Undergraduate Program

Sport Management

Undergraduate Program

Through our undergraduate program, you'll actively learn about the field through close interaction with faculty, academic advisors, and alumni mentors, as well as dynamic internships and professional development activities.

Major in Sport Management

The Sport Management (SM) program prepares students for careers in the global sport industry. Our curriculum explores the cultural and business impact of sport through hands-on, real-world case studies and consulting projects led by our world-renowned faculty.

Our students are actively engaged with our faculty, academic and career advisors, and alumni mentors. This leads to dynamic internships, as well as other outstanding professional development activities.

Sport Management majors lead and participate in student-run campus organizations. Learn more about them on our Sport Management Student Groups page.

Upon graduation many of our students will begin careers at sport organizations and corporate businesses, while others will pursue post-graduate studies in business, law, accounting, and urban planning.

Our graduates work in the front offices of the NFL, NBA, NHL, MLB, and MLS; with professional sports teams like the Detroit Red Wings, New York Mets, and Milwaukee Bucks; within agencies like Creative Artists Agency, Wasserman, and Endeavor; and with industry-leading organizations like ESPN, the NCAA, The New York Times, Nike, and many more.

Non-Kines U-M students: Considering a cross-campus transfer? Advisor Rebecca Krombeen (krombeen@umich.edu) can help you find the right program for your interests. You can also check out her slide presentation, Guide to Cross Campus Transfer, at myumi.ch/qgPjW.

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Mission and Statement of Aspiration

We exist to positively impact the global sport industry through the insights generated by our research and service, and by educating future leaders who are analytical, entrepreneurial, culturally intuitive, and socially responsible. We advance the science in our field and contribute to knowledge development around sport.

The Sport Management Program seeks to distinguish ourselves and achieve our mission in the following ways:

A strong commitment to diversity
Quality preparation of doctoral students
A differentiated and innovative undergraduate program
Attracting and retaining leading scholars in sport business
Financially self-sustaining
High level of engagement with sport industry
Acquiring the physical infrastructure to support our research, teaching and engagement efforts

Read the full Sport Management Mission Statement.

Program Overview

Our curriculum focuses on the business and societal impact of sport and includes required coursework in economics, finance, policy, research and analytics, marketing, legal and ethical issues, organizational behavior, and strategy. Our courses are taught by faculty who are committed to teaching and who are on the forefront of research and consulting in their areas of expertise, preparing our students to excel in business careers spanning the globe.

In addition to the academic instruction and professional development provided by our faculty and staff, our students benefit from the support of our dedicated Sport Management alumni, who as U-M alumni are part of the largest living alumni body of any university in the US. Our students have the opportunity to work closely and build relationships with our alumni through real-world consulting projects in class, participation in on-campus alumni networking events, and a formal alumni-student mentorship program. Our alumni are as dedicated as our faculty to the education and professional development of our students, supporting our students through mentoring and by providing internship and career opportunities.

Students pursuing a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Sport Management take business prerequisite and liberal arts courses during their first year. At the end of their first year, students must apply for acceptance to our upper-level program (Sport Management Level 2). Admittance is selective and based on students’ performance in the prerequisite courses, as well as their demonstrated commitment to pursuing a career in the sport industry.

By the end of their sophomore year, students will select from one of two sport management concentration paths: Sport Marketing & Management or Sport Policy & Analytics. Students must also complete 6 credits of internship experience while in Level 2 to complement their coursework and further strengthen their industry knowledge and professional skills. Internship experience is a key factor in obtaining a position in sport upon graduation. Our graduates not only secure positions upon graduation, they’re hired into the most competitive positions in the leading organizations across the industry – spanning professional and minor league sport, entertainment, and corporate business positions outside of sport.

Michigan Sport Management students are involved in numerous activities outside of the classroom, in many cases leading some of the top student-run organizations in the country - please visit the Sport Management Student Groups page to learn more. Additionally, our students can work with faculty on cutting-edge research, access numerous academic and professional resources, and enjoy all that the great city of Ann Arbor has to offer in social and cultural events, not to mention an amazing restaurant scene.

A degree from the Michigan Sport Management Program is an invitation to join the #bestnetworkinsport and continue our mission of leading the sport industry. We are committed to being the leaders and best. That ethos permeates all that we do and is represented by our world-renowned faculty, our amazing and experienced staff, our dedicated alumni, and our exceptional students.

View the sample curriculum from current and past years in the Forms and Bulletins section of this page, below.

Sport Management Undergraduate Faculty

Our Sport Management undergraduate faculty are leaders in their fields, and have a variety of interests and specialties. View the SM undergraduate faculty list.

Sport Management Courses

Sample SM Course Offerings

Historical and Sociological Issues in Sport and Fitness
Business Communications
Principles of Marketing
Accounting and Finance
Sport Economics and Public Policy
Sport Marketing Analytics
Sport Tourism
Sport Economic Development and Urban Revitalization
Sport Real Estate: Facility Financing and Development

Browse only SM courses in the Course Catalog

Browse entire Course Catalog

Career Development

Kelli Kearly is the Sport Management outreach & employer engagement coordinator. Kelli works closely with employers, students, and faculty to ensure every Sport Management student is adequately prepared for their career after graduation through networking, training, and personalized career guidance. If you have career needs throughout the year, please contact Kelli at kkearly@umich.edu or 734-764-2733.