Sport and Entertainment Management (M.S.)

Serves as the foundation for the program by providing a survey of key management theories and terminology. Both classical approaches and contemporary conceptualizations of management are studied. Special emphasis is placed on leadership, motivation, culture, team building, and organizational communication.

Students are introduced to basic concepts of financial and managerial accounting and business finance. The first half of the course focuses on accounting, while the second portion covers finance. Accrual accounting, the accounting equation and the financial statements required by generally accepted accounting principles comprise the financial accounting portion. Managerial accounting topics include manufacturing/product costs such as direct labor, direct material and overhead as well as fixed and variable costs. Business finance includes an introduction to financial statement ratio analysis, time value of money concepts and basic capital budgeting techniques.

Provides fundamental knowledge of legal concepts and principles important to business decision-making. Topics include the legal system, torts and product liability, contracts, agency, forms of business organization, employment law, and government regulation.

Familiarizes students with the economic forces, institutions, and policies that govern the environment in which business operates. Changes in both the national and global economy are explored from managerial, market and financial perspectives. Topics include opportunity cost, demand and supply, industrial organization, antitrust, deregulation, fiscal and monetary policies, trade policies, and exchange rates.

A gateway experience for incoming Master of Science in Sport and Entertainment Management students. Students will be introduced to sport and entertainment topics including management, leadership, traditional marketing and sales, digital marketing, and event and venue management. Current practitioners will engage with students to provide insight into the sport and entertainment industry and serve as mentors.

This course investigates principles and processes in marketing and sales focusing on the role marketing plays in planning and decision making for attracting fans and sponsors. The marketing mix will be explored through theory and practical applications. The course also addresses the importance of sales, focusing on ticketing, corporate sales and group sales, relationship building, and customer service. A gateway experience for incoming Master of Science in Sport and Entertainment Management students. Students will be introduced to sport and entertainment topics including management, leadership, traditional marketing and sales, digital marketing, and event and venue management. Current practitioners will engage with students to provide insight into the sport and entertainment industry and serve as mentors.

Building upon traditional marketing principles, this course focuses on digital strategies and tactics and social media content as a means of achieving organizational goals and enhancing the fan experience. Students will gain an understanding of fan engagement strategies with current and future customers through digital and social media marketing and how those interactions are evaluated.

An exploration of event and venue management is discussed through the study of planning, funding, operations, risk management, key stakeholders, and promotions.

Current issues and ethical dilemmas that exist in sport and entertainment organizations will be discussed. Students will connect them to managerial decision-making within the sport and entertainment industries. Application of these theories and ethical decision-making will be displayed through in class debates and case studies.

The culminating course in the MS program requires students to engage in a research or creative project in their area of interest. The inquiry-driven and practice-centered project will serve as proof of mastery of the content and skills gained through the degree requirements. Approval by academic advisor and sport and entertainment management program coordinator are required.

This course examines the processes involved in assessing, diagnosing, and improving teams within organizations. The role of followership and the leader/follower relationship will be explored through the lens of team development and collaborative leadership. Case studies, assessments, and diagnostic tools will be used to examine, from a global perspective, the development and functions of various teams types (i.e., virtual, cross-cultural, and self-directed).