KINGSVILLE, Texas, May 21 -- Texas A&M University at Kingsville issued the following news release:
Sport promoter. Camp and recreation director. Marketer for the sporting goods industry. High school or collegiate athletic director. Sports agent.
These are a few of the occupations Texas A&M University-Kingsville hopes to be filled by students of its new sport management degree plan, offered for the first time this fall through the health and kinesiology department as a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology with an emphasis in Sport Management.
Sport management is the application of business management and democratic leadership skills in the culture of applied and community sport experiences.
According to Dr. Christopher Hearon, associate professor and chair of the health and kinesiology department, a variety of career paths emerged in sport over the last four decades that require directors, managers and entrepreneurs to possess unique skills in sport and business management.
'The addition of the sport management degree program in the department of health and kinesiology reflects the overall growth of the sports industry,' said Hearon. 'Sport is both a major industry in Western economies and a robust component of American culture.'
Hearon said that the A&M-Kingsville sport management program has a distinct element that sets itself apart from other programs. 'We have a unique focus on community engagement, sport governance and public relations.
'The program is a hands-on program, requiring students to complete a minimum of one internship experience. Our students will receive hands-on training and leadership experiences they will be using in the sport industry.'
To make sure the new program was tied to today's changing sport industry, the department worked closely with A&M-Kingsville athletics director Scott Gines, who emphasized why Texas A&M-Kingsville is an ideal location for the program. 'Javelina athletics leads the Lone Star Conference and NCAA II in community engagement 'Ideas that Work,' hosts the Valero Cactus Bowl, and annually administers over 120 home events.
'University alumni also include a legacy of sport industry professionals, such as Jim Hill of CBS Sports, the late Gene Upshaw of the NFL Players Association and Darrell Green, head of the Darrell Green Foundation,' said Gines.
Hearon said he anticipated that the department of athletics will continue working closely with the department of health and kinesiology to ensure the program's growth. Sport management degree requirements
The A&M-Kingsville sport management program consists of four fundamental components: a kinesiology core, adding up to 19 credit hours; a sport management core of 21 credit hours; a business core of 21 credit hours of courses from the College of Business Administration; and a professional emphasis of 15 credit hours. For the professional emphasis, students may select from marketing and promotions, labor relations or journalism and media relations, which require coursework from the College of Business Administration and/or the College of Arts & Sciences. Other degrees offered by the department of health and kinesiology
The sport management program joins a number of other kinesiology options at A&M-Kingsville, including EC-12 physical education (teacher certification), exercise science, exercise science/pre-physical therapy and sport & leisure studies. In addition, the department of health and kinesiology also offers a bachelor's of science in community health and a master's of science in kinesiology.
More information on sport management and the other degree plans is available online at http://www.tamuk.edu/edu/hkn/.For more information please contact: Sarabjit Jagirdar, Email:- htsyndication@hindustantimes.com.
Jason Marton, 361/593-4143, jason.marton@tamuk.edu.
