Sports Management

Major: Sports Management
Degree awarded: Bachelor of Arts
Total credit hours: 48
Internship/Practicum opportunities: Visit the Career Development Center for internship information.

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Online Academic Catalog Details / Required Courses

About Sports Management

Learn about complex issues in the sports industry and turn your passion for sports into a career in sports management. The sports management degree at Thiel provides a broad-based exposure to the discipline of sports management and encourages students to apply foundational knowledge, develop critical thinking skills, and participate in hands-on learning experiences.

Earning a bachelor’s degree in sports management can be a good first step to building a career in an exciting and growing field. Thiel’s Sports Management major through the Arthur McGonigal Department of Business Administration and Accounting is a great first step to unlocking your career potential.

Sports Management Major Objectives

At Thiel College, the bachelor’s degree courses in Sports Management prepare students to:

Understand the principles of professional success in sports management, including management, marketing, public relations, leadership, and legal concepts.
Examine current issues, trends, practices, and processes.
Solve problems that arise in the sports business industry.
Make ethical decisions and incorporate ethical and legal concepts when developing programs and services.
Develop analytical skills relevant to the sports business profession.
Demonstrate effective communication in oral and written forms in the field.
Cultivate interpersonal skills and learn to be a valuable member of a team.
Network with distinguished business alumni.

Sports Management Curriculum

Students gain practical experience in event planning, facility evaluation, marketing and promotion. Students will gain hands-on experience as they progress through the program and complete practicums in facilities management and sports information.

This robust program also includes courses in coaching organization and administration, principles of marketing, sports management and ethical leadership. Students are encouraged to complete at least one internship and have will have multiple networking opportunities with business alumni prior to graduation. Review the Academic Catalog (2025-2026) for detailed course listings.

Scholarship Opportunities

Thiel College offers scholarships to our undergraduate business students for reasons of academic success, community service or involvement, exemplary leadership and more.

The scholarships available to business administration majors are:

The August and Susan Bamford Scholarship
Dr. Morrison H. Beach Scholarship
The Roger ’52 and Paula G. Blatter Scholarship
The John T. Egbert Jr. and Phyllis Faries Egbert Scholarship
Daniel A. Hamo Scholarship
Huether Foundation Endowment for Business
The David ’71 and Deborah ’75 Mogle Endowed Scholarship
Helen Patterson Hill Memorial Scholarship
Lend-A-Hand Scholarship
The Rev. Dr. Kenneth R. May Scholarship Fund
The Wise Family Endowed Scholarship Fund

Visit our Financial Aid page to learn more about the types of aid available to students.

Clubs and Organizations

It's easy to get involved on campus at Thiel; joining a student club or organization is an excellent way to meet fellow students and gain leadership experience.

A sports management major might be interested in the following student organizations:

National Society of Leadership and Success
Chi Alpha Sigma (National College Athlete Honor Society)
Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (S.A.A.C.)
Fellowship of Christian Athletes
Greenville Jr. Chamber of Commerce
Chi Eta Sigma (National Commerce Honorary Society)

Explore a full list of Thiel student clubs and organizations.

Alumni and Careers

Students in the Business Administration and Accounting Department are exceptionally successful in finding first-time jobs after graduation. Our faculty work closely with students to assist them in developing the knowledge and skills they need, as well as mentoring them as they prepare for and pursue a range of professional opportunities. For example, the department hosts many networking events that allow students to speak with professionals from numerous companies in the area.

Aligned with our business administration program, you’ll be in excellent company upon graduation. Countless Thiel graduates have joined Fortune 500 companies and become successful business owners and community leaders in the local western Pennsylvania region and beyond.

Potential career paths for graduates of the human resources major include: