With the FIFA World Cup, Winter Olympics, and Commonwealth Games taking place in 2026, now is a great time to start your career in the sports industry. And what better way to do so than to join the online Bachelor of Commerce in Sport and Event Management (SPMT-O) offered by the Gordon S. Lang School of Business and Economics at the University of Guelph?
If you’re an international student, you’re guaranteed a 10,000 Canadian dollars (approximately US$7,167 at the time of writing) entrance scholarship. In fall 2025, 97% of first-year international applicants received a scholarship with their admission offer. The average amount was CA$10,390.
These scholarships recognise and reward students who demonstrate academic excellence, leadership, extra-curricular involvement, or research potential. That means less financial stress for you and more space for you to focus on preparing for a career with government organisations, professional teams, commercial clubs, or sports businesses anywhere in the world.
It’s set to be a high return on investment. Further adding to its value is the Lang School’s accreditation by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB). It is one of only two institutes in Canada to offer a bachelor’s degree in sport and event management. With a global ranking in the top 6% and a 96% job placement rate, the SPMT-O is well-known by your future employers. Doors often open for graduates, with many going to achieve success.
The SPMT-O mirrors the in-person programme, delivering the same high-quality content in a fully asynchronous format. You even have the option to fast-track your studies and complete the programme in three years. The flexible online structure enables you to study at your own pace, join group projects, and engage in case-based learning without being limited by time zones or sacrificing your commitments.
“One of the things I loved the most about SPMT-O was how flexible and organised it was, ” says student Lamees Wajahat. “As an athlete, my schedule is already busy, so having things laid out and formatted was very helpful to my learning.”
This structure allowed her to focus as much time as possible on completing the actual assignments rather than figuring out what to do. It was easy to follow along because weekly expectations and due dates were posted consistently. “It was a bonus that you could go ahead and complete the following unit in your spare time,” she says. “I also really enjoyed the actual material. For me, I was able to connect it to myself personally many times, which helped enhance my learning. I was able to implement it into my daily life in athletics, school and my personal life.”
International students receive a guaranteed CA$10,000 entrance scholarship for the University of Guelph’s online BComm in Sport and Event Management programme. Source: University of Guelph
Experiences like Wajahat’s highlight how well structured the programme is to give you a full understanding of the field. You’ll explore the business value of sport and events, their contribution to communities, and how to become an innovative leader in the industry. The programme combines core commerce courses, such as marketing, accounting, economics, human resources, and strategy, with specialised courses in sponsorship, media, event hosting, stakeholder engagement, and organisational leadership.
A focus on ethical and sustainable practices made student Nathan Walker realise how much of an impact every decision has on a person, their friends, team, community, and beyond. “This course just reminded me to analyse and think before acting and to truly consider how my decisions will affect others and myself as an athlete and student,” he says.
By the time you graduate, you’ll have developed analytical and communication skills, practical experience, and the confidence to work in sport promotion, facility and event management, sport media and communications, and sport policy development. Whether you aim to join government organisations, professional teams, commercial clubs, or industry, programme sets you up for a wide range of roles.
“I greatly enjoyed starting this programme,” Wajahat says. “It was my first official university class, and I am happy with how it went. It was engaging, enjoyable, and I succeeded.”
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