Sport Management and Leadership Major (B.S.)

The Sport Management and Leadership Major at UNH prepares students for successful careers in the sport industry.  The SML major meets the needs of the ever-changing sport marketplace, by balancing academic preparation through related coursework with extensive opportunities to gain experience in the sport industry.  Analyzing and integrating the context/culture of sport is embedded throughout our curriculum and grounds students’ preparation for careers in interscholastic, intercollegiate, and professional sport including sport marketing, event management, coaching, administration, and sport media/communication.  SML also prepares students for graduate study in areas such as sport law, sport business, sport psychology, or sport communication.

Majors take a core of foundation courses, in addition to applied electives and choose one of three focus areas: Sport Marketing and Event Management, Coaching/Athletic Administration, or Sport Media/Communication. Majors must earn a grade of B- or better in SML 580 Sport Industry, and a grade of C or better in an approved statistics course as well as each required Sport Management and Leadership course. In addition, a targeted internship experience is required since it is critical to career development.  Students in this major are expected to complete a minor, cognate or a double major in a related field (e.g. business, communication, english/journalism, psychology, education) that ensures breadth and depth as well as appropriate knowledge and skills for entry into a sport-related career. Interested students should consult with major coordinator, Gretchen Browne, Gretchen.Browne@unh.edu.

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All students are required to complete an advisor approved minor, cognate or double major or 20 credits of coursework in a related field and approved in advance by faculty adviser.

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Majors must complete a minimum of 150 hours of industry experience before they can take SML 761 Senior Seminar Sport Management and Leadership. Students must be enrolled as a sport managment and leadership major for one full semester before taking SML 761 Senior Seminar Sport Management and Leadership. See adviser for details.

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All students are required to have a minimum grade of C in Statistics, PSYC 402, SOC 402, ADMN 510 or HHS 540, or an approved Statistics course.  

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Electives can include any courses listed within any focus area or the two additional courses listed below, including an additional 4 credits of internship.  Credits applying to a declared focus area cannot also count as elective credits.

Internal transfer applicants to Sport Management and Leadership must have at least a 2.5 GPA as well as a minimum grade of C in Statistics (PSYC 402, SOC 402, ADMN 510 or HHS 540 or another approved statistics course) and a minimum grade of B- in SML 580 Sport Industry.

Recommended Major Sequencing of Courses

This list only includes major classes. Students should be registered for, and take an average of 16 credits per semester to be ‘on track’ to graduate in 4 years. In most semesters, this means a student will be taking Discovery or elective courses, to meet this 16 credit ‘load’.

• SML students will understand the socio-cultural components of sport integrated throughout the curriculum while translating theory to practice in order to apply classroom knowledge in the sport setting.
• SML students will distinguish and employ effective leadership principles, management styles, and decision-making skills in sport organizations.
• SML students will identify and understand major issues in sport and how they can reflect as well as bring about change in society relative to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
• SML students will understand the importance of working collaboratively in order to effectively solve problems and reach organizational goals.
• SML students will be exposed to the basic operating principles in the sport industry in order to gain an understanding of the potential career paths.
• SML Students will be able to organize, apply and synthesize information and ideas while effectively expressing these in both oral and written form (critical and technical) through various contexts, technologies and platforms.
• SML students will develop, utilize and reflect on professional skills while demonstrating an ability to self-advocate in their career development.
• SML students will apply critical thinking and problem-solving skills to develop and analyze research data on issues related to the sport industry.