Sports Management Degree Programs in North Carolina (G-M)

Sports management degree programsfrom accredited colleges and universities in North Carolina offer some great opportunities for students at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. Once you enroll in one of these programs, you might do an internship for a professional sports organization like a NASCAR team or the Carolina Panthers. You’ll also have the chance to work for college organizations and amateur organizations too.


Rankings


These programs teach you how to manage the careers and talents of both individual players and teams, but you’ll also learn about even and facility management as well. To see more top-notch sports management degrees in North Carolina, visit Sports Management Degree Programs in North Carolina (A-G) and Sports Management Degree Programs in North Carolina (N-Z).

Guilford College

Department of Sport Studies

Established in 1837, Guilford College is a tiny private college with a population of fewer than 2,500 schools. Originally opened by the Quakers as a boarding school for those followers of their religious faith, the campus is now open to students of all religious backgrounds. Surrounding the campus is a large wooded area that once provided places for escaped slaves to stop and rest while making their way north on the Underground Railroad. Guilford brings in a number of guest lecturers and speakers every year to give students more familiarity with topics ranging from business to health care.

Bachelor of Science in Sport Management

The sports studies program at Guilford College ranks as one of the top sports management degree programs from accredited colleges and universities in North Carolina. This is a unique program because it focuses more on general sports knowledge than management alone. Students take courses on human movement and development, which teaches them how to keep athletes in shape and identify any potential injuries. Though you will take traditional classes, you’ll also take a few laboratory classes that require you spend time working with real athletes and clients. The general sports management program consists of 40 credit hours of work that you do beyond the minor you select and general courses needed for graduation. Required courses include sport marketing, legal ethics of sports and research methods. All students must also take an internship worth four credits, but you can choose between working for the school, an athletic facility or a sports management agency.

Accreditation

        • Southern Association of College and Schools, Commission on Colleges

Contact

5800 West Friendly Ave.
Greensboro, NC 27410
(336) 316-2000
lwilliam@guilford.edu
http://www.guilford.edu/academics/departments-and-programs/sport-studies/index.aspx

High Point University

School of Communication

The Methodist Protestant Church began opening college campuses across the state of North Carolina during the early years of the 20th century. Locals living in the High Point area donated more than $100,000 and a large section of land for a new college, which became High Point College. Now known as High Point University, it still has a connection with the United Methodist Church. The university accepted a series of major donations during the early 2000s, which helped it expand its campus and admit a larger number of students. There are now around 4,500 students enrolled at High Point University.

B.A. in Communication in Sport and Event Management

High Point University offers an undergraduate degree program that lets students choose a concentration in either sport management or event management. Though you can complete both tracks, you may find that it takes you longer than four years. All students must take 20 credit hours of general communications courses, including human communication and mediated communication systems. Sport management students take an additional 32 credits of key courses like sport facility management, sport marketing and gender issues in sports. You will also need to take either an event management course or a special topics class. If you decide to complete the event management track, you’ll take an extra 34 credits. Popular courses include event marketing, financial accounting and principles of marketing. Event management students must also take a practicum that gives them a better look at some of the jobs open in the event management field and how to apply for those jobs.

Accreditation

        • Southern Association of College and Schools, Commission on Colleges

Contact

One University Parkway
High Point, NC 27268
(800) 345-6993
admiss@highpoint.edu
http://www.highpoint.edu/communication/

Johnson and Whales University

Charlotte Campus

Johnson & Wales University is probably one of the most recognizable names in the education field. Television chefs and restaurant owners Graham Elliott and Tyler Florence both graduated for the university, and it bestowed an honorary doctorate onto legendary chef Julia Child. Though many know the school for its culinary arts program and for its Culinary Hall of Fame, the university offers a number of other degrees, including programs in hospitality, engineering and business. Johnson & Wales operates its main campus in Rhode Island and campuses in Miami, Denver and Charlotte. Its Charlotte campus is among its largest campuses.

Bachelor of Science in Sports/Entertainment/Event Management

The sport management program from Johnson & Wales combines elements or sport, event and entertainment management into one single program. Students spend four years taking a combination of electives, core business courses and management classes. You will take more than 32 credits of core business foundation courses, including financial accounting, the legal environment and human resources management. A unique course offered by the school is a career capstone that lets you conduct research into the careers that interest you. This course helps you make a decision about the type of job you want after graduation. Johnson & Wales also requires that students take 12 management courses that cover topics like new media literacy, sports as a business and sports marketing. You will also gain nearly 14 credits for an internship that you do in the field. Johnson & Wales can help you find an internship that connects to your future career.

Accreditation

        • Southern Association of College and Schools, Commission on Colleges

Contact

801 West Trade St.
Charlotte, NC 28202
(866) 598-2427
pvd@admissions.jwu.edu
https://www1.jwu.edu/charlotte/

Johnson C. Smith University

Johnson C. Smith University, also known as JCSU, opened as a tiny school that offered opportunities for black students. A local woman, who formerly worked as a teacher, donated money for the school, and the town decided to use the name of her husband as the school’s name. It kept the name Biddle University until Jane Berry Smith donated a large amount of money in the 1920s. The college than changed its name to Johnson C. Smith University to reflect the name of her husband. Major African American activists, politicians, musicians and professional athletes graduated from JCSU in the past.

Bachelor’s in Sport Management

The Bachelor’s in Sport Management program at Johnson C. Smith University is one of the top sport management accredited degree programs from colleges and universities in North Carolina. JCSU requires that all students take a combination of courses that teaches them the fundamentals of communications, English, computer science, health, science and physical education. You will also need to show that you are proficient in a foreign language, but you may have the chance to take a test before enrolling and skip those required language classes. Some of the courses that you might take in sports management include sport psychology, sport marketing and facility management. JCSU also encourages students to choose a minor in a related field. Currently available minors include community health, sport coaching, sport medicine, physical education and wellness management. Your adviser will help you choose the right minor based on your career goals.

Accreditation

        • Southern Association of College and Schools, Commission on Colleges

Contact

100 Beatties Ford Rd.
Charlotte, NC 28216
(704) 378-1010
admissions@jcsu.edu
http://www.jcsu.edu/academics/sport_management/

Lees-McRae College

Division of Business Administration

Though Lees-McRae College can trace its roots back to 1899, it actually opened as a high school for female students. Citing the popularity of that campus, the school founded a separate campus that functioned as a high school for teenage males. When that school burned down, the board decided to merge the two schools and create a brand new college. It eliminated its high school classes in favor of college courses. Lees-McRae became a junior college in the 1930s and continued offering two year degrees until finally becoming a traditional university and gaining additional accreditation in the 1980s.

Sports Administration B.A.

Lees-McRae College offers both a Bachelor of Science and a Bachelor of Arts in Sports Management. The B.A. program requires that students demonstrate proficiency in a foreign language. You will need to show a high school transcript that lists the foreign language courses you took and take an introductory exam before taking any language classes. The results of that exam determine whether you will need to take any additional courses at the college level. You will also need to take 50 required courses in the sport management department. A course on first aid gives you CPR certification and teaches you the basics of saving lives, while a business technology course will focus more on the software and types of technology you will use on the job. Lees-McRae also expects you to do a senior research project and complete at least one internship during your junior or senior year in the sport management program.

Sports Administration B.S.

The biggest difference between the BA and the BS program is that the BS in Sports Management program requires that you take a minimum of six credits of math or science courses on top of any required classes. You can take general science, math, physics, chemistry or biology courses. Advisers will give you a list of which classes meet this requirement. As with the BA program, you will still need to take 50 credits of sport management classes. Those courses include principles of management, human resources, organizational behavior, sport law and governance and financial principles of sport. All BS sport management majors must also do an internship. You might work for the campus athletic training facility, intern for a race car team or work for one of the minor league teams in the area. Lees-McRae also requires that you pick a topic relating to your interests or goals for your senior research project.

Accreditation

        • Southern Association of College and Schools, Commission on Colleges

Contact

191 Main Street
Banner Elk, NC 28604
(828) 898-5241
admissions@lmc.edu
http://www.lmc.edu/academics/programs_of_study/business-administration/business/index.htm

Lenoir-Rhyne University

Health, Exercise, and Sport Science

Lenoir-Rhyne University opened in 1891 as a small private college affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. Its founders wanted a college that awarded students opportunities for future education while still ensuring that they followed the tenants of religious teachings. More than half of those who attend today are female, and a large number of students come from a Lutheran background. As the population of the school grew, Lenoir-Rhyne found itself adding new campuses. Students can now take classes on its main campus in Hickory, enroll in courses available through its Asheville campus or enroll in its seminary school.

Bachelor of Arts in Sports Management

LRU believes that the best students are those who are more familiar with a wide range of topics, which is why it requires that all students complete its core curriculum. This core curriculum includes math, life science, social science and humanities courses that you take before beginning the sports management program and later. LRU also offers a first year experience program that helps students better transition from high school to college. The major requirements of the program consist of a minimum of 37 credits. While you will need to take an emergency care course, if you already have CPR certification and have proof of your certification, you will not take that class. You will take classes like marketing, psychology of sports, sports law and facility management. Students also receive four credit hours for a sports internship that they do as they work for a facility, team or a sports organization.

Accreditation

        • Southern Association of College and Schools, Commission on Colleges

Contact

625 7th Avenue NE
Hickory, N.C. 28601
(828)328-7300

Livingstone College

Division of Business

The Zion Wesley Institute opened in 1879 in Concord. The campus later moved to Salisbury after a major fundraising effort raised enough money to build a new campus. In 1887, the college adopted the name Livingstone College to pay homage to a famous missionary of the same name. Livingstone College is now one of the only black colleges in North Carolina and is one of the oldest black colleges in the entire country. Many of the buildings on campus are now on the National Register of Historic Places, and many of its 1,200 students enjoy the peaceful feel of its campus.

Bachelor of Science in Sport Management

One of the best sport management accredited degree programs from colleges and universities in North Carolina is the one available from Livingstone College. This program strives to teach students leadership skills, help them better understand the business side of the sports world, gain real life experience in management positions and understand the importance of physical fitness. The campus is home to a Sport Management Club that offers additional opportunities for members. Those members may meet with former graduates, attend games in the area and take field trips to observe management professionals working in the field. Livingstone College requires that all sport management students do at least one internship, which gives them practical experience. You can work on or off campus, and you can complete your internship during the school year or during the summer break. Livingstone offers minors in related fields like hospitality management and computer science too.

Accreditation

        • Southern Association of College and Schools, Commission on Colleges

Contact

701 West Monroe St.
Salisbury, NC 28144
(800) 835-3435
http://www.livingstone.edu/academics/division-of-business/

Meredith College

Department of Nutrition, Health and Human Performance

Meredith College is the modern name given to a small school that originally opened as the Baptist Female University. From 1891 until 1904, it continued operating under that name before becoming the Baptist University for Women. Its founders noted the lack of education opportunities for women and wanted to create a school that would let them study topics they could not study in other schools. Though it now uses the name Meredith College, it continues its commitment to female students. Those students can major in one of nearly 40 subjects. U.S. News & World Report picked it as one of the top southern colleges.

Bachelor’s in Exercise & Sports Science

The Nutrition, Health and Human Performance Department at Meredith College is responsible for the college’s Bachelor’s in Exercise Sports Science. You have the choice between studying physical education or enrolling in the wellness track. The physical education track focuses on training and coaching. After graduating from the program, you will have the minimum skills necessary to obtain a teaching license in North Carolina. You can take the licensing exam immediately after graduation. The wellness track deals more with health and general well being. You’ll learn the importance of proper nutrition, following a healthy diet and incorporating physical activity into your daily routine. Every student who graduated from the physical education track since the program launched currently have a valid license and teach in either North Carolina or another state. Students also have the option of taking an internship or doing some type of fieldwork.

Accreditation

        • Southern Association of College and Schools, Commission on Colleges

Contact

3800 Hillsborough St.
Raleigh, NC 27607-5298
(919) 760-8600
chambleem@meredith.edu
http://www.meredith.edu/academics/schools/education_health_and_human_sciences/nutrition-health-and-human-performance-department

Methodist University

Annette Caldwell Simmons School of Education and Human Development

Founded in 1956 as Methodist College, Methodist University has an affiliation with the United Methodist Church. Though the campus initially offered fewer than 10 programs of study, it now offers more than 80 programs, which include both minors and majors. Fundraising efforts on the part of the school led to a number of donations that helped the school grow and expand. It added a new health and wellness center in 2007 that provides opportunities for sports management students and allows other students to get medical help and improve their general health. There are more than 2,400 students enrolled in Methodist today.

Bachelor of Science in APSM in Sport Management

The undergraduate sport management program combines business courses with specific courses in sports management. This allows students to take the necessary courses and graduate with a Bachelor of Science. Students may also earn an Applied Physiology and Sport Management certification as part of their studies. At the beginning of your studies, you will take an introductory course that gives you an overview of sports management, which can help you decide if you want to continue with the program. You must also take three internships, which are worth one credit hour each. Before accepting a position, you must clear it with your adviser to ensure that it meets the requirements of the program. You can also take special topics, independent study and capstone courses. Capstone courses require that you do research and write a paper on a topic presented in class, which an independent study class lets you create a paper or project on a topic of your own choosing.

Related Resource: What Are the Best Classes for Sports Management Majors?

Master of Science in Sport Management

The Master of Science in Sport Management through Methodist University is actually an MBA program. This program requires that you successfully complete 30 credit hours of work. While much of those courses deal more specifically with business topics, you’ll also have the option of taking event and sport management classes. Courses cover topics like event marketing, operations management, business statistics and managerial accounting. You can gain even more experience when you complete your capstone project, which serves as your thesis. The university lets you pick the topic you want to study, and you can select a topic that relates back to sport management. Methodist University also offers an accelerated MBA program. When you take undergraduate courses on campus, you’ll begin taking graduate courses during your senior year. This lets you graduate with your bachelor’s and MBA in as little as five years.

Accreditation

        • Southern Association of College and Schools, Commission on Colleges

Contact

5400 Ramsey Street
Fayetteville, NC 28311
(800) 488-7110
admissions@methodist.edu

As soon as you find a program that you like and one that offers all the opportunities you desire, talk with the admissions department about enrolling. The top sport management degree programs from accredited colleges and universities in North Carolina provide you with a bright future.

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