Bachelor of Science (BS) in Sports and Entertainment Management Degree
Prepare for Sports Business and Entertainment Management Careers
The Bachelor of Science in Sports and Entertainment Management degree at Grand Canyon University (GCU) is uniquely positioned within the Colangelo College of Business. Program coursework emphasizes key skills specific to sports business including sales, marketing, revenue generation, athlete and talent business and management as well as event operations. The sports and entertainment management program’s business-based curriculum prepares you for an array of potential career path opportunities in the multibillion- dollar sports and entertainment industry. This program aligns with GCU's Christian mission, aiming to develop graduates committed to upholding ethical and moral principles within the fields of entertainment and athletics.
BS in Sports and Entertainment Management Degree Overview
Behind every star athlete and beloved team is a group of talented professionals managing and marketing their success. Sports and entertainment management includes behind-the-scenes aspects of sports such as event coordination, contract negotiation, community relations, influencer marketing and statistics. Whether you’re helping to fill stadium seats or negotiating your client a higher salary, sports and entertainment management is a great way to put your love of sports and live entertainment to use alongside your business skills.
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Learn Skills and Concepts Relevant to the Sports and Entertainment Industry
In GCU’s Bachelor of Science in Sports and Entertainment Management degree, you will explore how accounting information assists business leaders in making financial decisions that increase profitability and contribute to competitive advantage. You will study the value of professional management to sports and entertainment organizations and examine the development and implementation of marketing mix strategies and tactics with an emphasis on integrated marketing communications. In addition, you will learn the basic concepts of microeconomics and macroeconomics and discuss the role of ethics and values in business decision making. You will also address the fundamental concepts of scarcity, choice, opportunity cost and comparative advantage, learn about managerial finance and more.
To complete this sports and entertainment management degree program, you must take a minimum of 120 credits and pass courses including:
- Business Statistics
- Essentials of Economics
- Ethical and Legal Issues in Business
- Introduction to Computer Technology
- Introduction to Sports and Entertainment Management
- Organizational Behavior and Management
- Sports and Entertainment Event Planning
- Sports Law
- Sport and Entertainment Analytics
You are required to accumulate 300 hours of paid or unpaid experience in the sports or entertainment industry throughout your program of study. Experience may be in any aspect of the sports and entertainment industry, subject to the Colangelo College of Business approval. Industry hours can be accumulated through internships, part-time or full time-employment and volunteering.
Sports and Entertainment Management Career Possibilities for Graduates
Graduates of GCU’s BS in Sports and Entertainment Management are prepared to work in many facets of the ever-evolving world of sports. Graduates may go on to become:
- Training and development managers
- Facilities managers
- Business operations specialists
- Personal service managers
- Entertainment and recreation managers (exclusion of gambling)
- Business teachers (postsecondary)
BS in Sports and Entertainment Management Degree FAQs
Sports and entertainment management covers a wide variety of disciplines. With this degree, you can work anywhere from managing facilities for recreational or professional sports to managing social media for a specific sports team or athlete. The combination of a sports focus with all the knowledge of a marketing professional means that you will have various transferrable skills that are applicable to many industries.
Yes. Our sports and entertainment management degree is offered both online and on campus, so you can pursue your degree in the format that works best for you, your life and your learning style.
A sports and entertainment career path could be a great career path for those who not only enjoy sports and the industry, but are creative, methodical and purposeful. The sports and entertainment industry is a multi-billion dollar industry, and with that comes the need for countless working professionals to make sure organizations, facilities and operations run smoothly and optimally.
An entertainment management degree takes managerial and business concepts, including topics such as business statistics and organizational management, and teaches how they are executed in the entertainment industry. Through analyzing topics such as entertainment event planning and management, you will experience how the role of a management position interacts in the entertainment industry and be prepared to explore various careers and internships during and after graduation.
General Education Requirements
General Education coursework prepares Grand Canyon University graduates to think critically, communicate clearly, live responsibly in a diverse world, and thoughtfully integrate their faith and ethical convictions into all dimensions of life. These competencies, essential to an effective and satisfying life, are outlined in the General Education Learner Outcomes. General Education courses embody the breadth of human understanding and creativity contained in the liberal arts and sciences tradition. Students take an array of foundational knowledge courses that promote expanded knowledge, insight, and the outcomes identified in the University's General Education Competencies. The knowledge and skills students acquire through these courses serve as a foundation for successful careers and lifelong journeys of growing understanding and wisdom.
Requirements
Upon completion of the Grand Canyon University's University Foundation experience, students will be able to demonstrate competency in the areas of academic skills and self-leadership. They will be able to articulate the range of resources available to assist them, explore career options related to their area of study, and have knowledge of Grand Canyon's community. Students will be able to demonstrate foundational academic success skills, explore GCU resources (CLA, Library, Career Center, ADA office, etc), articulate strategies of self-leadership and management and recognize opportunities to engage in the GCU community.
Course Options
- UNV-112, Success in Science, Engineering and Technology & Lab: 4
- UNV-103, University Success: 4
- UNV-303, University Success: 4
- UNV-108, University Success in the College of Education: 4
Requirements
Graduates of Grand Canyon University will be able to construct rhetorically effective communications appropriate to diverse audiences, purposes, and occasions (English composition, communication, critical reading, foreign language, sign language, etc.). Students are required to take 3 credits of English grammar or composition.
Course Options
- UNV-104, 21st Century Skills: Communication and Information Literacy: 4
- ENG-105, English Composition I: 4
- ENG-106, English Composition II: 4
Requirements
Graduates of Grand Canyon University will be able to express aspects of Christian heritage and worldview. Students are required to take CWV-101/CWV-301.
Course Options
- CWV-101, Christian Worldview: 4
- CWV-301, Christian Worldview: 4
Requirements
Graduates of Grand Canyon University will be able to use various analytic and problem-solving skills to examine, evaluate, and/or challenge ideas and arguments (mathematics, biology, chemistry, physics, geology, astronomy, physical geography, ecology, economics, theology, logic, philosophy, technology, statistics, accounting, etc.). Students are required to take 3 credits of intermediate algebra or higher.
Course Options
- MAT-154, Applications of College Algebra: 4
- MAT-144, College Mathematics: 4
- PHI-105, 21st Century Skills: Critical Thinking and Problem Solving: 4
- BIO-220, Environmental Science: 4
Requirements
Graduates of Grand Canyon University will be able to demonstrate awareness and appreciation of and empathy for differences in arts and culture, values, experiences, historical perspectives, and other aspects of life (psychology, sociology, government, Christian studies, Bible, geography, anthropology, economics, political science, child and family studies, law, ethics, cross-cultural studies, history, art, music, dance, theater, applied arts, literature, health, etc.). If the predefined course is a part of the major, students need to take an additional course.
Course Options
- HIS-144, U.S. History Themes: 4
- PSY-102, General Psychology: 4
- SOC-100, Everyday Sociology: 4
Core Courses
Course Description
This course provides the foundation of core knowledge within the field of information technology. Topics include technology-centric organizations, the type and role of fundamental information technology systems, data management to include privacy and security, e-business and m-business, hardware, software, and computer networks.
Course Description
This course introduces models and practices used by contemporary marketers in fast-paced, dynamic domestic and global markets including the marketing concept and processes for developing, implementing, and assessing the effectiveness of marketing plans. Building from a foundational understanding of consumer behavior and marketing research, students examine the development and implementation of marketing mix strategies and tactics with emphasis on integrated marketing communications that effectively combine traditional advertising and promotion with digital marketing.
Course Description
This course provides an overview of the business of sports and entertainment, including career opportunities, and a study of the value of professional management to sports and entertainment organizations.
Course Description
This course emphasizes the use of data analytics with a focus on teaching students how to obtain the data, insights, and intelligence needed in every area of sports and entertainment marketing, media, viewership, talent impact, scouting, and sponsorship to most effectively maximize value for brands, rights holders, agencies, and media.
Course Description
In this course, students examine basic accounting concepts and explore how accounting information assists business leaders in making financial decisions that increase profitability and contribute to competitive advantage. There is specific emphasis on the analysis of financial statements in the business decision-making process, budgeting, and factors businesses must consider when determining appropriate pricing of goods and services. Prerequisite: MAT-144 or MAT-154.
Course Description
This course is a study of basic marketing concepts with applications to sports and entertainment organizations. Topics include advertising promotions and public relations, consumer behavior, market segmentation, fan loyalty, strategic market planning, brand communications, branding vs. marketing and sponsorship. Prerequisites: SPT-230; and MKT-245 or MKT-315.
Course Description
This course introduces models and practices used for engagement with customers, prospects, suppliers, and internal stakeholders and the communications strategies and tactics needed to build and sustain long-term and mutually satisfying relationships that add value in today’s economy. Customer Relationship Management (CRM) technology will also be introduced. Prerequisite: MKT-315
Course Description
This course provides an introduction to the practical application of descriptive and inferential statistics in business. Topics include probability, probability distributions, the central limit theorem, confidence intervals, hypothesis testing, correlation, and regression. Prerequisite: MAT-134, MAT-144, or MAT-154.
Course Description
This writing-intensive course is a comprehensive study of the legal and ethical issues of concern to business, including those areas of the U.S. legal system that are most relevant to business, such as the law of torts, strict liability, intellectual property, and contract law. It explores the role of ethics and values in business decision making and approaches these subjects from the perspective of the stakeholders as opposed to an economic interpretation of the firm and its responsibilities.
Course Description
This course provides an introduction to event planning for athletic, live entertainment, and special events. An emphasis is placed on budgeting, site selection, sponsorship, and facility/venue management. Prerequisites: SPT-230 and MKT-315.
Course Description
Drawing upon real-world management situations, this course is a study of individual and group behavior in organizations through detailed coverage of the functions of management, individual differences/diversity, leadership, motivation, decision making, organizational design, and organizational change and development. Emphasis is placed on how an understanding of organizational behavior leads to effective management practice.
Course Description
This course provides an in-depth overview of the legal side of the sports and entertainment industry, including contracts, endorsement deals, riders, unions, ASCAP, BMI, SPAC (standard player agent contract), agent agreements, and league collective bargaining agreements.
Course Description
This survey course covers the basic concepts of microeconomics and macroeconomics. The course begins by addressing the fundamental concepts of scarcity, choice, opportunity cost, and comparative advantage. The course builds on these fundamentals to explain the market forces of supply and demand, market efficiency, the economics of the public sector, and the firm's behavior under competitive market conditions. The second half of the course focuses on basic macroeconomic concepts, including measurement of national income, economic growth, and productivity. In addition, this course covers the monetary system and the classical theory of inflation.
Course Description
This course provides an introduction to designing, planning, operating, and controlling production systems. Emphasis is on managerial concepts and strategies relating to the management of operations in both manufacturing and service environments. Quantitative and qualitative methods and tools are introduced and applied. Prerequisite: BUS-352, MAT-274, MAT-374, or ESG-374.
Course Description
This course serves as a culmination of experience in the business and management of sports and entertainment, which includes the gradual development of strategic and forward thinking business plans, as well as focusing on your personal brand. The course is designed to assist students in their career development in the global world of sports and entertainment and to gain a better understanding of business operations and various departments involved in managing and maintaining sports and entertainment entities which lead to revenue generation.
Course Description
This course is an introduction to managerial finance and the financial markets, analysis of financial statements, time value of money, interest rates, asset valuation, assessment of risk, cost of capital, and capital budgeting. Prerequisites: ECN-220, ECN-351, or ECN-361; and ACC-240 or ACC-250.
Course Description
This writing-intensive course serves as the capstone experience in business and management that includes the gradual development of a comprehensive and integrative business plan. This course is designed to assist students in their development as managers, servant leaders, and successful strategic thinkers. Management, marketing, accounting, finance, economics, global perspectives, law, and political issues are covered during this course. Prerequisites: MGT-420 or MGT-422HN; FIN-210 or FIN-350; and MKT-245 or MKT-315.
Join Grand Canyon University’s vibrant and growing campus community, with daytime classes designed for traditional students. Immerse yourself in a full undergraduate experience, complete with curriculum designed within the context of our Christian worldview.
Pursue a next-generation education with an online degree from Grand Canyon University. Earn your degree with convenience and flexibility with online courses that let you study anytime, anywhere.
* Please note that this list may contain programs and courses not presently offered, as availability may vary depending on class size, enrollment and other contributing factors. If you are interested in a program or course listed herein please first contact your University Counselor for the most current information regarding availability.
* Please refer to the Academic Catalog for more information. Programs or courses subject to change.