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The Bachelor of Science (BS) in Sports and Entertainment Management degree at Grand Canyon University is offered by the Colangelo College of Business. The entertainment and sports management courses emphasize key skills specific to sports business, including sales, marketing, revenue generation, athlete and talent business and management, as well as event operations.
The program’s business-based curriculum can prepare you to pursue an array of potential career path opportunities in the exciting 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.
Behind every star athlete and beloved team is a group of talented professionals managing and marketing their success. This type of 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 may be a great way to turn your love of sports and live entertainment into a career.
This Bachelor of Science in sports management degree program explores an interdisciplinary range of topics — from business competencies to relevant laws to analytics. The curriculum is designed to teach you a breadth of skills that are immediately applicable in the field. You can choose to earn your sports management degree online or on campus. With both options available, you can pursue your degree in whichever format works best for you, your life and your learning style.
This degree program has been optimized for the modern online learning format. You can access your coursework from virtually anywhere and engage in academic discussions with your peers and instructors. The online format can provide you with convenience and flexibility, so you can continue meeting other obligations while working toward your intended career in sports and entertainment management.
GCU values both classroom instruction and hands-on experiential learning opportunities. To better prepare you for life after college, you will be 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.
To complete the bachelor’s in sports and entertainment management degree program, you must complete a minimum of 120 credits.
Courses for this major offer an interdisciplinary survey of the sports and entertainment world, exploring content areas such as:
In GCU’s sports and entertainment management degree, you will have the opportunity to explore how accounting information assists business leaders in making financial decisions that increase profitability and contribute to competitive advantage. You will be prompted to consider the value of professional management in sports and entertainment organizations and examine the development and implementation of marketing mix strategies and tactics with an emphasis on integrated marketing communications.
Additional skills and concepts covered in this program include:
In addition, you will be taught 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.
GCU strives to graduate industry-ready professionals who are prepared to work in many facets of the ever-evolving world of sports and entertainment.
With a firm foundation in business and management competencies, you may be positioned to pursue potential careers such as:
Individuals with an academic background in sports and entertainment management may be prepared to pursue work across a diverse range of settings, including:1,2
As an aspiring sports or entertainment business professional, the quality of education you receive is important for establishing a solid foundation from which to pursue your career. This program is accredited by The Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP), an organization that supports, rewards and celebrates teaching excellence in business in all levels of postsecondary education, including associates, baccalaureate, master and doctorate.
GCU is pleased to be an institutionally accredited university that has a mission of nurturing academic excellence and delivering comprehensive student support. Accredited by the Higher Learning Commission since 1968, we strive to provide our students with a quality educational experience that can help them achieve their professional and personal goals. To learn more, visit our accreditation page.
Review the following frequently asked questions and answers to become better informed about what pursuing a sports or entertainment management-related career entails.
This area of management covers a wide variety of disciplines. It encompasses everything from facility and event management to public relations to agent representation. If you choose to pursue a career on the business side of sports and entertainment, you’ll have a variety of career paths to choose from. Some of these career paths may involve working directly with the talent.1
A sports and entertainment career path could be ideal for those who not only enjoy sports and the industry, but who are also creative and have strong communication skills. There is a diverse range of opportunities in this field, which means you may decide to pursue the career path that aligns best with your passions.
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. By analyzing topics such as entertainment event planning and management, you may experience how the role of a management position interacts in the entertainment industry, and you may be prepared to explore various careers and internships during and after graduation.
A sports management degree teaches a wide range of industry-specific skills and transferrable soft skills that may be applicable to a broad spectrum of career options. The competition to become a professional athlete is intense, but the work that goes on behind the scenes may be more accessible to those with the right qualifications. If you have your heart set on a career in sports, then a degree in sports management could be the right fit for you.
If you decide to declare a minor to complement your major in sports and entertainment management, there are lots of relevant choices available to you. Some examples of minors that may pair well with this degree program can include:
Use your passion for sports and entertainment as the foundation for your future career path. Fill out the form on this page to request more information about GCU’s sports and entertainment management degree, available online or on campus.
1 BestColleges. (2023, May 17). Sports Management Careers. Retrieved Oct. 16, 2023.
2 Indeed. (2022, June 24). 11 Types of Jobs for Entertainment Business Majors. Retrieved Oct. 16, 2023.
Up to 90 credits, only 84 can be lower division
Credits: Fill out the Lopes Eval to find out what will transfer
Admission Requirements (Bachelor's)
OR 2.5+ Unweighted GPA and
Admission requirements may differ based on degree level, program and modality, or transfer status. Some programs of study may require a higher GPA and/or other qualifying criteria for admission. Please review full admission and program requirements in the University Policy Handbook.
*Math and reading only on a 1600 point scale (test date after 3/1/2016). SAT score of 1380 required for 2400 point scale (test date before 3/1/2016).
