Sports Management Degree Programs in Louisiana

Accredited sports management degree programs in Louisiana appeal to those interested in helping amateur and professional athletes play and do their best. Many of the programs available in the state combine elements of kinesiology, which provide students with strong knowledge of human anatomy and a basic understanding of how the human body works.


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Students may also take classes designed to show them how the body recovers from injuries and the importance of using the right foods to fuel the body. Many programs also cover the basics of owning and operating arenas, complexes and other types of sports facilities.

Grambling State University

Department of Kinesiology, Sport, and Leisure Studies

Though founded in 1901, Grambling State University did not receive accreditation for nearly 50 years. It adopted the name Grambling in recognition of a local man who donated land for the new campus. As an all black college, Grambling was one of the few institutions of higher learning that offered African American students the chance to learn and educate themselves in a safe environment. It officially became a university after adding graduate programs to its course catalog in the 1970s. The university now has a population of more than 4,000 students, including some white students and students of minorites other than African American.

B.S. in Kinesiology in Sport Management

The B.S. in Kinesiology in Sports Management is a relatively new program available at Grambling State University that only started in the middle of the 2000s. Prior to the formation of the program, the university only offered kinesiology programs. The program has one goal in mind: to provide students with a strong foundation designed to assist them in working in leisure and recreation jobs later. Some of its former graduates now work as coaches, athletic trainers and as consultants. The program also prepares students for passing licensing examinations prior to working as physical education teachers in elementary, middle and high schools. Though students can complete the kinesiology and sports management program in four years, some students spend an additional year gaining more experience through an internship. Internships allow students to work in local schools, in parks and recreation departments and in other leisure positions for a semester or more.

Master of Science in Sports Administration

In addition to its undergraduate program, Grambling State University also offers a Master of Sports Administration program for students who have an undergraduate degree in business, management or a similar field. Specifically designed for those interested in the management and business side of sports operations, graduates have the chance to intern with some of the top companies in the world. They can work alongside college and professional athletes, or they can work in local sports complexes. The Sports Administration program is a traditional two year program that students may complete faster based on the number of courses they take. Though most courses deal with the operations side of sports management, students can also take kinesiology and anatomy classes to learn how different injuries and illnesses can affect the human body. As with the undergraduate program, Grambling also offers numerous internship opportunities for students at the graduate level.

Accreditation

        • Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges

Contact

403 Main Street
Grambling, Louisiana 71245
(800) 569-4714
admissions@gram.edu
http://www.gram.edu/academics/majors/education/kinesiology/

Louisiana State University

College of Human Sciences & Education

Established in 1860 as an agricultural school, it didn’t take long before Louisiana State University found itself expanding its courses and becoming a public university. The university now offers dozens of degrees and programs for more than 30,000 students of all backgrounds and interests. U.S. News and World Report places LSU at number 63 on its list of top public colleges and at number 129 on its list of all colleges in the country. It also made the list of top colleges in the United States on lists created by Forbes, Washington Monthly and Princeton Review.

BS Sport Administration

The BS in Sports Administration comes with two different concentration options for students: sports commerce or sports leadership. Though both programs still take four years to complete and feature some of the same required courses, the programs are significantly different. The sports commerce program looks at how the sports field is a business. Students take 39 general education courses, 39 credit hours of core sports administration classes and 12 credit hours of classes in the commerce concentration. The courses focus on how sports facilities and companies make money, how to manage and assist athletes at various levels and the importance of communication. The sports leadership program emphasizes leading others in different capacities and can help prepare students for working as coaches and department heads. Students take 78 credit hours of core sports administration and general education courses and 42 credit hours of electives and classes in sports leadership.

M.S. in Kinesiology in Sport Management

Louisiana State University encourages its students to gain a better understanding of sports and management topics and ideas through the study of other topics. Students enrolled in the M.S. in Sports Management program take courses through other departments on campus that count towards the 36 credit hours of classes needed for graduation. Eighteen credit hours that students take come from core sports management classes, including social issues in sports, financial issues in sports and sport law. They also take 12 credit hours from classes like facilities management, sports management, sports administration and current topics in sports management. Though LSU does not require that students complete a thesis as part of their studies, they do ask that students take at least two research classes and a seminar. The seminar component asks students to research and write a detailed paper on a topic that relates back to the main subject of the seminar.

Ph.D. in Kinesiology in Sport Management

Students with an undergraduate degree in sports management and a graduate degree in a similar topic can apply for admission to the PhD in Kinesiology in Sports Management program through LSU, which combines elements of both kinesiology and sports management. Students must complete 26 credit hours of research and statistics courses that prepare them for completing a dissertation later. They also take 15 credit hours of core kinesiology and sports management classes, including economic issues in sports, financial issues in sports and legal issues in sports, and 12 credit hours of upper level electives. Students can complete independent study projects and/or internships as part of their electives. The remaining credits necessary for graduation come from the research and work that students do on a dissertation. They present the dissertation at the end of the program to a panel of professors working in the department who evaluate their work.

Accreditation

        • Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges

Contact

112 Long Fieldhouse
Baton Rouge, LA 70803
(22) -578-2036
kinesiology@lsu.edu
http://uiswcmsweb.prod.lsu.edu/kinesiology/

Northwestern State University

Gallaspy College of Education and Human Development

Northwestern State University, also known as NSU or Northwestern State University of Louisiana, originally opened as a state teaching school called the Louisiana State Normal School. It initially offered diplomas and certificates to students who completed programs designed to help them succeed in teaching positions. The school slowly added new programs, which led to it becoming NSU. NSU established itself as a strong university due in part to its commitment to instilling in students strong leadership skills. More than 9,000 students attend NSU every year, and the school now offers both undergraduate, graduate and PhD programs.

Master of Science in Health and Human Performance in Sport Administration

As one of the top accredited sports management degree programs in Louisiana, the Master of Science in Health and Human Performance in Sport Administration available through Northwestern State University prepares students for taking on leadership roles in sports facilities and organizations. The Master of Science program has several concentrations available, but those who study sports management take 18 semester hours of core concentration classes after completing nine semester hours of foundation classes and core requirements. These concentration classes look at sports promotions, ethics associated with sports, sports law, sports budgeting and other topics. NSU also requires that all sports management graduate students complete at least three seminar classes. Students also gain up to six semester hours of credits for completing an internship and doing research in the field.

Accreditation

        • Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges

Contact

175 Sam Sibley Dr.
Natchitoches, LA 71457
(318) 357-5126
applications@nsula.edu
https://hhp.nsula.edu/

University of Louisiana Lafayette

School of Kinesiology

The University of Louisiana at Lafayette is a large public university with a population of more than 17,000 students. Originally founded as an industrial school, the university initially only offered courses designed to assist students in training for jobs in the growing manufacturing industry. It later added technical to its name to reflect the growing number of technical and technology programs that it offered. The university made a name for itself in the 1950s when it became one of the first colleges in the south to admit African American students. UL Lafayette ranks as a top college on lists from Washington Monthly and Princeton Review.

Bachelor’s in Kinesiology in Sports Management

The kinesiology degree program available at UL Lafayette comes with multiple concentration options, but many students choose the Bachelor’s in Kinesiology in Sports Management program. Students must complete 120 credit hours of work, and most students take 15 credit hours or five classes each semester to graduate within four years. The university recommends that students take their general education required courses early on before focusing on their degrees. Financial principles and applications, teaching sports and management of behaviors and organizations are just a few of the classes available. Students can also earn up to six credit hours for internships they complete at local recreation centers, health clubs, youth sports organizations and parks and recreation departments.

Accreditation

        • Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges

Contact

Bourgeois Hall Room 135-B
225 Cajundome Blvd, Lafayette, LA 70503
(337) 482-6615
clandry@louisiana.edu
http://kinesiology.louisiana.edu/

Though some think of sports management programs as programs that train future sports agents, these programs actually delve more into the day to day operations of running a business and the importance of working with players and athletes. The top accredited sports management degree programs in Louisiana offer bachelor, master, and doctoral degrees.

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