Diamondback Online - The University of Maryland's Independent Daily Student Newspaper

The Office of Professional Studies is adding two new programs this fall - a graduate certificate in sport management and a master's degree and graduate certificate in geospatial information sciences.

The two new programs follow the successful kick-off of other programs aimed at professional audiences who are looking for more hands-on training, including historic preservation, radar signal processing, public health informatics and real estate development, according to Jennifer Agwunobi, the director of marketing at OPS.

Lubna Sher, assistant director of marketing and communications in the office, said recent research data indicates a need for skills-based training for individuals preparing to enter both the sport management and information sciences industries.

In particular, sport management has expanded into a multidimensional industry that is no longer just about teams, players and coaches. Now the industry is also about successfully operating sports venues, hiring and training staff, having legal representation and running retail businesses, Sher said.

"There are a wealth of opportunities," added Stephen McDaniel, an associate professor in the kinesiology department. McDaniel's department will be teaming up with the OPS in teaching the sport management certificate courses this fall.

The Washington area has an abundance of opportunities for someone with sport management experience, with eight professional sports teams, a number of sports facilities such as FedEx Field and Comcast Center, large retail companies such as Fila and Under Armour and two well known athlete representation firms, SFX Sports Group and Octagon.

To help students get a taste of all that is out there, McDaniel said classes will include guest speakers from different sports venues in the area.

The graduate certificate in sport management is a 12-credit program that a student can finish in one year. During that year, students will get an overview of the major areas in the sports industry, and will gain insight into how to apply their interests and backgrounds into the different fields, said McDaniel.

This university joins other East Coast schools now offering graduate sport management programs, including New York schools Columbia University and St. John's University.

Like sport management, geospatial information sciences has undergone dramatic growth and development over the last few years.

"Geospatial information sciences is one of the fastest growing occupations," said Cathy Carter, a lecturer in the department of geography.

In January 2007, a Department of Labor Employment and Training Administration Summary of Industry Engagement found that geospatial technology is "an emerging and evolving industry ... [whose worldwide market] has enormous potential."

In general, geospatial studies involves mapping and analyzing satellite signals that bounce off terrains as varied as the ocean floor, rain forests and areas of sprawling urban development, among other things. While some industries, such as the power and cable companies, use geospatial technology to lay cables, others use it to map transportation routes. Governments use the technology for a variety of things including urban planning, national defense, and emergency preparation.

"It studies the way people group themselves, looks at how land is being used, looks at changes in the environment, looks at changes in habitats . . .[it looks at] many things," Carter said.

Carter also said that while mapping is a key component to geospatial sciences, the next step, taking what's learned and recommending changes and solutions, is more important.

So, while the goals of the program include training students to use "state of the art computer-based systems," it will also center on applying these mapping and modeling techniques to solve problems.

The OPS will have two options with respect to geospatial information sciences: a 31-credit master's degree or a 12-credit graduate certificate. Students who obtain the graduate certificate will also be allowed to apply those credits toward the master's degree.

Contact reporter Gabe Hollis at newsdesk@dbk.umd.edu.

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