Sport Administration Major
The Sport Administration major at Seaver College is an interdisciplinary major providing students with robust learning opportunities at the intersection of sport, business, communication and leadership, to prepare them for future employment and pursuits in the sport industry. Focus is placed on helping students put theory into practice to apply principles learned in the classroom to their sport industry careers. To do this, the Sport Administration program routinely partners with local and national sport industry teams, leagues, nonprofits and companies to present students' opportunities to complete coursework directly related to issues faced in the industry.
Students gain real-world industry experience early in their pursuit of the major by completing an engaging internship with the Pepperdine University athletics department. Through a senior internship, capstone experience and frequent sport industry events, Pepperdine University Sport Administration students are given unparalleled access to engage with industry thought leaders to curate a deep understanding of how the industry operates. Unique to the Seaver College curriculum is that all Sport Administration major faculty members have extensive sport industry experience across professional sport, intercollegiate sport and sport media.
Sport Administration Degree
Our Sport Administration program prepares students to consider how they will utilize the deep understanding of sport industry principles gained to solve problems or pursue careers or passions true to their lives' personal missions. Unique to the Pepperdine University Sport Administration program, is that students gain access to an extensive knowledge base cutting across sport, business, communication and leadership while also frequently engaging with top industry leaders. These experiences strongly position Pepperdine University Sport Administration students for pursuits not only in the sport industry, but the business and nonprofit sectors at-large.
Sport Administration Mission Statement
The sports industry has a major impact on American society. This major is designed to provide a strong Christian foundation of moral and ethical behavior combined with quality academic preparation to immediately enter the industry or continue academic preparation in graduate school.
Understanding the social, political, and economic impact of sports is essential to a leader in the sport industry. As sports administration majors study this process, they discover the fundamental influence sports have on social justice issues. Christians look to God's teachings and Christ's example to encourage redemption, peace, harmony, justice and love in all aspects of life, including one's profession.
Sports can be a significant contributor to the betterment of humanity. Christians may approach specific issues of operations or public policy differently, but they maintain a fundamental calling to do God's will. This major will challenge students to assess how their faith is foundational to their leadership.
What Sports Administration Grads Are Doing
Data collected from the 2022 class within six months of graduation.
Employed Full-Time or Part-Time
Admitted to Graduate School
Full-Time Volunteer or Other Activity
Why Pepperdine
Pepperdine Seaver College is consistently recognized among the top-ranked universities in California and the United States. We are a Christian university where students grow in knowledge and character. As a liberal arts institution, we focus on providing rich opportunities for intellectual and spiritual exploration for students with a diverse community.
Located in Malibu, CA
13:1 Student-to-Faculty Ratio
80% of Students Participate in an International Program
120,000 + Alumni Network
Sport Administration Internships
Internship programs permit our sport administration majors to focus on the area of the sport industry they find most interesting. This field experience allows students to be a functioning part of an organization. The opportunity encourages reflection on theory, leadership, communication, service, and ethical decision-making. A student must complete the registration process to be enrolled in an internship.
Prerequisites
- To be eligible for an internship, applicants must have:
- Completed 95 units
- Completed all prerequisite courses required by the major advisor
- Completed all three supplemental forms required by the Communication Division
Requirements
In addition to hours worked, students must meet each of the following criteria in order to obtain an internship for grade:
- maintain a daily work journal at the internship site
- must submit a written analysis of an issue confronting the internship organization
- submit a reflective paper on the value of diversity within the internship organization
- submit a written analysis of the leadership styles within the internship organization
- submit a written reflection paper on the internship experience
- submit a mid-term and final supervisor evaluation
maintain work samples to demonstrate their application of skills
Hours and Units
Students may receive two or four units of internship credit, and they may spread the units across two or more terms. One unit equals 45 contact hours of work during the semester. Work hours should neither be sporadic over a term, nor intensive over a few days. Ideally, for every one unit, the student should work at least three hours for at least 15 weeks (or at least eight hours per week in a full summer block). Retroactive or advance "credit" is not granted for hours worked outside a term's timeframe.
- Two Units = 90 contact hours (Six hours per week for 15 weeks)
- Four Units = 180 contact hours (12 hours per week for 15 weeks)
Enrollment
- Obtain the three forms from this website or pick them up in the Communication Division office in CCB 206.
- Submit the Ivory Division/Instructor Approval form and the White Release of Liability Form to the Communication Division office in CCB 206.
- Once you have submitted the forms listed above, the Division office will enroll in the internship. You will eventually need to submit the Gold Internship Application for academic credit. Your major advisor (the faculty member who approved your internship) will assign you credit for the internship. Please work closely with the faculty member to ensure that you receive credit for your internship.
Deadlines for Enrollment
Students must submit the required forms to the Communication Division before the second
week of classes in fall and spring and by the first day of class during summer sessions
I, II and III (depending on which session you want to enroll in).
How to Find an Internship
- Check the Career Services Pepperdine Internship website
- Use job search engines
- Contact friends, family, and faculty—especially your major advisor
- Check the websites of particular companies directly
- Check with the Communication Division faculty internship coordinator, professor Debbie Wideroe at Debbie.Wideroe@pepperdine.edu for advice on how to find an internship.
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Contact Us
Communication Division
Pepperdine University
24255 Pacific Coast Highway
Malibu, CA 90263
Office: CCB 206
Sarah Stone Watt
Divisional Dean & Professor of Communication
Lori Miller
Office Manager
Sara Fernandez
Technology Liaison