Sport management prepares students for a wide variety of careers in sport-related positions. The program is interdisciplinary and has required course work from the disciplines of kinesiology, accounting, business, economics, mathematics and computer science. The courses will provide foundational and applied areas of study, in addition to practical experiences and internships.
The selection of courses for the media/marketing option is intended to create opportunities for sport management students to emphasize areas of sports information, writing, visual media production, and sports marketing.
Major requirements
KIN 182 - Introduction to Sport Management
(2 credits) This course introduces students to the sport and fitness industry, the wide range of career opportunities involving sport, and the social and economic impact of sports on our culture. The course content includes theoretical and applied foundations of sport management. Topics include history of the profession, the need for management and organizational skills, current trends, and future issues.
KIN 229 - Leadership in Sport Management
(3 credits) This course introduces students to the management and leadership opportunities and skills required in the sport and fitness industry. The applied skills of organizational planning, human resource management, problem solving, communication and motivation in a sport leadership context are the primary focus in this course.
KIN 241 - Directed Field Experience in Kinesiology I
(1 credit) Provides exposure to a variety of careers related to fitness, therapy, or sport management. Prerequisite: KIN180 or 182.
Note: Requires 25-clock hours of work experience. Graded on a pass/no pass basis.
KIN 320WI - Legal and Ethical Issues in Sport
(3 credits; alternate years, consult department) (Writing intensive) This course presents legal and ethical issues in sport through a topical approach. The course will provide an overview of the American legal system and provide future sport managers with relevant examples of sport law. Prerequisite: KIN182.
KIN 341 - Directed Field Experience in Kinesiology II
(1 credit) Provides practical work experience in fitness, therapy, or sport management settings. Prerequisite: KIN241.
Note: Requires 25-clock hours of work experience. Graded on a pass/no pass basis.
KIN 360CC - Sport in Societies
(4 credits) (NWCore option under Cross-Cultural Engagement) A cross-cultural comparison of the relationship between sport and society. The primary emphasis will be the comparison of sport in the United States with sport in selected cultures, while attempting to develop a Christian worldview of sport. Prerequisite: sophomore class standing.
KIN 415 - Topics in Sport Management
(2 credits; alternate years, consult department) A project-based course for the sport management major and career concentration that examines selected contemporary sport management topics.
KIN 417 - Internship
(4 credits may apply toward the major) Prerequisite: KIN241 and either KIN341 or KIN381.
Choose one course:
BUS 403SR - Strategic and Ethical Management
(4 credits) This capstone management major course is designed to assist students in analyzing and synthesizing the material covered in other courses throughout their studies along with integrating their faith with that of their business education. It focuses on an integrated approach to management decision-making using all of the functional areas of business with an
emphasis on strategic thinking. Prerequisites: Completion of business core and senior class standing.
KIN 450SR - Moving Forward: Seminar in Kinesiology
(2 credits) A capstone course to the entirety of your Northwestern education and the Northwestern Kinesiology programs. In this course you will integrate the various components of your college experience by evaluating your success in meeting the Northwestern Core goals and synthesizing your curricular, co-curricular, and extra-curricular learning experiences. You will connect the whole of your undergraduate education to life after college by identifying your personal commitments and articulating your sense of vocation. This reflection and projection will be accomplished by reflecting on assigned readings, class discussion, formal and informal writing assignments, and oral presentations.
Cognate requirements:
ACC 215 - Principles of Financial Accounting
(4 credits) This course covers the basic introduction to financial management and financial accounting, including an understanding of the concepts, principles and practices in these areas.
BUS 200 - Principles of Marketing
(2 credits) This course introduces students to marketing terminology; defines the elements necessary in moving a product, service or idea from concept to market sales; and enables students to understand and replicate the marketing process at an entry level.
BUS 201 - Principles of Management
(2 credits) This course introduces the student to the basic principles of management. It includes the understanding of manager's actions in the work place, on the organization and employees. It includes the study of basic management tools and techniques.
CSC 120 - Business Analysis Using Spreadsheets
(2 credits) This course teaches students to use spreadsheets to organize, calculate, analyze, and report on business data. Topics include using built-in statistical, logical, lookup, and financial functions, writing custom formulas and conditional formulas, using built-in data analysis tools, presenting information with charts and graphs, creating PivotTables and PivotCharts, exporting and importing data to and from other applications, sharing data on the World Wide Web, and using macros to automate tasks. The course will culminate by developing key performance indicators (KPIs) and dashboards.
CSC 130 - Business Analysis Using Data Management
(2 credits) The course teaches students to use relational databases to organize, query, analyze, and report on business data. Topics include the relational database model, creating database tables and setting appropriate table options, querying tables to gain insight into data, aggregating and summarizing queries, and creating reports to professionally present and visualize data.
Importing and exporting data, sharing data over the Internet, and automating tasks using macros will also be covered.
MAT 117QR - Applied Statistics for Management
(3 credits) (NWCore option under Quantitative Reasoning) The course is designed to study statistical methodology commonly used in business including descriptive statistics (the nature of data and how to summarize it), basic probability concepts, and inferential statistics (making claims or decisions from one or more sets of data using
confidence intervals and multiple types of hypothesis testing). Prerequisite: ACT math score of 20 or above (SAT 510 or above), ALEKS placement exam score of 46 or above, concurrent enrollment in MAT100, or permission of instructor.
Note: Students may receive credit for only one course among MAT 116QR, MAT 117QR and MAT 208QR.
Media/marketing option requirements (choose 14 credits)
ART 164 - Photography I
(2 credits) Taught as a medium of creative expression or as an art form and as a journalistic tool. Film processing and printing are taught as well as camera techniques, darkroom procedures and presentation of work for exhibitions.
Note: A fee is associated with this course.
ART 220 - Graphic Design I
(4 credits) Graphic Design I is an introduction to the computer applications used in the communication, design and publishing fields. There will be an introduction to graphic design problems and projects in order to learn how these applications all work together.
BUS 325 - Integrated Marketing Communications
(4 credits) This course will examine promotional and integrated communication strategies which include various marketing communication functions: sales promotion, personal selling, branding, event promotion, public relations, advertising,
and interactive marketing. Students will learn to utilize this information in developing effective marketing communication strategies and programs. Prerequisite: BUS200.
BUS 328 - Sales
(4 credits) This course is a study of the skills needed to develop and manage long-term relationships with customers and suppliers. Emphasis is placed on relationship selling, presentation, prospecting, handling objectives and closing techniques with consideration given to differences in the global marketplace. Prerequisite: Sophomore standing.
BUS 330 - Customer Relations
(4 credits) This course examines customer relationship management (CRM) and its application in marketing, sales, and service. Effective CRM strategies help companies align business process with customer centric strategies using people, technology, and knowledge. Companies strive to use CRM to optimize the identification, acquisition, growth and retention of desired customers to gain competitive advantage and maximize profit. Anyone interested in working with customers and CRM technology and would like to be responsible for the development of any major aspect of CRM will find this course
beneficial. Prerequisite: Sophomore standing.
BUS 406 - Marketing Research
(4 credits) In this course, students learn to identify research needs, select research techniques, design research projects, develop research instruments and understand descriptive statistical methods. The goal is to equip them for reading, interpreting and conducting business research. Prerequisites: MAT116QR or MAT117QR, BUS200 and BUS205.
COM 185WI - Media Writing
(4 credits) (Writing intensive) Students learn genres of writing for print and broadcast journalism and video, as well as for public relations and advertising. They learn these genres in relation to each other and in relation to their organizational contexts and audiences. Included are reporting, organizing and writing, as well as basic legal and ethical guidelines for reporters and writers in journalism and PR. Prerequisite: COM101x or permission of instructor.
COM 202 - Video Production
(2 credits) This course introduces students to some of the basic equipment, aesthetic techniques and procedures used in creating short videos. Students will practice these skills through a series of projects, assessing how the techniques could be applied to their unique areas of study.
COM 230 - Principles of Public Relations
(3 credits) Introduction to the field of public relations. Its focus is on public relations theory and practice with an emphasis on emerging trends. This course is offered as an overview covering public relations history, theories, strategies and tactics.
COM 261 - Feature Writing
(2 credits; non-yearly, consult department) Study of interviewing practices, research methods, organization, and interest-gathering techniques necessary for writing longer articles, profiles, columns and consumer affairs writing. Prerequisite: COM185WI or permission of instructor.
COM 263 - Layout and Design
(3 credits) Covers basic principles of design as they apply to a wide variety of publications. Emphasis on selecting type, art and graphics appropriate to subject matter, purpose and audience.
COM 315 - Writing and Design for the Web
(3 credits; alternate years, consult department) Study of writing and design for a Web environment. Students will analyze Internet sites and design sites of their own, using a standard program for Web design. Prerequisites: ENG184 or equivalent and any of the following: COM263, ART220, ART230, or permission of instructor.
COM 332 - Advertising Campaigns
(3 credits, alternate years, consult department) The primary objectives of this course are knowledge integration and skills application. By conceiving, researching, creating, executing, and evaluating a comprehensive advertising communication plan that incorporates research, creative, media, and promotions, students will understand how various components work together to provide a client with a cohesive campaign that communicates their message. Students will give a formal oral presentation to their client that includes a usable campaign and all the creative materials needed to execute the campaign.
Total credits required: 51-53
Internships range from 2 to 12 credits. The maximum credits applied to the major is noted under the 417 course designation.