Master’s Degree in Sports Management
Earn your Master’s degree in Sports management
Build a Career in the Sports Industry
The Sports Management track in Carthage’s growing graduate business program teaches students effective management strategies through the lens of sports. Input from more than 20 senior executives in professional basketball, hockey, baseball, and esports shaped the curriculum, ensuring that graduates’ skills will align with hiring preferences. Besides courses tailored to the sports industry, the master’s program provides core training in the critical area of design and innovation. Students build capacity for emotional intelligence, human-centered design, and cross-functional team management.
Interact with Sports industry leaders
Get outstanding classroom interaction with industry leaders, including:
- Craig Leipold, Owner of the Minnesota Wild
- Peter Feigin, President of the Milwaukee Bucks and Fiserv Forum
- Jackie Joyner-Kersee, six-time Olympic medalist
- Daniel Diaz, Director of World Cup, Olympic and Cross-Platform Partnerships at NBCUniversal Media
- Jason Langwell, Chief Revenue Officer at TMRW Sports
- Mark Pacchini, Board of Directors of the Minnesota Wild; Former President of Foote, Cone & Belding Advertising
- Steve Rucks, Senior Director of Accounting and Finance at the United Center
- Derek Sharrer, Executive Vice President and General Manager of the St. Paul Saints; four-time American Association Executive of the Year
Sports Management Advisory Council
Carthage’s Sports Management Advisory Council provides leadership and guidance for Carthage’s undergraduate and graduate programs in sports management. Members attend regular meetings; make recommendations on aspects of the program and its curriculum; teach classes and/or make presentations; connect Carthage and our students to industry partners; provide experiential learning opportunities for students such as internships; promote Carthage’s programs within their networks; and provide financial assistance including scholarships.
Meet the Sports Management Advisory Council
Sports management alumni successes
Our alumni have secured sports positions like these across the country:
- Direct Marketing Assistant, Pittsburgh Steelers
- Membership Services Representative, Washington Commanders
- Corporate Partnerships Account Executive, Minnesota Wild
- Client Service Executive, Chicago White Sox
- Account Executive, Marquette Basketball
- Sales, Dallas Wings
- Account Manager, Sacramento Kings
- Account Executive, Windy City Bulls
- Collegiate Wrestling Coach
- Graduate Assistant Intercollegiate Athletics Administration
Prepare for an exciting career in sports
The Sports Management program prepares graduates to use effective management strategies, develop skills that top industry leaders suggest to align with hiring preferences, grasp core business principles, and lead cross-functional teams with high emotional intelligence.
Students take core business courses in design thinking and teaming, business metrics, innovative leadership, disruptive innovation. Other courses include Sports Industry Economics and Financial Analysis; Sports Business and Player Analytics; Sports Marketing, Public Relations, and Promotion; and Management and Leadership in Sports.
Beyond the classroom, students participate in key experiential learning components, including the intensive nine-day capstone experience in Barcelona, Spain and shadowing experiences with the Minnesota Wild and other sports organizations.
Online and in-person classes available
The graduate business track in Sports Management is designed to fit your busy life. Weekday classes are held from 6 to 9 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays, both in-person and online to offer flexibility around work and family commitments.
Master’s degree in Sports Management admissions and financial aid
Anyone with a bachelor’s degree, regardless of major, can apply. The 39-credit program can be completed in 10 months. Apply by December 1 to receive a $6,000 Carthage grant.*
*Graduate assistants are not eligible for this award.
For more information about this program, email John Frese at jfrese@hrfjk.com.