Master of Science in Sport Leadership and Management

The sport industry has exploded over the past 15 years and has become increasingly more complex. The sport leadership and management graduate program is meant to help students navigate those complexities by becoming efficient managers and leaders. The program aims to not only explore leadership and management theories, but put them to practical use.

Students will analyze complex problems, help solve current issues for sports organizations, and collaborate to find creative solutions. This master’s degree in sport leadership and management is meant for anyone currently working in, or hoping to work in professional sports, collegiate or high school sports or intramurals, as well as those in the public and non-profit recreation sectors. Incoming students may have an undergraduate degree in any subject area.

Program Goals

• Apply leadership principles, theory, and critical thinking skills in order to creatively solve leadership challenges.
• Analyze the legal and ethical issues as they relate to sport and recreation applications.
• Demonstrate sensitivity to the range of diversity issues that arise in the sports industry and the media.
• Apply sound leadership and management skills when dealing with fiscal matters within the sports industry, professional sports organizations, and sporting venues.

Class Delivery Format

The program will employ a fall cohort model and a hybrid course delivery method. The hybrid method of delivery allows interested students to complete a majority of the classes online while still meeting on campus to interact with faculty and fellow students. On campus meeting times may vary among classes/professors, though faculty will provide specific meeting dates in a timely manner.

The graduate cohort program will operate on a seven-week session with students completing 3-6 credits of study in each seven-week session. There will be at least one week off between sessions.

Sport Leadership and Management Program Prerequisites

Applicants must possess a bachelor’s degree (any major) from a regionally accredited college or university with an overall GPA of 3.00 or higher. Students applying for the SLM program have no additional requirements other than those required for all master’s applicants.

Application Checklist

• GPA of 3.0 of higher
• Official transcripts
• Current resume or CV (Optional, but recommended)

Course Requirements

BUSN 5100 – Graduate Writing and Research
SLM 5150 – Contemporary Leadership in Sport
SLM 5200 – Conflict Management Skills
SLM 5250 – Current Issues in Sport Leadership
SLM 6100 – Ethical Sport Leadership
SLM 6150 – Fiscal Management in Sport
SLM 6200 – Legal Issues for Sport Leaders
SLM 6250 – Leading a Diverse Sport Workforce
SLM 6300 – Media Relations in Sport
SLM 6810 – Research Project or
SLM 6910 – Graduate Internship

Course Sequence