Discussion Board

General Study Guide for Master’s Comprehensive Exam The comprehensive exam concentrates on topics relative to the sport management master’s degree program’s core courses. It is designed to measure students’ level of understanding of the key concepts, objectives, and outcomes learned from the core courses, and students should study these areas to best prepare for the exam.

Questions will challenge students to demonstrate quality decision-making skills, establish perspectives, and provide theoretical evidence to support the rationale behind making decisions and taking stances on issues facing professionals in the sport industry. Students will be evaluated on their ability to think critically, express themselves through high level writing skills, practically apply concepts and theories, and generally demonstrate a proficient command of the subject matter.

Below is a list of some of the key topics and concepts of which sport management master’s students should have knowledge and understanding. These areas are also an integral part of the roles sport management professionals fulfill.

This list is a guide designed to help students when studying, but it is not meant to be an all- inclusive list.

 Challenges Facing Sports Management Professionals  Financial  Economic  Cultural  Ethical  Legal

♦ Title IX ♦ Title VII ♦ ADA

 Sociological Aspects of Sports  Race  Social class  Deviance and violence  Socialization  Gender  Age

 Coaching and Management  Creative problem solving  Decision-making  Management theory  Human resources  Style of leadership

 Impact of Sports Tourism  Sociocultural  Economic  Environmental

 Marketing and Public/Media Relations  Theories, methods, and strategies  Sports marketing research  Consumer behavior in sports  Sports commercialization  Ticket sales and operations

 Nature and Scope of the Sports Industry  Youth sports  Interscholastic sports  Intercollegiate athletics  Professional sports  Recreational sports  International sports

 Sports Facility and Event Management  Construction of stadiums and arenas  Managing events  Legal concerns

 Governance of Sports  The history of sports governance  Governing bodies in sports  Reform efforts