Following another banner year for the program, the VCU Center for Sport Leadership has been ranked 12th worldwide and 9th in North America in the 2020 SportBusiness Postgraduate Course Rankings. The CSL received multiple votes from its peers as one of the top sports management programs in the world and was named the 4th-best program worldwide in the Graduates Choice category for the second consecutive year.
The CSL’s curriculum took the top spot for its usefulness in alumni’s careers when put up against all other institutions in the world. The program also ranked second in support finding a job, third in quality of teaching, and fifth in both networking with alumni and value of degree.
"We have always put a tremendous amount of effort and resources into the student experience. This year's SportBusiness Rankings validate our investment. Our satudents and alumni will always be our top priority," said Carrie LeCrom, executive director of the Center for Sport Leadership.
The methodology of the rankings is based on several factors: graduates employed within six months of graduation and current employment status; work placement; male/female ratio; domestic/international student ratio; and average salary after three years of graduation. A survey filled out by a program’s alumni from a designated year is also utilized to determine rankings for student satisfaction, a category in which the CSL continues to excel.
SportBusiness is a global intelligence service, focused on providing cutting edge analysis and insight on the sport industry. This is the ninth year the organization has conducted the definitive rankings for sport business and sports management programs worldwide.
The Center for Sport Leadership at VCU was established in 1999, developed with the idea of creating an innovative, practical learning environment that would prepare students interested in the sport industry for a successful career in the business.
Modeled after the highly successful BrandCenter, VCU's nationally ranked graduate advertising program, the Center for Sport Leadership launched as a non-traditional sport leadership graduate program that focuses on experiential learning through hands-on experiences. With full support from the university, the administration understood the unique aspects of the sport industry and placed a high value on practical experience and networking opportunities.
The Center for Sport Leadership at VCU has more than 900 alumni working in all areas of the sport industry including the NFL, NBA, MLB, USGA, and more than 50 Division 1 college athletic departments across the country.
