Bachelor's Degree in Fitness & Sport Management

What is “Sport Management?” How does it fit into fitness? Or health? Or a potential career opportunity? Bottom line: It’s about helping others do their best while feeling their best. If you’re interested in the business of helping others improve and maintain their health and fitness, or if you enjoy sports, you may want to compare fitness degrees and consider a Bachelor of Science degree with a major in fitness and sport management.

• Mission and Goals
• Sports Management Tailored for You
• What can I do with a Sport Management Degree?
• Degree Requirements for Sport Management Degree
• More Information on Sport Management Degree

Mission and Goals 

The mission of the Sport Management degree program is to develop ethically responsible fitness and sport practitioners who are competent and prepared to promote life-long fitness, as well as implement administrative and organizational procedures involved in management, facilitation, and intervention.

This bachelor in fitness and sport management degree program seeks to prepare students for a fitness management career in fields such as sports marketing and promotion, corporate fitness, fitness management, or health club management. Students graduate from UC well-equipped for the workforce, whether they choose to teach, continue in graduate school sport management programs, or begin a career in the multibillion-dollar fitness and sports industry.

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Sports Management Tailored for You

At Cumberlands, fitness majors study with caring, experienced faculty members who can help tailor sport management programs of study to students’ specific interests. As you build a strong academic foundation through our sport management degree program, you will learn a variety of skills necessary to help individuals live healthier lives, including the use of technology and communication skills.

Upon successful completion of a program with a fitness and sport management major, you will be eligible to take a national certification examination from organizations such as the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), the American Council on Exercise (ACE), the National Council on Strength and Fitness (NCSF), or the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA).

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WHAT CAN I DO WITH A SPORT MANAGEMENT DEGREE?

Just what can you do with a sport management degree anyway? A lot, actually. There are a number of sport management jobs ready for the right person with the right education. At the University of the Cumberlands, our interdisciplinary Kentucky sport management programs emphasize a liberal arts approach to education and career preparation. Our fitness degrees seek to prepare students for all kinds of career opportunities. 

Careers with a sport management degree can be found in areas such as:

POSTSECONDARY INSTRUCTOR¹

If you’re interested in the big picture of sports, health, fitness, conditioning and so on, then you may want to consider a position as a fitness-related college professor – where employment is expected to grow 12 percent by 2030.

FITNESS MANAGEMENT²

Or you could pursue a career in sports fitness – whether it’s as a trainer or in management. Though some certification is often required, job prospects are looking good with the need for qualified fitness trainers and instructors projected to grow 39 percent by 2030, higher than the average of all other occupations.

COACH OR SCOUT³

You could also pursue a coaching position in the field or sport you love.  By 2030, the growth rate for coaches and scouts, as a field, is expected grow 26 percent. This is faster than the average of other occupations combined.

CAREERS

• Health and Wellness
• Corporate Fitness
• Sports and Athletic Administration
• Community Recreation
• Personal Training
• Sports Marketing and Promotion
• Health Club Management
• Community Program Directors-YMCA, Boys and Girls Clubs
• Sports Information Director
• College Intramural Director
• Sport Facilities Management
• Hospital-Based Fitness Centers
• Fitness Manager
• Fitness Program Coordinator
• Fitness Equipment Sales

*** Certification or additional education is needed for some careers

"$79,640" Median Annual Pay for Postsecondary Instructors¹

¹Postsecondary Instructors  
²Fitness Trainers
³Coaches and Scouts

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Degree Requirements for Sport Management Degree

REQUIREMENTS FOR A BACHELOR OF SCIENCE WITH A MAJOR IN FITNESS AND SPORT MANAGEMENT–57 semester hours as follows: 

• ITSS 130     Introduction to Application Software 
• BACC 131     Principles of Accounting I 
• BADM 136     Microeconomics 
• BADM 331     Principles of Management 
• BADM 334     Principles of Marketing 
• HESS 233     Functional Human Anatomy and Physiology 
• HESS 330     Influences on Contemporary Issues in Health & Performance
• HESS 333     Nutrition 
• HESS 439     Facilities Development & Management 
• ESS 131     Introduction to Exercise and Sport Science 
• ESS 230     Growth and Movement Development 
• ESS 231     Care and Prevention of Athletic Injuries 
• ESS 235     Fitness and Sport Management 
• ESS 330     Kinesiology 
• ESS 334     Methods of Group Exercise 
• ESS 336     Exercise Prescription 
• ESS 435     Physiology of Exercise 
• ESS 437     Tests and Measurements 
• ESS 419     Senior Seminar -- Capstone 

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More Information on Sport Management Degree

TUITION

Costs for programs of study at University of the Cumberlands are competitive and affordable. Click here to view tuition rates and fees. 

ACCREDITATION 

Click here to view University of the Cumberlands' accreditation information. 

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Whether you choose to teach, continue in graduate school sport management degree programs, or begin your career in the multibillion-dollar fitness and sports industry, you can be confident you will be prepared. Let’s talk about our test-optional college admissions process, scholarship opportunities, and more! Fill out the form on this page and find out what UC can do for you!