Recreation and Sport Management, B.S.

Through coursework, practicum, internship, research, and scholarly activities, the Bachelor of Science in recreation and sport management (RSM) provides students with opportunities to study, analyze, evaluate, and successfully lead and implement programs in the fields of recreation and sport management.

The RSM program prepares students for professional employment in a variety of public, nonprofit, and private recreation and sport settings or graduate studies in the recreation and/or sport disciplines. The RSM major offers students a wide range of exciting career choices within many professional fields. Specialists in these areas manage recreation and/or sport activity facilities, supervise and plan indoor and outdoor recreation and sporting events, and develop recreation and sport services among diverse settings and populations.

The RSM curriculum responds to the growing number of students desiring to study management and leadership in either the recreation or sport fields. All RSM students complete a common core of study and through the use of program electives, have the ability to tailor their program of study around their career interests and goals. Program coursework aligns with the national standards and competencies of the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) and/or the North American Society of Sport Management (NASSM). The program culminates in a semester-long internship in the field.

Mission Statement

Coastal Carolina University’s recreation and sport management faculty is composed of teachers/mentors who have a wide variety of professional and practical experiences in the discipline and profession. The program prepares knowledgeable and effective entry-level professionals in the recreation or sport industries through a variety of modalities including learning theoretical foundations in the classroom, community-based experiential learning, applied and collaborative research, and a capstone internship. The active learning approach employed by the program prepares critically-thinking graduates who positively impact their community through the delivery of high quality recreation and sport services. Students and faculty work collaboratively to acquire the essential knowledge, skills, abilities and disposition to plan, promote, implement, and evaluate contemporary recreation and sport programs or events that serve society and enhance quality of life.

Student Learning Outcomes

At the completion of the RSM program students will be able to:

1. Explain the principles and philosophies underlying the field of recreation and sport management.
2. Demonstrate managerial skills in the areas of personnel, scheduling, program evaluation, decision-making, goal setting, and problem solving.
3. Implement legal and risk management aspects of recreation and sport management.
4. Apply knowledge and skills of facilities and events planning.
5. Conduct appropriate needs assessment, marketing, and public relations necessary to promote and program recreational and sport events and activities.
6. Communicate with key constituencies in recreation or sport settings.
7. Apply the principles, techniques, and strategies of marketing to recreation or sport events.
8. Display the dispositions of an effective entry-level recreation and sport manager including, but not limited to communication, professionalism, and functioning within organizational goals.

Policies and Requirements

Students must earn a grade of ‘C’ or better in each course used to satisfy a) RSM major requirements, and b) RSM foundation requirements. A grade of ‘C’ or better is also required in ENGL 101 .

All recreation and sport management students are required to complete a capstone 12-week, 480 hour internship at an approved and supervised site. Students are expected to demonstrate mastery of the student learning outcomes during this experience. End-of-program oral and written exit exams are required of all students to be admitted to the internship. The purpose of the exit exam is to determine how well the student has mastered program content within the student learning outcomes. All recreation and sport management students are required to be admitted to the internship.

Admission requirements to the internship:

1. Demonstration of acceptable professional dispositions;
2. Passing score (70 percent or better) on end-of-program exit exam;
3. Successful completion of oral exit interview;
4. ‘C’ or better in all RSM major requirements;
5. ‘C’ or better on all RSM foundation requirements;
6. Successful completion of all undergraduate required coursework.