Bachelor of Science in Sports Management
Hands-on training for leaders in sports coaching and business.
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Turn Your Passion for the Game Into a Career
Many students who pursue a sports management degree have athletic experience and a deep understanding of how to support athletic excellence. The Sports Management bachelor’s program at North Central University mentors and trains students to translate their skills or interests from the court and field into their education and future careers. Our program builds on these assets with essential business and leadership skills to turn your passion for sports into a successful career. Students with minimal athletic experience are also welcomed and mentored in this hands-on, gratifying business pathway.
In addition to partnering with huge industry names such as Gatorade and Fox Sports, the Sports Management program works closely with the Minnesota Vikings, Minnesota Timberwolves, Minnesota Twins, and more to provide experiential learning, internships, and career opportunities. Students can choose between tracks in sales and marketing track and sports coaching when pursuing a sports management degree.
- On Campus: Complete this 124-credit program on campus as part of our Christian community.
- Affordable Tuition: Explore generous financial aid options available to all residential traditional undergraduate students.
- Christ-Centered Curriculum: Define and refine your faith at NCU, where classes and student life are rooted in Scripture and nurtured in community.
Majoring in Sports Management has given me the opportunity to experience different aspects within the field; as well as connect with professionals within the sports industry. The professors have been very intentional about helping me reach my full potential and get prepared for life after college.”
Felicia, ’23
Why Study Sports Management at NCU?
The sports management program is designed to prepare graduates to become leaders in this exciting and varied field. Choose your focus between two action-focused tracks, including sports coaching and sales and marketing. All students completing this major also take a required 18 credits of Bible and theology training. This training is an essential part of our mission to “prepare students to fulfill biblical models of leadership and ministry throughout the world.” The knowledge and insights you gain in sports management will enrich your spiritual preparation to live your calling with clarity and courage in any setting.
Courses in this major are uniquely connected to career outcomes and best practices related to sports and athletics and to managing a thriving business with a team who counts on you. You’ll learn how to show up, strategize, and handle the administrative and operational needs of a sports team or athletics-related organization, based on the specialization track you choose.
Students may choose to minor in Sports Management, paired with another major.
View the Academic Catalog for a full list of admission requirements and course listings.
Program Highlights
Lead Real-World Projects
Learn From Mentors Who Care
Earn a Degree Plus (+)
Lead Real-World Projects
Our network offers students premier opportunities to enhance skills, build connections, and prepare for a career in accounting.
Learn From Mentors Who Care
All NCU Sports Management students receive career mentoring from faculty advisors who help you feel ready for a career after graduation.
Earn a Degree Plus (+)
All business majors (including finance and accounting) take a project management course and have the option of completing a proficiency exam to earn your Project Management Certification.
Concentration Tracks
Sales and Marketing
Develop strategic and practical skills in managing e-commerce, SEO and social media, and advertising and brand with a strong understanding of marketing and consumer behavior in domestic and international markets.
Sports Coaching
Become a coach who leads successful teams and healthy athletes with courses in care and injury prevention, advanced coaching, and health and drugs education and a foundational knowledge of human development and youth psychology.
Career Outcomes
The sports management degree at NCU can prepare you for several career paths, the two most direct pathways being coaching a team and managing marketing/sales for a team or sports business. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects faster-than-average job growth in both of these pathways, with 6% growth projected for coaches and athletic scouts1 and for marketing and sales managers between 2024 and 2034.2 These positions generally require a bachelor’s degree and some related experience to get started. At NCU, 98.8% of students who graduated in 2020 and 2021 were employed within six months (except for graduates pursuing further education, entrepreneurship, and missions).
Where Our Alumni Work and Intern*
- Minnesota Twins
- Minnesota Vikings
- Minnesota Timberwolves
- Minnesota Lynx
- Minnesota Wild
- St. Paul Saints
- Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board
- Fox Sport
*This includes alumni internships of multiple programs offered by the College of Business and Technology.
Learn From Industry Experts
Seasoned, credentialed faculty share their expansive sports management and business experience and a commitment to support students as you pursue your calling.
Explore Related Programs
Not sure how your calling translates into a degree? These programs may interest you:
B.S. in Business Administration
B.S. in Marketing
B.S. in Accounting and Finance
FAQs
Do I need a bachelor’s degree to work in sports management?
Sports management careers draw from experience with sports and human health and performance and business and leadership training. Because both of those disciplines are specialized and always evolving, most sports management positions require a bachelor’s degree.1 NCU’s program provides education and experience in both with an additional focus on ethical leadership and spiritual formation.
Does the sports management program require an internship?
An internship is not required, but students enrolled in the sports management bachelor’s program at NCU have the option of earning credit for an internship OR completing a senior project with a real business before graduation. Internships in the Twin Cities provide hands-on training at a wide range of organizations, from small businesses and community sports organizations to major and minor league teams. Our experienced faculty can help guide you in finding and applying for internship opportunities.
How does NCU integrate faith with sports management?
In every industry or career, Christians live our faith and model Christ’s love to everyone around us. That’s why at NCU, we integrate spiritual formation and biblically informed practices in every course, including business roles like leading a sports team or business. All students take core classes in general education and Christian studies to ensure you have a strong foundation on which to build your major and career.
You’ll learn with Christian faculty who want to see you succeed as a responsible, ethical leader in today’s marketplace. They’ll encourage you to grow in your faith and build athletic business management skills that mirror Jesus’s respect and kindness toward others as well as the excellence we’re called to pursue for God’s glory.
Citations
Sources: 1Bureau of Labor Statistics, Coaches and Scouts, on the internet, at https://www.bls.gov/ooh/entertainment-and-sports/coaches-and-scouts.htm#tab-1 (viewed Nov. 24, 2025).
2Bureau of Labor Statistics, Advertising, Promotions, and Marketing Managers, on the internet, at https://www.bls.gov/ooh/management/advertising-promotions-and-marketing-managers.htm (viewed Nov. 24, 2025).