The State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV) has approved for Radford University to transition its sport administration concentration into a sport management major.
The Bachelor of Science degree program is administered by the university’s Department of Health and Human Performance in the College of Education and Human Development. It will be available for new students beginning in the Spring 2019 semester.
The program’s purpose is to educate students about the theoretical and applied aspects of management as they apply to the sport industry.
The new major will offer two concentrations: sport administration and coaching management.
“Sport management, as a field of study, is still relatively new, but professionals and practitioners within the field understand the value that students can bring when they have graduated from a quality sport management program,” said Health and Human Performance Associate Professor Kevin Ayers. “This is a game-changer for Radford University.”
The sport management program will provide students a comprehensive introduction to the fundamental concepts and procedures of the profession, including in accounting, sports facility management, professional writing, the sociocultural perspectives to sport management, ethical principles of the sport industry, budgeting, fundraising and sport economic analysis of sport activities, and marketing and promotion of exercise, sport and health programs.
Students will learn to analyze moral and ethical issues in the profession; to evaluate the financial strengths and liabilities of a sport organization; and to effectively use marketing and media in the promotion of a sport organization.
Program graduates will be prepared to assist with game day operations of a sport team and promote athletic programs, including professional and college programs.
In addition to the core knowledge and skills, students pursuing the sport administration concentration will take courses in accounting, business law, communication, management, marketing, organization and administration of sport, and technology in sport.
These students will learn how to implement social media campaigns, formulate short-term and long-term objectives for a sport organization, and evaluate program policies and procedures for consistency with regulations.
Students in coaching management will take courses in anatomy and physiology, athletic coaching, business law, exercise physiology, sport and exercise psychology, finance, kinesiology, and strength and conditioning.
As a result, these students are able to develop an athletic or team training schedule and design and assess sport programs appropriate for individuals of varied ages and skill levels.
–Radford University
