Sports Management Degree Programs in Delaware

Are you searching for accredited sports management degree programs in Delaware that can unlock exciting career opportunities in a variety of sports organizations? Although Delaware is seated on the Delmarva Peninsula as America’s second smallest state, this “Small Wonder” is packed with tremendous educational options for aspiring sports managers at three distinct institutions.


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With its advantageous position in the Mid-Atlantic region, Delaware also offers the chance for students to gain important hands-on experience working with sports industry leaders. Delaware is home to the famous Dover International Speedway, Dover Downs, Delaware 87ers, Wilmington Blue Rocks, Diamond State Roller Girls, and University of Delaware Fighting Blue Hens. Though there are no major professional sports leagues in Delaware, the Philadelphia Eagles, Phillies, 76ers, and Flyers are a quick drive west. Below we’ve highlighted important details about the five accredited sports management degrees offered to Delawareans seeking a career handling the business aspects of our favorite pastimes.

Delaware State University

Department of Sport Management

Founded in 1891 as a comprehensive public land-grant research institution for African American learners, Delaware State University is located on a historic 400-acre suburban campus just outside of Dover with satellite locations in Georgetown and Wilmington serving over 4,600 students. As the only HBCU to participate in President Barack Obama’s Better Buildings Challenge and receive the Climate Leadership Award, DSU is ranked as the 135th best university, 46th top public school, and 13th best historically black college in America by the U.S. News and World Report. In the College of Business, the Department of Sport Management is focused on offering professional-oriented education for students seeking to utilize cutting-edge technology in a variety of sports organizations.

Bachelor of Science in Sport Management

Established with the goal of developing effective practitioners with specialty content knowledge and strong interpersonal communication skills, the Bachelor of Science in Sport Management program at DSU is ideal for undergraduate students seeking to find employment in the professional sport, collegiate sport, or recreational sport industries. Depending on future career goals, students can choose a minor in Coaching Management or Recreation Management. All majors in this 120-credit program will be required to engage in an internship as their senior capstone experience to practice their learned skills in real-life sport management settings. Students can take traditional daytime courses in Dover or follow a convenient evening schedule at the Kirkwood Site in Wilmington.

Master of Sciences in Sport Administration

Offered to all students at the in-state tuition price, the Master of Sciences in Sport Administration program is designed to professionally prepare ethical leaders for assuming advanced duties within sport organizations and/or to implement new sport-related business enterprises. As a 30-credit program, students spend 12 months full-time developing their individual abilities to manage the ever-changing economic, legal, social, and political influences on sport industry organizations. In candidacy status for national accreditation by COSMA, the program incorporates extensive problem-based field experiences with convenient evening courses and web-based learning. In the final summer semester, students will culminate their degree with an eight-week internship in a professional or collegiate sport program.

Accreditations

        • Commission on Sport Management Accreditation (COSMA) – Candidacy Status
        • National Council for Accreditation of Coaching Education (NCACE)
        • Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE)

Contact

1200 North DuPont Highway
Dover, DE 19901
(302) 857-6602
lchen@desu.edu
Delaware State University

University of Delaware

Alfred Lerner College of Business and Economics

Standing proudly on a lush 2,011-acre suburban campus in downtown Newark within just 12 miles from Wilmington and a 45-minute drive from Philadelphia, the University of Delaware is a major comprehensive senior public research institution with private character that educates more than 6,100 students. Named to the President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll with Distinction for five straight years, UD is currently ranked the 76th best university and 30th top public school in the nation by the U.S. News and World Report. Also recognized as the 80th best business school, the Alfred Lerner College of Business and Economics is acclaimed for offering the 46th best part-time MBA program in the United States.

Bachelor of Science in Sport Management

Under the guidelines presented by the National Association for Sport and Physical Education (NASPE), the Bachelor of Science in Sport Management program is designed to prepare undergraduate students with essential knowledge in the management, finances, marketing, public relations, and legal aspects of sport industry operations. Students are expected to complement their major by selecting a minor in legal studies, business, leadership, educational studies, entrepreneurship, coaching science, journalism, or another approved area. In the sophomore year of the 120-credit program, sport management majors will complete practical application within the university’s NCAA-Division I athletic department to fully grasp if sport management is the right career fit.

MBA in Sport Management

To build upon the broad view of the functional areas of business, the MBA program at UD offers a specialization in Sport Management to focus in one the contemporary aspects of sport marketing, sport finance, intercollegiate athletic administration, international sport management, and sport business law. Students taking this MBA pathway can find job opportunities in minor league franchises, professional sporting clubs, intercollegiate athletic departments, sport management firms, high school athletics, recreational sport facilities, and businesses using sports to market their products. Graduate students will need to complete at least 48 credits beyond the baccalaureate level on the Newark or Wilmington campus.

Accreditations

        • Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)
        • Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE)

Contact

303 Alfred Lerner Hall
Newark, DE 19716
(302) 831-6680
mjrobins@udel.edu
University of Delaware

Wilmington University

College of Business

Boasting a total enrollment of over 19,000 students, Wilmington University is a comprehensive private non-sectarian institution headquartered on a main campus in historic New Castle with satellite locations in Georgetown, Dover, Rehoboth Beach, Middletown, Wilmington, Cecil, Burlington, Cumberland, Gloucester, Salem, and online from anywhere. Well-known for offering flexible 15-week, seven-week, and weekend modular learning formats, Wilmington is currently recognized by the U.S. News and World Report for hosting America’s 161st best online bachelor’s degree programs. With full IACBE accreditation, the College of Business is dedicated to offering highly respected programs with relevant curriculum and individualized support to train students on emerging business trends.

Bachelor of Science in Sports Management

Delivered in a traditional classroom format on the New Castle campus or the online sports management degree from anywhere with an Internet connection, the Bachelor of Science in Sports Management program is structured to combine industry-specific courses with broad-based business education for graduates who can compete on and off the field. Through a seamless blend of theory and practical internship experience, the program helps students develop the essential knowledge for managing professional sports teams, collegiate sports clubs, recreational sport facilities, businesses, and non-profit organizations. Most students enroll in the standard 124-credit program, but students who have already earned an associate’s degree at an accredited institution could earn the B.S. completion program in Sports Management over just two years.

Accreditations

        • International Assembly for Collegiate Business Education (IACBE)
        • Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE)

Contact

320 North DuPont Highway
New Castle, DE 19720
(877) 967-5464
infocenter@wilmu.edu
Wilmington University

If you are aiming for managerial positions in the booming sports industry, earning a degree in sports management is a solid investment for sharpening your business acumen and developing a keen eye for the economics of sports. Attending one of these top-notch accredited sports management degree programs in Delaware can give you the leg up you’ll need to turn your passion for sports into a successful, lucrative career in leadership.

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