Posted on: June 28, 2018
By: Allen Wallace, wallacj7@mailbox.sc.edu
The University of South Carolina’s Master of Sport and Entertainment Management (MSEM) program is ranked No. 6 in the world and No. 5 in North America according to a new report from SportBusiness International. The graduate program jumped nine spots this year up from No. 15 in 2017.
“This ranking is a reflection of the success and growth of our outstanding sport and entertainment management students, alumni and faculty,” said Haemoon Oh, dean of UofSC’s College of Hospitality, Retail and Sport Management. “We will continue building an unmatchable educational experience and creating transformative opportunities for our students. Nothing less than the very best!”
SportBusiness is an independent organization dedicated to providing expert analysis of the global sport industry. The 2018 SportBusiness Postgraduate Course Rankings are based on the results of a survey of more than 1,300 faculty members and alumni from 75 universities around the world. Programs were ranked based on a variety of criteria, including student satisfaction, employment rates and salaries, value, and diversity.
Matt Brown, chair of UofSC’s Department of Sport and Entertainment Management, says the MSEM program is continuously striving for excellence in all those areas, and succeeding as indicated by the rankings.
This ranking is a reflection of the success and growth of our outstanding sport and entertainment management students, alumni and faculty.
— Dean Haemoon Oh, College of Hospitality, Retail and
Sport Management
“Our master’s program is leading the way in graduate-level sport and entertainment business education. We recruit exceptional faculty who have strong industry leadership experience and collaborate with partners and alumni to create unique experiences that prepare our students to lead after graduation,” Brown said.
With 21 full-time faculty, UofSC has the world’s largest sport and entertainment management program that offers a bachelor of science and Ph.D. degree in addition to its master’s. The MSEM is a 36-credit hour program with thesis and non-thesis degree tracks. The business-focused curriculum includes an emphasis on venue management, and students have the opportunity to learn from former team presidents from three of the five major North American professional sports leagues.
Tom Regan, associate professor and director of graduate studies in the UofSC Department of Sport and Entertainment Management, says the faculty’s focus is always on preparing students for jobs and helping them through the process of getting those jobs.
“We have quality students coming from all over the world and we’re providing significant opportunities for them to be hired in well-paying jobs in the industry,” Regan says.
Each graduate student meets one-on-one with Regan and other faculty to outline their career goals as they begin the program. The students receive continuous career mentoring throughout the program, as well as job posting updates and opportunities to connect with alumni and other industry partners to offer every possible advantage. Alumni of the program work around the world in college athletics, professional sports, venue and event management, sport media, entertainment and other sectors of the business.
In addition to the MSEM ranking, the University of South Carolina as a whole is ranked No. 1 in the United States and No. 4 in the world by ShanghaiRanking's 2017 Global Ranking of Sport Science Schools and Departments. That ranking reflects the combined accomplishments of the Arnold School of Public Health's exercise science and athletic training programs, the College of Education’s physical education program and the College of Hospitality, Retail and Sport Management’s sport and entertainment management program.