Program Overview

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Sport Administration Ontario College Diploma program

Program description

Students develop the knowledge, skills and experience to succeed within the sport industry. The fundamentals of business administration are introduced through courses in accounting, marketing, technology, research, and entrepreneurship. Operations in sport organizations are explored through curriculum in fundraising, sponsorship, program planning, leagues, tournament organizing and scheduling, fitness, and facility operations. In addition to the theoretical components of the program, practical experience is obtained through community leadership opportunities and field placements. New to the Sport Administration program are The Business of Esports and Scouting and Sport Team Operations courses.

Intake information

• Start date: Fall 2025
• Campus: Barrie
• Start date: Winter 2026
• Campus: Barrie

Tuition and fees

• Visit our tuition and fees page for detailed information on the cost to attend Georgian.
• You can afford this! Explore OSAP as well as awards, scholarships and bursaries to help you pay your way to graduation.

Work-integrated learning

• This program includes a field placement component where you’ll gain hands-on experience in a setting relevant to your program.
• Learn about types of work-integrated learning at Georgian.

Admission requirements

• Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) or equivalent, or mature student status
• Grade 12 English (C or U)
• any Grade 11 or 12 Mathematics (C,M or U)
  • Minimum of 60% in Grade 11 College or University level Mathematics (MBF3C or MCF3M)

Mature students, non-secondary school applicants (19 years or older), and home school applicants may also be considered for admission. Eligibility may be met by applicants who have taken equivalent courses, upgrading, completed their GED, and equivalency testing. For complete details refer to:

Applicants who have taken courses from a recognized and accredited post-secondary institution and/or have relevant life/learning experience may also be considered for admission; refer to the Credit for Prior Learning website for details:

Criminal Reference/Vulnerable Sector Check

Placement agencies require an up-to-date clear criminal reference check and vulnerable sector check prior to going out on placement. Students should obtain their criminal reference three months prior to placement; checks conducted earlier may not be considered current. As some jurisdictions require longer lead-time for processing, please check with the program coordinator to ensure you allow for sufficient turn-around time. It is the student’s responsibility to provide the completed document prior to placement start.

NOTE: A record of criminal offences, for which a pardon has not been granted, may prevent students from completing their placements, thereby affecting their ability to graduate.

Additional information

Students are recommended to have Standard First Aid and CPR on admission to the program (on-line courses are not acceptable). It is the student’s responsibility to renew their Standard First Aid and CPR certification annually while in the program. Students are asked to submit a copy of their current Standard First Aid and CPR certificate to the coordinator of the program.

Why study Sport Administration at Georgian?

Expert faculty

• Learn from passionate, expert faculty in the sport industry

Networking opportunities

• Make industry connections through networking opportunities with professionals

Valuable field placements

• Get hands-on, on-the-job experience through two sport industry field placements to prepare you for your future career

Broad curriculum

• Explore a variety of topics to support endless of sport career paths , including sports marketing, analytics, team operations, administration, accounting, research, entrepreneurship and more!

Exceptional industry partners

• Dodgeball Canada – national sport governing body for dodgeball
• Mariposa School of Skating – internationally renowned training centre for skaters
• National Training Rinks – a skating and hockey training facility with locations in Barrie, Newmarket and Richmond Hill
• Prime Time Sport and Entertainment Conference – a premier sport industry event with speakers from a variety of professional sports
• Rogers Television – sporting event videography
• Simcoe County Rovers FC – League 1 Ontario football club, new to Barrie
• Smith Brothers Baseball Central – year-round baseball training and instruction

Experiential learning opportunities

• Beginning in your first year and throughout your program, you’ll have an opportunity to attend and network at industry conferences like the Primetime Sports Management Conference and Trade Show. Engage with panel speakers and learn about the latest sport industry trends.
• Learn from and be inspired by guest speakers.
• Complete your field placement as a National Hockey League (NHL) prospect scout , or with Dodgeball Canada or the Simcoe County Rovers Football Club!
• Receive industry-specific certifications , such as the National Coaching Certification Program (NCCP).

Career opportunities

• The skills you’ll learn in the Sport Administration program can be used in any sport organization.

Graduates of this program may be eligible for entry-level positions within amateur athletic associations, professional sport organizations, sport governing bodies, regional, provincial, national and international sport competitions, municipal parks and recreation departments, college and university athletic centres, varsity and intramural programs, community facilities, resorts, private and commercial clubs, event companies, outdoor adventure centres, sport retailers, equipment manufacturers, sport related charities and foundations.

Your future career

• If you’re interested in any of these career paths, this program is right for you:
  • Sport marketing
  • Sport administration (i.e., minor sport organizations, and regional, provincial and federal sport governing bodies)
  • Municipal recreation
  • Intercollegiate athletics
  • Sport event planning and management
  • Team management
  • Player scouting
  • Game day operations
  • Private and commercial sport clubs
  • Sport retail and manufacturing

Course information

• 16 Program Courses
• 1 Option Course
• 2 Communications Courses
• 3 General Education Courses
• 2 Field Placements

Program-specific courses

• Semester 1 courses are listed below. For a full list of courses in the program including course descriptions, view the Sport Administration program outline.
  • COMP 1058 – Technology in Administration
  • REAS 2003 – Research in Recreation and Sport
  • RECR 1001 – Program Planning
  • SPRT 1000 – Introduction to Sport Administration
  • Select 1 course from the Communications list during registration
  • Select 1 course from the General Education list during registration

Your course delivery method(s)

In person

This program is delivered fully in person and requires you to attend campus.

Learn MORE about program delivery methods

Please note, delivery methods are based on planning for the upcoming semester and are subject to change.

Pathways

• As a graduate of Georgian’s Sport Administration program, you’ll have many opportunities to further your studies.

Related diplomas

• Considering building on your skills and complementing your Sport Administration diploma with a diploma in Recreation and Leisure Services.

Learn about Recreation and Leisure Services

Graduate certificate studies

• Pursue a one-year graduate certificate at Georgian, such as the Event Management or Digital Content Creation and Strategy.

Explore our graduate certificates

Articulation agreements

• Georgian also has articulation agreements with universities, offering desirable study options for our program graduates.

Browse articulation agreements

Frequently asked questions (FAQs)

• What field placement opportunities are available in the Sport Administration program?
  • Georgian College Chevron
  • Barrie and surrounding areas host a number of sport organizations and clubs that work with Georgian to provide field placement positions to Sport Administration students.
  • Positions can include game day operations, administration, event planning, retail, team management and so much more!
• How many hours of field placement experience will I complete?
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  • The first field placement (Field Placement 1) consists of 60 hours, and the second (Field Placement 2) is 120 hours.
  • Placements occur in the fall and winter semesters.
• Are the field placements paid or volunteer positions?
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  • Both field placements in the Sport Administration program at Georgian are unpaid volunteer positions.
• Is the Sport Administration diploma transferrable?
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  • Georgian is working at establishing pathways for Sport Administration graduates to pursue further studies at other postsecondary institutions.
  • In the past, graduates have gone on to study at various Ontario universities and the United Kingdom, but the opportunities are endless!
  • You might also be interested in complementing your Sport Administration diploma with a diploma in Recreation and Leisure Services or a graduate certificate in Event Management.
• Do I need to be athletic to take the Sport Administration program?
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  • All that is needed is a passion for sports!
• Are there any awards, scholarships or bursaries available to students?
  • Georgian College Chevron
  • Postsecondary education is an investment in your future. We know many students find it tough to make ends meet, which is why we offer so many options to help you pay your way to graduation.
  • Georgian offers awards, scholarships and bursaries to students of all walks of life — domestic, international and Indigenous, full-time and part-time, first years, upcoming graduates and everyone in between. You can afford this!
  • For more information, visit our awards, scholarships and bursaries webpage.