Sports Leadership

Close Cleveland Connections

Home to nine professional sports franchises, Northeast Ohio is an ideal place to study sports leadership. JCU is also connected to many local high school athletic directors and alumni working in the industry.

Immersive Learning Experiences

Gain real-world experience through practicums and internships. Our proximity to Cleveland means access to professional sports teams and major media outlets. You can intern right here on campus with Blue Streaks Athletics, too.

• Close Cleveland Connections

  Home to nine professional sports franchises, Northeast Ohio is an ideal place to study sports leadership. JCU is also connected to many local high school athletic directors and alumni working in the industry.

• Immersive Learning Experiences

  Gain real-world experience through practicums and internships. Our proximity to Cleveland means access to professional sports teams and major media outlets. You can intern right here on campus with Blue Streaks Athletics, too.

• Active Campus Life

  Get involved with student groups like Carroll Crazies (fan engagement club) and Women in Sports Leadership. Or campus offices like Sports Information, Athletic Administration, or Facility & Event Management.

Curriculum: What You Will Learn

You’ll complete a sports leadership core before diving into your concentration area. Whichever path you choose, you’ll have access to a wide range of electives. Explore areas such as ethics in sport, coaching competencies, sports psychology, and fan engagement.

See full degree requirements at the JCU Academic Catalog. 

• Business and Economics

  Principles of Economics I

  3 Credits

  EC2201

  Build a foundation in microeconomics, focusing on supply and demand, market structures, and firm behavior, essential for future business leaders to thrive.

  Principles of Economics II

  3 Credits

  EC2202

  Transform economic theories into real-world insights, covering GDP, inflation, and fiscal policy to equip you for success in the business landscape.

  Accounting Principles I

  3 Credits

  AC2201

  Build a solid foundation in accounting, mastering the essentials of financial statements and transaction analysis.

  Accounting Principles II

  3 Credits

  AC2202

  Enhance your accounting acumen with advanced principles, focusing on financial reporting and cost analysis.

  Business Analysis With Excel

  1 Credits

  BI1100

  How to answer key business questions, analyze company finances, forecast sales, and prepare business cases while improving your Excel skills.

  Data-Driven Decision-Making

  3 Credits

  BI2200

  Transform raw data into impactful insights using cutting-edge tools for data management and visualization, empowering you to make informed business decisions.

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• Coaching and Development

  Coaching Competencies

  3 Credits

  SPL3300

  This course covers competencies needed for coaching different levels of sports. An analysis of values, coaching styles, coach-athlete relationships, rules, discipline, and motivation will be conducted to help assist in developing who you are as a coach. Prerequisite: EPA 201 or ESC 2010 or SPS 201 or SPL 2010 and (SPS 300 or SPL 3000). Offered: Spring.
  

• Diversity and Social Issues

  Diversity in Sport

  3 Credits

  SPL3010

  Comprehensive overview of diversity and inclusion within North America and international sport and sport organizations. Analyzes the ways people in sport and sport organizations can differ, and how power and inequality based on diversity impacts academic and occupational experiences and outcomes. Covers issues of non-dominant groups and historically under-represented groups in the U.S.; emphasis on race, class, gender, ethnicity, sexuality, and disability.
  

  Women, Gender Relations, and Sports

  3 Credits

  SPL3030

  Examines the cultural and structural relationships of women and gender (relations) in sport and society. Focuses on issues of culture, structure, and organizations as they relate to masculinities and femininities, gender relations, and sex and sexuality. Surveys historical and current developments of women and gender in sport in North American Society.
  

  EGC: Globalization and Sport

  3 Credits

  SPL3050

  Explores the roles that sport and physical activity have played in the U.S. and globally, their history, and current issues. Specific comparison of the U.S. and Ireland. Includes mandatory spring trip to Ireland to experience topics discussed in class. Prerequisite: EN 1250 or equivalent.
  

• Ethics and Values

  Ethical Problems in Exercise Science and Sports Leadership

  3 Credits

  SPL4350

  The nature of ethics through the study of ethical issues in exercise science and sports studies, e.g., use of performance-enhancing drugs, fitness guidelines for youth sports, recruiting, and professionalism. Prerequisites: Acceptance into Sports Leadership major; senior standing.
  

  Business Ethics

  3 Credits

  PL2086

  Application of ethical concepts to significant problems of business practice. Offered: Fall, Spring, Summer.

  Ethics in Sport

  3 Credits

  PL2087

  Study of key ethical issues that arise in sports, starting with the fundamental concepts in sport philosophy and concluding with specific problems such as sportsmanship, gamesmanship, the nature of competition, and race and gender equality.

• Exercise Science and Health

  Current Health Issues

  3 Credits

  ESC2000

  Current health issues affecting the daily lives of all people. Physical fitness, mental fitness, behavior, drugs, alcohol, STD, nutrition. Emphasis on current health research; discussion and application of course material.

  Lifespan Physical Growth and Development

  3 Credits

  ESC2080

  Chart the milestones of human growth from birth to old age, focusing on the interplay of cognitive and physical development across a lifetime.

  Human Nutrition

  3 Credits

  ESC2229

  Overview of basic nutritional guidelines relevant to daily life; the role of nutrition in the development and efficiency of energy systems and energy balance; disabilities related to insufficient or inappropriate nutritional practices.

  Technology in Sports Science

  3 Credits

  ESC3200

  Harness technology to boost sports performance, mastering data collection and analysis in the exciting field of sports science.

  Lifestyle Wellness

  3 Credits

  ESC3400

  Overview of the holistic nature of lifestyle wellness, the multiple factors that contribute to, or influence, wellness, prevalent themes and types of programs related to wellness, and the role of exercise science and allied health professionals in the wellness process. Examination of the wellness culture within our society and the factors that influence lifestyle wellness throughout the lifespan, such as fitness, aging, illness, disabilities, and injuries as well as a critical investigation of different types of opportunities available for development, learning, and maintenance of lifestyle wellness.
  

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• Management and Marketing

  Managing Employees for Competitive Advantage

  3 Credits

  MOL3301

  Develop competitive HR strategies that enhance employee engagement, from recruitment to talent development.

  Management and Organizational Leadership

  3 Credits

  MOL3325

  Lead teams effectively by applying behavioral science principles to management, shaping your approach to motivation and organizational change.

  Marketing Principles

  3 Credits

  MK3301

  Master essential marketing strategies to develop, promote, and price offerings that resonate in a dynamic global marketplace.

  Introduction to Integrated Marketing Communication (IMC)

  3 Credits

  COM2702

  Integrate advertising, PR, and digital media to craft compelling marketing strategies. Analyze communication theories and learn to evaluate IMC campaigns for maximum consumer impact.

  Sports Marketing

  3 Credits

  SPL3060

  The management of sports at professional, collegiate and special event levels, focusing on its role in planning and decision making in attracting fans and sponsors. Other topics include sports branding; athlete management; globalization; event sponsorship and marketing; media involvement; fantasy sports; sports vendors; and sports innovations. Also considers current opportunities and threats facing sports and trends that may impact the future of sports and its various audiences.
  

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• Sports Economics

  Sports Economics

  3 Credits

  EC3326

  Analyze the economic forces shaping sports by applying economic principles to decisions made by teams and athletes in both professional and amateur arenas.

• Sports Leadership Core

  Foundations of Exercise Science and Sports Leadership

  3 Credits

  SPL2010

  Major ideas, institutions, movements, and individuals in the fields of exercise science, physical education, and sports leadership. Includes an examination of potential careers in exercise science, physical education, sports leadership, and allied health professions. Includes a practicum experience.
  

  Research Methods in Exercise Science and Sports Leadership

  3 Credits

  SPL2320

  Research methodology used in exercise science, allied health and sports leadership. Emphasis on the individual aspects of the research process, such as the use of research databases, developing reviews of literature, developing research questions. Requires the development of a research proposal. Prerequisite: QA Course.
  

  Qualities and Characteristics of Leadership in Sport

  3 Credits

  SPL3000

  Explores major leadership theories and models, and practical application of theories; examines methods used by successful coaches in different sports throughout history; also, leadership qualities focused on individuals, teams, and organizations. Prerequisite: EPA 201 or SPS 201 or ESC 2010 or SPL 2010.
  

  Sports Governance

  3 Credits

  SPL3120

  Critical analysis of sports governance at multiple levels, including the development and implementation of policies and procedures at different levels of competition, e.g., pros, college, high school; evaluation of how contemporary sport deals with issues such as gender, race, ethnicity, and national identity; and development of a perspective on future issues in sports governance.
  

  Professional Development and Practicum Experience

  3 Credits

  SPL3597

  This course is designed in consultation with the John Carroll University Career Services Center. The purpose is to provide students with a comprehensive professional development experience. Students will be asked to take a critical reflection on their career goals and action plan. Students will be able to build upon their professional behavior content knowledge, as well as apply that content knowledge in an applied professional setting. Field work is required during the semester enrolled. Prerequisite: SPS 201 or EPA 201 or SPL 2010 or ESC 2010. Crosslisted as: ESC 3500.
  

  Organization and Administration of Exercise Science and Sports Leadership

  3 Credits

  SPL4080

  Administrative functions of planning and organizing programs in athletics and exercise science. Additional emphasis on staffing, directing, and coordinating programs. Includes field experience in candidate's area of study. Prerequisite: Acceptance into Exercise Science or Sports Leadership major required.
  

  Areas and Facilities in Recreation and Sports

  3 Credits

  SPL4130

  Introduction to facility management for health, fitness, physical activity, recreation, and sport. Organization and management principles; policy and procedure development; ethical decision-making; planning for success; special event planning; and management of human resources, the marketplace, finances, risk, programming, and volunteers.
  

  Internship and Seminar

  3 Credits

  SPL4997

  Candidates select an internship assignment in line with graduate school focus or interest, e.g., athletic training, strength and conditioning, physical therapy. Completion of internship required. Prerequisite: Acceptance into Sports Leadership major; Senior standing; Approval of proposed plan by internship director.
  

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Related Programs

Still deciding on your program of study at JCU or considering a second major? Here are some other academic areas to explore.

• Communication
• Exercise Science
• Management & Organizational Leadership
• Marketing
• Psychology

Your Path Forward Starts Here

Plan your future from day one. Finish faster with accelerated degrees or secure your spot with early assurance partnerships.

Sports Leadership

4 years

Bachelor of Arts

Lead with purpose in the world of sport. This multifaceted major pairs strategy and communication with real-world practice to prepare you for roles in coaching, operations, marketing, and wellness.

+

MBA

Master of Business Administration (MBA)

Combine your JCU bachelor's degree with a master's in business administration in just one additional year.

Sports Leadership

Master of Arts in Sports Leadership (MA)

Develop advanced leadership and management skills for careers in athletics administration, sports marketing, and recreational program management.

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Your MBA, Accelerated

Future in Focus

Nine graduate credits count toward both degrees—building executive-level skills while completing your bachelor's. You pay your undergraduate tuition rate with financial aid applied. An MBA for the cost of a few extra courses.

Your Sports Career, Accelerated

Future in Focus

Nine graduate credits count toward both degrees—developing leadership skills for the sports industry while completing your bachelor's. You pay your undergraduate tuition rate with financial aid applied. Two degrees, one path to the front office.

Complementary Minors

• Business
• Communication
• Leadership Development
• Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging
• Economics
• Exercise Science

Program Faculty

Meet the faculty who teach, advise, and mentor students in the Sports Leadership program.

• Anna Simonson

  Associate Professor

  

  Anna Simonson is an Associate Professor at John Carroll University.

• Jacquelyn Zera

  Associate Professor

  

  Jacquelyn Zera is an Associate Professor at John Carroll University.

• Andrew Biegler

  Lecturer

  

  I am currently an ACSM certified Clinical Exercise Physiologist working in Cardiopulmonary Rehab at UPMC.

• Carol Schoenecker

  Lecturer

  Carol Schoenecker is a Lecturer at John Carroll University.

• Fabrizio Apodaca

  Lecturer

  I am a certified athletic trainer and educator with over a decade of clinical experience in secondary school athletics and higher education.

• Carol Mack

  Laboratory Coordinator

  

  Carol Mack, PT, DPT, SCS, CSCS is the Exercise Physiology and Biomechanics Lab Coordinator, and Adjunct Faculty for John Carroll's Exercise Science Department.

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Where Our Alumni Go

Our alumni find success in professional, collegiate, and high school athletics. They work for community organizations and a variety of sports-related businesses. Others pursue graduate programs in areas like sports leadership, organizational development, or business.