<p>I visited USC a couple days ago. I met with some members of the college of Hospitality, Retail, and Sports Management. I left thoroughly impressed with the school, but I still have a couple major questions:</p>
<p>Umass Amherst Program vs. USC- I know that there are no formal rankings for sports management, but everywhere I look it seems Amherst has the best program. I asked him why USC has a better program than Amherst. He told me that their major also covers the entertainment industry and isnt as specialized in one area. He also said that the reason why the major isnt located in the business school is because they have too much staff and they dont want the major to get buried under all the business majors. Does this argument hold water? </p>
<p>I am from Connecticut and got into Amhersts sports management and the Commonwealth honors college. It would be easy for me to go there, but I kind of want to change things up. It would be hard to give up that opportunity too, though. </p>
<p>Internships- One of the most important things I am considering is internships. He said that the office guides the process, but I am concerned with Carolinas location. Finding an internship is not going to be easy anywhere, but does USC have any sort of connections? I am specifically interested in baseball and there arent any professional baseball organizations around. </p>
<p>Worth of Degree- I will most likely be going to graduate or law school. Can anyone attest to the sports management program in general? Do they prepare you well? Do the professors have actual experience in the field?</p>
<p>I also had a meeting with the Sports Management department last week. Here’s some things I got from it.</p>
<p>Majoring in Sports Management is almost like getting a business degree. Just from reading message boards like these and other types of forums on the internet the common conception seems to be that a Sports Management degree isn’t practical, too vocational, and doesn’t leave much to fall back on. I asked one of the guys about this (I can’t remember his name but it was the old guy and if you had talked to him you would have heard him say something like “we’re not in the business of making rocket fuel, we’re in the business of making friends and money”) and he said he doesn’t understand those fears. If you look at the curriculum, we (SM majors) would take many business-related courses like Accounting and Finance. The last internship everyone has during the senior year should lead to their first job, however, there is still room to get jobs in other areas of business, finance, etc. because the major isn’t really as specialized as some people believe. I didn’t ask specifically about law or grad school but they definitely seem attainable–especially since those who major in SM usually enjoy what they’re learning and will, thus, get better grades. </p>
<p>I can only offer a few things on the UMass-USC debate: USC’s Sports Management curriculum was actually brought to South Carolina by a professor who taught at UMass. Also, SC does stress the internship aspect of the major and the guy I talked to said they work to make sure and prepare the kids get jobs after graduation. And SC does have a good track record of sending graduates to top notch companies like IMG Licensing and Nike as well as professional and collegiate athletic teams like the Carolina Panthers or Georgetown Hoyas. (I know you said you were interested in baseball; not sure what aspect of the sport but I know many graduates go on to work in stadiums and arenas) Also, the weather in Columbia doesn’t compare to Amherst. </p>
<p>Yeah you’re right, I think he was the dean. I don’t know if I am going to USC for sure. If I decide to go the SM route, it’s between Syracuse and South Carolina. I’m still waiting to hear back from Syr. Both sound like great programs.</p>
<p>personally I feel Sports Management isn’t a worth-while degree. Its not like you will start out being a GM of a MLB or NFL or NBA or NHL team. Nor will you be in a position like that in any other field. But you start out as an intern like anybody else which doesn’t even require a sports management degree. Any business degree or something related to business will be sufficient to get invloved in a professional team industry. So why isolate yourself to a sports management degree when you can recieve another degree that opens up your job oppurtunities in ANY field of business?</p>
<p>My brothers’ girlfriend just recieved her master’s degree in Sports Management from georgetown and is struggling to find an “in” or a job period and she lives in the DC metropolitan area. </p>
<p>Its extremely hard to get a job with that degree and i think it would be better to go a different path.</p>
<p>As a SM major here, I am going to have to disagree with aromy. It’s not true at all that everyone starts out as an intern, two internships are required to graduate so many people go from their second internship (done senior year) to a real job once they graduate. The connections and help you receive from the professors in the department is amazing. Many of them have worked in the business for 30+ years.</p>
<p>Job opportunities are there for those that are willing to “pay their dues” and go to small cities and work hard. It’s hard to find a job if you say you’re only willing to go to a big city and work for a professional team.</p>
<p>So what did you decide? How have things gone? I’m a Junior in HS and I would like to major in Sports Management at SC or NC State. (I live in Raleigh). I’m lucky enough to have the Carolina Hurricanes the Panthers, the Bobcats, and 5 major Universities in NC.</p>