Sports Management Program

The Sports Management Program consists of four 3 credit courses that must be completed with a C (2.0) or above to complete the program. There are three required courses and one elective course where students can choose from a variety of options that best fit their personal learning goals.

Required Courses

• BMGT383: The Business of Sports (Fall) 3 credits
• BMGT483: Sports Management Program Capstone (Spring) 3 credits
• BMGT350: Marketing Principles and Organization 3 credits
  OR
• BMGT355: Foundations of Marketing for Non-Business Majors 3 credits

BMGT350/355 and the elective can be taken at any time before graduation. BMGT383 and BMGT483 need to be taken with your cohort, unless an exception is granted (abroad, etc.).

Electives

Students will choose one elective from the following list:

• BMGT468T: Special Topics in Management and Organization; Creativity for Business Leaders and Entrepreneurs Outdoor Edition 3 credits
• JOUR479X: Special Topics in Data Gathering and Analysis; Sports Data Analysis and Visualization 3 credits
• JOUR479A: Special Topics in Data Gathering and Analysis; Basketball Analytics 3 credits
• KNES243: Sports Finance & Business Intelligence 3 credits
• KNES487: Women, Sports, and Culture 3 credits
• BMGT384: Sports Management Experiential Learning Practicum 3 credits - In Development for Fall 2024

Petitioned Course Option 3 credits

Once accepted into the program, students may petition an alternative course to be used as an elective to the Sports Management Program. Petitions should explain how the course concepts in the proposed course relate to the Sports Management Program learning outcomes and the student’s career path. Petitions will only be accepted from students who are admitted to the Sports Management Program. Internship for credit courses will only be accepted if the internship experience happens after the student is accepted into the program.

Each December, applications will open to admit the next cohort of the Sports Management Program. Applications will be due the following February.

To be considered for the Sports Management Program, all students must meet the following criteria:

• Current UMD College Park undergraduate (all majors) with at least 2 remaining semesters once admitted.
• Students must have a minimum of a 3.0 cumulative GPA
• Students must have completed 30 credits by the end of Spring 2024
• Must have the flexibility to complete 12 total credits of coursework

The application includes the following components:

1. Basic information (name, major, etc.)
2. Four short answer questions (250 words or less)
3. Resume
4. Academic plan
5. Unofficial transcript

Applications will be reviewed by a committee of current students, faculty and staff. Upon review, selected students will be invited for an interview.

Fill out our interest form to get updates on SMP’s recruitment events and application deadlines.

See what the current cohort is up to and follow us on our Instagram and LinkedIn.

The Sports Management Program is an immersive experiential learning initiative designed to provide students with practical, hands-on exposure to the sports industry. This program is not a minor or a major. It comprises a concentrated set of courses curated to provide students with valuable and marketable experience in the industry.

KNES287 is restricted to students who have less than 45 credits. If you are admitted to the Sports Management Program, have not yet completed KNES287, and have more than 45 credits, we can give you a permission stamp to complete KNES287

Yes! Transfer students who are admitted to the University of Maryland for Fall 2024 will be able to apply to the program. Applications for newly admitted transfer students will re-open at the beginning of July and will be due mid-August. We will also have virtual information sessions just for transfer students throughout the summer! Check back for more information in July!

Eligibility Requirements for Newly Admitted Transfer Students:

To be considered for the Sports Management Program, all newly incoming transfer students must meet the following criteria:

• Confirmed incoming UMD College Park undergraduate student for Fall 2024 (all majors) with at least 2 remaining semesters.
• Students must have a minimum of a 3.0 cumulative GPA from their prior institution.
  • If the student has a University of Maryland GPA from taking summer/winter or pre-college coursework, the prior institution GPA and UMD GPA will be combined.
• Students must have completed 30 college credits at the time of application.
• Must have the flexibility to complete 12 total credits of coursework before graduation.

Students who go abroad can still participate in the Sports Management Program, however students must have the time in their academic plans to take all required coursework. SInce BMGT383 is a fall only course and BMGT483 is a spring only course, you must be admitted to the program with no less than two years left until graduation in order to complete all requirements and go abroad for a semester.