CAHS 489 | Capstone Experience in AHS | 3 |
| Professional Minor | 15 | |
Students must select a professional minor (at least 15 credits) in consultation with their Student Success Specialist. Grade requirements for the professional minor depend upon the minor selected. | ||
| Total Hours | 54 | |
MS Executive Sport Management Degree Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| SM 527 | Navigating Legal Issues in Sport Management | 3 |
| SM 535 | Management of Human Resources in Sport Organizations | 3 |
| SM 540 | Sport Policy and Governance | 3 |
| SM 546 | Sport Consumer Behavior and Marketing | 3 |
| SM 570 | Financial Decision-Making in Sport | 3 |
| SM 575 | Sport Development and Fundraising | 3 |
| SM 580 | Social and Ethical Responsibility in Sport | 3 |
| SM 586 | Sport Facility Operations | 3 |
| Choose ONE Area of Emphasis | 6 | |
Sport Industry Management Area of Emphasis | ||
| Applied Research in Sport Management | ||
| Current Issues & Applications in Sport Management | ||
OR | ||
Interscholastic Athletic Administration Area of Emphasis | ||
| Interscholastic Sport Organization and Administration | ||
| Leadership in Interscholastic Athletic Administration | ||
| Total Hours | 30 | |
Suggested Plan of Study
| First Year | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours | ||
| CAHS 191 | 2 | SM 137 | 3 | ||
| ENGL 101 or 103 (GEF 1) | 3 | GEF 4 | 3 | ||
| SM 125 | 3 | GEF 5 | 3 | ||
| GEF 2 | 4 | GEF 6 | 3 | ||
| Elective | 3 | Elective | 3 | ||
| 15 | 15 | ||||
| Second Year | |||||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours | ||
| SM 240 | 3 | SM 287 | 3 | ||
| ENGL 102 or 103 (GEF 1) | 3 | Professional Minor Course 2 | 3 | ||
| GEF 3 | 3 | Professional Minor Course 3 | 3 | ||
| Professional Minor Course 1 | 3 | Elective | 3 | ||
| Elective | 3 | Elective | 3 | ||
| 15 | 15 | ||||
| Third Year | |||||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours | Summer | Hours |
| SM 380 | 3 | SEP 371 | 3 | ABM | 3 |
| CAHS 300 | 3 | SM 370 | 3 | ABM | 3 |
| Professional Minor Course 4 | 3 | SM 375 (GEF 7) | 3 | ||
| Professional Minor Course 5 | 3 | ABM | 3 | ||
| Elective | 3 | ABM | 3 | ||
| 15 | 15 | 6 | |||
| Fourth Year | |||||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours | Summer | Hours |
| SM 426 | 3 | SM 486 | 3 | ABM | 3 |
| SM 485 | 3 | CAHS 489 | 3 | ABM | 3 |
| ABM | 3 | ABM | 3 | ||
| ABM | 3 | ABM | 3 | ||
| Elective | 3 | Elective | 3 | ||
| Elective | 3 | Elective | 3 | ||
| 18 | 18 | 6 | |||
| Total credit hours: 138 | |||||
Major Learning Outcomes
Sport Management
The goal of the program is for students to graduate with the essential skills and knowledge to work effectively within the profession of sport management. This is a diverse profession with many pathways.
- Content Knowledge: Students will integrate knowledge, skills, and dispositions and apply them to professional issues in sport management.
- Reflection and Professional Readiness: Students will reflect on their professional readiness and think critically about the continued refinement of the disciplinary knowledge, skills, and dispositions learned across the sport management curriculum.
- Professionalism and Ethics: Students will model professional and ethical behaviors that are consistent with the industry standards and the related recommendations for best practice learned across the sport management curriculum.
Courses
SM 125. Sport Facility Management. 3 Hours.
This course is designed to introduce the concepts, principles, and practices related to sport facility management and explore contemporary challenges and trends.
SM 137. Sport Event Management. 3 Hours.
This course is designed to introduce the concepts, principles, and practices related to sport event management and explore contemporary challenges and trends.
SM 167. Introduction to Sport Management. 3 Hours.
Overview of the sport management profession including career opportunities, critical current issues.trends, professional standards and the professional organizations.
SM 221. NIL (Name, Image, and Likeness): Personal Branding Strategies. 3 Hours.
Covers ways for individuals to build strong, positive, and engaging personal brands. It will detail opportunities, marketing strategies, best practices, pitches, and how to capitalize on NIL opportunities.
SM 225. Practicum in Collegiate Athletics. 2 Hours.
PR: SM 167. This course provides students with the opportunity to gain supervised experience working in collegiate athletics. Students learn about the operations of the many units of a collegiate athletic department. Students are then then placed within one or more units of a collegiate athletic department to work under the supervision of a professional within that unit.
SM 240. Sport Governance. 3 Hours.
This course examines how sport organizations interact and coordinate with numerous policy actors to facilitate and coordinate the mechanisms of governance.
SM 275. The Olympic Games. 3 Hours.
An examination of the historical development of the Olympic Games from the Greek classic period (500 B.C.) to the games of the XXXI Olympiad of Rio de Janeiro in 2016.
SM 287. Contemporary Issues in Sport Management. 3 Hours.
Explore issues and trends across the contemporary sport management landscape, including emergent problems and solutions related to the business and leadership of sport. Examine personal strengths, weaknesses, skills, motives, and goals in critical decision-making and conflict resolution in sport management scenarios.
SM 293. Special Topics. 1-6 Hours.
PR: Consent. Investigation of topics not covered in regularly scheduled courses.
SM 321. Esports Governance. 3 Hours.
This course provides an in-depth look at the governance and structure of esports. Students will examine esports leagues, teams, gaming publishers, and current events happening in esports with a focus on the law and ethical adherence to rules governing these competitions.
SM 322. Esports Marketing. 3 Hours.
Students in this course will be given an overview of the esports industry and its connections to the broader entertainment and communication industries. The course will explore the relationship between individual talent (from players to influencers) to professional organizations and the esports companies and how promotions, sponsorship, and marketing strategies can be developed to the benefit of all the stakeholders.
SM 345. Technology in Sport Management. 2 Hours.
PR: Majors only. This course provides an understanding of the technological concepts and principles relevant to sport management and provides student with practical experiences in the use of emerging technologies in the field.
SM 350. Leadership Theory and Application in Sport. 3 Hours.
Theories and principles of leadership and their practical application to the development and advancement of sport organizations.
SM 355. Orientation in Sport Management. 1 Hour.
PR: Majors only. In this course students will identify and develop the skill sets necessary for successful completion of an internship in sport management.
SM 370. Sport Finance and Economics. 3 Hours.
Provide financial and economic overview of professional, collegiate and recreational sports. Students will learn financial structures of sport organizations and various economic principles applied to the sport industry.
SM 375. Sport in the Global Market. 3 Hours.
An examination of the role of sports within the broader process of globalization. Its impact on culture, politics, economics and how these influences shape today's sport.
SM 380. History and Philosophy of Sport. 3 Hours.
Acquaint students with philosophical issues related to sport and sport management and with individuals and events that helped shape the history of sport.
SM 426. Liability in Sport. 3 Hours.
An overview of the legal system as it applies to sport, including contracts, tort law, drug testing, types of athletes, product liability, and legal duties of coaches, facilities supervisors, and athletic directors.
SM 485. Management of Sport Organizations. 3 Hours.
The purpose of this course is to facilitate a full understanding of management theory within sport organizations. This class will demonstrate the value of applying management concepts and theories with sport organizations. Finally, this class will explain the importance of contemporary management tactics, and their relevance to the skill sets needed for students planning a career in sport related professions.
SM 486. Sport Marketing & Sales. 3 Hours.
Marketing principles as they relate to sport organizations. Specific attention is focused on the marketing planning process, marketing informational systems, and internal marketing.
SM 490. Teaching Practicum. 1-3 Hours.
PR: Consent. Teaching practice as a tutor or assistant.
SM 491. Professional Field Experience. 1-18 Hours.
PR: Consent. (May be repeated up to a maximum of 18 hours.) Prearranged experiential learning program, to be planned, supervised, and evaluated for credit by faculty and field supervisors. Involves temporary placement with public or private enterprise for professional competence development.
SM 492. Directed Study. 1-3 Hours.
Directed study, reading, and/or research.
SM 493. Special Topics. 1-6 Hours.
PR: Consent. Investigation of topics not covered in regularly scheduled courses.
SM 494. Seminar. 1-3 Hours.
PR: Consent. Presentation and discussion of topics of mutual concern to students and faculty.
SM 495. Independent Study. 1-6 Hours.
Faculty supervised study of topics not available through regular course offerings.
SM 496. Senior Thesis. 1-3 Hours.
PR: Consent.
SM 498. Honors. 1-3 Hours.
PR: Students in Honors Program and consent by the honors director. Independent reading, study or research.