Sports Management Degree Programs in Arkansas

If you love the idea of working with athletes at the professional and amateur levels, you might consider looking at the accredited sports management degree programs in Arkansas. Sports managers help players work on contracts to play at the professional level, assist them in forming long-lasting relationships with sponsors and help lower level players move up in the field.


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They also need to look at the risks associated with different deals, understand concepts relating to physical fitness and stay informed about new rules and regulations used by sports organizations. Learn more about the programs that can get you into this field.

Henderson State University

Graduate School

Henderson State University spent more than 20 of its first years operating as a Methodist college. When the campus merged with a nearby school, it became Henderson-Brown College. Since its early years, the university remained focused on the idea that a solid background in liberal arts studies would better prepare students for their future endeavors. The nearly 4,000 students taking classes on this southern campus can join numerous activities, including honors societies, fraternities and sororities and athletic teams. Notable alumni include professional athletes, politicians and educators working for colleges around the world. The college also has around 400 graduate students enroll every year.

Master of Science in Sports Administration

Graduates of the Master of Science in Sports Management program at Henderson State University work at athletic arenas, management firms and for sports organizations all across the state and the country. As one of the only graduate accredited sports management degree programs in Arkansas, it believes in giving students more opportunities for growth and development. Students can apply for internships through the career development office or seek out opportunities on their own and gain course credit for the work they do. The unique design of the program allows students to complete their studies in just one year as full-time students or in 18 months to two years on a part-time basis. You typically take 12 credit hours of courses during the fall and spring semester and then three to six credit hours during the summer before you graduate. Required courses can include fundraising for athletic organizations, sports financing and sports marketing.

Accreditation

•Higher Learning Commission

Contact

1100 Henderson St.
Arkadelphia, AR 71999
(870) 230-5000
Henderson State University

University of Arkansas Fayetteville

College of Education and Health Professions

The University of Arkansas Fayetteville, better known as simply the University of Arkansas, is the main campus in the UA School System, which consists of six different campuses. Established in 1871, the campus slowly grew over the years and now boasts a total population of more than 26,000 students, making it the largest public university in the state. U.S. News & World Report placed UA at 132 on its list of best schools, and it also appeared on similar lists puts out by Washington Monthly and Forbes. Two reputable organizations also named the school one of the best 700 in the world.

B.S.E. (Bachelor of Science in Education) in Recreation and Sports Management

A B.S.E. (Bachelor of Science in Education) in Recreation and Sports Management is just one of the accredited sports management degree programs in Arkansas offered by UA. Designed for students interested in working with and educating others, its graduates worked for the National Park Service, sports agency firms, YMCA offices and similar organizations. This is one of the more unique programs in the state because it has an internship component. All students must spend a minimum of 45 hours working in three separate areas of sports management before graduating. Students will also take some general education courses and a number of courses on recreation and sports management. Those courses let students learn more about how fitness, finances, marketing and leadership apply to sports careers. Students will complete a total of 120 credit hours, including the nine credits they earn for internships, before graduating from the program.

M.Ed. (Master of Education) in Recreation and Sports Management

The University of Arkansas began its M.Ed. (Master of Education) in Recreation and Sports Management to help students gain a better understanding of sports management topics beyond the undergraduate level. This program requires that students choose between completing a thesis or finishing the program without writing a thesis. Those who do not do a thesis will need to take 36 credit hours of courses, while those who complete a thesis only need to take 30 credit hours of classes. All students will take two research courses worth six credit hours that cover the research in sports topics and statistics. They will then take five required courses ranging from leadership in the sports world to how finance applies to the field of sports management. Students may also choose to do an independent study on a topic of recreation or sports, and the school will award additional credit to students who complete an internship.

Ed.D. (Doctor of Education) in Recreation and Sports Management

Once you finish your undergraduate and graduate degrees, you may consider attending UA to earn your Ed.D. (Doctor of Education) in Recreation and Sports Management. Students must complete a minimum of 60 credit hours of advanced sports management and recreation courses, but any courses that you take in graduate school at UA or another campus may count towards those credit hours. Students interested in enrolling must show that they have an advanced degree in a sports management related field and that they have a minimum grade point average of 3.0 or higher in the sports and recreation courses that they took. Students will also need to maintain a high GPA or risk expulsion from the program. Though a thesis is not required for graduate students, Ed.D. students must complete a doctoral level paper or project that demonstrates their understanding of a topic in the field and shows the skills they learned in the program.

Accreditation

•National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education

Contact

University of Arkansas
Room 324 Graduate Education Building
Fayetteville, Arkansas 72701
(479) 575-3208
tecsmith@uark.edu
University of Arkansas Fayetteville

While there are a few sports agents working in the world today without a college degree, most firms require that agents now have a minimum of a bachelor’s degree. Once you look at some of the undergraduate programs in the state, look at the accredited sports management degree programs in Arkansas at the graduate level.

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