A new sports management concentration - including an emphasis in golf management - within the bachelor's degree in business administration has been approved at California State University, Bakersfield. The initial classes in the new specializations will be offered beginning with the fall 2001 quarter, said Henry Lowenstein, dean of CSUB's School of Business and Public Administration.

The new concentration will be the first of its kind offered at any business school in California, Lowenstein said. "CSUB Sports Management program will be the first devoted to sports management, services and industries offered at any business school within the 23-campus CSU or nine-campus University of California systems," he said. In fact, Lowenstein said, the golf management emphasis in the concentration is being positioned for eventual accreditation from the PGA. Currently, only two schools west of the Mississippi River - Arizona State University and New Mexico State University - have PGA accredited programs. CSUB seeks to become the first university on the West Coast and only university in California to have a PGA accredited program. The School of Business at CSUB is one of 375 internationally accredited business programs by AACSB. In addition the school maintains specialized accreditations from NASPAA (Public Administration) and CFP (Finance).

"We're very pleased that the university, Academic Senate, and President Arciniega have approved these concentrations," he said. "Sports and sports-related industries represent a multi-billion-dollar industry that is actually larger than the auto industry. It is a dominant industry in California and an increasingly important segment of our service region. Indeed the attraction, development and financing of sports facilities is currently a major center of public and private attention in Bakersfield and Kern County."

The sports management and golf management concentrations are two of the innovative developments from the School of Business and Public Administration's strategic planning, Lowenstein said. "Our objective has been to identify niche programs that will contribute to the community and distinguish CSUB from other state university business programs, programs that will identify us as unique and special. By offering these unique programs we hope to attract and retain students as well as play a key role in the economic development of the Kern County region. Among other objectives, sports management seeks to play a key role in increasing the college-attendance rate of local students, attract interest in CSUB state-wide, provide a valuable career track for those interested in sports and sport-related industries as well as help attract interest in Kern County by sports-related industries.

Lowenstein indicated high school counselors have told him that "just on the rumor" of the program, many students had expressed interest in attending CSUB. "In addition we have heard from a number of students indicating that they will transfer from other institutions to CSUB upon launch of the program. We anticipate strong demand for this program," he said. A number of sports companies have already expressed an interest in supporting the program including internship opportunities and participation on the advisory board, he said.

Faculty for the sports management programs will come from the School of Business and Public Administration, and from the CSUB Athletic Department coaching staff, where many coaches have graduate degrees in sports management and related areas. Qualified part-time faculty will also be utilized within the program.

Students in the Sports Management Concentration take the full requirements for the bachelor of science in Business Administration degree including the general education and business core requirements. Once completed, students may move on to the specialized sports management curriculum.

Classes in the two concentrations are:

Sports management _ five classes

• Introduction to Sport Management
• Sport marketing
• Legal issues in Sports
• Facility management
• Internship in Sport or Golf Management

Golf management _ four classes

• Introduction to Sport Management
• Fundamentals of Turfgrass Management
• Food and Beverage Management
• An elective chosen from among the Sports Management classes.

CSUB Athletic Director Rudy Carvajal was also excited about the new concentrations. "This is an important addition to the curriculum at CSUB, and will prove to be a magnet for students interested in these professions," he said. "We're very excited about working with Dean Lowenstein and his faculty to bring this important project to fruition. The program will also be an important tool in the recruiting of high quality students to CSUB athletic programs."

For more information about the new sports management and golf management programs, please call:

The School of Business and Public Administration, Student Services Department,
at (661) 664-2326.