Last Updated on February 14, 2024
Sport Administration Degree Guide

If you are a student searching for a sports administration degree, this guide will be a valuable tool to help you find an education that will lead to a successful career. We are proud to partner with Dr. Cooper to help promote his approach to Sports Administration and Leadership, and we hope that this guide will be a useful resource on your search.
In this guide…
What Will I learn in a Sports Administration and Leadership Degree Program?
How to decide which Sports Administration and Leadership program is best for you?
The Importance of Location When Choosing a Sports Administration Degree
Pay Special Attention to Who Your Program Faculty Will Be
Some Thoughts About Sports Administration Degree Delivery
Internships & Experiential Learning in Sports Administration
The Importance of Experience Outside the Classroom in the Sports Industry
Building Your Professional Network
Sports Administration and Leadership Career Outlook
What kind of jobs/career paths are available for Sport Administration and Leadership graduates?
Sports Administration Degree FAQs
“Sport is considered one of many universal languages and when implemented effectively it has the power to break down barriers, bring people together, and transform lives, communities, and the world. The field of sport administration and leadership was created to achieve this aim.”
Dr. Joseph Cooper
What Will I learn in a Sport Administration and Leadership Degree Program?
A sport administration and leadership program will teach you various skills and knowledge about the business, psychology, marketing, operations, research and development, and diversity aspects of sport.
- Examples of concentration areas include leadership, business or management, psychology, physical education, parks and recreation, and hospitality and tourism.
- Common courses included in a sports administration degree include sport leadership, sport management, sport event operations, sport law and risk management, sport marketing, sport sales, sport analytics, and sport and social issues.
- Additional niche areas of sport administration include coaching, esports, international sport, and adaptive sport are also common.
How to Decide Which Sport Administration Degree is Best for You?
There are numerous factors that go into deciding which sport administration and leadership program is the best fit for you.
Factors such as location, enrollment costs including the presence of financial aid support, program size, program focal areas, program diversity, program resources, program partnerships, school and program reputation, and alumni and industry partnerships are important to consider when deciding which program to pursue.
Larger schools typically offer larger classes, more industry partnerships, more overall resources, and more course offerings. However, small schools offer more individualized support and specialized program focus and course offerings.
For example, I chose to attend the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s Sport Administration graduate program because it was a smaller program at a larger school that focused on developing intercollegiate athletic leaders, which was my career goal at that time.
Doing your research on the courses, faculty, and industry relationships that exist within each program of interest is very important to ensure you are making the most informed decision possible when deciding which school and program to pursue.
“Doing your research on the courses, faculty, and industry relationships that exist within each program of interest is very important to ensure you are making the most informed decision possible when deciding which school and program to pursue. “
Dr. Joseph Cooper
Location is Important When Choosing Between Sport Administration Programs
Location is another important factor because programs that are located close to metropolitan areas or that have access to prominent and robust athletic departments and sport organizations can provide more accessible connections with career development opportunities during your time in the program.
For example, programs located in cities such as Boston, New York, and Atlanta can offer a range of experiential learning opportunities across the professional, intercollegiate, interscholastic, and youth levels of sport whereas programs that are located in more remote or rural areas may not have the same readily available access to these opportunities based on proximity.
Depending on your career goals, direct and indirect access to career development opportunities such as internships, job shadowing, and networking events should be considered when deciding which school and program to pursue.
However, it is important to note that location is only one of several factors to consider and I recommend you focus on the program and school reputation and alumni outcomes rather than the geography of a program.
Pay Special Attention to Who Your Program Faculty Will Be
Program faculty and their scholarly and professional reputations are important to know prior to applying to a program. The program faculty and their expertise will provide you with insight about which courses will be offered and how they will be taught.
Typically, the smaller the program, the more accessible the faculty will be simply due to the fact that the faculty-to-student ratio is smaller and by design there is an increased likelihood for more one-on-one interactions.
However, regardless of the program size, it is important that each student initiate professional relationship building with their faculty both inside and outside of the classroom to maximize learning outcomes and networking building for career development.
“Regardless of the program size, it is important that each student initiate professional relationship building with their faculty both inside and outside of the classroom to maximize learning outcomes and networking building for career development.”
Dr. Joseph Cooper
It is also important to know if program faculty offer research opportunities in specific areas of interest for you. For example, my research expertise is the intersection of race, sports, education, and culture. So, if a student is interested in learning more about racial justice, athlete activism, and diversity, equity, and inclusion in sport organizations more broadly, then working with a faculty member with a background like mine would be encouraged.
“My research expertise is the intersection of race, sports, education, and culture. So, if a student is interested in learning more about racial justice, athlete activism, and diversity, equity, and inclusion in sport organizations more broadly, then working with a faculty member with a background like mine would be encouraged.”
Dr. Joseph Cooper
Similarly, if a student is interested in learning more about the financial or analytical aspect of sport, it is recommend they connect with programs that have faculty who possess that area or those areas of expertise.
Some Thoughts About Sport Administration Program Delivery
Hybrid and online programs, certificate offerings, and courses are more readily available now compared to 20 years ago. The benefits of these offerings is the accessibility for enrollment – regardless of your geographical location – and affordability, since hybrid and online programs tend to be less expensive than full-time in-person programs.
“Hybrid and online programs, certificate offerings, and courses are more readily available now compared to 20 years ago. The benefits of these offerings is the accessibility for enrollment – regardless of your geographical location – and affordability, since hybrid and online programs tend to be less expensive than full-time in-person programs.”
Dr. Joseph Cooper
It is important to research the faculty background and program structure of hybrid and online programs to ensure maximal learning conditions are feasible for your personal learning style. Different types of engagement, exposure, support, and development can be cultivated based on the structure of the program (e.g., in-person, hybrid, or online) so it is important to do your research and reflect upon what type of format is best suited for your short-term and long-term career goals.
Internships & Experiential Learning in Sport Administration
Internships and experiential learning are integral to all sport programs. In addition learning knowledge about the field in a classroom setting, it is important to demonstrate and enhance your application of this knowledge in a sport practitioner setting.
“Internships and experiential learning are integral to all sport programs. In addition learning knowledge about the field in a classroom setting, it is important to demonstrate and enhance your application of this knowledge in a sport practitioner setting.”
Dr. Joseph Cooper
All sports administration and leadership programs either require or highly encourage students to complete an internship or some form of experiential learning in order to graduate.
These direct professional development experiences allow students to practice the application of the knowledge and learn how to function in a sport organization with supervisory guidance from a site supervisor and a faculty member.
Each program has a list of career opportunities that they share with students, and in addition programs collaborate with career services offices, sport industry career websites, sport organizations, and individual relationships to acquire and disseminate information about career development opportunities.
The Importance of Experience Outside the Classroom in the Sports Industry
Gaining professional experience outside of the classroom is essential for optimizing career readiness. Students acquire out of classroom experiences through volunteering, internships, externships, and part-time, seasonal, and/or full-time employment with sport industry businesses and organizations.
One recommendation for gaining this type of experience while in school is to connect with your school’s athletic department. Each athletic department has multiple offices such as administration, marketing, fundraising, operations, athletic training, and team-specific roles where students can gain access to valuable learning opportunities.
“One recommendation for gaining this type of experience while in school is to connect with your school’s athletic department. Each athletic department has multiple offices such as administration, marketing, fundraising, operations, athletic training, and team-specific roles where students can gain access to valuable learning opportunities.”
Dr. Joseph Cooper
Beyond athletic departments, sport leadership and administration programs provide students with resources about local, regional, national, and international experiential learning opportunities. It is important to be open-minded and think about various ways you can enhance your skill set, knowledge, and network for future career success.
Building Your Professional Network
Building your professional network starts now.
You can begin to research sport education programs across the United States (U.S.) and reach out to the faculty and staff at those institutions to develop your initial network.
You can ask faculty and staff to share sport industry career network resources including websites such as Teamwork Online, Work in Sports, and Sports Business Journal to name a few.
Researching local sport organizations within your hometown and nearby and volunteering for events is another way to begin to create your professional network.
In addition, creating a professional social media profile on websites such as LinkedIn and begin requesting connections with sport industry professionals is another way to develop your network. Once enrolled in a program, you will have access to current faculty, staff, students, and partners as well as alumni and former program affiliates.
Advice on Working with Mentors, and How to Make the Most Out of Your Connections
In terms of etiquette with mentor-mentee relationships, it is important to present the most professional and respectful version of yourself in all settings. Reputations matter, so you want to make sure the impressions you leave on others is positive and can generate future opportunities for yourself.
“In terms of etiquette with mentor-mentee relationships, it is important to present the most professional and respectful version of yourself in all settings. Reputations matter, so you want to make sure the impressions you leave on others is positive and can generate future opportunities for yourself.”
Dr. Joseph Cooper
A mentor in the industry is someone who has experience, knowledge, connections, and resources that could be beneficial for your career success. Identifying mentors who are interested in supporting your development over time is highly recommended. It is also encouraged to work with a faculty member within a sport leadership and administration program to assist you with identifying and connecting with these individuals.
“A mentor in the industry is someone who has experience, knowledge, connections, and resources that could be beneficial for your career success. Identifying mentors who are interested in supporting your development over time is highly recommended. It is also encouraged to work with a faculty member within a sport leadership and administration program to assist you with identifying and connecting with these individuals.”
Dr. Joseph Cooper
You can make the most of your network by reaching out to people and engaging in active listening. It is recommended you take notes when meeting with sport industry professionals to demonstrate your attentiveness and seriousness about valuing their time and insights.
- Creating a list of people who have different skill sets and backgrounds and outlining what ways you feel they can assist you moving forward is recommended.
- You also make the most out of your relationships by being authentic, communicating on a regular basis about your personal and professional growth, and demonstrating to your connections that you are applying the knowledge they provided to you in your interactions with them.
- Being prepared and doing your research prior to meeting with your industry connections is also important and being sure you have a clear plan about what seek to gain from your interactions with them while also being openminded to new ideas for your personal and professional development is highly encouraged.
Career Outlook for Sport Administration Outlook – what are some ways that this knowledge can be applied professionally?
Knowledge can be applied professionally in numerous ways.
One, you can organize an existing or new sport event to demonstrate your understanding of the planning, implementation, and evaluation process of an event.
Similarly, you can create a new or contribute to an existing marketing, sponsorship, and fundraising campaign to show how you understand the value of promotion and solicitation for sport organizational success.
Additional ways you can apply your professional knowledge is by creating your own products and services (e.g., podcasts, blogs, media material, etc.) to demonstrate your creativity, initiative, and adaptability.
Volunteering, interning, and working with sport organizations across various levels are also ways in which you can demonstrate your knowledge application professionally.
Sports Degrees Online recently had the opportunity to speak with Dr. Joseph Cooper, in which he shared his journey into academia and his research and work related to taking holistic approach toward athletes while using sport to affect positive change. After learning about the program that he has helped create at UMass-Boston, we were convinced that more students out there needed to hear more about what Dr. Cooper’s approach to Sport Administration is all about. To Learn more about Dr. Joseph Cooper and his program at UMass-Boston, be sure to check out his Sports Degrees and Career Talk podcast episode.
Sports Administration Degree FAQs
It is based on the history of the program’s development and the expertise of the faculty.
It is not necessary, but it is highly encouraged because it will expand your networks and provide you with a competitive edge on other professionals who do not have international experience.
Depending on your career interests, you can pursue additional courses and degrees in business, management, accounting, finance, political science, law, sociology, psychology, exercise and health sciences, communications, journalism, broadcasting, education, environmental studies, religion, ethnic or cultural studies, human rights, nutrition, technology, and/or statistics.
No, the sport administration and leadership degree will provide you with a range of transferable skills to pursue career attainment in a myriad of areas within and beyond sport.
Additional skills you should seek to develop are being multilingual, multicultural, technologically savvy, public speaking skills, creativity skills, and versatility skills.
Sport administration and leadership students with undergraduate degrees typically pursue graduate degrees in sport management, sport administration, business management, sport leadership, law, education, and/or sport psychology to name a few.
The expected salary range for Sport Administration and Leadership graduates varies based on the specific position and organization. Typically, private organizations and full-time salary positions offer higher pay than public or non-profit organizations and part-time or seasonal positions.
Sport Leadership and Administration graduates can expect to pursue entry level positions in the industry across the youth, interscholastic, intercollegiate, and professional levels. Career options are available at the local, state, regional, national, and international levels as well as with organizations, associations, leagues, teams, groups, and individuals. Career paths range from marketing, sales, ticketing, operations, legal, finance, coaching, administration, fundraising, community based sport, non-profit, sport equipment and apparel, analytics, and technology to name a few.
Sport Administration and Leadership is an academic field that focuses on developing well-rounded leaders who effectively guide sport and athletic organizations to achieve successful outcomes for athletes, staff, families, and communities.
Common courses included in a sports administration degree include sport leadership, sport management, sport event operations, sport law and risk management, sport marketing, sport sales, sport analytics, and sport and social issues.
Sport Administration and Leadership is an academic field that focuses on developing well-rounded leaders who effectively guide sport and athletic organizations to achieve successful outcomes for athletes, staff, families, and communities.
As an extension of the broader administration, leadership, management, and business fields, sport administration and leadership include an emphasis on understanding organizational structures, human psychology, teamwork, communication, marketing, branding, economics, event and facility operations, technology, analytics, sociocultural factors, and innovation.
Diversity, equity, and inclusion are important core values that help inform curriculum development and programming efforts to prepare sport leaders to engage in an increasingly global and multicultural world. Diversity, equity, and inclusion champions human rights, multiculturalism, cultural sensitivity, fairness, and intentional efforts to combat racism, sexism, and other divisive beliefs and practices.