Degree Offered
- Master of Science
Nature of the Program
The Master of Science in Coaching and Sport Education (delivered on-campus) is designed for professional learners interested in further developing their technical skills and enriching their capacity to support athletes in high-performance settings. The program is the ideal fit for those looking to better understand the demands of sport coaching and the factors that influence peak athlete performance in individual and team sports. The curriculum incorporates a unique balance of theoretical and applied courses that are designed to meet the needs of coaches in today’s dynamic sport industry. The primary goal of the Coaching and Sport Education program is for students to graduate with the essential skills and knowledge necessary to work with athletes in a variety of contexts across their lifetime.
The curriculum builds upon a multi-dimensional framework that outlines the fundamental competencies that sport coaches must master to facilitate the long-term development of their athletes and teams. These competencies address the pedagogy of sport coaching, reflection and critical thinking, professionalism and ethics, and use of technology. In addition to an academic core that includes courses in training theory, motor behavior and sport psychology, movement analysis, coaching administration, healthy competitive environments, and strength/conditioning. In addition, students have the opportunity to further specialize their plan of study by selecting an area of emphasis in Leadership, Sport Science and Technology, or Sport Management.
Admissions
Criteria
The following supplemental materials will be used to evaluate applications for admission to the Coaching and Sport Education master’s program:
- Resume: including coaching background, sport participation, sport-related awards, and employment and/or experience (e.g., athletic administration, officiating, volunteering)
- Personal statement: 1-2 written pages on professional goals and reasons for seeking admission
- Letters of recommendation (2)
Note: Students who do not meet the 2.75 grade point average requirement may be admitted as a provisional graduate student only if their GPA is between 2.50 and 2.75. If a student is admitted as a provisional student they are required to attain a 3.0 GPA in their first 9 hours of adviser approved course work in order to remain in the program and to be reclassified as a regular graduate student.
Priority Deadline is December 15th. Any applications submitted after the December 15th deadline will be considered if space is still available in the program.
No more than twelve graduate hours may be taken toward the master's degree as a non-degree seeking graduate student.
Admission Requirements 2024-2025
The Admission Requirements above will be the same for the 2024-2025 Academic Year.
Major Code: 5530
Degree Requirements
Code | Title | Hours |
---|---|---|
ACE 508 | The Sport Coaching Profession | 3 |
ACE 510 | Training Theories for Coaches | 3 |
ACE 518 | Psychology of Coaching | 3 |
or SEP 640 | Sport and Performance Psychology | |
ACE 522 | Motor Behavior for Sport Coaches | 3 |
ACE 530 | Coaching Education Administration | 3 |
ACE 539 | Creating a Healthy Competitive Environment | 3 |
ACE 568 | Sport Movement Analysis | 3 |
ACE 569 | Strength and Conditioning Methods for Coaches | 3 |
ACE 585 | Applied Professional Development | 3 |
Area of Emphasis | 9 | |
Sport Science and Technology | ||
Sport Management | ||
Leadership | ||
Total Hours | 36 |
Areas of Emphasis
Leadership Area of Emphasis Requirements
Code | Title | Hours |
---|---|---|
LDR 501 | Advanced Leadership Theory and Practice | 3 |
LDR 551 | Advanced Problems in Leadership | 3 |
LDR 601 | Applied Leadership in the Workplace | 3 |
Total Hours | 9 |
Sport Management Area of Emphasis Requirements
Code | Title | Hours |
---|---|---|
Select three of the following: | 9 | |
Sport Marketing Research Methods | ||
Legal Issues in Sport Administration | ||
Sport Management Processes | ||
Sport Marketing | ||
Sport Finance | ||
Fund-Raising and Development | ||
Sport Publicity/Public Relations | ||
NCAA Compliance and Current Issues | ||
Total Hours | 9 |
Sport Science and Technology Area of Emphasis Requirements
Code | Title | Hours |
---|---|---|
Select three of the following: | 9 | |
Advanced Strength and Conditioning Coaching Techniques | ||
Strength and Conditioning Program Design Coach | ||
ACE 553 | Applied Statistics in Sport Science | |
ACE 557 | Intro to Sport Technology and Sport Science | |
ACE 558 | Internship Practicum and Data Collection | |
ACE 559 | Internship Practicum and Data Analysis | |
Total Hours | 9 |
Major Learning Outcomes
Coaching and Sport Education
The goal of the program is for students to graduate with the essential skills and knowledge to work with athletes in a variety of contexts across their lifetime.
- Content Knowledge – Students will demonstrate knowledge and disciplinary concepts related to the pedagogy of sport coaching.
- Reflection and Critical Thinking – Students will demonstrate reflection and critical thinking in order to refine professional practice and promote lifelong athlete development..
- Professionalism and Ethics – Students will demonstrate professional behaviors, including commitment to excellence, valuing diversity and collaboration, service to others, and techniques for lifelong learning.
- Technology – Students will be able to demonstrate the use of different forms of technology to assess skills and provide meaningful feedback.