Last Updated: January 9, 2026

Study Sports Management in Pennsylvania

When thinking about a future career, you want to pursue something you enjoy and are passionate about. But you also want to pursue a job in a field that promises a good salary. Sports is an ideal industry for that, given that professional sports generate $2.65 trillion each year, according to the Global Institute of Sport.

The first step in launching a sports management career is getting the appropriate education. To do so, you can complete an undergraduate degree to prepare for entry-level positions in recreational, amateur, collegiate, or professional sports organizations. Alternatively, if you already have a bachelor’s degree, you can advance your education and gain additional skills in a graduate program in sports management.

This guide explores some of the popular sports management programs in Pennsylvania—both undergraduate and graduate options. In each case, you will learn the ins and outs of being in management in a sports setting and acquire the necessary skills to make your career dreams a reality!

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

Sports Management Programs in Pennsylvania

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

  • York College of Pennsylvania
  • Kutztown University
  • Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania
  • Millersville University
  • Drexel University
  • Neumann University
  • Full Sail University
  • American Public University
  • Southern New Hampshire University
  • Purdue Global

York College of Pennsylvania

Bachelor of Science in Sports Management

The Bachelor of Science in Sports Management from York College of Pennsylvania is a traditional four-year on-campus program. By completing this degree, you will have the knowledge, skills, and qualifications to explore a career in sports marketing, promotion, sports facility operations, or sports analytics and research, to name a few.

You will begin your studies by completing the general education requirements that all students must finish. These classes, which are mostly in areas like math, science, language arts, and social science, offer a broad look at foundational topics. For example, you might take Pre-Calculus Algebra and Trigonometry as one of your math credits and Biology 101 as one of your science credits. Moreover, you will likely take English Composition I and II to fulfill the language arts requirement and U.S. History and American Government to fulfill part of the social science requirements.

Other academic fields you might have general education classes in include the following:

  • The Arts
  • Humanities
  • Communications
  • Physical Education

Completing the general education component for this degree typically takes about two years. The bulk of your classes during your freshman and sophomore years of study will be general education classes. However, your early studies will also include some of the required coursework for the sports management major. These courses cover topics like Financial Accounting, Legal Environment of Business, and Principles of Macroeconomics.

Other lower-division sports management courses explore sport’s role in society. The Sport in Society class examines the relationship between sports and society, including historical roles, sport’s role in socialization, media coverage of sports, and the economic impacts of sports.

Furthermore, you will study Communications in Sports, which analyzes communication in two ways. First, you will learn how to improve your interpersonal communication skills to address intersport communication (e.g., a coach communicating with an athlete or a manager communicating with a subordinate). Second, you will learn about common communication methods used to promote sports, like digital media, radio, and television.

Speaking of digital media, you are required to take a Concepts of Social Media Platforms course to familiarize yourself with the best practices for promoting sports online. As part of the class requirements, you will develop a social media campaign to enhance the brand of a real-life sports organization.

Other lower-division courses you will take within this major include the following:

  • Modern Value Chain
  • Introduction to the Sport Industry
  • Personal Productivity Computing
  • Statistics for the Behavioral Sciences or Data-Driven Decision-Making
  • Concepts of Computer Graphics or Document Design: Theory and Practice

Upper-division required courses examine additional topics that round out your education. A good example of this is Financing Sports Operations. This class is critical to your development as a future sports manager because it details common methods for generating revenue. Likewise, you will explore budgeting, expenses, sponsorships, and promotional activities, too.

The Legal Aspects of Sports is another extremely important class. You will discuss case law that has established precedent in the sports world. You will also examine topics such as tort law, risk management, and product liability. Further still, this class discusses recent legislative enactments and constitutional laws that govern how sports organizations are run.

Your education as a future sports manager wouldn’t be complete without a class in Ethics and Current Issues in Sports. This course dives deep into current research in sports as well as reform movements and trends. You will examine sports at every level, from youth organizations to professional clubs, and how each is governed by a set of regulations and ethical principles.

Additional upper-division classes include the following:

  • Public and Media Relations in Sports
  • Sports Sales and Ticket Operations
  • Sports Marketing
  • Facility and Event Management
  • Sports Administration and Management Processes

Lastly, you are required to complete a number of experiential exercises. On the one hand, you will participate in four practicum experiences, each of which places you in a sports management setting to observe and learn from an industry mentor. Not only will you get to apply what you’ve learned in your courses, but you will also develop enhanced knowledge and skills and have opportunities to network with professionals in this field.

On the other hand, you are also required to complete a nine-credit work experience. This capstone project focuses on using modern sports management theories and applied practices to make positive contributions in an internship placement. You must complete 450-500 hours of work experience in an approved setting. This internship is the final step before graduation; it serves as a bridge from your educational experiences to your first career.

The admissions criteria are as follows:

  • Be a current high school student or 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 earned credit.

Kutztown University

Bachelor of Science in Sports Management

Kutztown University’s Bachelor of Science in Sports Management is another popular undergraduate option in this field. This in-person degree requires about four years of full-time studies to complete the 120 credits needed for graduation. During your time on campus, you will have opportunities to work with accomplished faculty and learn from industry insiders as you complete a required internship.

As discussed above, much of your initial time in this program will be spent completing general education courses. These courses—which are in fields like English, social sciences, natural sciences, and mathematics—are meant to promote your development as a well-rounded student and future worker. You will gain analytical and problem-solving skills, improved communication skills, and a better understanding of the human condition. Moreover, you will learn how to manage multiple deadlines at the same time, produce college-level work, and how to work effectively with many different kinds of people.

Once you begin your major studies, you will study topics like the following:

  • Introduction to Sports Management
  • Accounting Survey for Sports Management
  • Sports Public Relations and Communications
  • Leadership and Team Building in Sports
  • Personal Selling in Sports

You are required to take a course called Managing Sports Organizations as well. This class discusses the structure of sports organizations and analyzes their effectiveness. You will learn information that will help you enhance your leadership style and make more effective management decisions, too.

The Fundamentals of Sports Law class is another important component of this program. This course explores various legal principles that govern all types of sports, from youth soccer to professional golf. Likewise, you will examine case studies to identify possible legal issues that might arise that you will be responsible for resolving as a future sports manager.

This degree also requires you to take Event and Facility Management. Sports management isn’t just about the product on the field. Instead, you must learn how to create an environment in which sporting events can thrive. This means learning a product-oriented approach to marketing not just sports teams, but also their facilities.

You will also take classes on the following topics:

  • Principles of Sports Finance
  • Sports and Society
  • Sports Marketing
  • Emergency Care and Risk Management
  • Sports Ethics

You can tailor your degree to your specific interests by taking sports management electives that interest you. For example, let’s say you are interested in coaching. That being the case, taking Fundamentals of Coaching will help you learn how to apply sports pedagogy, sports science, and other coaching principles effectively.

As another example, let’s assume you have an interest in the consumer side of sports. The Sports Consumerism class would be an ideal elective to take because it examines how sports organizations can best fulfill the needs of their fans. What’s more, you will learn about consumer behavior, consumer analytics, and sports marketing.

You can take any number of other approved electives, too. A few options are listed below:

  • History of Sports
  • Personal Nutrition
  • Scientific Basis for Human Movement
  • Fitness Assessment and Exercise Programming
  • Sponsorship in Sports

Your training culminates with an internship in sports management. This capstone experience allows you to integrate your learning from throughout the program and put it into action in an entry-level sports management position. During the internship, you will work closely with an onsite supervisor who will help you refine your knowledge, improve your skills, and provide essential feedback regarding your on-the-job performance. You can take this class for up to 12 credits to apply toward the graduation requirements.

You must meet the following requirements to apply:

  • Be a current high school student or high school graduate. You can also apply if you have a high school equivalency.
  • Submit official high school transcripts or equivalency scores.
  • Submit official transcripts from all the colleges and universities where you’ve earned credit.
  • Submit ACT or SAT scores if you wish.

Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania

Master of Science in Sports Management

At the Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania, you can complete a Master of Science in Sports Management that requires just 30 credits to graduate. You can complete the degree in just one calendar year of full-time studies. The program is available at three different campuses in the Commonwealth University system. It’s also available as a fully online option.

The curriculum explores many different areas within this field. You will start by taking a class called Research Methods in Sports Management, which teaches you how to use descriptive statistics and experimental research methods to learn more about sports performance, sports activity, and sports management. You will also analyze historical research in this field to learn how it’s changed over the years.

Another early course in this program is Sports in American Culture. This class takes a look at the social environment in which amateur and professional sports exist. You will learn how demographic factors—including ethnicity, gender, and race—impact perspectives on sports. You will also focus on historical factors and contemporary social constructs and their effect on sports.

Other courses in this program focus more specifically on management issues. For example, you are required to take the following classes:

  • Ethics in Sports
  • Seminar in Sports Management
  • Leadership in Sports Organizations
  • Financial Management in Sports
  • Marketing and Public Relations in Sports

Likewise, you will take Legal and Policy Issues in Sports to evaluate the many different rules, regulations, and laws that govern different aspects of sports. The class discusses local, state, and federal policies, contracts, Title IX, and civil rights policies, among others.

There’s an international component to this program, too. In fact, you will take three courses focusing on sports on a global scale: The Global Soccer Industry, International Sports Organizations, and Sports in the Global Marketplace. In each case, you will discover how sports are organized, governed, marketed, and produced in countries around the world.

This program requires you to complete one of two field experiences as well. The first is a Capstone in Sports Management in which you design, develop, and implement a sports science project of your choosing. Your topic must be approved by your faculty advisor, but apart from that, you have great freedom in completing the project as you see fit. The project must include a significant survey of current literature on your topic and must be focused on research, policy, or strategic management.

The second experiential learning opportunity is an Advanced Field Experience. You will complete this requirement with a sponsoring entity, where you will work with a supervisor and an approved mentor. Though the activities you complete during this experience will vary, they will all fall under the field of sports administration. This is your opportunity to learn how to apply what you’ve learned and do so competently and effectively.

You can apply to Commonwealth University at any time. The admissions requirements for this program are as follows:

  • Have a bachelor’s degree or higher from an accredited college or university.
  • Submit official transcripts from every college or university you’ve attended.
  • Provide a statement of your professional goals.
  • Submit three letters of recommendation from references who are familiar with your academic skills and career potential.

Millersville University

Master of Education in Sports Management

Millersville University’s Master of Education in Sports Management prepares you for any number of sports-related careers, from coaching to international sports management to administration of sports programs at the collegiate level. More generally, you will participate in activities that enhance your leadership skills, familiarize you with the daily operations of sports organizations, and allow you to network with leaders in the sports, fitness, and recreational realms.

You must complete 12 courses and earn 36 credits to graduate. In most cases, full-time students can complete these requirements in about one-and-a-half years. By completing the course requirements, you will be qualified to pursue career opportunities as a sports agent, marketing manager, or account executive. Other graduates of this program have gone on to coach, work as athletic directors, and work as general managers of sports organizations as well.

The curriculum begins with a professional core sequence of three classes. The program gives you wide latitude regarding the courses you take to fulfill this part of the degree. For example, you can choose to take Methods of Research or Research Methods in Sport. Likewise, you have your pick of taking Advanced Developmental Psychology, Advanced Adolescent Psychology, Advanced Educational Psychology, or Human Growth and Development.

Furthermore, you can choose one of the following classes to meet the professional education requirement of this degree:

  • Comparative Education
  • Social Foundations of Education
  • Philosophy of Education
  • Education and Public Policy

From there, you must complete 24 credits of athletic management-related classes. These courses prepare you for mid-to-high-level management positions in sports organizations. For example, the Moral and Ethical Issues in Sports class sheds light on the legal issues you might encounter in your work. You will explore historical cases in sports that highlight ethical and moral issues. There will also be opportunities to examine current issues in sports and evaluate them through a moral and ethical lens.

Another required course is Marketing of Sports. This class examines popular and effective methods for engaging fans with their chosen sports teams. You will learn the value of the fan experience at sports venues, how to connect with fans on social media, and how to use traditional media (e.g., radio, television) to enhance the marketing strategy of sports organizations.

Furthermore, this degree requires you to take a Facilities and Event Management class that enhances your understanding of the fan experience. You will learn about safety issues in large-group settings, examine promotional campaigns that can be conducted in arenas and stadiums, and evaluate the importance of finding appropriate vendors and other partners to provide fans with food, drinks, apparel, and other game-day items.

Of course, as a future sports manager, you will need a good grasp of financial issues in this industry. You will get those insights in the Sports Finance class. This required course analyzes income streams, potential methods of expanding revenue, and critical investments that can improve an organization’s bottom line. The course also discusses common debts for sports organizations and methods for streamlining finances to ensure a healthy financial picture for sports clubs of all sizes.

An internship is available, too. Getting hands-on experience in a sports organization prior to graduation is critical for your development as a professional. Not only can you hone your skills and acquire new knowledge that makes you a more attractive employee, but the internship also gives you the opportunity to meet others in the industry, which can potentially help you get a job after graduation.

Your internship site must be approved by the program. Once you begin the internship, you will be responsible for fulfilling your hours, working with your mentor, and keeping the program’s faculty apprised of your progress.

You must meet these requirements to be considered for admission:

  • Have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution.
  • Submit official transcripts from all colleges and universities you’ve attended.
  • Provide a goals statement.
  • Provide a current resume.
  • Submit three letters of recommendation.

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

As of January 2026, sports management professionals in Pennsylvania earn an average annual salary of approximately $108,000. More experienced professionals in Pennsylvania earn well over $140,000 per year.

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