Educational Preparation

College/University Coursework
The majority of engineering programs—regardless of specialty - include core curriculums that will enable the recent graduate to work in any of the job functions discussed in previous sections. If, however, you want to start pursuing this specific path right away, the coursework you'll want to consider if you have an interest in this field would be:

• Aerodynamics
• Biomechanics
• Dynamic Systems & Control
• Fluid Mechanics
• Functional Anatomy
• Medical Imaging
• Physiology
• Robotics
• Sports Engineering
• Sports Injuries and Repair
• Sports Materials
• Stress Analysis & Design
• Structural Analysis
• Thermodynamics
• Thermo-Fluids
• Tissue Engineering

Internships
Workplace experience is one of the best ways to prepare for any engineering career. You'll learn not only about the companies themselves, but also about how the industry works and what roles engineers play in it. You'll see how different segments of development and production work together, and what kinds of non-engineering skills you will need to be a productive member of the industry workforce.

Many of the major players in the industry have programs to bring students at all levels into the workplace and give them real-world experience. Some organizations and companies with internship programs are:

• Adidas
• Nike
• TeamWorkOnline Internship Listings

It's not only sports manufacturing and supply companies that offer internships. Don't forget to check with a sports' national governing body (NGB) or federation. The United States Olympic Committee Internship Program is only one such possibility. The program at USA Track & Field is another. Most governing bodies have a sport science manager(s) that coordinates science, engineering, and/or technology projects. The United Ski and Snowboard Association (USSA) for example, is the NGB for Olympic skiing and snowboarding in the USA, and as part of their USSA Sports Science Program they offer internships in Biomechanics, Strength & Technology. Get more information on internships.

Another good source for "out of the classroom" experience are research centers like the MIT Center for Sports Innovation, where students get the chance to work on sports technology studies, do product development work, and examine how the engineering disciplines they are learning about get applied in real world situations.