Getting into motorsports can be very difficult, especially considering how few opportunities to get feet in the door exist within higher education. However, a few places offer unique degree paths for those who want to get involved in motorsports. Today, we highlight some of these programs.
The University of Northwestern Ohio is truly a go-to for anyone who wants to get involved in motorsports through their High-Performance Motorsports degree. The university was founded in 1920, and in 1992 they started the first High Performance Motorsports associate degree program in the world. Followed by major growth in the program, they built a 7-acre high-performance motorsports facility in 2006. UNOH has partnered with NASCAR before, including sponsoring races in the lower National Touring Series or the Regional Touring Series. UNOH also has partnerships with Formula Drift, Monster Jam, ARCA, and Lucas Oil Late Modified Dirt Series.
The university even owns its own race track, Limaland Motorsports Park. How about that for a way to make connections with those involved in the industry? For a program dedicated specifically to motorsports, UNOH is a great place to start.
Being in the motor racing capital of the world, Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) has plenty of motorsports degree programs available. They claim to be the ONLY university in the United States to offer a Motorsports Engineering degree. The university also offers fellowships in Motorsports Medicine along with a Certificate in Motorsports Studies.
IUPUI is in the midst of some major changes as a university. Indiana University and Purdue University are going to split from one campus into two separate campuses. Where the motorsports programs go is still too be determined.
Rajah Caruth is perhaps the most famous Winston-Salem State University motorsports student currently. Their degree is slightly different, being in Motorsports Management. While the previous two we looked at were focused primarily on working on race cars, this one focuses more on the different jobs within a race team.
They highlight nearby Bowman Gray Stadium as a place for students to work out their skills. They also claim that majors will accrue 480 hours of internship experience while in the program. For those who want to work more in the business side of motorsports, this degree could be perfect.
University of North Carolina – Charlotte offers a Motorsports Engineering major in the heart of NASCAR country. The vast majority of NASCAR race teams are based out of the Charlotte area. Making connections is vital to having success in this business, and UNC Charlotte offers maybe the best connections of any.
According to their website, 22% of NASCAR Engineers are graduates of UNC-Charlotte. The school also offers a special Alan Kulwicki Memorial Scholarship in honor of Kulwicki, NASCAR’s first college graduate Champion. Kulwicki held an engineering degree.
There are places to go for fans to get degrees dedicated in motorsports. If you are working to get into motorsports, these are some great places to start.
