COURSE CURRICULUM

The Sport Entertainment Management Master’s program is designed to prepare students for leadership roles in the global sports and entertainment industry by combining business education with hands-on industry experience. A major strength of the program is its extensive network of professional partnerships across the Dallas–Fort Worth (DFW) region, including organizations such as the Texas Rangers, Dallas Mavericks, FC Dallas, Dallas Sports Commission, Learfield, Texas Motor Speedway, and several minor league franchises. These connections give students direct exposure to real industry environments and opportunities to work on applied projects with professional organizations. A key feature of the curriculum is its strong focus on experiential learning, where students regularly complete semester-long projects such as partnership pitch decks, social media analytics reports, employee training proposals, international branding strategies, and event operations plans for real clients. The program follows an inverted classroom model, where traditional lectures are minimized and replaced with guest speaker sessions, interactive discussions, and networking opportunities with industry professionals. Students also benefit from the capstone consultancy project, in which they independently secure or are assisted in finding a real client and complete a professional consulting project, providing valuable real-world experience before graduation. The curriculum is highly specialized, consisting of 18 credit hours focused entirely on the sport and entertainment industry, allowing students to fully immerse themselves in the field. Through these experiences, students build strong professional networks, including access to UNT’s extensive alumni base of over 280,000 individuals in the DFW area, many of whom hold executive positions. Career opportunities for graduates include roles such as Corporate Partnership Manager, Event Manager, Marketing Director, and Operations Manager. Alumni from the program are employed across major organizations including the Dallas Cowboys, Dallas Mavericks, FC Dallas, Texas Rangers, Dallas Stars, Learfield HQ, Topgolf HQ, Wasserman, Amazon, San Antonio Spurs, Austin FC, Texas Legends, and the YMCA, among others. Core courses such as Financial Management, Marketing Management, Organizational Behavior, Sport Law and Risk Management, Accounting for Management, and Introduction to the Business Decision Process provide a strong business foundation while reinforcing industry-specific expertise, preparing graduates for successful careers in sport and entertainment management.