Policy & Governance in Sport – SMGT 421

CG • Section 8WK • 11/08/2019 to 04/16/2020 • Modified 09/05/2023

Course Description

This course examines various aspects of sport governing bodies and the organizations they oversee, including their structure, authority, membership, policy development, and the ethical issues behind their decisions. Governing bodies to be examined will include the domains of professional sport, interscholastic sport, intercollegiate sport, amateur sport, and international sport.

For information regarding prerequisites for this course, please refer to the Academic Course Catalog.

Rationale

Every sport organization either creates or is subject to rules, regulations, and policy. This class will help the student understand the external and internal forces that he/she will encounter within the sport industry. The student will be better prepared to handle the operational, ethical, and moral challenges presented by the policy decisions of sport organizations.

Course Assignment

Textbook readings and lecture presentations/notes

Course Requirements Checklist

After reading the Course Syllabus and Student Expectations, the student will complete the related checklist found in the Course Overview.

Discussions (4)

Discussions are collaborative learning experiences. Therefore, questions or scenarios will be posted in the Discussion in order to generate interaction among students in regard to relevant, current course topics. Current and archived issues of sports publications from the Jerry Falwell Library website will be used as the basis for research and discussion. The student will complete a thread of at least 400 words, using at least 1 scholarly resource cited in current APA format from his/her research and 1 Scripture reference. The student will then complete 2 replies of at least 200 words, using his/her personal experience and optional outside resources. (CLO C, D, E)

Reading Summaries (2)

The student will write a 2-page research-based paper in current APA format that focus on news stories related to governance and policy decisions made by sport organizations. These summaries will be an extension of the information covered in the chapters of the text. The paper must include at least 2 references in addition to the course textbooks and the Bible. (CLO A, C, D, E)

The student will create a formal document that explains an organizational response to a particular industry issue. The student will need to create multiple arguments to support his/her chosen position/reaction. (CLO B, C, D)

Each quiz will cover the Learn material for the assigned Module(s): Week(s). Each quiz will be open-book/open-notes, contain multiple-choice and true/false questions, and have a 1-hour time limit. (CLO B, C, D)