Prepare for a career in the exciting field of sports management
Sport Administration Ontario College Diploma program
Learn the business of sport! Connect with industry professionals. Two industry placements will give you a head start in your career.
Program information
Program description
Students develop the knowledge, skills and experience to succeed within the sport industry. The fundamentals of business administration are introduced through courses in accounting, marketing, technology, research, and entrepreneurship. Operations in sport organizations are explored through curriculum in fundraising, sponsorship, program planning, leagues, tournament organizing and scheduling, fitness, and facility operations. In addition to the theoretical components of the program, practical experience is obtained through community leadership opportunities and field placements. New to the Sport Administration program are The Business of Esports and Scouting and Sport Team Operations courses.
Intake information
| Start date | Campus |
|---|---|
| Fall 2025 | Barrie |
| Winter 2026 | Barrie |
Tuition and fees
- Visit our tuition and fees page for detailed information on the cost to attend Georgian.
- You can afford this! Explore OSAP as well as awards, scholarships and bursaries to help you pay your way to graduation.
Work-integrated learning
- This program includes a field placement component where you’ll gain hands-on experience in a setting relevant to your program.
- Learn about types of work-integrated learning at Georgian.
What are the admission requirements for the Sport Administration program?
Sport Administration admission requirements
- Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) or equivalent, or mature student status
- Grade 12 English (C or U)
- any Grade 111 or 12 Mathematics (C,M or U)
- 1
Minimum of 60% in Grade 11 College or University level Mathematics (MBF3C or MCF3M)
Mature students, non-secondary school applicants (19 years or older), and home school applicants may also be considered for admission. Eligibility may be met by applicants who have taken equivalent courses, upgrading, completed their GED, and equivalency testing. For complete details refer to: www.georgiancollege.ca/admissions/academic-regulations/
Applicants who have taken courses from a recognized and accredited post-secondary institution and/or have relevant life/learning experience may also be considered for admission; refer to the Credit for Prior Learning website for details:
www.georgiancollege.ca/admissions/credit-transfer/
Criminal Reference/Vulnerable Sector Check
Placement agencies require an up-to-date clear criminal reference check and vulnerable sector check prior to going out on placement. Students should obtain their criminal reference three months prior to placement; checks conducted earlier may not be considered current. As some jurisdictions require longer lead-time for processing, please check with the program coordinator to ensure you allow for sufficient turn-around time. It is the student’s responsibility to provide the completed document prior to placement start.
NOTE: A record of criminal offences, for which a pardon has not been granted, may prevent students from completing their placements, thereby affecting their ability to graduate.
Additional information
Students are recommended to have Standard First Aid and CPR on admission to the program (on-line courses are not acceptable). It is the student’s responsibility to renew their Standard First Aid and CPR certification annually while in the program. Students are asked to submit a copy of their current Standard First Aid and CPR certificate to the coordinator of the program.
Why study Sport Administration at Georgian?
If you’re passionate about sports and want to turn your passion into a career, Sport Administration is right for you!
Expert faculty
- Learn from passionate, expert faculty in the sport industry
Networking opportunities
- Make industry connections through networking opportunities with professionals
Valuable field placements
- Get hands-on, on-the-job experience through two sport industry field placements to prepare you for your future career
Broad curriculum
- Explore a variety of topics to support endless of sport career paths, including sports marketing, analytics, team operations, administration, accounting, research, entrepreneurship and more!
Exceptional industry partners
- Dodgeball Canada – national sport governing body for dodgeball
- Mariposa School of Skating – internationally renowned training centre for skaters
- National Training Rinks – a skating and hockey training facility with locations in Barrie, Newmarket and Richmond Hill
- Prime Time Sport and Entertainment Conference – a premier sport industry event with speakers from a variety of professional sports
- Rogers Television – sporting event videography
- Simcoe County Rovers FC – League 1 Ontario football club, new to Barrie
- Smith Brothers Baseball Central – year-round baseball training and instruction
I chose the Georgian College Sport Administration program because I wanted to live and study in one of the best places in the world and learn everything about sports and business. I wanted to have the full experience of this great opportunity at Georgian. I love to participate in sports, and would like to begin a career in the sport industry working with athletes of all backgrounds and ages, to help them in skill development.—Alexander Sorokine, Sport Administration student at Georgian College
Experiential learning opportunities
- Beginning in your first year and throughout your program, you’ll have an opportunity to attend and network at industry conferences like the Primetime Sports Management Conference and Trade Show. Engage with panel speakers and learn about the latest sport industry trends.
- Learn from and be inspired by guest speakers.
- Complete your field placement as a National Hockey League (NHL) prospect scout, or with Dodgeball Canada or the Simcoe County Rovers Football Club!
- Receive industry-specific certifications, such as the National Coaching Certification Program (NCCP).
I chose Georgian College’s Sport Administration program because it has a strong reputation and offers practical field placement opportunities in the sport industry. Currently, I am working with the BMO Centre in London while training with Team Canada men’s paralympic hockey team. My hope is to manage a professional sport team or facility and the skills and practical experiences I have learned in this program will give me the foundation to move forward with my career.—James Dunn, Sport Administration student at Georgian College
What career paths can I take in sports management?
Your Sport Administration diploma gives you many career opportunities
The skills you’ll learn in the Sport Administration program can be used in any sport organization.
Graduates of this program may be eligible for entry-level positions within amateur athletic associations, professional sport organizations, sport governing bodies, regional, provincial, national and international sport competitions, municipal parks and recreation departments, college and university athletic centres, varsity and intramural programs, community facilities, resorts, private and commercial clubs, event companies, outdoor adventure centres, sport retailers, equipment manufacturers, sport related charities and foundations.
Your future career
If you’re interested in any of these career paths, this program is right for you:
- Sport marketing
- Sport administration (i.e., minor sport organizations, and regional, provincial and federal sport governing bodies)
- Municipal recreation
- Intercollegiate athletics
- Sport event planning and management
- Team management
- Player scouting
- Game day operations
- Private and commercial sport clubs
- Sport retail and manufacturing
Graduate success story
Drake Aldred, Leagues & Tournaments Coordinator/Office Administrator for National Training Rinks in Barrie, began as a field placement student in this facility. Drake initially worked in the office, helping customers with registrations, answering their questions, booking ice rentals and helping with maintenance, eventually convening the men’s 3-on-3 leagues. Proving himself, Drake now is a full-time staff member, using his sport administration skills daily.
I owe a lot of where I am today to the co-ordinators, the professors and the lessons learned in the Sports Administration program.
Drake Aldred, Sport Administration graduate at Georgian College
What courses are included in the Sport Administration diploma program?
Course overview
16 Program Courses
1 Option Course
2 Communications Courses
3 General Education Courses
2 Field Placements
Program-specific courses
Semester 1 courses are listed below. For a full list of courses in the program including course descriptions, view the Sport Administration program outline.
- COMP 1058 – Technology in Administration
- REAS 2003 – Research in Recreation and Sport
- RECR 1001 – Program Planning
- SPRT 1000 – Introduction to Sport Administration
- Select 1 course from the Communications list during registration
- Select 1 course from the General Education list during registration
Your course delivery method(s)
In person
This program is delivered fully in person and requires you to attend campus.
Please note, delivery methods are based on planning for the upcoming semester and are subject to change.
Pathways
As a graduate of Georgian’s Sport Administration program, you’ll have many opportunities to further your studies.
Related diplomas
Considering building on your skills and complementing your Sport Administration diploma with a diploma in Recreation and Leisure Services.
Graduate certificate studies
Pursue a one-year graduate certificate at Georgian, such as the Event Management or Digital Content Creation and Strategy.
Articulation agreements
Georgian also has articulation agreements with universities, offering desirable study options for our program graduates.
Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
Barrie and surrounding areas host a number of sport organizations and clubs that work with Georgian to provide field placement positions to Sport Administration students.
Positions can include game day operations, administration, event planning, retail, team management and so much more!
The first field placement (Field Placement 1) consists of 60 hours, and the second (Field Placement 2) is 120 hours.
Placements occur in the fall and winter semesters.
Both field placements in the Sport Administration program at Georgian are unpaid volunteer positions.
Georgian is working at establishing pathways for Sport Administration graduates to pursue further studies at other postsecondary institutions.
In the past, graduates have gone on to study at various Ontario universities and the United Kingdom, but the opportunities are endless!
You might also be interested in complementing your Sport Administration diploma with a diploma in Recreation and Leisure Services or a graduate certificate in Event Management.
All that is needed is a passion for sports!
Postsecondary education is an investment in your future. We know many students find it tough to make ends meet, which is why we offer so many options to help you pay your way to graduation.
Georgian offers awards, scholarships and bursaries to students of all walks of life — domestic, international and Indigenous, full-time and part-time, first years, upcoming graduates and everyone in between. You can afford this!
For more information, visit our awards, scholarships and bursaries webpage.
Check out our other related programs
Advertising and Marketing Communications
Gain valuable experience in our student-run agency and on your field placement. Great industry connections. Awesome job prospects!
Business
Build a solid foundation in business. Valuable hands-on experience to launch your career from here or take advantage of pathways to further studies.
Fitness and Health Promotion
Become a fitness and health professional. Practical training and industry experience that extends beyond lectures. Be certification-ready.
Police Foundations
Extraordinary learning experiences and community connections. Develop your knowledge and competitive skills for life and career success.
Do you have questions about Sport Administration? Contact us!
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