BS in Recreation and Park Management: Sport Management Concentration

East Carolina University’s BS in Recreation and Park Management with a concentration in Sport Management allows you to study nearly every aspect of sport, from science to sociology to management. This degree helps you learn how you can integrate all the different ways that sport interacts with our culture and begin to put those principles into practice. The degree offers a broad view of the sport industry and its connection to our society. The breadth of experience you can gain in the field is outstanding. This degree program will allow you to understand the sport industry from many different angles, giving you the choice as to how you will put that into practice in a vast array of sport settings.

Possible Career Opportunities

*Please note that some of these may require additional education beyond a bachelors degree

Admission Requirements

Students who want to declare a major in recreation and park management with a sport management concentration need to have completed 30 s.h. of coursework at ECU or in transfer credits; possess a minimum overall GPA of 2.0; and have met with an advisor in Academic Advising Services in the College of Health and Human Performance.   

Students majoring in recreation and park management with a sport management concentration must maintain a minimum cumulative 2.0 GPA and a minimum cumulative 2.0 overall GPA in all core and restricted elective courses to remain in good standing. Majors must earn a minimum grade of C- in all required core and concentration prefix courses. If a course without the RCSC or SMGT prefix is approved as a substitution for a required core course, a minimum grade of C- must be earned. Students dropping below the required 2.0 GPA will not be allowed to enroll in any additional RCSC or SMGT prefix courses until the GPA meets the 2.0 requirement. If a student receives a grade lower than a C- in a required core course, the student may retake that course without meeting the 2.0 GPA requirements.

Program Requirements

The sport management concentration has a common core, which it shares with the recreation and park management concentration. It has courses specific to the concentration and restricted electives. The sport management concentration has a required minor, giving you the option to choose minor coursework that will further strengthen your skills as you go out into the working world in your chosen field. Popular minor coursework for those concentrating in sport management includes business administration, communication, exercise and sport science, hospitality management, leadership studies, merchandising, psychology, and recreation and park management.

Required Courses

Four Year Plan

*Internship for the sport management concentration may be split into two 6-hour courses, please work with your academic advisor and the sport management internship coordinator to plan for a split internship.

Students who declare after their freshman year may take core and concentration courses sooner under the direction of an HHP advisor.

Internship Requirements and Experience

Students are required to complete 12-weeks of internship (480 hours) at an approved internship site or sites (if splitting internship with SMGT 4991/4992). The department maintains a list of approved sites with contact information.

Prior to the internship, students must take RCSC 2902: Professional Seminar in Recreation and Park Management, which is taught by an internship coordinator. RCSC 2902 is the pre-requisite for SMGT 4901: Sport Management Pre-Internship Seminar, which is taught by the sport management internship coordinator. When taking SMGT 4901, students can identify and submit internships for review and approval by the internship coordinator.

While the internship offers professional experience, students are encouraged to seek out employment in the field ahead of the internship. There are many seasonal and part-time jobs that students can fulfill while in college. Students should work with faculty mentors to identify appropriate venues for work experience.

Student Opportunities and Experiences

Students with a concentration in sport management are encouraged to join the Recreation and Park Management Club (RPM Club), which is open to all majors. The RPM Club meets monthly to plan professional development opportunities, service opportunities, and special events.

Students are encouraged to take experiential courses offered as special topics classes in either sport management or recreation and park management to fulfill restricted elective credit. Some examples of experiential courses are the Superbowl Event Management Class and the NCAA Tournament Event Management Class. Students may also consider taking a study abroad course in the summer.

Delivery Methods

Courses within this major mostly meet face to face with classes occasionally offered as hybrid (both face to face and online) or solely online.

Accreditation Information

The concentration in sport management undergoes an academic program review as part of the accreditation standards set by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSOC). The accreditation process assures that programs are meeting specific qualifications and standards established within a field or discipline to ensure quality and accountability within a program. It involves external review by credentialed faculty from outside institutions who evaluate the program as part of the accreditation process.

ECU degree programs satisfy the professional licensure and/or certification requirements in North Carolina and prepare students to sit for these exams.  However, requirements in other states may be different.

If you are considering a degree program that may, would, could or potentially lead to a professional license and/or certification, please note that at this time ECU may or may not be able to advise whether a  program meets requirements outside of North Carolina.  Prior to enrolling in a degree program, please discuss this important topic with your program of interest.