Associate of Arts in Sports Management

If you are interested in working with athletes, teams or professional sports leagues, including the NFL and the NBA, start your career path by earning an Associate of Arts degree in sports management. The field of sports management is diverse and includes:
  • advertising
  • events and facilities management
  • college sports
  • marketing
  • professional sports
  • retail sporting goods sales.

What Sports Management Is
Sports management is a field that blends the action and excitement of sports with the practical, profit-orientated world of business. If you aren't an athlete or coach but still want to work in a sports-related career, a sports management degree can help you be an agent, a sports lawyer or any type of sports manager. Help keep your favorite minor and major sports teams running by getting into the field of sports management.

How to Earn an AA in Sports Management

The first step to earning a sports management degree is to enroll in a college or university that offers a sports management program. Some schools may have online or partially online programs that allow you to complete your education from home.
 
Although it usually takes about two years to complete an Associate of Arts program, you may be able to complete your sports management education in less time if you take a more rigorous course load. Some of the courses you may be required to take include:
  • Business Communications
  • Business Management
  • Fundamentals of Coaching
  • Introduction to Sports Management
  • Leadership Principles in Sports
  • Physical Education
  • Sports Law and Risk Management
  • Sports Medicine
  • Sports Promotion and Event Planning
  • Sports Strength and Conditioning.

Sports Management Jobs and Careers

With an associate degree in sports management, you will be able to apply for many jobs in the sports management field. If you are already an athlete in a particular sport, you can use your education to further your career opportunities in a coaching or teaching position.
 
While the opportunities for sports-related jobs are seemingly endless, some of the more popular options for sports management careers include:
  • athletic business manager
  • college athletics director
  • community sport program director
  • corporate sales executive
  • facilities coordinator
  • marketing and promotions executive
  • professional sports team manager
  • sport organization events coordinator
  • sporting goods sales rep
  • sports facility manager
  • sports agent administrative assistant
  • sports licensing company manager.

Resources
 
Education Portal (2008). Associate's Degree Programs in Sports Management. Retrieved March 23, 2008, from the Education-Portal.com Web site: http://education-portal.com/
associate's_degree_programs_in_sports_management.html.
 
Guide To Online Schools (2008). Sports Management Degree Online. Retrieved March 23, 2008, from the Guide To Online Schools Web site: http://www.guidetoonlineschools.com/sports_management.html.
 
Syracruse University (2004). Sport Management. Retrieved March 23, 2008, from the Syracruse University Web site: http://humanecology.syr.edu/schools/sport/careers.asp.
 
United States Sports Academy (2008). Bachelor of Sports Science Degree. Retrieved March 23, 2008, from the USSA Web site: http://www.ussa.edu/undergraduate.