July 26, 2017

by Bob Keyes

PORTSMOUTH – Students who are interested in a career in sports can begin their studies at Great Bay Community College, which will offer a 21-credits in sports management electives in fall 2017 as part of the college’s business administration associate’s degree program.

The curriculum will include an Introductory course to define the scope of the subject, a course in facilities management, sports and recreation tourism, sports in society and an internship component. Among other topics, students will learn how hockey rinks and golf courses run efficiently, the economics of sports tourism, the role of sports in society and why athletes earn such big salaries.

Students who complete Great Bay’s sports management pathway will be eligible to transfer their credits to regional four-year colleges that offer bachelor degrees in sports management, said Business Department Chair Monique Jordan.

The addition of the elective coincides with the growing profile of Great Bay’s athletic programs. The college offers basketball, volleyball and golf, and is adding baseball and softball. It competes in the Yankee Small College Conference and the U.S. Collegiate Athletic Association. Great Bay’s emphasis on sports helps students with personal growth and self-confidence, and teaches communication, problem-solving, conflict-resolution and time-management and other professional and personal skills.

The sports program as well as the school’s intramural offerings present opportunities for the college to add an effective, hands-on academic sports curriculum, Jordan said. “With our budding athletic program, we thought it would be a perfect fit,” she said. “We really want to work closely with Student Life and have our students participate in helping to manage the basketball games, our golf tournament and everything else that we offer. The timing is perfect.”

The college added the program in direct response to student interest, Jordan added. “I’ve been at Great Bay a little more than a year, and one question I’ve been asked quite a bit is, ‘Why don’t you have sports management?’  You hear it once, you hear it twice, and may not do much with it. But it kept coming up, so we responded.”

The program will begin in fall 2017. For details, contact Admissions at (603) 427-7600 or visit www.greatbay.edu/courses/degree-programs/business-administration

Great Bay Community College is a comprehensive postsecondary institution offering quality academic and professional and technical education in support of workforce development and lifelong learning. Great Bay Community College is part of the Community College System of New Hampshire, a public system of higher education consisting of seven colleges in Berlin, Claremont, Laconia, Concord, Manchester, Nashua, and Portsmouth. The colleges offer Associate degrees and career training in technical, professional and general fields, including transfer pathways to baccalaureate degrees. The college’s second campus, the Advanced Technology & Academic Center is now open in Rochester offering academic courses and a degree program in Advanced Composites Manufacturing. For more information on Great Bay Community College, visit www.greatbay.edu.