How Long Does It Take to Major in Sports Management?
Wondering how long it will take to major in sports management? The short answer is a full-time student will finish their sports management degree in four years.
Four years may seem like a long time, but it’s worth it, because the sports management major provides you with a marketable skill set supported by Stonehill’s AACSB-accredited business program and a well-rounded liberal arts education. With that, you’ll be able to grow your career in and out of the business of sports.
About the Study of Sports Management
There’s a lot to learn in just four years to help you develop the skills needed for a successful career in sports management. Like what? Well, as a sports management major, you’ll take courses that will teach everything from how companies use sports platforms to brand and market their products to how the industry of sports uses and develops tools of economic analysis. You’ll learn about sponsorship, licensing and targeting, as well as the salary structure of professional team sports, the factors that affect sport attendance, the effect of television contracts, and so much more.
But that’s not all. sports management majors are encouraged to supplement their studies with work in the field. Internships provide opportunities to grow as leaders, build professional networks and hone skills that will serve them well throughout their careers.
With its location near Boston — one of the country’s most successful sports cities —Stonehill provides its students with a vast array of internship opportunities in professional sports.
Stonehill students can intern with sports athletic departments as well. Students also can intern at major corporations seeking to market through sports now that sports sponsorships are becoming increasingly prevalent. Media opportunities are also available.
The Meehan School’s internship program is second to none. More often than not, these internships lead to full-time jobs. It's a program that's very, very successful.
Sports Management Career Resources
Those four years will also need to fit in time to participate in Stonehill’s extensive on-campus recruiting program for internships and entry-level positions; various industry-specific career lunches; and speaker sessions and workshops. There’s a lot to do.
The Career Development Center offers extensive assistance to students seeking employment, pursuing advanced studies or participating in postgraduate service opportunities. By completing internships and utilizing mentors, students are empowered to build lifelong career management skills.
Career Paths for Sports Management
Of graduates in the Meehan School of Business class of 2019, 89% were employed, in graduate programs or engaged in postgraduate service six months after graduation. The median income for 2019 Meehan School students six months after graduation was $53,000.
So, what are some of the careers Sports Management graduates go into? Here are just some of the paths our graduates can take:
- Coaching
- Athletic Administration
- Events/Hospitality
- Public Relations
- Sports Analytics
- Sales
- Broadcasting
- Marketing
Developing Leadership Skills for Sports Management Majors
Sports management majors at Stonehill are also provided with opportunities to develop leadership skills that often serve them throughout their careers. You might find yourself mentoring younger students or networking with alumni in new situations. Such experiences equip graduates to be leaders in advancing science but also in another area central to Stonehill’s values: social justice.
Research for Sports Management Majors
If research is one of your interests, sports management majors who have completed their first year at Stonehill have the opportunity to perform full-time, high-quality research over the summer months under the guidance of an expert faculty researcher. A student in the Stonehill Undergraduate Research Experience (SURE) program spends 8-10 weeks of the summer collaborating with a professor — and sometimes other students — on an original research project that fits into the faculty member’s overall research program.
The experience includes postgraduate career seminars, program-wide outings, weekly lunches, and a student poster session in the fall. SURE students generally live on campus and receive a stipend for their summer work.
Four Years of Sports Management at Stonehill: At a Glance
- Study within the Meehan School of Business Sports Management Department which is accredited by AACSB, International and thereby part of an elite group of higher education institutions that make up less than 5% of the world’s business schools
- Learn from faculty members with extensive experience in the business of professional sports
- Take advantage of strong internship and career connections with professional sports organizations in Boston and beyond
- Benefit from studying in a new $50 million business school with state-of-the-art technology and high-tech collaborative spaces
- Pair your degree with a Master’s in Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) at Stonehill. Begin as soon as senior year
- Or parlay your degree into the Data Analytics Master of Professional Studies program at Stonehill
- Preferred admission to the Emerging Leaders Master of Business Administration Program at Loyola University Maryland
- Build relationships with faculty mentors. Choose from a wide-range of course offerings. Sharpen your skills. Hone your writing, public speaking, and critical thinking skills throughout the program
- Become qualified. Graduate knowing that you are qualified to enter a variety of post-graduate opportunities