MEMO To: Undergraduate Curriculum Committee From: Clark D. Haptonstall, Ph.D. Professor of the Practice & Director of the Sport Management academic track Re: The development of a Sport Management Major Date: April 16, 2008 This document outlines the proposed development of a stand-alone Sport Management major to begin at Rice University on July 1, 2008. The rationale for the outlined proposal is to: Improve and strengthen the Sport Management academic major Raise and increase visibility of the specific academic program Enhance the marketability of our graduates As of Spring 2007, there were approximately 160 students who had declared Kinesiology as a major. These students currently study under one of three academic programs or tracks within the department: Sport Management with 90 students Sports Medicine with 30 students Health Sciences with 40 students Under the proposed plan, the 90 students in the Sport Management track will earn a degree in Sport Management. Currently, these students receive a degree in Kinesiology and there is no distinction to reflect which of the three academic programs or tracks the students completed. Since the current Sport Management curriculum is business/management based, the Kinesiology label does not adequately reflect students academic preparation. To date, this proposal has received the endorsement and support of the Provost, the Dean of the School of Humanities, and the Chair of the Department of Kinesiology. Furthermore, both directors of the Managerial Studies program and the newly approved Business minor endorse this proposal.
At Rice, we currently have a successful formula of high academic standards, a supportive administration, a plethora of professional contacts, and faculty with experience working in the sports industry. Given the wide range of professional organizations in Houston, our students are able to gain invaluable hands-on experience by interning with one or more of Houston s professional sports franchises. As a result, following graduation, our students are better prepared to enter the competitive field of sport management compared to other undergraduate programs. The development of a well respected Sport Management major has been an ongoing endeavor. In fact, the Sport Management track was first implemented at Rice in 1980. As part of this enhancement, the Rice Sport Management curriculum has recently received Program Approval Status by the North American Society for Sport Management (NASSM). This is the highest, most prestigious classification available in the field and only 15% of undergraduate sport management programs in the USA meet the requirements necessary for this distinction. By approving the Sport Management curriculum as an academic major, the Rice program will receive increased visibility not only on campus, but throughout the Houston area and across the nation. Structure Sport Management is an interdisciplinary major housed in the Department of Kinesiology in the School of Humanities. The major is administered by a director in consultation with a steering committee according to the guidelines below. The Director reports to the Dean of Humanities and is appointed to a five-year renewable term by the Dean of Humanities in consultation with the Chair of the Department of Kinesiology. The director works with the Chair of Kinesiology to insure that the required core and research courses (11 courses within Kinesiology) for the major are adequately staffed and regularly taught; serves as the undergraduate advisor for the major; and, in consultation with the steering committee, initiates regular reviews of the course offerings in the major. The Steering Committee is composed of faculty and administrators who: insure that courses that meet the communications, writing, and elective components of the Sport Management major are regularly taught and open to Sport Management majors; make recommendations to the director about changes to the electives within the major; advise the Dean of Humanities on the appointment of the Director or, in the case of an external search, on members of the director search committee; and approve changes to the major requirements. The Steering Committee is composed of two core members and two at-large members. Core members are: the dean of undergraduates (currently Robin Forman) and a faculty member from the School of Humanities appointed by the Dean of Humanities for a three year renewable term. At-large members serve renewable two year staggered terms and
are appointed by the director in consultation with the Deans of Humanities and Social Sciences. Normally one at-large member will be from the School of Social Sciences. The following people have agreed to serve as members of the Steering Committee: Core members Dr. Robin Forman: Dean of Undergraduates & Professor of Mathematics Dr. David Worth: Director of Forensics, Lecturer in Humanities At-large members Dr. Jimmy Disch: Associate Professor in Kinesiology (emphasis: Sport Mang.) Dr. Richard Stoll: Professor in Political Science Review of Major The Sport Management major will be reviewed every five years through a process initiated by the Dean of Humanities in consultation with the Director and the steering committee.
Sport Management major curriculum (45 credit hours) Core Requirements (all nine classes are required) Prerequisites KINE 260: Introduction to Sport Management (3) KINE 276: Sport Management Practicum (3) KINE 260 KINE 360: Sales and Revenue Generation in Sport (3) KINE 260 KINE 362: Sport Marketing (3) KINE 260 KINE 364: Sport Law (3) KINE 260 KINE 366: Event and Facility Management (3) KINE 260 KINE 376: Sport Management Internship I (3-6) KINE 260 & KINE 276 KINE 377: Sport Management Internship II (3-6) KINE 260 & KINE 276 KINE 466: Media Relations (3) KINE 260 & KINE 362 Research requirement (3 hours required) KINE 319: Introduction to Measurement & Statistics (3) KINE 405: Research in the Sport Management Industry (3) KINE 260 & STAT 280 or KINE 319 Communications (3 hours required) HUMA 201: Public Speaking (3) HUMA 308: Business & Professional Speaking (3) HUMA 309: Argumentation & Debate (3) Writing (3 hours required) LEAD 321: Leadership Communication HUMA 250: Writing for Print Media Electives (9 hours required) ECON 211: Principles of Economics I (3) ECON 370: Microeconomic Theory (3) STAT 280: Elementary Applied Statistics (4) MANA 404: Management Communications (3) BUSI 296: Business Communications (3) BUSI 305: Financial Accounting (3) # BUSI 310: Leading People in Organizations (3) STAT 280 & ECON 211* BUSI 343: Financial Management (3) STAT 280, ECON 211* & MGMT 301 BUSI 380: Marketing (3) STAT 280 & ECON 211* BUSI 471: Strategic Management (3) STAT 280 & ECON 211* * ECON 211 must be taken at Rice University. If the student does not take ECON 211 at Rice University, ECON 370 also becomes a prerequisite. # ACCO 305 (Introduction to Accounting) can serve as a substitution for BUSI 305
Teaching responsibilities each semester Faculty Clark Haptonstall, Ph.D. Professor of the Practice & Director James G. Disch, P.E.D. Associate Professor Jason Sosa, Ph.D. Lecturer Tom Stallings, M.S. (Summer 08) Lecturer Patrick Thornton, J.D. Part-time Lecturer (Thornton is an associate professor at Houston Baptist University) Classes taught KINE 362: Sport Marketing KINE 466: Media Relations KINE 319: Introduction to Measurement & Statistics KINE 405: Research in the Sport Management Industry KINE 260: Introduction to Sport Management KINE 276: Sport Management Practicum KINE 368: Issues in Contemporary Sport KINE 360: Sales and Revenue Generation in Sport KINE 366: Event & Facility Management KINE 376-377: Internships KINE 364: Sport Law & Labor Relations