Sport and Entertainment Management
Matthew T. Brown, Chair
The College of Hospitality, Retail, and Sport Management offers a bachelor of science degree program with a major in sport and entertainment management.
Entrance Requirements
In addition to the entrance requirements of the College of Hospitality, Retail, and Sport Management, the Department of Sport and Entertainment Management has the following requirements:
Students from other USC campuses, students enrolled in other colleges on the Columbia campus, students enrolled in other departments in the college, and transfer students from other institutions must have a GPA of 3.00 on all college work taken.
Courses
SPTE 101 - The Student-Athlete Experience (3 Credits)
Examination of the functions and resources the university provides for students transitioning to college and the problems common to the first-year student-athlete experience.
SPTE 110 - Sport and Entertainment in American Life (3 Credits)
The American sport and entertainment enterprise: background, influences, and trends; collegiate and professional sport organizations; ownership and unionization; media portrayals.
SPTE 195 - Sport and Entertainment Careers (0 Credits)
Introduction of networking, interviewing, and career planning in the sport and entertainment industry.
SPTE 201 - Introduction to Sport Management (3 Credits)
Introduction to sport management industry career fields.
SPTE 202 - Introduction to Live Entertainment Management (3 Credits)
The study of underlying themes in entertainment management and its application to music, family shows, and other live entertainment business venues.
SPTE 203 - Introduction to Event and Venue Management (3 Credits)
An overview of the history, impact, types, and trends of events and venues, the principles of event planning, the role of venues, and career options in each field.
SPTE 240 - Business Law (3 Credits)
Formation of contracts and their operation as they apply to business; promissory notes and checks; agency and employment.
SPTE 274 - Computer Applications in Hospitality, Retail, and Sport Management (3 Credits)
Administrative tasks for computer usage, including software and hardware selection, applications, and solutions.
SPTE 295 - Internship I in Sport and Entertainment Management (6 Credits)
Supervised work experience in a sport or entertainment management area selected by the student with approval of advisor. Contract approved by advisor or department chair is required for undergraduate students.
Graduation with Leadership Distinction: GLD: Professional and Civic Engagement Leadership Experiences
Experiential Learning: Experiential Learning Opportunity
SPTE 302 - Artist Representation and Management (3 Credits)
This course focuses on the role of the manager in the entertainment industry and his or her relationships with artists, agents, buyers and industry executives.
Prerequisites: SPTE 202.
SPTE 303 - Live Entertainment Tour Management (3 Credits)
This course puts a fine point on performance tour management logistics, including booking, scheduling, shipping, budgeting, movement of equipment, and artist management challenges, including entertainment production.
Prerequisites: SPTE 202.
SPTE 305 - The Business of NASCAR (3 Credits)
The course is designed to present an overall view of the NASCAR industry through a series of guest speakers, who are subject matter experts in their respective NASCAR-related fields.
SPTE 310 - Collegiate Athletics (3 Credits)
Students are provided with an overview of college athletics. Though the course will cover the NJCAA and NAIA, it will particularly focus upon the NCAA, and more specifically, upon the business of “Big-Time” intercollegiate athletics.
SPTE 315 - NCAA Compliance (3 Credits)
Students will gain a basic understanding of NCAA Division I rules and regulations while learning how the rules are applied to member institution. An overview of the operations of an NCAA Division I compliance office and coaching regulations will be provided as well.
SPTE 320 - Sport and the Law (3 Credits)
Laws and regulatory bodies affecting the management of sport personnel, facilities, and events.
Prerequisites: SPTE 240 or equivalent.
Graduation with Leadership Distinction: GLD: Research
SPTE 325 - Resort and Club Recreation Programming (3 Credits)
Management of club and resort sport complexes.
SPTE 330 - The Summer Olympic Games (3 Credits)
Examination of the Summer Olympic Games and its impact on sport, entertainment, hospitality, tourism and the host community.
SPTE 335 - The Business of Baseball (3 Credits)
Overall view of the sport of baseball from a business perspective.
SPTE 340 - The Sporting Goods Industry (3 Credits)
Principles of manufacturing and retailing applied to the sporting goods industry.
SPTE 342 - Sport and Entertainment Contracts and Negotiations (3 Credits)
SPTE 376 - Risk Management in Sport and Entertainment (3 Credits)
SPTE 380 - Sport and Entertainment Marketing (3 Credits)
Marketing theory and practice and how it relates and applies to sport and entertainment.
Prerequisites: MKTG 350.
SPTE 385 - Ethics in Sport and Entertainment Business (3 Credits)
The objective of this course is to familiarize students with the ethical issues that exist in the business of sport and entertainment. Students will learn theories of ethics and how they relate to issues faced by managers in the sport and entertainment industry. Ethical theories and philosophies – deontology, utilitarianism, and virtue - will be driving the discussions and understandings of ethical decision-making in this class.
Carolina Core: VSR
Graduation with Leadership Distinction: GLD: Professional and Civic Engagement Leadership Experiences
SPTE 399 - Independent Study (1-6 Credits)
Students will have an opportunity to explore a specific area of sport and entertainment management. Individual students will indentify an area of study related to sport and entertainment management and complete a research paper on this topic under the guidance of the instructor.
Graduation with Leadership Distinction: GLD: Research
SPTE 402 - Entertainment and the Law (3 Credits)
Performing arts and entertainment industries’ social, economic, and legal issues, in addition to the development and role of entertainment in society, will be analyzed–from its roots to the present.
Prerequisites: SPTE 240.
SPTE 404 - Promoting Entertainment Events (3 Credits)
SPTE 410 - Sport and Entertainment in Popular Culture (3 Credits)
Investigation of sport and entertainment as critical facets of American society.
SPTE 415 - Sport in Film (3 Credits)
This class invites students to consider a variety of classic and contemporary, international and domestic sports films featuring heroes and villains from baseball, basketball, boxing, football, soccer and other sports stages. Students will develop a rhetorical analysis of socially significant sport films after exposure to numerous critical perspectives.
SPTE 430 - Sport and Entertainment Services Marketing (3 Credits)
Basic principles required to promote a service marketing strategy in sport and entertainment.
Prerequisites: MKTG 350.
SPTE 435 - Spectator Facilities Management (3 Credits)
Programming, marketing, public relations, fiscal considerations, operation, labor relations, personnel, and event management for spectator sports and entertainment events.
SPTE 440 - Sport and Entertainment Business and Finance (3 Credits)
SPTE 444 - Sports and Entertainment Event Management (3 Credits)
SPTE 450 - Sales in Sport and Entertainment Business (3 Credits)
Students will be provided with an overview of the sales process and learn how the sales process applies to sport and entertainment while using hands on exercises to perpetuate the understanding of the importance of sales.
Prerequisites: MKTG 350.
SPTE 490 - Special Topics in Sport and Entertainment Management (3 Credits)
Current topics and trends in sport, live entertainment, and venue management. Content varies by title. May be repeated once.
SPTE 495 - Internship II in Sport and Entertainment Management (6 Credits)
Placement with a sport or entertainment organization for a supervised learning experience in the student’s career specialization area.
Graduation with Leadership Distinction: GLD: Professional and Civic Engagement Internships
Experiential Learning: Experiential Learning Opportunity
SPTE 498 - Research Experience (3 Credits)
Working with a faculty mentor, students develop a research project and related research skills.
Graduation with Leadership Distinction: GLD: Research
SPTE 499 - Senior Thesis (3 Credits)
A senior thesis related to one of the advanced courses in the major program.
Prerequisites: minimum GPA of 3.50 in major courses, 3.30 overall.
Graduation with Leadership Distinction: GLD: Research
SPTE 501 - Trends and Issues in Sport and Entertainment Management (3 Credits)
Trends and Issues in Sport and Entertainment Management.
SPTE 545 - Managing Part-Time Employees and Volunteers (3 Credits)
Recruiting, hiring, training, and retaining part-time employees and volunteers in sport and entertainment.
SPTE 550 - The Business of Esports (3 Credits)
This course is designed to provide students with an overview of the business of esports. It will focus on the history of video games from creation to the present and will also cover the various business elements of the modern, competitive esports environment.
SPTE 560 - Performing Arts Management and Leadership (3 Credits)
SPTE 565 - Business of Broadway (3 Credits)
SPTE 570 - Special Topics in Global Sport (3 Credits)
This course examines a variety of global sport and entertainment management issues. The emphasis will be on an understanding of the concepts related to the sport and entertainment management in an international setting. Content varies by title. May be repeated once.
Graduation with Leadership Distinction: GLD: Professional and Civic Engagement Leadership Experiences
SPTE 580 - Business Principles in Sport Management. (3 Credits)
Business principles in the management of public and private sector sport programs.
SPTE 585 - Sports Economics (3 Credits)
This course focuses on issues relevant to sport, entertainment, and related industries. The goal of the class will be for students to understand both basic and complex concepts within economics in a sport and entertainment context, in order to grasp the importance of economic decision-making.
SPTE 590 - Special Topics in Live Entertainment and Sport (3 Credits)
Investigation of Special topics pertinent to the sport and entertainment management industry. Content varies by title. May be repeated twice.
SPTE 635 - Sport and Entertainment Event Development (3 Credits)
Business concepts needed to develop sport and entertainment special events.
SPTE 640 - Venue Management: Principles and Practices (3 Credits)
Managing public assembly facilities and venues.
Prerequisites: SPTE 203 or equivalent.
SPTE 650 - Integrated Marketing Communication in Sport and Entertainment (3 Credits)
Use of integrated marketing communication concepts, theories, and strategies in sport and entertainment.
Prerequisites: MKTG 350.
SPTE 655 - Social Media in Live Entertainment and Sport (3 Credits)
In-depth investigation of social networks, digital platforms, and online marketing for the live entertainment and sport industries.