Sports are physical activities where people compete as individuals or as part of a team to win or reach an ultimate goal. They can be casual—such as a pick-up game of basketball in a park—or organized, like a professional National Football League (NFL) game. Sports are played for many reasons, including to improve physical fitness, financial gain, social interaction, stress relief, and entertainment. Archeological evidence suggests that almost every ancient culture enjoyed some sort of sports. Through the years, modern society has made it so that people of all ages, genders, and abilities can participate in sports too. For example, parasports are sports that have been modified so that people with disabilities can play, such as wheelchair tennis.

How can online courses on Coursera help me learn about sports?

If you're a parent, teacher, coach, or someone who works with children, online courses on Coursera can help you learn more about how sports affect children. If you're an athlete yourself, a course about the science of exercise can help you understand your body better. If you're looking to further an already established career, a course about becoming a sports agent can help you take it to the next level.

What are typical careers that use sports?

Typical careers in sports go beyond being an athlete, although that's an option too; but from youth sports all the way up to the pros, teams need trainers, coaches, athletic directors, sports marketing professionals, and sports agents. If you're interested in education, you might want to become a physical education teacher. Anyone who is interested in combining sports with healthcare might pursue a career in physical therapy, sports medicine, sports psychology, sports nutrition, sports massage therapy, or exercise physiology. There are several communications careers geared towards sports, such as sports reporters, sportscasters, sportswriters, sports photographers, and sports producers. You may work in television, radio, print, or internet media. Other careers that involve sports are sporting goods retail and manufacturing, fitness instructors, gym managers, summer camp counselors, lifeguards, and recreation center managers.

What are the benefits of taking an online Sports course?

Online Sports courses offer a convenient and flexible way to enhance your knowledge or learn new Sports skills. Choose from a wide range of Sports courses offered by top universities and industry leaders tailored to various skill levels.

What Sports courses are best for training and upskilling employees or the workforce?

When looking to enhance your workforce's skills in Sports, it's crucial to select a course that aligns with their current abilities and learning objectives. Our Skills Dashboard is an invaluable tool for identifying skill gaps and choosing the most appropriate course for effective upskilling. For a comprehensive understanding of how our courses can benefit your employees, explore the enterprise solutions we offer. Discover more about our tailored programs at Coursera for Business here .

Best Sports Courses & Certificates [2025]

Explore the Sports Course Catalog

Northwestern University
Sports Marketing
Skills you'll gain: Event Marketing, Press Releases, Marketing, Social Media, Media Relations, Marketing Strategies, Loyalty Programs, Brand Management, Event Planning, Public Relations, Revenue Management, Strategic Partnership, Crisis Management
4.7
Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
1.4K reviews
Intermediate · Course · 1 - 3 Months
Status: Free Trial
University of Michigan
Sports Performance Analytics
Skills you'll gain: Forecasting, Statistical Methods, Regression Analysis, Data Cleansing, Scikit Learn (Machine Learning Library), Supervised Learning, Data Processing, Statistical Hypothesis Testing, Correlation Analysis, Predictive Analytics, Predictive Modeling, Matplotlib, Data Manipulation, Applied Machine Learning, Kinesiology, Injury Prevention, Analytics, Data Analysis, Statistical Analysis, Python Programming
4.5
Rating, 4.5 out of 5 stars
262 reviews
Intermediate · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months
Duke University
Sports and Society
Skills you'll gain: Social Studies, Social Sciences, Socioeconomics, Anthropology, World History, Sociology, Cultural Diversity, Media and Communications, Economics, Political Sciences, Psychology
4.8
Rating, 4.8 out of 5 stars
1.3K reviews
Mixed · Course · 1 - 3 Months
Status: Free Trial
National Academy of Sports Medicine
NASM Personal Fitness Trainer
Skills you'll gain: Goal Setting, Kinesiology, Nutrition and Diet, Health Assessment, Nutrition Education, Preventative Care, Public Health and Disease Prevention, Patient Education And Counseling, Respiration, Train The Trainer, Chronic Diseases, Patient Evaluation, Physical Therapy, Rehabilitation, Injury Prevention, Neurology, Automated External Defibrillator, Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR), Overcoming Obstacles, Coaching
4.8
Rating, 4.8 out of 5 stars
174 reviews
Beginner · Professional Certificate · 3 - 6 Months
Case Western Reserve University
Becoming a Sports Agent
Skills you'll gain: Labor Relations, Brand Management, Arbitration, Contract Negotiation, Client Services, Recruitment, Legal Strategy, Financial Management, Relationship Management, Financial Planning
4.7
Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
150 reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 3 Months
National Academy of Sports Medicine
National Academy of Sports Medicine Nutrition Essentials
Skills you'll gain: Nutrition and Diet, Nutrition Education, Health Assessment, Coaching, Preventative Care, Behavior Management
4.6
Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
78 reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks

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Status: Free Trial
The State University of New York
Data Analytics in Sports Law and Management
Skills you'll gain: Facility Management, Event Management, Legal Risk, Contract Management, Performance Analysis, Facility Operations, Event Planning, Business Analytics, Analytics, Data Management, Data-Driven Decision-Making, Data Analysis, Scheduling, Labor Relations, Relationship Management, Customer Engagement, Team Performance Management, Operations Management, Law, Regulation, and Compliance, Commercial Laws
4.8
Rating, 4.8 out of 5 stars
32 reviews
Beginner · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months
Status: Free Trial
University of Michigan
Foundations of Sports Analytics: Data, Representation, and Models in Sports
Skills you'll gain: Statistical Methods, Regression Analysis, Data Cleansing, Statistical Hypothesis Testing, Correlation Analysis, Matplotlib, Data Manipulation, Data Visualization, Statistical Analysis, Scatter Plots, Probability & Statistics, R Programming, Data Analysis, Descriptive Statistics, Pandas (Python Package), Python Programming
4.4
Rating, 4.4 out of 5 stars
193 reviews
Intermediate · Course · 1 - 3 Months
Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona
Sport Sponsorship. Let them Play
Skills you'll gain: Event Marketing, Promotional Strategies, Business Planning, Event Management, Stakeholder Management, Proposal Development, Brand Management, Brand Strategy, Strategic Partnership, Stakeholder Communications, Business Development, Advertising, Employee Engagement
4.4
Rating, 4.4 out of 5 stars
279 reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 3 Months
University of Florida
The Science of Training Young Athletes
Skills you'll gain: Coaching, Pediatrics, Kinesiology, Child Development, Working With Children, Child Health, Biology, Anatomy, Training Programs, Injury Prevention, Rehabilitation, Nutrition and Diet, Planning
4.8
Rating, 4.8 out of 5 stars
958 reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 3 Months
Status: New
Status: Free Trial
Real Madrid Graduate School Universidad Europea
AI in Sports: The Approach of a Club
Skills you'll gain: Artificial Intelligence, Performance Analysis, Automation, Personalized Service, Digital Transformation, Augmented and Virtual Reality (AR/VR), Technology Strategies, Innovation, Internet Of Things, Machine Learning, Big Data, Ethical Standards And Conduct, Deep Learning, Analytical Skills, Predictive Analytics, Health Technology, Data Analysis, Natural Language Processing, User Experience, Data Security
Beginner · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months
University of Colorado Boulder
Science of Exercise
Skills you'll gain: Kinesiology, Nutrition and Diet, Health Assessment, Pharmacology, Public Health and Disease Prevention, Preventative Care, Respiration, Anatomy, Chronic Diseases, Vital Signs, Biochemistry, Public Health, Biology, Cardiology
4.8
Rating, 4.8 out of 5 stars
4.7K reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks