Global Sport University

Researchers work with an athlete in the Oregon Performance Research Lab in Esslinger Hall.

Explore Human Performance and Sport at UO

The University of Oregon is the global leader in sport and human performance education, research, and engagement. We are TrackTown USA, the birthplace of Nike, a founding member of the Wu Tsai Human Performance Alliance, and the Global Sport University Network.

University of Oregon's Sports Programs


Undergraduate Majors, Minors, or Concentrations

Graduate Degrees 

Companies Flock to Pacific Northwest

Our worldwide reputation in athletics extends far beyond the playing field. UO innovations have been a driving force in making Oregon the epicenter of the global sports-products industry. Today, we’re producing the next generation of sports business and media leaders. The Northwest is the birthplace of several sports apparel companies and many more have chosen to set their headquarters in our backyard. In addition to the big names, a large portion of companies in the sport and wellness industry in the area are small businesses, creating a strong culture of entrepreneurship.Oregon has deep industry connections to sport and athletic apparel companies, headquartered in Oregon. Our graduates have deep connections to Nike, and Columbia Sportswear Company.

Sports By The Numbers

The human performance and sport industry plays a key role in Eugene, Bend, and Portland. According to the Portland Business Alliance's "The State of Sport" report, the industry drives:

130,000
jobs in the industry and jobs in other sectors the industry supports
$29B
in total economic output every year, including direct and indirect impacts
56%
growth compared to 21% growth of other sectors in the Greater Portland area

Research and Thought Leadership

We believe in leveraging sport research to help people enjoy not just longer, but healthier lives. The UO is a founding member in the Wu Tsai Human Performance Alliance, which seeks to study peak performance—from the molecular level to the whole body—with the goal of enabling all people to achieve optimal health and well-being. The Wu Tsai Human Performance Alliance at Oregon is centered in the Knight Campus but involves investigators from across the UO who are working to speed the transformation of discoveries into new treatments, technologies, and training protocols.

Oregon has a lot to offer students interested in pursuing a career in human performance and sport, including:

Low angle photo of an athlete running on a treadmill while being observed by two researchers
Wu Tsai Human Performance Alliance
The Wu Tsai Human Performance Alliance is discovering biological principles to optimize human performance and catalyze innovations in human health for all.
 
students work on product design
Academic and Research Opportunities
At the University of Oregon, sport and human performance is who we are, and what we study.
 
Group of UO students standing in front of the Olympic rings
Olympic Studies Hub
The Olympic Studies Hub at the University of Oregon is a member of the worldwide network of academic centers dedicated to the study and research of the Olympic movement and Olympic Games. The hub has fulfilled the criteria for recognition as an academic Olympic Studies and Research Centre by the International Olympic Committee Olympic Studies Centre.
 
Two track athletes crossing the finish line during a race
World Athletics Championships
Eugene, Oregon is known as Track Town USA. In 2022, Oregon hosted the first ever World Athletics Championships in the United States or on a college campus.
More than 2,000 athletes representing 200 nations performed at Hayward Field.
 
A track and field event at Hayward Field in Eugene, OR
Global Sport University Network
The University of Oregon is a founding member of the Global Sport University Network, GSUN. GSUN is a collective of universities from around the world that harnesses knowledge on sport to solve timely, complex problems. 
 
Sports product design project
Global Footwear and Apparel Traceability Summit
A groundbreaking new summit advancing supply chain traceability in the footwear and apparel industries.

Global Sport Summer School

Sporting Across Sectors: Exploring the world of sport through performance science, sports business, and sports product design

Hayward Hall track and field museum

Lessons from Game Changers

Gain exclusive access to expert mentorship and hands-on experience that will transform your sports industry future
Our concentrated three-week program packs maximum value into minimal time away, featuring specialized athletic training sessions that ensure you maintain peak performance while abroad. Students will gain exposure to industry experts who are leading the way in the world of sport.
 

Learn from Experts in...

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Sports Business
Explore the commercial side of athletics, from management to marketing
 

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Sports Product Design and Management
Learn the process of creating, developing, and bringing sports products to market
 

icon of person running

Human Performance and Sport
Dive into the science of athletic achievement and physical optimization

 

Explore GEO's Experiential Learning

Experiential Learning

Experiential learning is woven within the University of Oregon. Oregon is a global leader in sports education, boasting the nation's first sports business center and world-class facilities like the Bowerman Sports Science Center. Through high-impact collaborations between the Lundquist College of Business, the School of Journalism and Communication, the School of Law, Global Education Oregon (GEO Study Abroad), and UO Athletics, students gain hands-on experience in everything from NIL (Name, Image, Likeness) consulting and sports law to human physiology and broadcast journalism.

Experiential Learning Highlights

Global Education Oregon (GEO) Study Abroad

Lundquist College of Business and School of Journalism and Communication

  • Oregon Accelerator:  Business and Journalism students working as consultants to help student-athletes take advantage of Name Image and Likeness (NIL)
  • Collaboration between Allen Hall Advertising, Athletics, and the Warsaw Sports Business Center to develop and implement marketing strategies to boost attendance at Men's and Women's basketball games

Human Performance

Lundquist College of Business

  • Warsaw Sports Business Center: Founded over 30 years ago, it is the country’s first program of its kind within a business school. The center provides students with an immersive learning experience and an impressive network of alumni who hold leadership positions in sports organizations across Oregon, the United States, and the world. 
  • Warsaw Sports Business Club: an undergraduate organization with hundreds of students across campus. The club features weekly guest speakers from across the sports industry, as well as industry site visits. 
  • Professional Edge program: Sports business and sports analytics trainings and immersions with corporate partners, including the Big Ten Athletic Conference, Fox Sports, and the Portland Thorns. Open to undergraduate and graduate students across campus. 
  • Annual participation in national sports business competitions
  • The Warsaw Sports Business Center developed and organized the first B1G Sports Business Challenge at the B1G Conference Football Championship in Indianapolis, December 2025, which Oregon also won the challenge!

School of Law

School of Journalism and Communication

Cross Campus Collaboration

  • Ballmer Institute for Children’s Behavioral Health and UO Athletics: A collaboration between UO Athletics and K-12 schools to aid the mental health of stuent-athletes 
  • Student interns and work study with UO athletics; TrackTown USA student internships for premiere track and field events like the U.S. Olympic trials at Hayward Field 
  • Services for Student Athletes Student-Athlete Development Mentorship Program and Career Coaching