Master of Science in Sport Management
Sport Management
The Sport Management program is an MS degree (non-thesis) offered through a curriculum which encourages students to develop their own degree experience through the established core curriculum, elective courses, and interdepartmental collaboration. The core courses focus on sport-related organizational behavior and theory, strategy (i.e., solving problems), finance, economics, social issues, and law. Unique among graduate-level sport management curricula, LSU’s MS degree program fosters interaction within the highly respected E.J. Ourso College of Business and supports engagement with the Manship School of Communication among other well-renown academic units at LSU. Our goal is to help students acquire the information and skills they need to be successful in their desired career path.
Many students also take advantage of another prominent feature of the program – a semester-long internship wherein students work extensively in a selected area of sport management. Since our start as a program in the late 1990s, LSU Sport Management has cultivated substantial relationships with various professional, intercollegiate, interscholastic, youth, recreation, and non-profit organizations. As some examples, sites for recent internships included the National Senior Games, Baton Rouge Area Sports Foundation, multiple teams in Major League Baseball and Minor League Baseball, National Basketball Association, National Football League, the offices of the Southeastern Conference, Louisiana High School Athletic Association, and within LSU Athletics.
Overall, the sport management program prepares students for careers regarding the business and managerial aspects of the sport and recreation industries. Graduates of the program assume positions such as event and facility managers of sport and entertainment venues, recreation centers, ticket operations managers, marketing and promotions directors, and sport information directors. Other positions our graduates pursue include athletic directorships at the interscholastic and intercollegiate levels, general managers, directors of operations, and community relations or event coordinators among other career fields.
Admission Requirements
Students must submit an application to the Graduate School. Students will be evaluated on these five areas regarding their application package: 1) Cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA); 2) GRE and/or GMAT score; 3) Three Letters of Recommendation; 4) Letter of Intent/Interest; and 5) Resume.
GRE/GMAT Waiver Requirements
The admission policies for the MS Sport Management degree program provides for a waiver to the GRE/GMAT requirement for students who meet any of the following criteria:
- A minimum of a 3.0 cumulative G.P.A. for all undergraduate work;
- A minimum of a 3.0 G.P.A. on all (i.e., cumulative) previous graduate work;
- Or three years of demonstrated successful professional work experience as evidenced by a resume OR one full year of service as a full-time employee at LSU.
Degree Policies & Procedures
Course Requirements
| Sport Management Core Courses | 18 Credit Hours |
|---|---|
| KIN 7511 Administrative Problems in Kinesiology | 3 |
| KIN 7516 Organizational Behavior and Development in Sport | 3 |
| KIN 7518 Social Issues in Sport | 3 |
| KIN 7519 Financial Issues in Sport | 3 |
| KIN 7524 Sport Law | 3 |
| KIN 7545 Economic Issues in Sport | 3 |
| Sport Management Elective | 12 Credit Hours |
|---|---|
| KIN 4513 Facilities Management | 3 |
| KIN 4515 Sport Seminar | 3 |
| KIN 4517 Sport Administration | 3 |
| KIN 4518 Governance and Policy Development in Sport | 3 |
| KIN 7500 Field Experience in Sport Management | 3 |
| KIN 7544 Current Topics in Sport Management | 3 |
| (Choose 12 credit hours) |
| Restricted Research Electives | 6 Credit Hours |
|---|---|
| Restrictive Research Elective 1 | 3 |
| Restrictive Research Elective 2 | 3 |
| Elective Total | 18 |
| Total | 36 |
Need at least 18 credits at 7000 or higher
Accreditation
The MS in Sport Management graduate program is accredited by the Commission on Sport Management Accreditation (COSMA). The program is designed to prepare graduate students for careers regarding the business and managerial aspects of sport and recreation. View more information about the 2023-2024 student achievement data, operational effectiveness goals and program information profile.
