Sport and American Culture
Offered jointly with the Department of History and Art History, the sport and American culture minor delves into sport’s intersection with sociology and history.
Students learn about sport’s role in culture and society, explore diversity and inclusion issues in the field, and examine how popular sports like baseball, basketball, and football influence American life.
More about the Program
The Sport Management Program at George Mason University seeks to prepare reflective, principled, and knowledgeable graduates with professional skill sets that enhance their success in the $490+ billion sport sector. Serving one of the nation’s most diverse student populations, this dynamic, growing program is committed to excellence and seeks to develop students’ professional knowledge and dispositions through a curriculum guided by the North American Society for Sport Management (NASSM) and the Commission on Sport Management Accreditation (COSMA) content standards. An integral part of the curriculum is the opportunity for field experiences in sport settings in the Northern Virginia region, metropolitan Washington, D.C., and throughout the world.
Required Courses (6 credits)
- HIST 341: History of Sport in the United States (3 credits)
- SPMT 304: Sport, Culture, and Society (3 credits)
Sport Management Electives (6 credits)
Choose two courses from the following:
- SPMT 307: Sport Diplomacy (3 credits)
- SPMT 318: Diversity and Inclusion Issues in Sport (3 credits)
- SPMT 321: America Through Baseball (3 credits)
- SPMT 322: Football and American Culture (3 credits)
- SPMT 323: America and the Modern Olympics (3 credits)
- SPMT 455: Governance and Policy in Sport Organizations (3 credits)
History Electives (6 credits)
Choose two courses from the following:
- HIST 339: History of Baseball (3 credits)
- HIST 340: Basketball and the American Experience (3 credits)
- HIST 342: History of the Olympics and the United States (3 credits)
- HIST 389: Topics in U.S. History (3 credits)
Total: 18 credits
Note: Eight credits of coursework must be unique to minor.