Prepare for a career in the exciting field of sports management

Program code SPRT

Duration 2 Years

Credential Ontario College Diploma

Program Delivery Full-time

Full-time program delivery method(s) In person What does this mean?

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 2023	Barrie
Winter 2024	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 will gain practical, hands-on work experience in a setting relevant to your program.

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Apply as a domestic student

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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 11¹or 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

Alexander Sorokine, student in Georgian College's two-year Sport Administration program, in front of a PrimeTime Sports & Entertainment backdrop while attending the conference

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).

two men's sports team standing and facing each other at the centre field

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.

Learn MORE about program delivery methods

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.

Learn about 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.

Explore our graduate certificates

Articulation agreements

Georgian also has articulation agreements with universities, offering desirable study options for our program graduates.

Browse articulation agreements

Frequently asked questions (FAQs)

What field placement opportunities are available in the Sport Administration program?

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!

How many hours of field placement experience will I complete?

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.

Are the field placements paid or volunteer positions?

Both field placements in the Sport Administration program at Georgian are unpaid volunteer positions.

Is the Sport Administration diploma transferrable?

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.

Do I need to be athletic to take the Sport Administration program?

All that is needed is a passion for sports!

Are there any awards, scholarships or bursaries available to students?

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.