Leisure and Sport Management
The Alberta MBA in Leisure and Sport Management (LSM) challenges your interest in sports, recreation, and tourism offering you a world-class toolkit in general management practices and principles.
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The leisure and sport industry is constantly changing. Highly skilled managers with a solid business background and knowledge of the industry are increasingly in demand. This program, the only one of its kind in Canada, offers a diverse curriculum combining the core business fundamentals of the MBA with courses tailored for the leisure and sport manager.
Partnership
The MBA specialization in Leisure and Sport Management is a team project, offered with the University of Alberta's highly acclaimed Faculty of Physical Education and Recreation. Both the Alberta School of Business and the Faculty of Physical Education and Recreation are recognized for excellence in research and teaching.
The Faculty of Physical Education and Recreation offered the first PhD degree in Physical Education in the Commonwealth and continues to be a leader in its field. Faculty members focus their research and expertise in such areas as the socio-managerial aspects of sport and leisure; recreation and tourism; recreation/leisure environments and heritage resources; active living; and physical activity and sport performance.
Sports Community
The University of Alberta is an active sports community with 14 intercollegiate teams and a record of over 30 national championships over the past three decades. The University is also home to world-class athletic facilities, including an indoor track, a climbing wall, ice rinks, pools, gymnasiums, ball courts, and a fitness centre. Edmonton is home to three professional sports teams and, due to their success, is affectionately known as the City of Champions. Edmonton has hosted many world-class sporting events, including the 8th IAAF 2001 World Championship in Athletics, the 2001 ITU World Triathlon Championships. Edmonton is preparing to host the FIFA Under-20 World Cup in the summer of 2007.
Career Opportunities
Graduates of this unique program have the opportunity to work for the leisure sector, sports associations and leagues, athletic and fitness facilities, parks and recreation sites, resorts, professional sports, sport marketing, communication, and tourism.
The Program
During the first year of the program, students study the key areas of business: accounting, business strategy, economics, finance, management science, marketing, and organizational behaviour. Students select one elective from the specialization during the first year and spend the second year concentrating on electives from both areas. Courses focusing on the specialization examine the theories of leisure and sport management and the process of bridging theory and practice.
Project or Summer Work Internship
A project or work internship can be completed as an optional elective. In the past, students have completed projects and internships with the Faculty of Physical Education and Recreation, the IAAF World Championship in Athletics, the bid committee for the Commonwealth Games, and a professional sports management firm.
Program Requirements
Leisure and Sport Management Program Outline 2010-11
Sampling of Courses in Leisure and Sport Management*
PEDS 577 - Sports and Ethics: An examination of ethical problems in sport.
PEDS 590 - The Economics of Professional Sport: An economic analysis of professional sport leagues, franchises and labour markets. Topics will include the economic structure of leagues, franchise value, profit maximization versus winning, pay and performance, free versus restricted agency, and discrimination.
PEDS 591 - Sport and Popular Culture in Canada: An interdisciplinary examination of the place of Sport in English and French Canadian popular culture, historically and in the present. Topics include the continental dimension of professional sport, and its effects on how Canadians see themselves; contemporary issues in community level sport and nationalism; and Canadian governments’ use of sport.
PERLS 550 – Sport and Leisure Organizations and the Public Sector: Emphasis is on the role of the federal, provincial and municipal governments in Canada in amateur sport and leisure including the inter-organizational relations between the public sector and non-profit/voluntary amateur sport and leisure organizations.
PERLS 551 – Organizational Analysis of Sport and Leisure: Concepts and perspectives in organizational theory are examined in relation to sport and leisure organizations in the public, non-profit/voluntary and commercial sector to help students understand and analyze the complexity of managing sport and leisure organizations effectively. Topics include, but are not limited to, organizational design, organizational environments, strategy and decision-making, organizational culture, power and politics and conflict and change.
PERLS 591 - The Business of Hockey: This course explores strategic, economic, and cultural issues related to the business of hockey - with a specific focus on the National Hockey League. Students will develop a critical understanding of the hockey industry and its stakeholders.
Special topics courses maybe added on a year-to-year basis, for example, Sport Tourism.
* Course information is for students starting the program in Fall 2007 and later. Students who began the program prior to Fall 2007 are advised to contact the MBA Office for relevant course information.
Admissions
Some applicants are admitted into the Specialization in Leisure and Sport Management upon application to the MBA Program. Interested students are asked to make their specialization decision in November in the first year of their program. A selection committee consisting of representatives from the Alberta School of Business and the Faculty of Physical Education and Recreation makes the recommendation for admission.