The Rice Sport Management Program introduced a new class "Issues in Contemporary Sport" for the fall semester. The class is a unique addition to the sport management curriculum because the course is an examination of sport from a sociological perspective.
The addition of this class to this year's course offerings is a change from the typical business oriented sport management classes. The sport management curriculum is currently based on the academic disciplines of business, management, law, and communication. While many sport management programs struggle to connect their sport management academicians and practitioners, the Rice Sport Management program has been successful in forging a strong relationship with industry leaders and professional sport organizations. Rice Sport Management students have been fortunate enough to gain real-world experiences in the sport industry.
However, Issues in Contemporary Sport provides students with a more well-rounded sport management education. The class, taught by Kylee Short, enables students to critically examine sport as a social institution and its consequences on American society. The course covers important issues such as deviance in sport, gender and class inequality, and ethics. The ability to see the effect sport has on society will not only enrich the students' education, but it has the potential to impact the actions of future sport managers.
Alyssa Ramirez, a senior from Burleson, Texas, is majoring in Psychology.