Summer Springboard
Sport & Communication
ON THE CAMPUS OF UC SANTA BARBARA
LEARN HOW SPORT CULTURE CREATES MEANING WITHIN OUR SOCIETY THROUGH COMMUNICATION IN THIS FOUNDATIONAL COURSE TO KICK OFF ANY CAREER PATH IN SPORTS.
THIS IS A TWO-WEEK PROGRAM WHERE YOU’LL FOCUS ON ONE COURSE FOR THE ENTIRE DURATION.
Sport & Communication
- Gain a foundational understanding of the context of sport within the field of communication.
- Apply critical analysis to the intersection of organizations, media, fans, and athletes in sport from a communication perspective.
- Develop an understanding of the entrepreneurial aspect of the sport industry and how communication factors play a key role.
- Examine how factors such as race, gender, and socioeconomic status impact research focused on communication and sport.
Summer Springboard
Sport & Communication
About This Course
Sport plays a significant role in culture and society both in the United States and around the world. Each year, billions of dollars are invested in sports at every level, from youth travel teams to professional leagues such as the NFL and NBA. This course moves beyond the games themselves to critically examine the connections between four key pillars of sport and communication: fans, athletes, media, and organizations. For instance, why do some people tie their identity to a sports team? How and why do media outlets portray men’s and women’s sports differently? These are among the many questions this course investigates. In addition, the course explores three levels of sport: professional, collegiate, and amateur.
By taking this course, students will be well-prepared for academic paths such as sport management, communication, public relations, journalism, or law, as well as for careers in sport operations, media, communication and more.
TOPICS YOU'LL EXPLORE
Hands-on Learning
Students will develop a media coverage plan for a major event, such as the NFL Draft, that considers the needs of the media, fans, organizations, and athletes. They will also participate in a mock simulation as community leaders addressing referee harassment, using insights from real-world cases and research.
Career Exploration
This course introduces students to career paths in the sports industry through the study of communication. Students will explore how media, fans, athletes, and organizations interact, examine issues like representation and entrepreneurship in sport and gain real-world insight through visits with local sport organizations, preparing them for careers in sport management, media, communication, public relations, journalism and more.
RESOURCES
Course Infosheet
Click here to view or download the printable infosheet for this course.
Program Catalog
Click here to request our catalog to learn more about our summer programs and courses.
Campus Page
Click here to view the website page for this campus and learn more.
“I had a great time at Summer Springboard and learned a lot in my academic course. It’s a fun balance of academics and excursions and college life experience.”
– Justin R. | Alumni Student
Summer Springboard
Sport & Communication
Meet Your Instructor
Steven Kubitza is an instructor and PhD candidate in Communication at UC Santa Barbara. His research is in organizational communication, with a special focus on sport as a context within the field. Steven also pursues research on AI use and professional development in the classroom. Steven has vast professional experience in both sport and communication fields. This includes jobs in sport sales, sport compliance, and sport journalism. He also has over a decade of experience managing online sports news websites.
Steven designed his own sport communication course at UCSB and aims to create both an informational and interactive classroom at all times. The overall goal of his courses is for students to leave feeling prepared for research and industry roles in both sport and communication.
STEVEN KUBITZA
“An amazing experience! Everyone here is so fun and overall kind, caring and the list can go on! I learned so much during my time here and can’t wait to use the knowledge I learned here for my future!”
– Jackie S. | Alumni Student
Summer Springboard
Sport & Communication
Dates & Tuition
| 2026 Dates |
|---|
| Session 1: July 19, 2026 July 31, 2026 |
Click here to enroll in this course using our online enrollment form.
| Tuition |
|---|
| Residential Tuition: $5,698 |
| Commuter Tuition: $3,298 |
Apply by November 30 to lock in the lowest prices of the year. Tuition increases on December 1.
Tuition Protection Plan: Allows for cancellation for any reason up until the day of the program.
| Location |
|---|
| City: Santa Barbara |
| State: California |
| Campus: UC Santa Barbara |
Summer Springboard programs are not run by our campus partners (with the exception of Cal Poly, UW Foster and NYSID which are run in partnership with SSB). Universities and their affiliated departments and partners do not control and are not responsible or liable in any manner for any part of the Summer Springboard program.