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Bachelor of Arts in Sport Leadership | Undergraduate Degree Program

Bachelor of Arts in Sport Leadership

About OU’s Bachelor of Arts in Sport Leadership

Ottawa University’s Bachelor of Arts in Sport Leadership (BASL) degree program is designed to develop graduates with strong cultural perspective on sports, functional skills suitable for jobs in sports-related environments, and ethical and moral qualities suitable for leadership positions in contemporary society. Students learn how to study sport critically and understand its complex cultural meanings. The sports studies major provides theoretical education that challenges students to apply this knowledge in real world, professional settings with diverse groups of people.

Ottawa’s BASL degree provides a strong understanding of the influence of sport on the mind and body as well as society at large. Additionally, experience outside of the classroom is obtained through internships and practicums. Students majoring in Sport Leadership are prepared for further study in professions such as sport administration, recreation, coaching, facility management, event management, eligibility and compliance, sport finance, marketing, sports communication and sport information.

Career Outlook for the B.A. in Sport Leadership

Potential employment options may include but not be limited to sports commissions, intercollegiate conferences, semi-pro and pro sports teams, AAU and club teams, colleges and universities, national sports associations (such as the NCAA, NAIA and NJCAA), and private sports facilities. The flexible curriculum allows students to choose the elective courses to fit their desired goal.

The BASL curriculum examines meaning, history, and culture of sport and includes strong foundational courses that include the social sciences, history of sport, sport finance and business and methods courses. Coursework provides students with the critical skills necessary to understand sport’s relationship to media, economics, politics, and education. A focus on race, class, and gender in sport is central to the curriculum. The degree challenges students to apply this curriculum to real life-experiences through multiple practicum courses and an internship with working professionals.

Perspective on the BASL

A passion for sport can be turned into an exciting and innovative career with a sport leadership degree. Graduates will obtain skills in cultural analysis and critical thinking pertaining to the administration, leadership, and psychological, historical, philosophical and sociological aspects of sport. They will enter a workforce where opportunity abounds as the economic impact of the sports industry and the abundance of sporting opportunities requires the services of skilled professionals.

For curriculum and course descriptions, please visit the online course catalog.

To get started on your journey toward a secondary education degree at Ottawa University, contact us today.

Sport Leadership is offered at the following locations.

  • Ottawa, KS (Residential Campus)
  • Surprise, AZ (Residential Campus)

Sport Leadership Major Courses

Required Major Courses

History & Principles of Heath, Physical Education, and Recreation | 
Introduction to the history, philosophy, and principles of physical education, health education, and recreation.  Topics include procedures, issues, current practices, and ideas that exist in those fields.

Care and Prevention of Athletic Injuries |
Introduces the prevention, care and rehabilitation of athletic injuries. Learn to evaluate injuries common to sports, as well as preventative taping and wrapping of different anatomical joints.

Foundations of Finance |
Examines financing of an organization from the administrative viewpoint.  Consideration of internal financial management as well as external financing and capital structures. Prerequisites: ACC 20364 Accounting for Business Operations.

IDS: Psychology and Sociology of Sports |
Examines aspects and skills of psychology of sports including personality, motivation, goal setting, mental skills, team building, and coaching styles and strategies.  Scrutinizes the centrality of sports in society and how sport reflects society in key areas including race/culture/religion, youth/parenting, socioeconomics, media, violence, gender, and sexuality.

Sport Facility & Event Management | 
Course designed to provide the student with a comprehensive understanding of the concepts, theories, principles, and procedures involved in the design, planning, and furnishing of sports facilities. Topics also include aspects associated with the development, implementation, and operations of sporting events.

Legal Issues in Recreation and Sport | 
Course is designed to address legal issues in physical education, recreation, and sport management. Areas covered include the history of law in sport, negligence, tort as well as constitutional and labor laws as they apply to physical education, recreation, and sport.

First Aid Instructor Training |
Emphasizes practical applications for all age ranges in resuscitation and emergency treatment of strokes, heart attacks, burns, cuts, abrasions and broken bones. Detailed application of an AED is also emphasized. Red Cross certification in First Aid and Adult, Child, Infant CPR and AED is awarded upon completion. Students are certified as Red Cross instructors in these areas. Prerequisite: Junior or Senior standing.

Interpersonal Communication |
Examines models of relational interaction, verbal and nonverbal messages, language use, critical listening, relational dynamics, self-concept, identity-management, disclosure, intimacy, defensiveness, supportiveness, perceptual processes, emotional influences, interpersonal conflicts, and the impact of gender, race and culture on communication.

Principles of Marketing |
Analysis of consumer behavior and configuration of target markets. Emphasis on management of organization activities designed to satisfy target market planning, pricing, promotion and distribution of the product or service.

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Holistic Wellness |
Students will obtain actionable steps to apply every day to address equity, diversity, inclusion, and holistic wellness. Students will develop cultural competence, identify biases, understand intersectionality, and develop skills and strategies to minimize the effects of bias and stereotypes in order to create an inclusive environment that enhances patient, client and member (group/team/community) engagement and retention. Students will learn how to develop the mindset needed to become an advocate for diverse professional environments, and to cultivate the skills to support traditionally marginalized groups.

Internship: Physical Education | 
Places student in a recreational dealing with program, management and leadership roles beyond the formal course of study.

Theory of Admin in HPE&R |
Examination of administrative philosophies and processes including administrative behavior, leadership, and organizational procedures.  Topics include theory and practices in physical education, sport and recreation, as well as program evaluation procedures.

Senior Seminar |
Various professional certifications, career opportunities, and graduate school options are identified and discussed.  Guest lectures and field trips explore career opportunities and expand professional network.  Major focus on research and preparation for the senior comprehensive.


Required Supporting Courses

General Psychology |
Introduces basic elements in understanding human behavior. Emphasis on basic concepts and terminology of psychology including the biological basis of behavior, sensation, perception, history of psychology, growth and development, motivation, learning, measurement and scientific methodology, emotion, personality, abnormal behavior, and psychotherapy.

Accounting for Business Operations |
Introduces operating activities of business. Emphasis on using income statements to plan and evaluate the operations of a for-profit entity.

Full Degree Catalog

University Accreditation

Ottawa University, as a whole, is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.

Specific degree programs within our institution have also been accredited by relevant bodies within the field:

We are proudly recognized for our commitment to student excellence by the following designations:

Why Choose Ottawa
Almost all courses in Ottawa University’s programs are available online and accredited by The Higher Learning Commission. We make it easy for you to transfer credits in order to help keep tuition costs down. We also offer courses in accelerated 8-week terms in order to reduce your time to completion. These are just a few of the reasons why we are proud to be the best, fastest, and most affordable option locally in the Kansas City, Milwaukee, and Phoenix areas, as well as serving students nationally through our online degrees.

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