The University of Michigan is a leading public university and one of the world's preeminent research institutions. The School of Kinesiology at the University of Michigan is one of 19 independent academic units and one of seven health science schools and colleges within the University of Michigan. In Fall 2023, the National Academy of Kinesiology ranked the School of Kinesiology at the University of Michigan as the #1 Kinesiology program in the US. The school is led by Dean Lori Ploutz-Snyder and has over 40 tenure-line faculty, 16 clinical faculty, 33 lecturers, and over 1,250 undergraduate and 152 graduate students. The school is home to some of the country's top academic programs focusing on movement science, applied exercise science, athletic training, and sport management.
In 2021, the school moved into a newly renovated, state-of-the-art academic and research building (School of Kinesiology Building) that is located in the heart of the University of Michigan's main campus. The $120M renovation project expands the School of Kinesiology's research, classroom, and office space to approximately 189,000 gross sq. ft. The research space includes a 9,800 sq. ft. biomechanics research suite, a 9,000 sq. ft. wet lab research suite, a 5,000 sq. ft. neuro research center, a 1,700 sq. ft. vivarium, and a 3,500 sq. ft. clinical testing suite and exercise research center. In addition, new faculty will have access to the state-of-the-art core computing and laboratory facilities at the University of Michigan.
About Sport Management:
Sport Management at the University of Michigan is recognized as a top program in the country. The University of Michigan was rated the number two college for sport management in the U.S. by Niche (2021).
The Sport Management program is led by 26 faculty, including 11 tenure-line faculty, 6 clinical faculty, and 9 lecturers. The breadth of faculty research interests is reflected across the following centers: Center for Race & Ethnicity in Sport, Center for Sport Marketing Research, Center for Sports Venues & Real Estate Development, and Michigan Center for Sport & Social Responsibility.
Sport Management currently has 580 undergraduate and 67 graduate students. The school offers a Bachelor of Arts, Master of Science, and Doctor of Philosophy in Sport Management. The program prepares students for careers in the global sports industry with a curriculum that explores the management of the sports enterprise (from organizational, marketing, financial, economic, legal, urban planning, and sociocultural perspectives).
Sport Management students at the University of Michigan have the valuable opportunity to lead and participate in student-run campus organizations, including the Michigan Sport Business Conference, the premier undergraduate-run sport business conference in the U.S.
Upon graduation, many of our students will begin careers at sports organizations and corporate businesses, while others will pursue postgraduate studies in business, law, accounting, and urban planning. Our graduates work in the front offices of the NFL, NBA, NHL, MLB, and MLS; with professional sports teams like the Detroit Red Wings, New York Mets, and Milwaukee Bucks; within agencies like Creative Artists Agency, Wasserman, and Endeavor; and with industry-leading organizations like ESPN, the NCAA, The New York Times, Nike, and many more.
The Sport Management program has an administrative structure that includes a program chair and director/associate program chair. The program maintains an external Advisory Board in order to develop and nurture connections with leaders in the sports industry. The Advisory Board contributes to our vision of achieving excellence in sport business education.