Sport Management Internships: Requirements and Policies

Abstract

Sport Management Internships: Requirements and Policies Chris Brown, Ph.D; Jennifer Willett, Ph.D; Bernie Goldfine, Ph.D Abstract The purpose of this research was to examine undergraduate sport management internship requirements and policies in the United States. The authors identified 290 institutions in the United States offering undergraduate programs in sport management using the North American Society for Sport Management (NASSM) website. Of those institutions, 195 met the criteria for the study and were emailed surveys. Seventy-two surveys were completed which accounted for a 36% return rate. The majority of undergraduate sport management internship programs are comprised of the following required elements: 11-12 credit hours, which equates to 200-300 contact hours taken in the senior year (one semester) that requires a prior field experience; written weekly reports by the interns, a special project, and two site supervisor evaluations are used to assess and evaluate student performance. Concerning, the faculty role in internship supervision, 38% of respondents stated that they receive a one academic course release, regardless of how many interns are under their supervision. The current study suggests that sport management internship requirements and procedures vary between universities in the United States. The findings of this study paint a unique and evolving picture of the current state of sport management internship curriculum. Full Text: PDF DOI: 10.15640/jpesm.v3n2a1