Carefully review the following article:(Attached) An Evaluation of Sport Management Student Preparedness: Recommendation for Adapting Curriculum to Meet Industry Needs by DeLuca & Braunstei

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Sport Management Education Journal, 2016, 10, 1 -12

© 2016 North American Society for Sport Management ARTICLE

Jaime R. DeLuca and Jessica Braunstein-Minkove are with the Kinesiology department of Towson University, Towson, Maryland. Address author correspondence to Jaime R. DeLuca at [email protected].

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http://dx.doi.org/10.1123/SMEJ.2014-0027

An Evaluation of Sport Management Student Preparedness: Recommendations for Adapting

Curriculum to Meet Industry Needs

Jaime R. DeLuca and Jessica Braunstein-Minkove Towson University

Experiential learning has become a driving force of universities around the world, and is a crucial part of many sport management programs. This is particularly true given the competitive nature of the field and the rapid changes the industry continuously faces. This work seeks to reexamine the sport management curricula to ensure a progression and evolution toward a superior level of student preparedness for their internship experi- ences. Through the use of both quantitative and qualitative methods, our major findings recommend a focus on academic, experiential, and professional development. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed along with limitations and directions for further investigation.

Keywords: curriculum, experiential learning, internship, sport management

Prompted by the 2008 recession in the United States, deep cuts in higher education spending have caused tuition increases and have negatively affected the quality of an academic education by way of larger class sizes and fewer course offerings (Oliff, Palacios, Johnson, & Leachman, 2013). Powell, Johnson, Anderson, and Paisley (2013) argue that “higher education is falling under intense scrutiny for its rigor and relevance” and thus universities and faculty “must find ways to make our ‘product’—our students—more valuable, and we must ‘produce’ them in more efficient ways” (p. 5). Further, the present economic climate in the U.S. features a depressed job market, a reality that has intensified concerns regarding the “employment value of a college degree” (Grasgreen, 2013). Accordingly, due to the desire to facilitate and deliver a high quality preparatory academic experience to better position students for future career opportunities, field experiences and internships have become the driving force of many universities around the world (Kuh, 2008; O’Neill, 2010; Rosenstein, Sweeney, & Gupta, 2012). They are often perceived to be “a bridge between the culture of the classroom and the world of work” (Eyler, 1995, p. 186). For example, the authors’ U.S.-based university lists internships and experiential learning opportunities as one of its key institutional priorities within its strategic plan through the year 2020.

The focus on experiential learning is not a new one, however, and has proved particularly important for future sport management professionals (e.g., Cuneen, 2004; Moorman, 2004; Stier, 2002), given the saturated, highly competitive nature of the industry. Not only are there cur- rently 380 undergraduate programs granting degrees in the sport management field in the U.S. (North American Society for Sport Management, 2014), but there are also highly qualified applicants for competitive jobs from a variety of other academic disciplines, such as business and public health-oriented majors. Furthermore, the field itself does not always value a sport management degree (King, 2009). A Turnkey Sports Poll featured in the Sports Business Journal discovered sport industry executives would favor candidates with a business degree (48%) over a sport management degree (34%), and believe that internship opportunities are the most important element of a sport management program (King, 2009). Thus, it is imperative that sport management programs facilitate experiential learning opportunities that will best prepare students with the appropriate skill set for a sport-related job in their futures.

However, it is worth noting that there have been some laudable critiques of the internship as a learning tool because of both ethical (Wiest & King-White, 2013) and legal (Greenhouse, 2013) criticisms regarding the potential exploitation of the individuals involved in these experiences. Of late, the use and legality of these required opportunities have been scrutinzed, particularly in the wake of the lawsuit brought against Fox Searchlight Pic- tures by two unpaid production assistants (Greenhouse, 2013). The ruling was in favor of the interns and called the responsibilities/use of the role of “intern” into question,

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consequently bringing up many points of discussion within the context of a university-supported internship. While these concerns do need to be addressed, and constantly critiqued, they do not alleviate the increased focus that many universities are placing on incorporat- ing experiential learning opportunities into curricula and degree programs. As such, there is greater responsibility for faculty to ensure that students are both competitive and prepared as they matriculate and enter the labor force. Therefore, the aims of this work are to: (a) criti- cally evaluate sport management student preparedness, and (b) make recommendations for how to further the progression of student professionalism and preparedness to enter the sport industry.

Literature Review Findings suggest that field experience aids in preparation for work in the sport industry (Sotiriadou, 2011). Gradu- ates tend to be positive about their internship experiences, and many considered it to be the most important element of their undergraduate education due to the practical nature of the experience and/or the career boost received from the line item on their resume (Eyler, 1995). Jones, Brooks, and Mak (2008) noted that 86% of sport manage- ment programs across the United States have mandatory internship credits incorporated into their curriculum. However there is a dearth of literature examining the role of sport management programs in preparing students for pre-professional pursuits (i.e., field experience and internships) and an expansion of research in this area has been encouraged (e.g., Eagleman & McNary, 2010). Yoh and Choi (2011) offer a notable exception, finding that students appear to be prepared in the career fields that most sport management programs tend to cover through their curriculum, and specifically, “that there was a significant gap between classroom instruction and the real-world experiences” (p. 10). While internships, as an academic component, have been discussed in regards to their importance within their initial inception into the sport management curriculum (e.g., Chouinard, 1993; Jowdy, McDonald, & Spence, 2004; Sutton, 1989), the discussion of their evolution—as a result of significant industry changes—has only been touched on (Surujlal & Singh, 2010; Yoh & Choi, 2011).

Research in the area of sport management field expe- rience has generally focused on program characteristics and best practices related to facilitating quality intern- ships for students (e.g., Case, 2003, 2007; Chouinard, 1993; Cuneen, 2004; Jowdy et al., 2004; Kelley, 2004; Verner, 2004; Young & Baker, 2004); students perceptions of their internship experiences (e.g., Ross & Beggs, 2007; Stratta, 2004); internship preparedness (e.g., Williams, 2004); and ultimate career choices (e.g., Case, 2007). In addition, work has been done regarding the role of internships in linking theory to practice (Young & Baker, 2004), using the internship experience as a mechanism for professional preparation (Surujlal & Singh, 2010),

and examining both the students’ (Ross & Beggs, 2007; Stratta, 2004; Yoh & Choi, 2011) and employers’ (Ross & Beggs, 2007; Williams, 2004) perspectives of the sport management internship. Specifically, it has been noted that these opportunities provide experiences and guidance that assist in the bridge between theory and practice, laying a foundation for the development of one’s “professional self” (Todd, 2006; Surujlal & Singh, 2010). Surujlal and Singh (2010) recently assessed students’ perceptions of the value in the internship experience itself. While this did not provide evidence of their level of preparedness for these opportunities, findings did indicate that sport management internships provided various levels of preparation for postcollegiate activities, including the student’s professional/personal development, marketability, and adaptability.

Given the fiscally restricted economic climate in the U.S., combined with the highly competitive nature of the sport industry and the increased number of students in sport management-related majors (Schwab et al., 2013), it is crucially important that universities, degree programs, and faculty continue to adapt to the demands of the sport industry and meet the needs of sport management students. Analyzing and reevaluating sport management programs and curricula are imperative in both a practical sense, for student matriculation and success, as well as to gain a more nuanced understanding of sport management as an academic discipline (Jones et al., 2008; Stier & Schneider, 2000). Thus, continued focus needs to attend to the important issue of students’ professional preparation and the way in which programs employ the experiential learning component of their curricula for maximum student benefit.

As such, the purpose of this study is both theoretical and practical, seeking to (a) examine the preparedness of sport management students for both their collegiate (i.e., field experience, internship) and postcollegiate (i.e., graduate school, entry into the labor force) practical experiences; and (b) provide insight for academicians structuring sport management programs and curricula. The following research questions (RQs) guided this investigation:

RQ1: How well did the sport management curricu- lum prepare students for internships/pre-professional experience?

RQ2: How can the sport management curriculum be improved in relation to student preparation for endeavors in the sport industry?

RQ3: How does internship performance correlate with and reflect academic coursework?

RQ4: How prepared are students for their postcol- legiate endeavors in the sport industry, based on their internship and academic coursework?

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Accordingly, this research seeks to answer a variety of questions that may assist in the development of sport management curricula to ensure student preparedness for field experiences and subsequent postcollegiate endeavors.

Methods This research explored the subject of student prepared- ness through a mixed method study centering on data collected over four consecutive semesters (fall 2012, winter 2013, spring 2013, and summer 2013) from sport management undergraduate students at one U.S. univer- sity located in the mid-Atlantic region and their internship site supervisors. Both quantitative and qualitative data were analyzed and several themes emerged.

Quantitative Data Collection and Analysis

Quantitative data collection included a web-based survey and an intern performance analysis. The adoption/adap- tion of these instruments was the result of a review of relevant literature, an assessment of current industry and student needs, and recommendations by the uni- versity’s Career Center professional staff. At the end of each applicable semester, surveys were distributed to all students enrolled in the required internship course and performance analyses were conducted by all site supervi- sors over the same span of time. This study used preexist- ing instruments for both the student survey and the site supervisor evaluation. These instruments were developed and distributed by the university’s Career Center and are mandated for all campus internship programs. Both instruments assessed five dimensions related to career preparation, specifically, general preparation, communi- cation skills, critical thinking, technology, and leadership development & ethics. Each dimension included multiple items that were measured on a 5-point Likert-type scale ranging from 1 (poor) to 5 (exceptional) (see Table 3 for student results and Table 4 for site supervisor results).

Qualitative Data Collection and Analysis

Qualitative data were collected in the following ways, each assessing the dimensions of general preparation, communication, critical thinking, technology, and lead- ership & ethics.

Web-Based Survey. The same web-based survey referenced above was also used to collect qualitative information from student participants via input boxes requesting written feedback. Questions included in the qualitative portion of the survey inquired about (a) how classroom work impacted preparedness at internship sites; (b) which courses, in particular, augmented preparation; (c) what specific subject areas did students wish they would have had an opportunity to take courses in; (d) how their internship impacted their level of preparedness for a sport management career (i.e., the

factors of general preparation, communication, critical thinking, technology, and leadership & ethics); and (e) suggestions for programmatic changes to improve the student experience.

Focus Groups. A total of six focus groups were conducted at the end of the internship experiences. Five to 12 student interns comprised each focus group. Participation in sessions was voluntary and conducted by trained staff from the university’s Career Center to minimize bias and avoid issues of power relations between the researchers (professors) and student participants. All meetings were recorded by the facilitator and transcribed by the researchers. The focus groups served a dual purpose—not only were they an important data collection method in this research, but they also allowed the Career Center staff an opportunity to seek valuable information about the sport management internship process so they could better assist students in the future. Questions asked during the sessions were designed by researchers who met with and instructed facilitators on the goals of the research project and the focus groups. Facilitators were given a protocol of semistructured questions with prompts to seek follow-up information where appropriate. Specifically, questions focused on assessing student perceptions of (a) the sport management program generally, including perceptions of the curriculum, faculty, staff, university resources, and recommendations for change; (b) their preparation for their internship experiences (i.e., general preparation, communication, critical thinking, technology, and/or leadership & ethics); and (c) how they perceived their internship experience to influence their future career plans.

Site Supervisor Feedback. Student intern site supervisors/industry professionals offered feedback regarding interns via phone calls and emails. Supervisors offered feedback related to how the sport management program could better prepare interns and what specific skill-areas students were lacking. Site supervisors were posed with a number of questions, including: (a) recommended skills that they would like to see for current/ future interns, (b) recommended courses that they thought would benefit the curriculum (additional, removal, and alteration), and (c) how prepared they believe their intern(s) was for work in this industry segment, specifically addressing the areas of general preparation, communication, critical thinking, technology, and/or leadership & ethics

All aforementioned qualitative data collected from students and site supervisors were uploaded into the qualitative data management program, Atlas.ti. This pro- gram was used to organize and categorize data through the practice of open, axial, and selective coding (cf. Creswell, 2003; Daly, 2007). Coding through computer software can assist researchers in breaking their data down into “manageable chunks” which can be sorted and categorized to assist in the interpretation and analysis of data (Stroh, 2000, p. 210). Specifically, key themes and common perceptions regarding our sport management

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curriculum and student preparedness for internship/ pre-professional experiences were identified through this process. To ensure trustworthiness and credibility in relation to the qualitative data analysis, several measures were taken to achieve validity during the research process (Creswell, 2003). First, this research used multiple meth- ods to tackle the research questions, including quantita- tive and qualitative surveys, interviews, and focus groups, all of which engaged a variety of constituent groups. Second, saturation was achieved through prolonged contact and the maintenance of ongoing relationships with the participants. Lastly, peer debriefing was used as the authors discussed preliminary findings with a variety of sport industry professionals, faculty members both within and outside the program, career center staff, alumni and students.

Results The overall student sample in this study (n = 136) com- prised 75% male and 25% female participants, all with senior or second-semester junior standing. Data were collected over four different semesters within a 1-year period. Student participants were asked to complete a voluntary web-based survey (n = 100; 74% response rate) as well as participate in voluntary focus groups (n = 59; 43% response rate) at the end of the semester in which they completed their for-credit internship. The students were primarily unpaid interns within the following types of organizations: collegiate athletics (24%), youth sport/ sport development (14%), major/minor league sport

(12%), sport journalism/communications (12%), event management (12%), community/private/campus recreation (9%), health and fitness (6%), facility/club management (5%), sports apparel (2%), sport agency/marketing (2%), and national governing bodies (2%). The site supervisors (n = 82) participating in this research were predominantly male (78%). They completed a university-developed/man- dated performance analysis of their interns (100% response rate) and provided feedback via personal communications (n = 49; 60% response rate). The qualitative and quantita- tive data collected from both the student participants and site supervisors centered on various dimensions of student preparedness for their internship positions to answer the four overarching research questions driving the study. A comprehensive analysis of the various data sources led to the development and identification of three major themes: (1) academic development, focusing on what components of the curriculum best prepared students’ for their internships and future careers; (2) experiential development, demonstrating the importance of practical experience and the internship process for students’ future careers and general industry preparedness; and (3) profes- sional development, recognizing the need for students to be presented with opportunities to improve their personal and industry-related skills and competencies.

Academic Development

Overall, students were satisfied with the curriculum they were presented within their sport management major and its role in preparing them for their future careers. Yet of all course offerings (see Table 1), results from the

Table 1 Sport Management Course Requirements

Major Requirements (3 credit hours each)

Business Minor Requirements (3 credit hours each)

Introduction to the Sport Industry Accounting I

Sport: A Cross-Cultural Perspective Accounting II

Sport Management Microeconomics

Sport & Society Macroeconomics

Internship Finance

Sport Marketing Marketing

Sport Governance, Policies & Legal Issues Management

Cultural Economy of Sport Statistics

Regularly Offered Electives (15 credit hours required)

History of Sport in America Leadership for Sport Professionals

Introduction to Recreation & Leisure Sport Sales & Sponsorship

Principles of Coaching Special Topics Courses, TBA by semester

Modern Olympic Games Sociology of Sport

Psychology of Sport Sport Facilities Management

Sport in Film Sport & the Media

Second Internship Intramurals Management

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web-based survey indicated a majority of students found only three of their required seven classroom-based sport management courses to be valuable: Sport Management (77%), Introduction to the Sport Industry (64%), and Sport Marketing (63%)1 (see Table 2).

Students specifically mentioned Sport Management and Introduction to the Sport Industry as “the meat of the major” (Student Participant 1, focus group) and really found value in the resume and career preparation activi- ties that are part of the curriculum in the Industry course. Further, while not required core classes, the electives Sport Sales and Sponsorship and Facilities Management were highly lauded within the focus groups (despite their low rating within the web-based survey, see Table 2) due to their applied, business-focused content:

Sport Sales and Sponsorship is one of the few classes that it’s pretty much all based on real-life experiences and things you’ll actually be doing rather than [what] you [learn] in a classroom that you’re not really going to use again (Student Participant 2, focus group).

Student participant 3 (focus group) offered, “I took Facility Management . . . and [to] actually be able to apply it, I think helped a lot, versus going in there [internship] kind of blind and not realizing what’s going on.” Students generally praised the more applied courses and wished there were more opportunities for them to take classes

with clear practical application, specifically mentioning computer skills, social media and professional communi- cation, and experience with sales and marketing (an area covered in both required and elective course offerings). As stated by participant 4 (focus group), “I think more on-site work . . . actually going somewhere and doing . . . the classroom stuff we do doesn’t actually prepare you like being somewhere and doing it would.” Further, student participant 5 (focus group) explained:

I would say, going off of Sport Marketing, more emphasis on new media, and social media, just because a lot of entry-level positions now are asking you to have sales and marketing skills. It’s just important to be on top of the latest trends, whether it’s Twitter or Instagram, so if you can learn how to utilize those as a business tool rather than just a personal tool that can put you ahead of the same in terms of the hiring process.

In addition, this university requires a business minor as part of the Sport Management degree requirements and students found great value in this component of their preparedness as expressed via the web-based survey and within focus groups. Conversely, within the focus group setting, students offered criticism on the inclusion of the sport sociology focused components of the curriculum. Specifically, they expressed hesitation about the benefits gained through credit hours in their two required sociocul- tural courses: Sport and Society and Sport: Cross-Cultural Perspectives. Other sociology-based elective courses in the curriculum, of which there are six regularly offered, were not referenced.

According to site supervisor comments via personal communications, there was a general acknowledgment that their intern’s general level of preparation was strong; however, many advocated students’ skills be improved in various academic areas. Specifically, they mentioned that communication skills were essential and could be augmented, offering suggestions of both speaking and writing-based communication courses so as to eliminate the “deer in headlights” look that many interns possessed (Site Supervisor 1, personal communication).

In this line of work, a successful golf professional needs to be able to communicate . . . I believe that a communication class should be mandatory for any sport management major. Sport is all about know- ing people and communication is the first step. (Site Supervisor 2, personal communication)

Further, site supervisors believed that more, expe- riential, hands-on learning opportunities were important to incorporate into the curriculum, with specific attention devoted to applied learning in the skill areas of computer applications, graphic design, and media communications (e.g., press releases, social media, etc.). This was echoed in the sentiment of one supervisor who mentioned, “I’d love to see students come to the table with more social media marketing ideas.” (Site Supervisor 3, personal communication)

Table 2 Sport Management Courses Perceived as Valuable by Students in Web-Based Survey

Course Offering Students Rating the Course Valuablea

Sport Management 77%

Introduction to the Sport Industry 64%

Sport Marketing 63%

Sport Governance 29%

Cultural Economy of Sport 29%

Sport & Society 22%

Sport: A Cross-Cultural Perspective 14%

Sport & the Mediab 16%

Leadership for Sport Professionalsb 2%

Sport Sales & Sponsorshipb 9%

Modern Olympic Gamesb 1%

Principles of Coachingb 2%

Psychology of Sportb 1%

Sport Facilities Managementb 1%

History of Sport in Americab 1%

aRating was derived from a question on the web survey asking students “which course(s) helped you feel prepared (for internship).” Students were asked to check all that apply from a listing of the seven required classroom courses and had the option of writing in up to five electives. bDenotes elective offering.

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In addition, while students noted their abilities in the areas of Preparation and Communication Skills as the highest among the five categories within the web survey results (see Table 3), these two dimensions received among the lowest mean scores in four of the five semesters by their site supervisors (see Table 4). Another noteworthy finding is the site supervisor’s high mean scores for Leadership Development & Ethics, given the focus group findings regarding the sociocultural (often ethically based) curriculum.

Experiential Development

Focus group findings demonstrate that students found great value in the mandate to have an internship to matriculate through the Sport Management program. They indicated the need for and value in completing mul- tiple internships and/or having a longer, more substantial experience, regardless of academic credit or require- ments.2 Specifically, when asked what other courses they would have liked the opportunity to take during their time in the Sport Management program, many responded with some variation of one student’s sentiment: “fewer classroom courses and more internship opportunities” (Student Participant 6, focus group). Focus group dis- cussions revealed that students felt the internships were important for their general knowledge and understanding of the industry. Further, through these experiences they felt as though they gained crucial practical experience helping them gain insight into what they might want to do (or what they do not want to do) within the industry; however, when directly asked by focus group facilitators,

many students were unable to articulate a focused career goal following their internship. Students indicated that they felt more prepared following their internship because they had legitimate experience to add to their resume, not necessarily because they felt prepared to decide upon a future career. Within both focus groups and the web- based survey, multiple students directly referred to the internship experience strictly as “a resume builder,” used primarily for “more experience” and to “look better when actually applying for a job,” rather than an opportunity to cultivate relationships or focus on building experiential competencies. Students also felt as though the internship helped them see more of the industry and facilitate net- work connections, which were valuable to their future. However, much of the information they offered during the focus group sessions indicated they do not actively network or work to use the contacts they have made, rep- resenting a contradiction in their professional preparation and their ability to draw on their experience to benefit themselves in the future.

Data from site supervisors also substantiated the need for practical experience. Via personal communications, many specifically mentioned that they would have liked and/or would encourage students to h

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