M.S. in Sports Administration

With an M.S. in sports administration, Valpo students develop competence and pursue careers in the management of sports personnel and facilities.

OVERVIEW

The Master of Science with a concentration in Sports Administration (MSSA) is a 39-credit program for individuals interested in developing competence and pursuing careers in the management of sports personnel and facilities. Graduates of this program may assume supervisory and administrative positions in a variety of settings, including public recreation systems, voluntary agencies, facility and event management, community based athletic programs, college athletic administration, and professional sports organizations. The program is administered through the Department of Kinesiology.

The program emphasizes competency in seven core areas:

  • Leadership, management, and organization of recreation and sport
  • Research methods
  • Legal aspects of sports
  • Marketing of programs and facilities
  • Ethics in sports management
  • Sports in a social context
  • Financial aspects of sport

In this interdisciplinary program, students take graduate coursework through the Department of Kinesiology and other graduate programs, including Education, Psychology, Communication, and Liberal Studies.

CURRICULUM

Students in the program complete 6 credits of University requirements intended to distinguish the degree as uniquely Valpo. In addition, students fulfill a number of distribution requirements and complete 3 credits of electives.

General Requirements 6 credits
One course from the following options:

  • LS 620 Seminar in the Social Sciences
  • LS 650 Seminar in Religion, Culture, and Value
 3 credits
One course from the following options:

  • LS 555 Ethics in Business (2–3 credits)
  • LS 655 Ethics and Professional Responsibility I
  • LS 656 Ethics and Professional Responsibility II
  • KIN 625 Sports Ethics
 3 credits
(unless otherwise specified)
Concentration 30 credits
KIN 615 Research Methods in Sport and Physical Education 3 credits
KIN 621 Global Leadership and Team Development 3 credits
KIN 633 Management and Development of Facilities 3 credits
KIN 643 Sports Marketing, Promotions, and Fund-Raising 3 credits
KIN 653 Financial Aspects of Sport 3 credits
KIN 670  Sport and the Law 3 credits
Two courses from the following options:

  • KIN 610 Psychology of Sport
  • KIN 620 Women and Sports
  • KIN 630 Sport and Society
 3 credits
One of the following options:

  • KIN 686 Internship in Sports Administration (1–6 credits)
  • KIN 692 Research Project (3 credits) and KIN 795 Master’s Thesis (3 credits)
Electives 3 credits
  • COMM 501 Graduate Sports Media
  • COMM 512 Leadership Communication
  • COMM 598 Graphic Design and Digital Publishing
  • KIN 671 Law and Legal Principles (2 credits)
  • KIN 689 Professional and Career Development (0-1 credit)
  • LS or KIN Graduate Elective (e.g., Economics of Sports, History of Sports, etc.) (3-6 credits)
 3 credits
(unless otherwise specified)
TOTAL 39 credits

ADMISSION

All applicants must meet the admission criteria of the Graduate School. In addition, students must have an undergraduate degree, preferably with the equivalent of 12 credits in KIN, a KIN related area (e.g., Recreation and Leisure), or Business.

Law students applying to the dual degree (J.D./M.S.) program must meet all the standard admission requirements for the M.S. program.

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