Bachelor of Science in Sports Business
The Sports Business program offers you a unique opportunity to earn a business degree with a difference – a focus on the business of sport. The program will prepare you for a variety of career and leadership opportunities in sports business and recreational management. A small sampling of career paths in the sports industry includes event suppliers, event management and marketing, sports media, sports sponsorship, athlete services, sports commissions, sports lawyers, sports equipment manufacturing and distribution, sports and recreational facilities and facility suppliers, and team, league, and college athletics management and marketing. You are strongly encouraged to discuss your career goals with sports business faculty for guidance in searching for the perfect job.
A Very Important Notice
The requirements listed on this web page for the BS in Sports Business are those contained in the current University catalog. You are responsible for meeting program requirements in your catalog of record—the catalog in effect when you entered NKU as a degree-seeking student. You can find an archive of previous catalogs here. You may change your catalog of record to take advantage of program improvements in subsequent years. Consult with the College of Business Advising Center for guidance in catalog changes.
Graduate in Four Years!
If you successfully complete an average of only 15 credit hours each Fall and Spring semester, you can finish your Sports Business degree with its required minor in Business Administration in four years (eight semesters). See a detailed four year graduation plan in a downloadable pdf file here. Like all business degree programs, the Sports Business program is tightly structured. You should give careful attention to course prerequisites, as they are strictly enforced. If you choose to earn your degree over a period longer than four years, the basic sequence of courses shown in the four year plan will still apply in most cases. If you decide to deviate from the recommended sequence, you should consult with the College of Business Advising Center for assistance in developing an alternative graduation plan.
Selective Admission and Certification in the Major
You must meet selective admission requirements for the Haile/US Bank College of Business in order to be fully admitted (known as certification) into the Sports Business major. Prior to certification, you will be enrolled as a Sports Business pre-major. Some of the selective admissions courses can be used to satisfy university General Education requirements and some satisfy partial requirements for the required minor in Business Administration. You must complete the ten-course group (shown below) with a minimum grade of C- in each course, and a minimum GPA of 2.50 across the group.
Selective Admission (Certification) Course Group
1. CMST 101 Principles of Speech Communication
2. ENG 101 College Writing
3. MAT 114 Finite Mathematics
Prerequisite: C- or better in MAT 109 Algebra for College Students or ACT ≥ 23
4. ACC 200 Principles of Accounting I-Financial
Prerequisites: INF 101, college-level mathematics course (MAT or STA), ≥ 30 credit hours
5. ACC 201 Principles of Accounting II-Managerial
Prerequisites: C or better in ACC 200, ≥ 30 credit hours
6. BUS 230 Legal Environment
Prerequisite: ≥ 30 credit hours
7. ECO 200 Principles of Macroeconomics
Prerequisites: college-level mathematics course (MAT or STA), ≥ 30 credit hours
8. ECO 201 Principles of Microeconomics
Prerequisites: college-level mathematics course (MAT or STA), ≥ 30 credit hours
9. ENG 291 Advanced Writing
Prerequisites: ENG 101, ≥ 30 credit hours
10. STA 212 Statistics for Business Applications I
The College of Business Core
Students in all business majors complete a group of eight core courses designed to provide a comprehensive overview of business.
College Core Course Group
1. BIS 300 Management Information Systems
Prerequisites: STA 212, INF 101, ≥ 60 credit hours
2. BUS 330 Ethics in Managerial Decision-Making
Prerequisites: BUS 230, ≥ 60 credit hours
3. ECO 305 International Context for Business
Prerequisite: business major certification or declared major in economics
4. FIN 305 Principles of Finance
Prerequisites: ACC 200, ACC 201, STA 212, ≥ 60 credit hours
5. MGT 300 Behavior in Organizations
Prerequisite: ≥ 60 credit hours
6. MGT 305 Operations Management in Business
Prerequisites: MAT 114, STA 212, ≥ 60 credit hours
7. MKT 305 Principles of Marketing
Prerequisite: ≥ 60 credit hours
8. MGT 490 Business Policy
Prerequisites: FIN 305, MGT 300, MGT 305, MKT 305, ≥ 90 credit hours
The Sports Business Program Course Group
All sports business majors complete a common knowledge core of ten courses. You then choose an additional six credits from either an elective course and internship option or a two-semester Signature Sports Event management sequence. The elective/internship option allows you to select an additional sports business course in an area of interest and use an internship to gain practical work experience and real-world networking exposure to the sports business environment at the local, regional, national, or international level while under the guidance and supervision of a successful sports business person.
The Signature Sports Event experience is a two semester, experiential course sequence (SPB 496 in Fall; SPB 497 in Spring) that gives selected students the opportunity to plan and lead the execution of a significant sports event with a regional market, guided by expert faculty and professional mentors. This signature event of the NKU Sports Business Program provides an opportunity for students to integrate all facets of their sports business knowledge into a unique, hands-on learning and networking experience.
A grade of C or better in all program courses in the sports business major is required to earn the Bachelor of Science degree in Sports Business.
• STA 213 Statistics for Business Applications II
o Prerequisite: C- or better in STA 212
• CMST 303 Organizational Communications
o Prerequisite: CMST 101
• CMST 370 Advanced Public Speaking
o Prerequisite: CMST 101
• MKT 308 Integrated Marketing Communications
o Prerequisite: C or better in MKT 305
• MKT 310 Principles of Professional Selling
o Prerequisite: C or better in MKT 305
• MKT 320 Consumer Behavior
o Prerequisite: C or better in MKT 305
• SPB 305 Sports Marketing
o Prerequisite: C or better in MKT 305
• SPB 308 Sports Promotion Tools
o Prerequisite: C or better in MKT 305
• SPB 309 Sports Public Relations
o Prerequisite: C or better in MKT 305
• SPB 300-400 elective
o Prerequisite: consult course listings in catalog
• SPB 480 Sports Business Strategies and Policies
o Prerequisites: SPB 305, SPB 308, certification as Sports Business major, ≥ 90 credit hours
• SPB 396 Internship: Sports Business
o Prerequisites: SPB 305 and consent of instructor
or
• SPB 497 Signature Sports Event II
o Prerequisites: SPB 496 and consent of instructor
If you have additional questions about our academic programs, please drop us an email at markets@nku.edu or phone the department office at 859-572-6582.