Professionalising sport management education: Why the field needs industry integrated accreditation

Sport management education has expanded globally but remains characterised by fragmentation, inconsistent graduate outcomes, and a weakly defined professional identity. The relationship between programme accreditation, occupational standards and professional recognition remains uneven across national and occupational contexts. This paper argues that existing accreditation systems primarily function as mechanisms of quality assurance rather than professional formation. Drawing on theories of professionalisation and institutionalisation, the paper proposes an industry-integrated accreditation framework based on co-governance, competency-based standards, experiential learning, and graduate recognition. It concludes that the future legitimacy of sport management may depend on moving beyond programme accreditation toward professional formation.