Earn your BS in Sport and Recreation Management online

The Department of Health and Human Physiology offers an online BS degree in sport and recreation management. Concentration areas available for the online degree include business studies, coaching and sport instruction, entrepreneurship, and interscholastic athletic/activities administration. The online program enables students to complete their BS degree from anywhere in the world. 

Students with a degree in sport and recreation management can find a variety of career opportunities including community recreation, intercollegiate athletic departments, high school programs, the commercial fitness business sector as well as minor and major league sport teams.

Please contact lecturer Kara Kehe at kara-kehe@uiowa.edu or 319-384-4621 for more information.

Requirements and program planning

The BS with a major in sport and recreation management requires the following course work for a total of 48 semester hours.

Requirements and program planning

  • Contemporary Issues in Sports (SRM:1060), 3 semester hours
  • Managerial Operations in Sport and Recreation (SRM:3157), 3 semester hours
  • Sales in Sport (SRM:3175), 3 semester hours
  • Communications and Public Relations in Sport (SRM:3178), 3 semester hours

Students must complete 30 total semester hours prior to taking the following foundation courses:

  • Liability in Sport and Recreation (SRM:3151), 3 semester hours
  • Design and Management of Sport and Recreation Facilities (SRM:3152), 3 semester hours
  • Sport Business Practices (SRM:3153), 3 semester hours
  • Sport and Recreation Promotion (SRM:3158), 3 semester hours
  • Finance in Sport & Recreation (SRM:3172), 3 semester hours

  • Interscholastic Athletic Administration Field Experience (SRM:4196), 1 to 9 semester hours
  • Sport and Recreation Field Experience (SRM:4197), 3 semester hours
  • Independent Sport and Recreation Field Experience (SRM:4199), 1 to 9 semester hours

Guided field experience sections (SRM:4197) are led by faculty who set learning objectives and outcomes with partner organizations. Courses have regular meeting times, and faculty oversee and evaluate student engagement, participation, and completion.

Independent experience is student-initiated with an approved sport or recreation-affiliated organization. In consultation with the faculty and organization, the student sets their learning objectives for the duration of the experience. Faculty communicates with both the student and site supervisor to evaluate student engagement, participation and completion of learning objectives. 

Both guided and independent field experience credit is based on 45 hours of field experience for each semester hour earned

Learn more about guided and independent field experience.

Complete 12 semester hours in one of the eight areas:

  • Business studies
  • Coaching and sport instruction
  • Communications public relations/journalism
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Event management
  • Interscholastic athletic/activity administration
  • Recreation management 
  • Sport and diversity
  • Student-designed

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