Department of Sport, Event, & Tourism Management
Laura M. Hatfield, B.S., M.S., Ph.D.
Sport, Event, and Tourism Management Chair
Associate Professor of Sport Management
Program Accreditation
The sport management degree program(s) at Liberty University have received specialized accreditation through the Commission on Sport Management Accreditation (COSMA) located in Fort Collins, Colorado, USA. The sport management programs in the following degrees are accredited by COSMA:
- Bachelor of Science Sport Management (Residential) with cognates in Sport Administration, Sport Communication & Public Relations, Sport Outreach, Sport Venue Management, and General Studies.
This course is designed to provide students with an introduction to the skills and competencies required to pursue career opportunities in the sport industry.
Offered: Resident and Online
This course investigates the historical development of sport and recreational activities practiced in North America. Major influences on the development of sport are examined including religious beliefs, social and cultural values, economics, politics, and technological advances.
Offered: Resident and Online
Supervised work experience in a sport administration area by the student with approval of advisor.
Offered: Resident and Online
Offered: Resident
An overview of the roles, qualifications, responsibilities, and skills required of coaches during the season and off season. Issues affecting coaches both on and off the field will be addressed.
Registration Restrictions: Sophomore status
Offered: Resident
This course is designed to provide students with an overview of facility planning and design, facility operations, and event management.
Offered: Resident and Online
An examination of the theories, techniques, and styles of coaching football. Multiple offensive and defensive strategies are explored.
Registration Restrictions: Junior status
Note: Offered in the fall semester
Offered: Resident
With a managerial approach to legal issues, this course will examine the influences of current state and federal legislation, collective bargaining agreements, regulation agencies, employee-employer relations, contracts and educational enterprises in relation to sport management.
Offered: Resident and Online
A study of the theories, methods, organization, and techniques of teaching and coaching of basketball skills and team play.
Registration Restrictions: Junior status
Note: Offered in the spring semester
Offered: Resident
Prerequisite: SMGT 300
This course will function as an orientation to the coaching of specific individual and team sports. Furthermore, the course is designed to evaluate the knowledge and skill proficiencies (competencies) of coaching minors in selected sport and activities. The sports covered in this course are: volleyball, cross country/track and field and soccer.
Note: Offered in the fall semester
Offered: Resident
Prerequisite: SMGT 300
This course will function as an orientation to the coaching of specific individual and team sports. Furthermore, the course is designed to evaluate the knowledge and skill proficiencies (competencies) of coaching minors in selected sport and activities. The sports covered in this course are: tennis, baseball/softball, and golf.
Note: Offered in the spring semester
Offered: Resident
Prerequisite: COMS 101 and ENGL 101 and SMGT 200 and (ISYS 201 or CMIS 201 or BUSI 201) and (ENGL 102 or MUSC 200)
This course is a macro analysis of the field from personal, organizational, and external perspectives. Special attention is given to historical and theoretical features of the field, personal and organizational process, sport media, services and support systems, and sociological and legal aspects of sport.
Offered: Resident and Online
This course will explain the inter-relationships between sport and religion while examining the impact of muscular Christianity and sport ministry in North America. Tools and guidelines for preparing, organizing and administering a sport ministry program will also be examined.
Offered: Resident and Online
A study of rules, game procedures, methods, and practices in officiating athletic activities as well as instruction on video editing technology and film breakdown for a variety of sports. Students will also acquire certification in CPR, AED, and First Aid related to Coaching.
Note: Offered in spring semester
Offered: Resident
This course introduces the student to the broad spectrum of Christian concepts and practices with sport camp operation and leadership. The student will be equipped to plan, fund, program, direct, evaluate and assess a camp's effectiveness with an emphasis on outreach to athletes on high school and college campuses, in the local church, and with community organizations.
Offered: Resident and Online
A residency whereby the student is assigned to a ministry outreach setting for the purpose of receiving hands-on experience and guidance in the day-to-day functions of sports outreach.
Offered: Resident and Online
This course will examine global strategy issues within the context of sport outreach. Nation, region, and outreach specific factors that determine outreach effectiveness will be analyzed. Key global sport outreach organizations will be examined to deepen students' understanding of effective sport outreach theories and strategies. Students will develop a basic conceptual framework to formulate a strategy for undertaking sport outreach in a global setting.
Offered: Resident and Online
Resident Prerequisite: SMGT 200 and SMGT 201 and BUSI 201 and ENGL 101 and ENGL 102 and COMS 101 and SMGT 310
Online Prerequisite: SMGT 200 and SMGT 201 and BUSI 201 and ENGL 101 and ENGL 102 and COMS 101 and SMGT 301
This course provides future sport professionals with the technology expertise needed to be successful and marketable in sport public relations. Students will develop proficiency in sport industry relevant technologies such as organizational media production programs, persuasive media platforms, and social media.
Offered: Resident and Online
A SMGT directed elective that will consist of supervised work experience approved in advance by the professor in a sport administration and/or management cognate (administration, aquatics, promotion, marketing, directing, fitness). Application procedures processed through the Sport Management Department Faculty Internship Advisor (FIA).
Offered: Resident and Online
This course is designed to provide students with an in-depth view of the theoretical and applied aspects of the psychology of sport and exercise. The emphasis is on providing knowledge and skills necessary to improve athletic performance, enhance health and well-being, and understand personal and situation variables in the exercise environment as related to the psychological development of the individual.
Note: Offered in the spring semester
Offered: Resident
An introductory class to the psychological and emotional aspects of sport. Topics include mental preparation, goal setting, extrinsic vs. intrinsic reward, stress, anxiety, relaxation and coping within the context of sport participation. The topic of competition and the concepts of success and failure are discussed from a biblical perspective.
Offered: Resident and Online
This course will provide a foundational view of character coaches and related personnel within organized sport. The content will focus on learning how to pray for, to serve, to challenge, and to invest in lives and being on the journey of faith for those who serve.
Offered: Resident and Online
Resident Prerequisite: SMGT 302 and SMGT 305 and (RSCH 201 or Inquiry Research with a score of 80 or Research with a score of 80 or Research (prior to 2017-2018) with a score of 80)
A study of the problems and considerations involved in the successful management of sport and recreation programs. Areas considered include program planning, organization, leadership and evaluation, and current organizational trends.
Registration Restrictions: Junior status
Offered: Resident and Online
Economic marketing and finance theories applied to sport organizations, with special emphasis on the impact of sport upon the proximate community, and general development of cities and sport facilities.
Offered: Resident and Online
A basic understanding of the developments, trends and social processes that explain the widely popular sporting experiences of society today.
Offered: Resident and Online
The relevant areas of marketing are applied to sport applications for spectator and participative sport organizations are given. Special emphasis is placed on strategic planning, product analysis, and the development and presentation of marketing packages to secure sponsorship.
Offered: Resident and Online
This course examines the concepts and process of research in sport management. Students will be introduced to issues associated with but not limited to the logic of the scientific method, assessing scholarly research, research design, qualitative and quantitative methodologies, and how to integrate research into decision making. Students will be afforded the opportunity to develop a research proposal relevant to the discipline and thus provide a foundation from which the student may use the knowledge and practices gained in this course throughout the rest of their career.
Offered: Resident and Online
Prerequisite: BUSI 201 and SMGT 200 and SMGT 201 and SMGT 302 and SMGT 305 and SMGT 310 and SMGT 312
This course examines various aspects of sport governing bodies and the organizations they oversee, including their structure, authority, membership, policy development, and the ethical issues behind their decisions. Governing bodies to be examined will include the domains of professional sport, interscholastic sport, intercollegiate sport, amateur sport, and international sport.
Offered: Resident and Online
Prerequisite: BUSI 201 and SMGT 200 and SMGT 201 and SMGT 302 and SMGT 305 and SMGT 310 and SMGT 312 and (MATH 115 or MATH 116 or MATH 117 or MATH 121 or MATH 122 or MATH 201 or MATH 2XX or MATH 3XX or MATH 4XX) and BUSI 201
A study of the process of data-based decision making including data collection, analysis and interpretation. Topics will include information gathering, research design and methods, data analysis software, and the use of statistics to analyze and interpret information.
Offered: Resident and Online
Sport Media Strategies is designed as a capstone course for the Communications and Public Relations Cognate. Heavy emphasis is given to the application of sport public relations technologies and strategies including promotional media, media relations tactics, public relations campaigns, and high level public relations responsibilities related to sport information.
Offered: Resident and Online
This course will provide students with background knowledge of the unique aspects of the sport product and important guest service management concepts. These concepts include, but are not limited to, service quality, guest satisfaction, how perceptions of service influence consumer behaviors, and service assessment methods. Students will learn how to leverage their understanding of these concepts to establish guest service standards and strategies to meet organizational goals within the context of sport and live entertainment event businesses.
Offered: Resident and Online
An in-depth study of the business practices associated with the booking, scheduling, and presentation of events in sport venues. Reflecting the multipurpose programming of many sport venues, this course will examine a variety of one-off athletic competitions, sport tournaments, concerts, family shows, and other showcase events used to fill a venue's calendar dark days.
Offered: Resident and Online
SMGT 495 - Directed Research (1 to 3 hours)
Offered: Resident
SMGT 497 - Special Topics in Sport Management (1 to 3 hours)
Offered: Resident
Placement with a sport organization for a controlled learning experience with the student's career specialization area. Applications are processed through the department Faculty Intern Advisor. Applicants must apply the semester prior to starting the internship.
Registration Restrictions: 2.25 GPA
Offered: Resident and Online