UNC Charlotte introduced a new major in fall 2025 with a Bachelor of Science in Sports Analytics, giving students a new way to combine their interests in sports, data and human performance.
Charlotte’s program is one of fewer than 10 standalone sports analytics degrees in the country, along with Syracuse University, who pioneered the major. The degree builds on UNC Charlotte’s existing Undergraduate Certificate in Sports Analytics, which trains students in statistics, data analysis and human performance in sports-specific settings.
Combining data science and human performance
The 120-credit degree is a collaboration between UNC Charlotte’s School of Data Science and the College of Health and Human Services. The School of Data Science focuses on data analysis, interpretation and technical skills, while the College of Health and Human Services studies health, movement and human performance through its Department of Applied Physiology, Health, and Clinical Sciences. Together, the two colleges created a program where students learn how to collect, analyze and visualize data while developing an understanding of the physical factors that influence athletic performance. The program is designed to give students opportunities to apply those skills to real-world sports situations.
John Tobias serves as the program’s co-director and is credited with bringing it to life at UNC Charlotte. With a master’s degree in sports management from High Point University, Tobias serves as a bridge to the working world of sports, mentoring students and helping them make connections for that first gig.
Opportunities in Charlotte’s sports market
UNC Charlotte’s location gives students opportunities to connect classroom work with the sports industry. The University has identified hands-on opportunities involving Charlotte’s Division I athletics programs and professional organizations, including the Carolina Panthers, Carolina Hurricanes and Charlotte FC. These connections let students gain experience in sports environments while developing skills they use in analytics careers.
Analytics has become an increasingly important part of modern sports. Sports teams use data to evaluate players, measure performance, analyze opponents and inform decisions. As the amount of information teams collect continues to grow, organizations need people who can understand both the data and the sports context behind it. UNC Charlotte’s program was created around that intersection.
Building on the sports analytics certificate
The bachelor’s degree expands on UNC Charlotte’s previous work in the field. Before the degree’s inception, the University’s Undergraduate Certificate in Sports Analytics was the only path for students to gain fundamental knowledge in statistics, programming, data analysis and human performance. Alongside the new program, the certificate also provides a pathway into the sports industry for some graduates; UNC Charlotte has highlighted former certificate students who have gone on to roles with professional organizations including the Philadelphia Phillies, Charlotte FC and the Boston Bruins.
The sports analytics program also connects to UNC Charlotte’s larger investment in data science. Established in 2013, the University’s School of Data Science is an interdisciplinary collaboration involving six colleges: the College of Computing and Informatics, the Belk College of Business, the College of Health and Human Services, the Klein College of Science, the College of Humanities & Earth and Social Sciences, and the William States Lee College of Engineering. The interdisciplinary structure reflects data’s growing importance across industries. Students learn how to use data to answer questions in fields ranging from health care and business to engineering, science and sports. Sports analytics fits into that broader approach by combining data science with athletic performance.
The degree also does not limit graduates to careers with professional sports teams. The technical skills developed through the program can apply to other data-focused positions, while the sports-specific coursework prepares students for careers involving athletic performance and sports organizations. Charlotte’s diverse sports market gives students opportunities to see how analytics is being used across different levels of competition. As a full undergraduate curriculum rather than simply an additional concentration or certificate, it gives students a dedicated path to study sports analytics at UNC Charlotte.
Source: www.ninertimes.com
