Graduate assistantships in Sport Management, although limited, may be available to qualified students. Prospective students wishing to be considered for a graduate assistantship are urged to complete the Application for Admission to the Graduate School and the Application for a Graduate Assistantship forms and submit them directly to the Graduate School prior to February 1.
In addition to submitting the two applications to the Graduate School, an Application for a Graduate Assistantship in Sport Management must be completed and submitted to the Sport Management Graduate Director. (Graduate assistants must be admitted to the Sport Management degree program in order to qualify and obtain an assistantship.)
Tuition is waived (including out of state tuition) for graduate assistants during the period of their appointment. However, assistantships do not provide payment for students’ fees.
A graduate assistant is obligated to provide up to 20 hours per week of service, if appointed full-time. An appointment to a graduate assistantship shall be for a specified period of time, usually August 16 through May 15. Graduate assistants are expected to carry 9 credit hours per semester during the fall and spring semesters, 6 credits during the summer semester, and must remain in good academic standing by maintaining a minimum GPA of 3.00 in all graduate-level course work.
Graduate assistantship possibilities include:
For further detailed information, please contact Sport Management Gradute Director, Dr. Paul Carpenter (815-753-8284).
The M.S. in Sport Management Internship Program supplements the curriculum by providing students with professional work experiences and contacts. Internships help future sport professionals gain industry knowledge as well as exposure to the management and operation of top sport organizations in Northern Illinois and throughout the United States. Employers are seeking students for positions in many areas such as advertising, customer service, development, event and facility management, marketing, promotions, and numerous other sport management-related positions.
The Internship in Sport Management (LESM 586) is the culminating course taken in obtaining the M.S. in Sport Management degree. Therefore, every student in the program is provided with a solid professional foundation on which to build a successful sport management career.
All internships are for three (3) hours of credit and are usually completed during one semester. The time requirement is 400 hours, which may be completed in a 10-week (40 hours per week) experience. However a 16-week (25 hours per week) internship experience is recommended.
To register, a student must complete the Internship Application Form and submit it to the Sport Management Graduate Director by the applicable deadline (March 1 for the summer term, June 1 for the fall term, November 1 for the spring term). To be eligible, a student must be in good academic standing (3.0 GPA), have completed all LESM required coursework, and/or be completing all other required course work the same semester as the internship. The Director of the Sport Management Program must approve all internships.
Recently KNPE students have served as interns for the Chicago Bears (NFL), Chicago Bulls (NBA), Detroit Tigers (MLB), Chicago Fire (MLS), Rockford Lightning (CBA), DePaul University, University of Maryland, Marquette University, Northern Illinois University, Burns Celebrity Sports, Edelman Marketing, and various sport-related sport organizations.
See the Sport Management Handbook for detailed internship guidelines.