Last Updated: January 9, 2026

Study Sports Management in Ohio

Sports is big business in the Buckeye State. With numerous professional sports teams in the NFL, NBA, MLS, MLB, and other organizations, there is no shortage of entertainment. Add in some of the largest collegiate athletics programs in the nation—like Ohio State University—and you have the makings of a sports-hungry state.

You can tap into that energy by majoring in sports management. As an undergraduate student, you can learn the ropes and acquire the skills necessary to start your career. Alternatively, if you’ve already started your career and want to advance, a graduate degree in this field is a great choice.

The programs discussed below are among the most popular sports management programs in Ohio. With undergraduate and graduate options available, you can find the program that works best for you!

Accredited Sports Management Programs in Ohio - Best Sports Management Degrees in Ohio Online

Sports Management Programs in Ohio

Listed below are some of the popular schools offering sports management programs in Ohio:

  • Bowling Green State University
  • Wilmington College
  • Ohio State University
  • Ohio University
  • Baldwin Wallace University
  • Franklin University
  • Purdue Global
  • Full Sail University
  • American Public University

Bowling Green State University

Bachelor of Science in Education

The Bachelor of Science in Education at Bowling Green includes a Sports Management focus that is among the largest sports management programs in the United States. The program focuses on two dimensions of this field: business management and organizational management of sports organizations.

One of the unique features of this program is its accreditation from the Commission on Sport Management Accreditation (COSMA). This prestigious designation demonstrates the high-quality nature of this program and the education you will get as a student. Additionally, Bowling Green’s program boasts faculty with real-world sports management experience, an extensive network of alumni, and an award-winning student organization, the Sport Management Alliance.

The first two years of this four-year program are mostly spent completing general education requirements. These requirements, which must be completed by all students regardless of their major, cover basic topics in the following areas:

  • Language arts
  • Math
  • Natural science
  • Social science

Additional coursework in areas like communications, the arts and humanities, and physical education, among others, might be required.

The bulk of your studies for this degree will be within the sports management major. In fact, you must complete 66 credits of coursework within the major to graduate. Among the first classes you will take is Introduction to Sports Management. This lower-division course examines the essential concepts of being a manager in a sports or eSports setting. You will discuss various career options and professional opportunities while also learning about the different functions sports managers play in the day-to-day operation of organizations.

Another class you will take early on is Sports Analytics and Research. This class focuses on essential research problems in sports management. You will learn how to identify and evaluate issues, how to interpret data, and how to conduct research in this field as well.

As important as current issues are in sports, it’s necessary to understand how the sports industry has developed. You will get a sense of that in the History, Philosophy, and Ethics of Sports class. You will discuss critical historical issues (e.g., desegregation in professional athletics), modern and postmodern theories of sports, and relevant ethical issues that arise in the sports world today.

Some of the required sports management courses focus more on business. For example, you must take the following classes:

  • Effective Business Communication
  • Business Finance
  • Principles of Organization and Management
  • Principles of Marketing for Non-Business Majors
  • Introduction to Visual Communication Technology

Other classes focus on advanced sports management issues. A good example of this is Sports Facility and Event Management. As a sports manager, you are not just responsible for ensuring games run smoothly. Instead, you will likely be in charge of ensuring everything from concessions to safety measures meet the needs of fans. And as you will learn in the Sports Promotions and Sales course, you will probably play an important role in marketing the team brand and developing engaging sales and other activities to encourage fans to buy tickets and merchandise.

This program additionally requires you to take two courses on the psychosocial and cultural aspects of sports, as well as two courses on leadership and other trends in this industry. A minor (which is 17-24 credits) is also required. You can choose from a number of options ranging from marketing to journalism to general business, to name a few.

One of the most important parts of this program is the capstone internship. This 12-credit field learning experience occurs during the final semester of the program (and follows another introductory internship). During the internship, you will work closely with a supervisor in a sports organization, where you will learn how to apply your knowledge and skills in a real-world setting.

The admissions requirements for first-year students are as follows:

  • Have a high school diploma or its equivalent.
  • Submit official high school transcripts or equivalency scores.
  • Submit official transcripts from every college or university from which you’ve received credit.
  • Submit official SAT or ACT results.

Wilmington College

Bachelor of Science in Sports Management

Wilmington College’s Bachelor of Science in Sports Management is a four-year, on-campus program accredited by COSMA. The program’s focus is to prepare you for a career in sports and sports-related organizations, including recreational, wellness, and business enterprises.

The curriculum has multiple strands that promote a well-rounded education. On the one hand, you will take management courses for sports applications. On the other hand, you will explore topics like financial management, legal considerations, and marketing, to name a few. Furthermore, many of your courses discuss the theories and philosophies of sports management.

Your studies begin with the general education requirements outlined by Wilmington College. As discussed earlier, you will spend most of the first two years in this program completing these requirements. You must take courses that apply toward specific subject areas, like natural sciences, social sciences, and mathematics. Additionally, you are required to take classes in the following areas:

  • English/Language Arts
  • Arts and Humanities
  • Communications
  • Foreign Language

The courses you take to fulfill these requirements are up to you—to a degree. You can choose which classes you take for each component from a list of approved courses.

The final two years of the program focus much more on the major-area coursework needed for this degree. Some of these classes explore broad topics, like Financial Accounting for Managers, which examines the basics of financial accounting, financial statements, and reporting measures of accounting information.

As another example, Principles of Economics: Microeconomics analyzes how individuals spend their money on goods and services. You will learn about supply and demand, price mechanisms, and resource allocation. Likewise, you will examine what makes markets work well—and what hinders markets from doing so.

You will build on your understanding of Microeconomics with a study of Macroeconomics. This class takes a global look at the economy as a whole. As such, you will study topics like unemployment, Gross Domestic Product, and inflation. This course also examines the role of the federal government in managing economic factors and making adjustments when needed to keep the economy headed in the right direction.

Some of the major-area courses focus on broad sports-related topics, too. For example, you will take classes like:

  • Moral and Ethical Reasoning in Sports
  • Facility and Event Management
  • Leadership in Sports
  • Legal Aspects and Governance of Sports
  • Introduction to eSports Management

Other courses, though, zero in on management-related tasks. A good example of this is Sports Marketing. As a future sports manager, you must understand what works and what doesn’t to market and promote sports teams and venues. You will gain that understanding by studying topics like pricing, sports market segmentation, distribution product decisions, and naming rights, to name a few.

Additionally, you will take Sports Finance and Sales, which introduces you to various economic, sales, and financial topics that you will be responsible for as a manager. For example, you will learn how to examine market trends, adjust finances to react to supply and demand issues, and develop fundraising campaigns to boost the organization’s finances.

This program includes a Strategic Sport Management Practicum as well. You will be assigned a preceptor who will mentor you in a detailed, hands-on learning experience. You will evaluate both internal and external factors of your preceptor’s organization and provide them with a detailed analysis of how to improve their market standing. All told, you must work at least 160 hours with your assigned preceptor.

The final aspect of your training is an internship or field experience. The internship option provides you with hands-on experience working in a real-world sports organization setting where you will provide input on everything from management decisions to marketing plans to human resources issues. The capstone, meanwhile, focuses more on research and the application of that research to address real-world concerns. In either case, these field placements are excellent experiences that help you apply your knowledge and gain on-the-job training.

The following criteria must be met to be considered for admission:

  • Be a high school graduate or have a high school equivalency.
  • Submit official high school transcripts or equivalency scores.
  • Submit official transcripts from every college or university you’ve attended.

Ohio State University

Master of Science in Kinesiology – Sports Management

At Ohio State University, you can complete a Master of Science in Kinesiology with a concentration in Sports Management that teaches you the fundamentals of managing a recreational or sports organization. However, you can use this degree to pursue many other careers in this field, including, but not limited to:

  • Sports Marketing
  • Coaching
  • Event Coordination
  • Public Relations
  • Facility Management

This program, which requires you to complete 33 credits to graduate, is offered as a traditional on-campus degree. Most students need 1.5-2 years to finish, though you might be able to complete your studies in just three semesters (one calendar year).

The curriculum is broken down into several components. First, you will take one core class—Sociocultural Issues in Sort, Recreation, and Physical Education. This class analyzes modern topics in the sports world, including diversity and equity issues, political influences, and various dimensions of physical activity, including fitness, wellness, and amateur sports.

Next, you are required to take one of two research-based classes: Kinesiology Graduate Core Course I or Applied Research Methods in Sports. In either case, you will acquire a fundamental understanding of how to conduct research, the importance of research in sports, and the application of research in making improved managerial decisions.

You can customize your learning to a degree as well. You are required to take two electives of your choice, which you can choose from a list of more than a dozen possibilities. Some of the approved electives include the following:

  • Worksite Health Promotion
  • Challenging the Conventional Role of Diet and Exercise in Obesity Management
  • Perspectives on Coaching
  • Business of College Sports
  • Theoretical Approaches to Sports Organizations

There is a sequence of 15 sports management credits, too. You will take Sports Law to familiarize yourself with topics like Title IX, torts, and contract law. You are also required to take Event and Facility Management for Sports Managers, which examines the day-to-day operations of sports and entertainment facilities. For example, you will discuss the fan experience and how the facility and its amenities can enhance that experience to provide more value to fans.

You must also take Sports Marketing. Unsurprisingly, this class analyzes popular and effective marketing strategies in sports, recreation, fitness, and related industries. You will discuss everything from market segmentation to digital marketing strategies to the value of sponsorships and promotions. Then, in the Management of Sports Delivery Systems class, you will acquire relevant knowledge and skills that help you apply theories and techniques of management to improve the operation of sports-related organizations.

The final course is your choice of either Business of College Sports or a Practicum in Sports Management. The former is the perfect choice if you envision working in college athletics because it sheds light on the unique intersection of finance, marketing, business, and academics in college sports. The latter, meanwhile, is an opportunity to get hands-on experience in a supportive mentorship setting. For example, if you are interested in working in the fitness industry, you might find a practicum placement in a local gym and shadow the owner or manager to learn about the daily tasks needed to keep the gym running smoothly.

Finally, you must complete a six-credit exit requirement. You can choose from the following:

  • A thesis
  • A master’s examination or a culminating project
  • Master’s internship in sports management

In each case, you will spend a great deal of time applying what you’ve learned in your courses. The thesis, for example, requires you to consider what you’ve learned, conduct detailed research on a specific sports management topic, and develop an evidence-based research paper that you present to a faculty committee. The culminating project is similar, though you have more leeway for how you present your findings.

The examination option might be attractive to you if you want to demonstrate your learning in a traditional exam format and in a conversational interview with faculty. Meaning, you have two methods of applying what you’ve learned—in question format on an exam and in an interview setting in which faculty members ask you questions about sports management situations.

Of course, an internship offers the most opportunities for real-world learning. Once you find a placement, you will work full-time with an onsite mentor. You will be responsible for all sorts of tasks ranging from developing marketing plans to tracking financial information to facilities management.

Ensure you meet these requirements before applying:

  • Have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university.
  • Submit official transcripts from every college or university you’ve attended.
  • Provide a statement of purpose.
  • Provide a resume or curriculum vitae.
  • Submit three letters of recommendation.

Ohio University

Master of Business Administration and a Master of Sports Administration

Ohio Univeristy’s Sports Administration program is unique in that it’s a dual degree—you will earn a Master of Business Administration and a Master of Sports Administration in just two years. With two master’s degrees, you will be equipped to pursue high-level positions in the sports world. In fact, this program specifically addresses the modern complexities of sports, so you will have cutting-edge knowledge and skills that will be in high demand.

You will proceed through this degree by first completing a one-year MBA. The MBA is a three-semester program that requires 36 credits to graduate. Naturally, the coursework explores fundamental business topics such as:

  • Finance
  • Management
  • Marketing
  • Accounting
  • Analytics

Furthermore, you will take classes on organizational behavior, operations management, ethics, and venture planning.

The MBA includes a culminating experience, too. You will be assigned an organization to consult with on a detailed business strategy. Your job is to generate actionable deliverables that enhance the performance of the organization—first for a domestic company and then for an international company during a study abroad placement.

Then, you will complete a one-year, 36-credit MSA curriculum that focuses specifically on the administrative aspects of working in sports. For example, you will take courses such as:

  • Law of Sports
  • Research Methods in Sports Administration
  • Sports Marketing
  • Revenue Generation in Sports
  • Leadership in Sports Administration

Additional coursework must be completed in Diversity and Inclusion in Sports, Sports Business, Entrepreneurship, and Professional Development, to name a few.

The MSA has a culminating experience as well—a capstone project. To complete the capstone, you will participate in a weeklong travel experience to a major city, where you will work as a consultant for a sports organization. Much like the MBA capstone, you are required to provide specific, actionable steps to the organization that advance their organizational goals. Depending on your interests and career goals, you might work with a sports franchise, a collegiate athletics department, a sports marketing firm, or a sports broadcast network.

Ohio University also offers graduate assistantship opportunities. Assistantships are extremely valuable because you can expand your real-world learning while also earning funding to pay for your degree. You can work up to 10 hours per week while working on your MBA, and during the MSA, you can expand that to 20 hours per week.

Another key resource you can utilize during your studies is the AECOM Center for Sports Administration. The purpose of this entity is simple: Program alumni come in with challenges their organizations are dealing with, and students provide consultative services. Again, getting this kind of hands-on experience is essential for expanding your understanding of key sports management and administration issues.

You must meet these requirements to be considered for admission:

  • Have a bachelor’s degree or higher from an accredited college or university.
  • Have a 3.0 cumulative undergraduate GPA or higher.
  • Submit official transcripts from every college or university you’ve attended.
  • Provide a current resume.
  • Provide three letters of recommendation.
  • Submit a professional goals statement
  • Have at least one year of professional experience (including any internships) working in a sports-related setting.

How Much Can You Earn With a Sports Management Degree in Ohio?

As of January 2026, sports management professionals in Ohio earn an average annual salary of approximately $98,000. More experienced professionals in Ohio earn well over $130,000 per year.

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