Purdue Northwest College of Business Introducing Sports Management Major

Purdue-Northwest-colorIn response to growing and diverse career opportunities in the business of professional and intercollegiate sports and athletics, Purdue University Northwest is introducing this fall a Sports Management major within its Bachelor of Science in Business degree program.

The new plan of study will focus on such components as marketing and digital marketing, business analytics, fitness and hospitality management, event planning, facilities design, media relations, club management, consumer behavior, performance nutrition and more.

Solid business foundation “The major in Sports Management is an important addition to our academic offerings in the College of Business,” PNW Business College Dean Jane Mutchler said. “It offers students the opportunity to apply a solid business foundation, coupled with classes in fitness, wellness, nutrition, sports management and more to an industry they love.”

Graduates of the program will earn a Bachelor of Science in Business degree accredited by the world’s premier business accrediting body—the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) International. Fewer than five percent of business colleges worldwide have achieved AACSB International accreditation.

‘Excellent fit’ “Sports management is an excellent fit for our students with the high number of professional, college and other sports-related opportunities in Chicagoland and Northwest Indiana,” Professor and Head of PNW’s White Lodging School of Hospitality and Tourism Management Michael Flannery said. “A solid business foundation from our College of Business is the most important part of this program.”

A faculty committee within PNW’s College of Business spent a year and a half researching, studying and developing the major course of study, which will be comprised of a combination of current business core courses and new courses specific to sports management. The new major will be housed academically within the Department of Managerial Studies.

Real-world, experiential learning Consistent with all Purdue Northwest academic programs, the sports management major will require students to engage in real-world, experiential learning opportunities.

“The sports management major is a rapidly-growing academic field—sort of like hospitality was 25 to 30 years ago,” PNW Associate Professor of Restaurant, Hotel, Institutional and Tourism Management Judith Hack said. “As a regional university, we are able to react faster to new initiatives in the expansion of areas for business schools beyond the traditional disciplines.”

Sports management demand Some 225,000 individuals are employed in sports management-related capacities nationally. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, jobs are projected to grow annually at a rate of six percent.

“I am especially pleased we are adding this academic major, as many prospective student-athletes who visit Purdue Northwest express an interest in studying Sports Management,” PNW Athletic Director Rick Costello said.

Additional information about the Sports Management major can be obtained by contacting PNW’s College of Business at 219/989-2862 or 219/989-2218.

Purdue University Northwest Purdue University Northwest (PNW), a comprehensive regional university within the Purdue University system, has two Northwest Indiana campuses in Hammond and Westville. With more than 15,000 students enrolled last fall and nearly 70 undergraduate and graduate degree programs, Purdue Northwest is Indiana’s fifth largest public university. For more information about PNW, visit www.pnw.edu.