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How long do I have to go to school if I want to major in Sports mangement & recreation
I'm a star football player at wendell phillips and I want to, even if I get injured I can still have something to fall back on and it's something to do with my liking. #college #major
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Kendall Paige’s Answer
Aloha, Antonio!
I'm glad that you are thinking ahead to your future and hoping for the best, but preparing for the "worst." One of my mentors early on shared with me "your education is something that can never be taken away from you" and I could not agree with this statement more! I would begin by narrowing down the Sports Management programs you are interested in. Many colleges & universities at all levels - community colleges, state colleges & universities, as well as private colleges & universities - offer this major/minor. If you are in a position where you are able to narrow down the program that you are most interested in, that would be the best fit for you and your future goals, that is ideal. Another blessing is that you are an athlete currently, which may open the door to athletic scholarships to a college or university.
A traditional Sports Management degree would take four years to complete. Dependent on whether you take prerequisite courses at a community college first, then transfer to a college or university for your junior & senior years to complete your Sports Management courses, or you attend the same school the entire time, it will likely take four years to earn your degree.
Although I did not major in Sports Management, one of my minors was in Sports Management Dive Industry (a.k.a. SCUBA). My classmates who also majored or minored in Sports Management Dive Industry went on to work for the United States NAVY, as well as companies in dive instruction/excursions (think both in a tourist or educational capacity), and even in underwater photography & videography! Of course an even broader degree of Sports Management can open up a whole world of opportunities with professional sporting teams and organizations, venues, events, etc.
Good luck in your future endeavors both as an athlete and as a student!
Research Sports Management Degree Programs online.
Connect to current Sports Management students and alumni to learn about their educational experiences.
Create a LinkedIn profile to network with professionals in the Sports Management industry.
Research athletic scholarships which you may be eligible for.
I'm glad that you are thinking ahead to your future and hoping for the best, but preparing for the "worst." One of my mentors early on shared with me "your education is something that can never be taken away from you" and I could not agree with this statement more! I would begin by narrowing down the Sports Management programs you are interested in. Many colleges & universities at all levels - community colleges, state colleges & universities, as well as private colleges & universities - offer this major/minor. If you are in a position where you are able to narrow down the program that you are most interested in, that would be the best fit for you and your future goals, that is ideal. Another blessing is that you are an athlete currently, which may open the door to athletic scholarships to a college or university.
A traditional Sports Management degree would take four years to complete. Dependent on whether you take prerequisite courses at a community college first, then transfer to a college or university for your junior & senior years to complete your Sports Management courses, or you attend the same school the entire time, it will likely take four years to earn your degree.
Although I did not major in Sports Management, one of my minors was in Sports Management Dive Industry (a.k.a. SCUBA). My classmates who also majored or minored in Sports Management Dive Industry went on to work for the United States NAVY, as well as companies in dive instruction/excursions (think both in a tourist or educational capacity), and even in underwater photography & videography! Of course an even broader degree of Sports Management can open up a whole world of opportunities with professional sporting teams and organizations, venues, events, etc.
Good luck in your future endeavors both as an athlete and as a student!
Kendall Paige recommends the following next steps:
Updated
Keith’s Answer
You can get a Bachelors (or 4 year degree) in Sport Management at a number of schools. I teach at Kutztown University in Pennsylvania, and we have a Sport Management degree. As I don't teach in that program, I can't give you many specifics, but I would have you consider doing two things. First, go the Kutztown website and look up the degree. Going to the program's webpage will give you some information and let you get a baseline of what a degree in Sports Management might be like. Second, I'd consider emailing one of the professors. If you write a courteous email showing interest in their field, they will likely get back to you with more specifics. It doesn't mean you have to attend that specific school, but it's good to get information from experts in the field.
Updated
Nick’s Answer
Hi Antonio!
Kendall's advice is spot-on! I did want to add a few notes from someone who has a bachelor's in Sport Management to give you additional perspectives. I would start by asking yourself, "If football doesn't work out for whatever reason, what would I want to do as a career? What makes me happy?"
I was not a scholarship-level athlete in high school, so I made the decision to major in Sport Management not because of my physical ability, but because of my passion for sports. What I didn't think about was, "What do I actually want to do with this degree?". It could be that your passion aligns more with the business aspect of sports - if that's the case, a more broad degree in business administration might open more doors for you. Or, it could be that you want to be a sports agent, where a background in law is actually more helpful. By determining where your passions lie as they relate to sports, you can better understand what degree to pursue.
Also, remember that you can change your mind - and that's okay! You can start your college career with one major but change multiple times before you graduate - trust me, you won't be the only one!
Research careers in the sports industry so you can narrow down those that are of interest to you.
Once you make a short-list of those careers, begin to research which degree(s) would be most beneficial to pursue.
Kendall's advice is spot-on! I did want to add a few notes from someone who has a bachelor's in Sport Management to give you additional perspectives. I would start by asking yourself, "If football doesn't work out for whatever reason, what would I want to do as a career? What makes me happy?"
I was not a scholarship-level athlete in high school, so I made the decision to major in Sport Management not because of my physical ability, but because of my passion for sports. What I didn't think about was, "What do I actually want to do with this degree?". It could be that your passion aligns more with the business aspect of sports - if that's the case, a more broad degree in business administration might open more doors for you. Or, it could be that you want to be a sports agent, where a background in law is actually more helpful. By determining where your passions lie as they relate to sports, you can better understand what degree to pursue.
Also, remember that you can change your mind - and that's okay! You can start your college career with one major but change multiple times before you graduate - trust me, you won't be the only one!
Nick recommends the following next steps:
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