Canadian sport leaders and Laurentian professors designed this unique honours program in sports administration (SPAD) that has evolved into the premier program of its kind in Canada. The degree combines an extensive exposure to the functional areas of business management with a theoretical and practical view of sport management.

• Four-year program leads to an honours bachelor of commerce in sports administration (H.B.Comm. SPAD)
• Frst year introduces financial information and business statistics, and an understanding of management science, economics, and sports administration
• Second (core) year features the case method of instruction, the study of management principles in accounting, finance, marketing, operations, and sports administration
• Third year combines courses in sports administration, physical education and business with open electives, a practical project and an internship with a business or sport organization
• Graduating year includes business courses, electives, and special sport management courses, as well as a major field trip where students present a marketing case (in the past, these have been critiqued by staff of major sport organizations like the LA Kings, Dallas Cowboys, Miami Heat, IOC, Ottawa Senators, and the Tampa Bay Lightning)

Prospects: corporate sponsorships, entrepreneurship, graduate studies, management of athletes and sport properties, business corporations, non-profit organizations, professional leagues and teams, small recreation departments...

Offered in English, but many courses may also be available in French.

General information

The School of Sports Administration has worked closely with the School of Commerce and Administration and the School of Human Kinetics since the SPAD program began in 1972.

SPAD graduates fill the need that professional and amateur sport organizations have for personnel who not only know sport, but have the necessary business and administrative skills.

Laurentian’s program prepares individuals for positions in a variety of sports organizations such as: professional hockey, baseball, soccer and football; private athletic clubs (curling, golf, yacht, skiing); government positions and sport governing bodies; businesses dealing in sport such as health clubs or sports equipment sales and manufacturing; university and college athletic departments; and businesses involved in sport sponsorship and marketing.

The Honours Bachelor of Commerce in Sports Administration is a four-year interdisciplinary professional degree that combines extensive exposure to the functional areas of business management with practical and theoretical exposure to the world of sport and physical education.

Students must satisfy all stated requirements for the degree, including all required SPAD, COMM, ECON and PHED courses with a minimum grade of 60% (with the exception of the core year) achieved after no more than two attempts in any course.

Furthermore, the core-year courses must be taken as a complete set of five COMM courses (30 credits) on the first attempt. In some cases, this requirement may not apply to transfer students.

The following courses parallel existing Commerce courses and are NOT accepted for credit towards the B.Com. SPAD degree: STAT 2126, ECON 2127, ECON 3065, JURI 2306, PHIL 2876, POLI 2127, PSYC 2127 and SOCI 2127.

To qualify for admission to the core (2nd) year of the program, the student must:

• achieve at least 60% in each of COMM 1005, 1106, 1057, ECON 1005, STAT 1056, SPAD 1016 and 1017;
• achieve a minimum overall average of 70% on 30 credits including the required courses (this requirement may be waived depending on the circumstances of program capacity).

Progression in the program after the core year depends on the following:

1. a student who achieves a minimum of 60% on the five required courses of the core year with no single course mark below 60% may register in any 3000 or 4000-series COMM courses and 3000-series SPAD courses;
2. a student who achieves a minimum average of 60% in the five required courses, with a grade less than 60% in up to two courses, must retake the failed course(s) and may register in 3000 or 4000-series COMM courses (with held prerequisites) and 3000-series SPAD courses;
3. a student who achieves an average of 60% in the five required courses, with a grade of less that 60% in three courses may repeat the 3rd year taking all five courses simultaneously;
4. a student who does not meet any of the above conditions must withdraw from the program.

To be in good academic standing, the student must:

• meet all conditions of admission;
• achieve a minimum grade of 60% in COMM 1005, 1106, 1057, ECON 1005, STAT 1056, SPAD 1016 and SPAD 1017;
• not fail more than 6 credits in the 1st year (or first 30 credits);
• have a minimum 70% average, including the required courses (needed to proceed to the core year).

A student enrolled in the program who fails to attain good academic standing or achieve a minimum of 60% in required courses in a given year may be allowed to continue in the program on probation for no more than one year or 30 consecutive credits. If, after one year, the student fails to attain good academic standing or meet the grade requirement on the repeated course(s), he or she will not be permitted to remain in the program.

Withdrawal from the School of Sports Administration is required if the student:

• does not satisfy all conditions of admission in one year or 30 consecutive credits;
• fails courses equivalent to more than 42 credits;
• does not achieve academic standing in two consecutive years or 60 consecutive credits;
• does not obtain a minimum grade of 60% in any mandatory course after two attempts;
• fails to meet the progression requirements beyond the core year (see above).

Program

• Honours Bachelor of Commerce in Sports Administration (4-year)