Careers in sports aren’t limited to playing on a team. Thanks to sport management programs, students can combine their passion for sports with business. The Sport Management program at the University of Texas (UT) at Austin is helping students, especially women, learn and thrive in the business of sports.
UT-Austin offers a bachelor’s and both on-campus and online master’s degrees in sport management. These competitive programs help students develop strategic thinking and real-world experience to become leaders in the sports industry. Job opportunities can include managing team operations, athletic administration, event and facility operations, sports media and communication, partnerships, sales, marketing, and more.
Developing sports professionals
UT-Austin’s online master’s program in sport management is popular nationally and internationally, especially among working professionals pivoting to or advancing a career in sports. U.S. News and World Report ranks the school No. 4 among public institutions and No. 6 overall.
Emily Sparvero
Faculty Director of the Online Sport Management Program, University of Texas at Austin
“The orientation of our program is really geared toward developing students as professionals,” said Emily Sparvero, faculty director for UT-Austin’s online sport management program, who earned her master’s and Ph.D. from the program.
The flexible online program has the same benefits and rigor as its in-person counterpart. Class sizes are limited to 25 students for maximum professor-student engagement. Students can complete the program in two years and do not need to complete a thesis.
Female leaders
UT-Austin’s on-campus master’s program in sport management began back in the late 1980s. Women were the driving force behind the program, including Dr. Donna Lopiano, who served as director of women’s athletics at UT-Austin for 18 years, and then-chair of the Department of Kinesiology and Health Education, Dot Lovett.
Janice (Jan) Todd, Ph.D.
Chair of the Department of Kinesiology and Health Education, University of Texas at Austin
“We have had such a long history here of women leading the program, women teaching the classes, women demonstrating through their work with our UT athletic department how important the presence of women is in this kind of work,” said Janice (Jan) Todd, Ph.D., the chair of the Department of Kinesiology and Health Education at UT-Austin.
Dr. Todd has been at UT-Austin for 41 years. When she taught her first class, weightlifting, in 1985, only a few students were female. Each semester, more women enrolled.
The perfect professor for a weightlifting class, Dr. Todd is a powerlifting legend, who set more than 60 world and American records during her career. The New York Times profiled her in May of 2025 in an article titled, “Jan Todd May Be the Reason You’re Lifting Weights.” In November 1977, Sports Illustrated dubbed her “the strongest woman in the world.”
Leaders in sport
Internships and alumni networking opportunities help connect the classroom to the workplace.
“We’re developing true leaders in sport,” Dr. Sparvero said. “UT’s motto is ‘What starts here changes the world,’ and I think for us, it’s ‘What starts at the University of Texas in our program is changing the world of sport.’”
Learn more about UT-Austin’s bachelor’s, on-campus master’s, and online master’s programs in sport management.
Texas Sport Management Alums Changing the Game
Louise Amsili: Joining the University of Texas Sport Management MEd program has truly given me all the opportunities I needed to pursue the career I wanted — not only by providing me with solid reality-based knowledge, but by offering us unique opportunities to develop our skills, with the prestigious athletic department and the countless teams, agencies, and entities who trust the program’s faculty for student positions and internships. The network I built during my time there is invaluable and has proven relevant throughout my journey.
Kaitlin Gascoyne
Undergrad program, class of 2019
Kaitlin is a Basketball Marketing Executive at Creative Artists Agency
Kaitlin Gascoyne: The Sport Management program at Texas gave me the foundational business knowledge and overall confidence to enter the ultra-competitive sports industry right after college. That preparation allowed me to grow within my organization from an assistant to a basketball marketing executive, representing NBA talent at the highest level.
Liz Jeralds
On-campus master’s program, class of 2013
Liz is the Director of Community Impact for the Denver Broncos
Liz Jeralds: My education through the University of Texas Sport Management graduate program, paired with two years as a student worker in the Athletics Department, gave me invaluable real-world experience and a clear understanding of how sports organizations can drive meaningful impact beyond competition.
Paige Vinnicombe
Undergrad program, class of 2020
Paige is a Senior YouTube Producer for Red Bull North America
Paige Vinnicombe: When I first came into the UT-Austin Sports Management program, they met me exactly where I was at. They fully believed in me and my unconventional journey by helping me see strengths and potential in myself. Through their steadfast guidance and unmatched resources, I was able to set myself up for success and achieve the path I envisioned for myself.
Kayla Wyman
Online master’s program, class of 2022
Kayla is the Game Presentation Manager for the Houston Rockets
Kayla Wyman: The University of Texas Sport Management program equipped me to think beyond the game — understanding revenue mindset/opportunities, organizational layers, event operations, and the need to continuously adapt and innovate to stay relevant in the industry.
Anna Zeng
Undergrad program, class of 2017
Anna is the Ticket Sales Strategy and Requirements Manager for the 2026 FIFA World Cup
Anna Zeng: The Sports Management faculty’s genuine care for student development both in and out of the classroom creates a supportive community that motivates alumni to give back to the program and support the students who come after us.
