Course Descriptions
Program Description
This 36- credit Master of Science degree program provides individuals with the necessary knowledge and business skills to assume a leadership role in sports management. The course work provides an interdisciplinary approach to the study of sport management intended to provide a thorough foundation in sport and business while allowing flexibility for students to explore a wide variety of opportunities within the field. The program includes an internship to assist students in preparing for middle and upper level positions within a variety of markets, including but not limited to: professional sport, intercollegiate athletics, and amateur and youth athletic organizations.
Curriculum Summary
The curriculum consists of twelve courses. Seven are required within the sports field, and four may be taken from a list of eight advanced business electives. A final three-credit internship course completes the program and demonstrates the student’s ability to implement his or her newly acquired knowledge and skills.
Internship-Field Work/Final Project
Students completing their course work in the Master of Science in Sport Business Management program may elect to do a final project in lieu of field work (internship). Eligibility is based on experience and on an individual basis.
The elective courses are drawn from Manhattanville’s existing management programs in Leadership, Communications and Human Resources.
REQUIRED COURSES
MSBM 5001 Dynamics of the Sport Business World
Explores the modern sports era and establishes the foundation for the multi-billion dollar industry of today. Discusses some of the compelling socioeconomic, industrial, and technological movements that have contributed to the success of sports entertainment. Examines the factors that gave sport legitimacy and financial stability. Discusses the humble beginnings of professional, collegiate and Olympic sports cherished today. Examines the industry’s evolution through inventions and how these developments shaped the industry. Explores the mechanism of sponsorship and marketing through sport. Explores and analyzes the onset of free agency and the rise of the industry’s revenue generating sources. Discusses the management theories that apply to the industry and the current business and social issues it faces. Emphasizes the managerial and business skills required to operate successfully as a business leader in this
MSBM 5002 Managing Sport Businesses Strategically
Focuses on the strategic requirements for building and maintaining successful sport organizations, the analysis of strategic problems and decisions facing sport managers and leaders. Identifies the organizational structures, business models and organization theories operating in the industry, including beneficial strategic alliances. Explores the nature of competition in the industry, the driving forces for change and innovation inside and outside the industry, and the effect of government involvement. Explores approaches to strategic planning. Identifies typical policies governing sport organizations and discusses common measurements of business success.
MSBM 5003 Economic and Financial Aspects of Sport Management
Examines the economic and financial environment in which the sport industry operates, with emphasis on pricing, supply and demand factors, and taxes. Identifies key stakeholders and their various interests in the financial success of sport operations and organizations. Explores sources of funding and revenue production, including sponsorships, in the face of competition. Examines how to analyze, control and evaluate financial performance; apply sound financial management principles and practices; and prepare, analyze and use budgets and financial reports. Emphasizes the application of basic managerial decision-making to financial issues.
MSBM 5004 Sports Marketing
Provides the sport business manager with an overview of the major marketing issues facing the sport industry. Course content focuses on developing basic knowledge and understanding of sport marketing and sponsorship for professional and collegiate settings. Attention is given to the history of sport marketing, principles of marketing applied to the sport industry, sport consumer behavior, research tools, corporate sponsorship, and evaluation of sport marketing programs. The components of the course include developing products, utilizing sponsorships, special events, fund raising, public relations, promotions, and utilizing radio and television networking.
MSBM 5005 Legal and Ethical Considerations in Sports
Provides an understanding of the laws and legal concepts governing the sports industry, and how they apply to the sports managers role. Focuses on legal and ethical issues related to legislation, drug testing, employment law, negligence and liability, as well as intellectual and property rights. Addresses licenses and contracts related to players, teams, merchandising, services, sponsorships and facilities. Applies ethical theories to sports operations and decision-making, and uses case studies to reinforce the value of adhering to sound ethical principles in addressing business problems.
MSBM 5006 Leading Sports Organizations
Examines leadership principles and techniques of efficient management within the culture of sports organizations. Distinguishes the leadership requirements in collegiate and professional sport organizations. Explores the psychology of sport and theories of organizational behavior and their implications for motivating, managing and evaluating the performance of employees, individually, and in teams. This course also identifies effective management styles and places emphasis on the importance of sound communication skills and goal setting.
MSBM 5007 Facility and Event Management
Analyzes the management process involved in the designing and managing of a sport facility as well as the skills and processes associated with administering a sport event whether it be participant- centered (e.g., road race, youth tennis tournament) or spectator-centered (e.g., college football game, basketball game, professional golf tournament).
MSBM 5099 Internship
Provides the student with the opportunity to link sport management theory to sport organization practice. Through internships, students move from the role of student, to the role of professional and thus, expand their career orientation. Significant benefits can accrue to the student who takes advantage of the opportunities which present themselves in various sport settings including the chance to gain valuable work experience under the supervision of a qualified, practicing professional; develop and expand his/her network of contacts and assume responsibility for project development and implementation. A written summary and oral report of the internship is required.
ELECTIVE COURSES
MSBM 5010 Research Methods
Focuses on the principles and essential techniques of research to enable the student to investigate resources and trends to benefit sport business operations. Explores data collection methods as well as the analysis, summation and presentation of data.
MSBM 5011 Sport Business and Technology in the Global Market (an online course)
This course will focus on developing a working knowledge of the expanding role of technology in the increasingly global business of sport. Students will acquire understanding of ecommerce, networks, communications and new media technology products, services, and infrastructure, and their growing relevance in the development of the business of sport. Emphasis will be placed on the development of technology to enhance and support sport business strategy for local, national and international markets
MSBM 5012 Strategic Negotiations
Provides a survey of the organizational and economic aspects of manager/employee relationships; and examines the changing business climate and conflicting forces organizations face to achieve competitive advantages such as lower costs, increased operational flexibility and improved customer service while employees seek to protect wage and benefit gains and enhance job security. Views negotiations through the prism of labor/management relations while providing the opportunity to develop negotiation skills that are transferable to all business settings (unionized and non-unionized).
MSBM 5014 The Business of Baseball
This course will further develop the understanding of sports economics, finance, marketing, and operations, through an in-depth study of the business of professional baseball. Through the application of concepts introduced in core courses and expanded in this course, students will gain a practical understanding of how these concepts relate to the day-to-day business decisions of running a baseball organization. It is being taught by Vince Gennaro, a former president of Fountain beverage division of PepsiCo, and sport team owner recently completed his book Diamond Dollars --The Economics of Winning in Baseball. Vince consults with MLB and several MLB teams.
MSBM 5015 Entrepreneurship
Explores the entrepreneurial process and introduction to problems and issues involved in creating a new business or in taking an existing company to the next level. Considers not only stand-alone start-ups, but also new business ventures within a large corporation. Identifies promising ideas, and assists in developing a business plan and securing financing. It further develops an overall outlook with an understanding of the knowledge and skills required for effective entrepreneurial leadership in today’s highly competitive and global e-commerce marketplace. Employs the team-based case study method, and invites successful entrepreneurs and corporate leaders who foster innovations as guest speakers to address key topics.
MSBM 5016 Project Management
Examines how project management concepts are fundamental to most activities undertaken by organizations and individuals. Students will learn the elements of initiating, planning, scheduling, resource allocation, executing, controlling and closeout for functional projects and other management initiatives. Team leadership and team dynamics will be explored as essential elements of a successful project. Opportunities to apply technology to project management will also be addressed.
MSBM 5017 Sport Communications
This course will feature a comprehensive look at sport communications from many perspectives in a fun and interactive environment. There will be lectures, group discussions, challenging exercises and insightful speakers who work at the top level of the sports world. Ultimately, this course will provide students with an awareness of the profession, its role in the industry and an examination of the skills it takes to succeed.
MSBM 5019 Information Technology Management
Designed for the non-technical decision-maker. It emphasizes managerial decision-making in a technological age, and focuses on critical issues of management where the need for technology is essential. Participants will learn about new developments in information technology and how they affect organizations and their leaders. This module will focus on helping them apply this knowledge to their day-to-day issues.
MSBM 5021 Sport Journalism
The object of this is to teach the basics of sports journalism: writing, editing, broadcasting, photography, internet, books and digital. Each student will be given assignments in all facets of sports journalism. They will be asked to write game stories, features, columns, magazine-style articles. They also will self-edit their stories and edit the work of others, both fellow students and professionals. They will be taught about the use of agate. There also will be broadcasting assignments, devoted to photojournalism, and dealing with the role of publicists. Guess speakers will be invited to discuss these various areas.
MSBM 5022 Creativity & Critical Thinking in Organizations
Examines creativity and innovation in organizations. Particular emphasis is placed on work environments. Interwoven components focus upon self-management strategies, critical thinking, learning styles, and motivation of oneself and others. A variety of teaching strategies are employed, including discussions, exercises, films, videos, and written analyses of workplace situations. The development of a personal life management plan and a Current Learning Assessment (CLA) portfolio are important components/outcomes of the course.
MSBM 5023 Leading Change
Examines the critical success factors for managing organizational change successfully, that is, to become more productive and competitive. Topics to be discussed include: driving forces for change; common approaches to change initiatives; the competencies required to be effective change leaders and managers; the effect of change on an organizations shareholders; and the measurement of results. Case studies will be used and there will be a heavy reliance on student experience with change initiatives in their own organizations.
MSBM 5025 Sport Content
This course is designed to provide the sport business manager with an overview of the importance of sports content in the sport industry. Course content focuses on developing basic knowledge and understanding of sports content. The distribution models from broadcast to mobile phones and the different revenue business plans out there to support licensing the content. Attention is given to the history of sports content distribution. The components of the course include developing content, utilizing sponsorships, barter deals, and rights management.
MSBM 5028 Communications & Effective Leadership
Provides language as the vehicle to align leaders with the various stakeholders of the corporation. Given the velocity of change in today’s world, what leaders are trying to say and how their messages are being received often vary. This module will provide students with the awareness and skills necessary to communicate effectively in a global economy and to open new and deeper relationships with the various stakeholders of the firm.