Sport management academic programs may seem like a dime a dozen to some individuals. Many know that titling a program as such can be like the "field of dreams." Offer it and they will come. At some institutions, sport management programs are developed to attract athletes and increase the FTE (number of full-time equivalent students vs. actual bodies) while coaches teach the classes. In general, when these are the only premises for developing such a program, they don't garner much respect on their campuses.

However, there is an increasing impetus across the United States to obtain approved status for these programs by the Sport Management Program Review Council (SMPRC). This national body is the governing council for "accrediting" sport management academic programs. The term "approved" was selected over accreditation because site visitations currently are not conducted. Nonetheless, the process is quite rigorous, and the current passage rate for undergraduate programs on the first submission is just 16 percent.

Sport management faculty across the country who have been selected as a member of the panel of reviewers judge submitted institutional portfolios based on SMPRC standards. The SMPRC, a body of appointed and experienced academicians in the field, makes the final decisions regarding approved status. Portfolio preparation workshops are offered twice annually.

It would behoove any athletics department to encourage their academic affairs administrators to support the development of a quality sport management program based on the national standards and to seek approved status. Athletes looking for a quality academic program in sport management should seek out institutions that have attained approved status.

This stamp of approval grants credibility to these programs that often get a bum rap as being nothing but a simple major so athletes can get a degree.

The standards mandate that the curriculum include a minimum number of faculty with preparation in the field, a set number of courses that apply business principles to sport, and course content in 10 areas. These areas include, but are not limited to, marketing, management and leadership, ethics, the law and legal issues, finance and economics, socio-cultural dimensions, and field experience. While many programs are still housed in education departments, several institutions have established separate departments within schools of business or other appropriate areas.

Approved status also is granted to master's and doctoral programs. These can be great programs to have, especially for graduate assistants who aspire to become future coaches or athletics administrators. Obviously, it also would allow current employees a great field in which to pursue their advanced degrees.

There currently are 36 undergraduate, 25 master's and four doctoral programs that have attained national approval status. For a list of approved programs and more information, go to NASSM.org and click on "Universities."

Susan Brown Foster is chair of the sport management department at Saint Leo University, and chair of the Sport Management Program Review Council.