Program Overview

Introduction to the Sport Management Program

The Sport Management program at Rice University is an undergraduate major that combines basic business concepts with their application in the sport industry. The program covers topics such as finance, marketing, leadership, management, law, revenue generation, ethics, and public relations.

Program Overview

The sport industry in the United States is estimated to be worth $500 billion annually, making it one of the top 10 industries in the nation. The Sport Management program at Rice University is a stand-alone major, unlike many other schools that offer it as an "area of emphasis" for another major.

Concentrations

The program offers two areas of concentration:

• Sport Law: This concentration focuses on the legal aspects of the sport industry, including risk management, governing bodies, and ethics.
• Sport Leadership: This concentration emphasizes the development of leadership skills, including the ability to make informed decisions in the sport industry, considering factors such as ethics, regulations, laws, players, owners, competition, finance, and marketing.

Program Requirements

A minimum of six credit hours of internship (300 working hours) is required for graduation. The program has partnerships with organizations such as the Houston Astros, Texans, Rockets, and Dynamo, providing students with access to internships.

Faculty and Experience

The full-time faculty members in the Department of Sport Management have over 70 years of combined experience working in the sport industry, providing students with both theoretical and practical knowledge.

Program Learning Outcomes

The program aims to achieve the following learning outcomes:

1. Communicate effectively both orally and in writing
2. Develop and hone professional skills through classroom learning, experiential learning, and field research through a steady progression of internships
3. Demonstrate critical thinking in analyzing the sport industry in terms of laws, regulations, ethics, competition, finance, and marketing
4. Ability to produce a marketing plan specific to a product in the sport industry

Sport Law Learning Outcomes

• Demonstrate critical thinking in analyzing the legal concepts as they relate to the sport industry, such as risk management, governing bodies, and ethics

Sport Leadership Learning Outcomes

• Ability to utilize concepts of ethics, regulations, laws, players, owners, competition, finance, and marketing to make informed decisions in the sport industry

Ranking and Recognition

The Sport Management program at Rice University has been ranked as the Number 1 undergraduate Sport Management program in the country by Niche.com since 2020.