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The
sport industry has changed dramatically in recent years.
What employers want in sport management graduates, and
what graduates need to succeed, have also changed. We
have designed our Masters in Sport Management program
in a manner such that our graduates will thrive in this
very competitive industry. The program draws on our
leading-edge research and rigorous commitment to teaching
quality.
Helping our students understand the sport business and
how to master it, however, isn't the result of coursework
alone. Partnerships with sport organizations are thus
important elements of our program, as are personal skill
(communication, presentation, teamwork) development.
All of what we do takes place in a close-knit, high-involvement
culture which characterizes the Michigan Master's in
Sport Management.
Bases
of the Program
Underlying
philosophy. Because management/business challenges
and opportunities are multi-functional in nature, they
are best addressed with a multi-functional, integrative,
approach. Our program, therefore, while having strong
theoretical bases also has a very strong integrative
and pragmatic orientation.
Differentiating elements. In order to have a
theory-based, integrative, and pragmatic program, important
elements of Michigan's Master's in Sport Management
are "integrative sport management exercises" (ISMEs).
These involve student teams working on actual problems/challenges
being faced by sport organizations. The problems/challenges
that student teams work on require the application of
concepts covered in completed course modules. To support
student teams during the ISMEs and to help prepare future
leaders of the sport industry, students are taught teamwork,
communication, and presentation skills as part of the
ISME. During their last semester each student will work
on a "sport management in depth" (SMID) project on a
topic related to the student's career interests. Under
the guidance of a committee, working on the SMID will
result in the student being an "expert" in her/his chosen
area of sport management.
| Value-added
features of Michigan's Master's in Sport Management: |
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the
above elements are consistent with current best
practices in management education; |
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our
program provides students with opportunities to
prepare themselves to be generalists in Sports Management
as well as experts in their areas of interest via
the SMID; |
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our
program builds on close ties with corporations/organizations
in the sport industry; and |
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our
program differentiates itself by offering opportunities
to take courses in other strong units of the University
of Michigan (e.g., Business, Law, Public Policy,
Education) and of the Division of Kinesiology (e.g.,
Movement Science, Athletic Training). |
The
Sport Industry
The
sport industry is growing very rapidly. It is currently
the eleventh largest industry in the U.S., generating
well over $200 billion per year.
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industry consists of three essential components: |
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the
first is related to sport competition itself: the
leagues and teams that participate in professional,
collegiate, and interscholastic sports. |
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the
second consists of recreational sports and is composed
of organizations that promote and support public
participation in sport, ranging from little league
baseball to school intramural programs to old-timer
hockey. |
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the
third component consists of the public and private
organizations that support the first two components.
Here we have the manufacturers and suppliers of
sport equipment and apparel, sport services (e.g.,
agents, event managers, promoters, sponsors and
advertisers), and the sport media. |
Careers
Given
its size, breadth and dynamism, the sport industry
offers exciting career opportunities.
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are opportunities for people who can: |
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work
in traditional functions (e.g., marketing,
finance, general management, labor law) within
the growing sport industry. |
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manage
events or oversee facility operations. These
are examples of sport management opportunities
within the huge supporting infrastructure
of the sport industry. |
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successfully
encourage people to become fans and spectators.
This requires knowledge about the psychology
of fan behavior. |
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help
Olympic, amateur, and recreational sports
clubs raise money, develop a membership base
and encourage participation at the grassroots
level. |
The
world of sport careers is at your doorstep when
you have a University of Michigan degree.
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