Slippery Rock University

This program appears in our ranking of Top 30 Bachelor’s in Sport Management Degree Programs.

Sport management degree programs allow students to study the different management techniques used in the sports industry. Once they complete a program, they can work with both professional athletes at the top levels or with amateur athletes in schools and other settings. Slippery Rock University offers both a minor in sport management and a full degree program. The university designed the minor program for students majoring in related fields such as communications, leadership in physical activity, and exercise science.

The Bachelor of Science in Sport Management allows students to gain both practical experience and strong management skills in the classroom. Students will take Introduction to Sport Management and Global Sport Management in their first semesters. They will then do four practicums. The university allows them to start their practicums in their second semesters. This gives them the chance to work for sports organizations and facilities. The sport management program also includes classes such as American Sport in the 21st Century, Sport Facility and Event Management, Sport Management and Ethics, Sport Marketing, and Sport Sale and Fundraising.

To complete a practicum, a student must complete at least 50 hours of work over a minimum of three weeks. During their last semesters, they will take fewer classes because they will also do an internship that is worth 12 credits. The university requires that students do at least 480 hours of fieldwork. Students can work for colleges and professional teams, including the Philadelphia 76ers, University of Kentucky and Daytona International Speedway. Many students also join the Sport Management Alliance, which allows them to work with their peers. Sport management students can participate in some of the university’s athletic events and join its teams, too.

About Slippery Rock University

Slippery Rock University is just one of the names given to the university with the official name of Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania. It also goes by nicknames such as SRU and Slippery Rock, though students often call it The Rock. Established in 1899, it is one of the largest public colleges in the state and is one of the few schools owned and operated by the state itself. The name of the university comes from Slippery Rock, which is the town that surrounds its campus. Slippery Rock is less than 90 minutes away from Erie and less than an hour from Pittsburgh. Students often commute to one of those cites when doing their internships and practicums.

The Rock offers a number of opportunities for students who love sports. It has nine varsity sports for men, including indoor and outdoor track and field, bowling and football. Women can compete as part of a team in more than 10 different sports, including basketball, lacrosse, volleyball and both indoor and outdoor track and field. There is also a wide range of teams competing on the club level. Ice hockey is especially popular at the university, which has separate club teams for both male and female players. Both of these teams won national titles over the years. SRU is also home to a number of fraternities and sororities, but it offers other activities and clubs for students, including a campus radio station and a newspaper.

Slippery Rock University Accreditation Details

The Rock is one of the only colleges in Pennsylvania with accreditation from the Commission on Sport Management Accreditation (CSMA) for its sport management program. It was also the first school in the country to receive accreditation from this organization. As SRU has regional accreditation from the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE), students can also apply and bring their transfer credits with them. This type of accreditation also allows students to get financial aid.

Slippery Rock University Application Requirements

SRU looks for students who prepared for college while in high school. When students submit their transcripts, the university looks at whether they took four years of English classes and between two and three years of math and science classes. It recommends that students hoping to study at the higher level take more advanced courses such as geometry, too. The transcripts that students submit should show that they maintained a 3.0 GPA also. Admissions officers will evaluate the strength of each individual student based on the applications and information that it receives.

Students must submit the Slippery Rock application and pay a fee of $30. This application includes sections that let students write about what they want to study and what they want to do in the future as well as any of their interests outside of school. The university also requires official scores from the SAT or ACT. Students who do not meet all admissions requirements may land on the university’s waitlist. SRU will notify students later in the school year if they have a spot for the coming year. It evaluates students on this list at least twice a year.

Slippery Rock University Tuition and Financial Aid

SRU sport management majors pay $322 per credit hour, but with fees added in, this price rises to $438 per credit hour. The university offers a discounted rate for those who take at least 12 credit hours, which reduces their overall costs. This rate only applies to Pennsylvania residents though. Nonresidents pay $770 per credit hour, which includes fees and tuition. SRU now offers a special program that allows nonresidents to save on the cost of college. This program drops their tuition down to around $607 per credit hour. To qualify for the program, incoming undergrads must have a high school grade point average of at least 3.0. Students who maintain a GPA of 2.5 or higher will continue receiving this discount in the future.

The university’s work-study program only accepts students who complete the FAFSA. Completing this form will also help students qualify for loans and grants. Incoming freshmen may qualify for one or more of the top scholarships, too. The university has a merit scholarship that is worth $2,000, which goes to students who score at least 25 on the ACT or 1220 on the SAT and have a GPA of 3.5 or higher. Smaller scholarships provide students with $500 to $1,000 also. There are also eight different scholarships available to students applying to a program available from the College of Business at Slippery Rock University, which includes those enrolling in its sport management program.

Learn more about Slippery Rock University at the sport management program website.