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The Reed College of Media and College of Creative Arts will merge to form the new WVU College of Creative Arts and Media as of July 1, 2024. Get details.

Sport Communication

The sport business industry is one of the largest and fastest growing industries in the U.S., generating billions of dollars each year. And the sport communication minor at WVU can prepare you for a career in this exciting field. As a sport communication minor, you will gain practical skills in media writing, public relations, and strategic communications, as well as an understanding of the issues affecting professional and college sports today. Job areas could include advertising, media relations, media sales, athlete endorsements, media placement, merchandise licensing, media broadcasting rights, sport information, community relations and more.

Sport Communication Minor Requirements

The sport communication minor requires courses offered by the WVU College of Physical Activity and Sport Sciences and the College of Media. This blended minor includes both on-campus and online courses, and summer coursework is typically required to complete it.

Students in colleges and units outside of the College of Media may earn a minor in sport communication by completing the following courses and meeting the requirements as stated below. The sport communication minor is not available to students in the College of Media unless they are pursuing the College’s Multidisciplinary Media Studies major. The majority of courses for the sport communication minor are offered exclusively online and some may require summer enrollment. Note that additional online course fees apply. Students should also consult the WVU Undergraduate Catalog for course descriptions and information.

Three courses from College of Media (9 hours)

ONE of the following: (3 hours)

  • ADV 201 – Advertising & Society, 3 hours
    Must be taken online. As a social institution, advertising plays a critical role in our daily lives. This course examines the social, economic and legal aspects of advertising.
  • ADV 215 – Principles of Advertising, 3 hours
    Can be taken on campus or online. An introduction to all sides of the advertising field and to the process, quantitative, strategic and aesthetic, by which the sales message is planned, produced and delivered.
  • PR 215 – Introduction to Public Relations, 3 hours
    Can be taken on campus or online. Introduces the principles of public relations. Examines the definition and historical development, opportunities and challenges and techniques and management of public relations.

Required Course:

  • JRL 361 – Media Relations in Sport, 3 hours
    Prerequisites: One of the following: ADV 201, ADV 215 or PR 215
    Can be taken on campus or online. Provides an in-depth understanding of how effective public relations plays an integral role in any sports organization via a myriad of communication efforts used in the dissemination of information to the media and the public.

ONE of the following: (3 hours)

  • JRL 412 – Sport Journalism, 3 hours
    Prerequisites: ADV 201, ADV 215, or PR 215
    Can be taken on campus or online. Develops critical thinking skills in reporting and writing stories. Students examine the value of sports journalism, the way sports function in society and gain an understanding of ethics in sports journalism.
  • PR 412 – IMC for Sport, 3 hours
    Prerequisites: ADV 201, ADV 215, or PR 215
    Must be taken online. Describes the essential role of public relations in integrated marketing communication using sport-specific examples to examine the attributes of successful IMC campaigns and “the campaign mindset” as it applies to sport promotion and communications.

Three courses from College of Physical Activity and Sport Sciences (9 hours)

Required Course:

  • SEP 271 Sport in American Society, 3 hours Can be taken on campus or online. This course is generally taught every term. This course provides a comprehensive analysis of sport structures with a close view of who competes and the consequences of such competition. A major emphasis is placed on the sociological phenomena that contribute to sport in the United States. In-depth discussion of the apparent positive and negative consequences of the way sport is organized in society will occur.

TWO of the following: (6 hours)

  • SM 426 Liability in Sport (Sport Law), 3 hours Can be taken online or on campus. This class is generally offered in the summer. Recommended to complete SEP 271 before enrolling in this course. This course includes an in-depth study of professional sport leagues, their constitution, by laws, regulations, collective bargaining agreements, standard player contracts; legal issues involving sport agents.
  • SM 485 Sport Management, 3 hours Can be taken online or on campus. This class is generally offered in the summer. Recommended to complete SEP 271 before enrolling in this course. In this course students analyze management processes utilized in sport businesses. A focus is on the planning, organization, leading, and evaluation processes that are unique to the sport industry.
  • SM 486 Sport Marketing, 3 hours Can be taken online or on campus. This class is generally offered in the summer. Recommended to complete SEP 271 before enrolling in this course. This course provides an analysis of marketing sport enterprises; the marketing planning process, and marketing information systems.

To earn a minor in Sport Communication, a student must earn a minimum overall GPA of 2.0 in all courses required for the minor and have 9 distinct credit hours in the minor not shared with other degree requirements. However, College of Media MDMS students must earn a C- in every course in the minor and all 15 credit hours must be distinct to the minor and not shared with other degree requirements.

To register for these courses or to pursue a a double-minor, triple-minor or the College’s Multidisciplinary Media Studies (MDMS) major, contact Aaron Hawley at 304-293-3133 or aaron.hawley@mail.wvu.edu.

Online courses are taught completely via eCampus. Students need to plan on logging into eCampus daily during the week but can do so at the time of their own choosing. Students should budget the same amount of time for an online course as they do for on campus courses.