St. Bonaventure University’s School of Business will offer a bachelor’s degree program in Sports Management beginning in fall 2020.

New York state approved the program proposal last week.

St. Bonaventure has offered a popular minor in Sports Management for years and will add several new courses to elevate the program to a major. Students can still minor in Sports Management.

By the time they reach junior status, students seeking a bachelor’s degree must declare a Sports Management concentration in either Accounting, Finance, Human Resource Management or Marketing.

“This is a business degree at its core,” said Dr. Matrecia James, dean of the School of Business.  “We are preparing business leaders to work in the business side of sports using the same management, financial, operational, and marketing skills as any other business or industry.”

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts the sports management job market will see expansion through 2028.

The program offers a balance between business theory and sports management, preparing students for fulfilling real-world jobs in a variety of applications, including:

• professional franchises or collegiate athletic departments;
• sports facilities and event management;
• sports marketing, sales, promotion and advertising;
• ·nonprofit sports organizations;
• and sports information.

All Sports Management majors need to complete two one-credit, 50-hour internships (called practicums) in the university’s Department of Athletics and a three-credit, 150-hour internship.

“These are invaluable experiences that provide direct exposure to the business world of sports,” James said. “The ability to work with a highly respected Division I athletics program will only make the experience more rewarding.”

The program equips students with knowledge and understanding of fundamental principles required for success in the profession, such as:

• practical knowledge and skill competencies for facility and event management;
• an introduction to game and event administration;
• successful sales and promotion behaviors for meeting organizational goals;
• sport organization management.

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About the University: The nation’s first Franciscan university, St. Bonaventure University is a community committed to transforming the lives of our students inside and outside the classroom, inspiring in them a lifelong commitment to service and citizenship. In 2019, St. Bonaventure was named the #1 regional university value in New York and #2 in the North by U.S. News and World Report.