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WVU Morgantown

Executive Sport Management, M.S.

  • Overview
  • Admissions
  • Masters
  • Areas of Emphasis
  • Accelerated Programs
  • Learning Outcomes

Degree Offered

  • Master of Science

Nature of the Program

Students have two options for completing a master's degree in sport management: 1) On-Campus and 2) Distance-Learning with Areas of Emphasis in either Comprehensive Sport Industry Management or Interscholastic Athletic Administration. 

This Master of Science in Executive Sport Management program is also designed for individuals seeking employment and career advancement in the exciting, global industry of sport, but it is delivered entirely online. The program focuses on the most contemporary issues in sport management, and is delivered via online courses taught by faculty and industry professionals who are nationally and internationally recognized leaders in their fields. As a student, you will explore the latest research, industry trends, and recommendations for best practice, while also acquiring applied skills. Topics covered include profitability, diversity, legal issues, facilities, ethics and changing markets in sport. In addition to these core courses, students further specialize by selecting an area of emphasis.

The area of emphasis in Comprehensive Sport Industry Management includes a two-course sequence that provides students with additional preparation in sport management research and contemporary issues in sport business. This area of emphasis contributes to one’s professional readiness to work across all sectors of the sport industry, including youth sport, collegiate and professional athletics, in either an introductory or advanced position within the job market.

The area of emphasis in Interscholastic Athletic Administration is designed for those individuals who are either currently working or would like to work as athletic directors or faculty managers at the middle or high school level. Students learn the roles, responsibilities, challenges and opportunities associated with a career in sport management, particularly within interscholastic athletic administration. This two-course sequence affords students the opportunity to further differentiate your plan of study and enhance marketability for employment in a range of youth sport settings. Completion of this area of emphasis is intended to prepare students to meet the requirements necessary to obtain the National Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association (NIAAA) Registered Athletic Administrator (RAA) certification as well as the educational requirements necessary for the NIAAA Certified Athletic Administrator (CAA) certification. 

Admissions

These programs utilize the University GPA requirement for entry to both programs. 

Admissions criteria and processes are identical for both the Areas of Emphasis in Comprehensive Sport Industry Management and Interscholastic Athletic Administration. These criteria include:

  • Resume: including any professional experiences in the sport industry
  • Personal statement:  1-2 written pages on professional goals and reasons for seeking admission

Applications accepted on a rolling basis until May 1 (for summer start, middle of May), August 1 (for fall start, middle of August), and December 1 (spring start, early to mid January).

Accelerated B.S./M.S. Sport Management

Students must complete an internal application for admission to the accelerated B.S./M.S. (ABM) program. Students may apply for regular admission to the ABM in SM program in the fall semester following the completion of 60 credits, but not later than the semester after which they have completed 95 credits. Only enrolled WVU SM majors may be considered for regular admission to the program. Transfer students must complete at least 24 credit hours as degree seeking students at WVU before applying. The minimum GPA requirement for regular admission into the ABM program is a GPA of 3.25 with no provisional admissions allowed. Regular admission will not be offered to students with less than two semesters to complete the bachelor's degree. The ABM in SM program is not available to students seeking a second (or subsequent) bachelor's degree. Internal application is due by October 15 with program admissions decisions communicated by December 15. Applications will be reviewed by a faculty work group and presented to the program faculty for a final admissions decision.

Admission Requirements 2024-2025

The Admission Requirements above will be the same for the 2024-2025 Academic Year.

Online Major Code: 5544

Degree Requirements: Distance Education Program

Course List
Code Title Hours
SM 527Legal Issues in Sport Administration (Online)3
SM 535Sport Management Processes3
SM 540International Sport Governance (Online)3
SM 546Sport Marketing3
SM 570Sport Finance3
SM 575Fund-Raising and Development (Online)3
SM 580Sociocultural and Ethical Dimensions of Sport (Online)3
SM 586Facility Planning and Management3
Area of Emphasis6
Sport Industry Management
Interscholastic Athletic Administrator
Total Hours30
*

SM 685 may be substitute for any of the above courses for three credits with approval.

Areas of Emphasis

  • Interscholastic Athletic Administrator
  • Sport Industry Management

Interscholastic Athletic Administrator Area of Emphasis

Course List
Code Title Hours
All courses will need to be completed with a grade of C- or better.
SM 571Interscholastic Sport Organization and Administration3
SM 578Leadership in Interscholastic Athletic Administration3
Total Hours6
*

This program can be started in any semester, but the starting point will impact the order in which classes are taken.

Sport Industry Management Area of Emphasis

Course List
Code Title Hours
All courses will need to be completed with a grade of C- or better.
SM 516Sport Marketing Research Methods3
SM 545Current Issues & Applications in Sport Management3
Total Hours6
*

This program can be started in any semester, but the starting point will impact the order in which classes are taken.

Accelerated Programs

  • B.S. Sport and Exercise Psychology and M.S. Sport Management
  • B.S. Sport Management and M.S. Sport Management

Accelerated Bachelors/Masters Degree Requirements

Course List
Code Title Hours
University Requirements44
Sport and Exercise Psychology Program Requirements13
Sport and Exercise Psychology Major Requirements51
Master of Science Sport Management Requirements30
Total Hours138

University Requirements

Course List
Code Title Hours
General Education Foundations (GEF) 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 (31-37 Credits)
Outstanding GEF Requirements 1, 3, 5, 6 and 718
PASS 191First-Year Seminar2
General Electives24
Total Hours44

Sport and Exercise Psychology Program Requirements

Course List
Code Title Hours
BIOL 102
& 102L
General Biology 2
and General Biology 2 Laboratory (GEF 2)
4
PSYC 101Introduction to Psychology *3
SOC 101Introduction to Sociology3
Sociology (SOCA) 200-400 Level Elective3
Total Hours13

Sport and Exercise Psychology Major Requirements

Course List
Code Title Hours
ACE 256Principles and Problems of Coaching3
COUN 303Introduction to Helping Professions3
EXPH 365Exercise Physiology 13
PASS 300Career Exploration in Physical Activity and Sport Sciences3
PET 124Human Body: Structure and Function2
PET 125Principles of Human Movement2
PET 175Motor Development2
PSYC 241Introduction to Human Development (GEF 8)3
PSYC 251Introduction to Social Psychology (GEF 8)3
PSYC 281Introduction to Abnormal Psychology3
SEP 271Sport in American Society (GEF 8) *3
SEP 272Psychological Perspectives of Sport (GEF 4) *3
SEP 383Exercise Psychology3
SEP 385Social Psychology of Sport3
SEP 420Sport Performance Enhancement3
SEP 425Psychological Aspects of Sport Injury3
Select one of the following:3
PASS 489
Capstone Experience in PASS
SEP 474
Sport Studies Research Methods
Select one of the following:3
PASS 359
Mindfulness for Health and Well-being
SEP 415
Physical Activity Promotion in Diverse Settings
SEP 430
Cross Cultural Perspectives in Sport Psychology
SEP 493
Special Topics
Total Hours51

Master of Science in Sport Management Requirements

Course List
Code Title Hours
Minimum overall GPA of 3.0 or higher required.
A grade of C or higher must be earned in all major courses
Core Coursework
SM 527Legal Issues in Sport Administration3
SM 575Fund-Raising and Development3
SM 535Sport Management Processes3
SM 546Sport Marketing3
SM 570Sport Finance3
SM 580Sociocultural and Ethical Dimensions of Sport3
SM 540International Sport Governance3
SM 516Sport Marketing Research Methods3
or SM 571 Interscholastic Sport Organization and Administration
SM 590Teaching Practicum3
or SM 578 Leadership in Interscholastic Athletic Administration
SM 586Facility Planning and Management3
Total Hours30

Suggested Plan of Study

First Year
FallHoursSpringHours 
ENGL 101 (GEF 1)3BIOL 102
& 102L (GEF 2)
4 
PSYC 1013SEP 271 or 272 (GEF 8)3 
SEP 272 or 271 (GEF 4)3GEF 53 
GEF 63PET 1242 
PASS 1912ENGL 1023 
 14 15
Second Year
FallHoursSpringHours 
ACE 2563PET 1752 
GEF 33GEF 73 
PSYC 2413Elective or Minor Course9 
PET 1252PSYC 2513 
SOC 1013  
 14 17
Third Year
FallHoursSpringHoursSummerHours
COUN 3033EXPH 3653SM 5353
SEP 3833SEP 3853SM 5863
PASS 3003SM 5703 
Sociology Elective 200-Level3SM 5803 
PSYC 2813Elective or Minor Course3 
 15 15 6
Fourth Year
FallHoursSpringHoursSummerHours
SEP 4153SEP 4743SM 5273
SEP 4203SEP 4253SM 5403
SM 516 or 5713SM 5463 
SM 590 or 5783SM 5753 
Elective or Minor Course6Elective or Minor Course6 
 18 18 6
Total credit hours: 138

Accelerated B.S./M.S. Degree Requirements

Degree Requirements

Course List
Code Title Hours
University Requirements39
Sport Management Major Requirements69
M.S. Sport Management Degree Requirements30
Total Hours138

University Requirements

Course List
Code Title Hours
General Education Foundations (GEF) 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 (31-37 Credits)
Outstanding GEF Requirements 1, 2, 3, 5, and 615
PASS 191First-Year Seminar2
General Electives22
Total Hours39

Sport Management Major Requirements

Course List
Code Title Hours
A grade of C- or higher must be earned in all courses unless otherwise noted.
A minimum GPA of 2.5 is required in all courses.
ACCT 201Principles of Accounting 13
BCOR 350Principles of Marketing3
BCOR 370Principles of Management3
Select one of the following (GEF 8):3
COMM 102
Fundamentals of Interpersonal Communication
COMM 104
Fundamentals of Public Communication
COMM 306Organizational Communication 3
CS 101Intro to Computer Applications (GEF 2)4
ECON 200Survey of Economics3
or ECON 201 Principles of Microeconomics
ENGL 101Introduction to Composition and Rhetoric (GEF 1)3
MDIA 101Media and Society (GEF 4)3
PR 215Introduction to Public Relations3
SEP 271Sport in American Society (GEF 8)3
SEP 272Psychological Perspectives of Sport (GEF 8)3
SM 167Introduction to Sport Management (B- or higher)3
SM 340Sport Governance3
SM 345Technology in Sport Management2
SM 350Leadership Theory and Application in Sport2
SM 355Orientation in Sport Management1
SM 375Sport in the Global Market (GEF 7)3
SM 387Contemporary Issues in Sport Management3
SM 425Sport Facility Management3
SM 486Sport Marketing & Sales3
SM 491Professional Field Experience3
Advisor Approved Electives6
Total Hours69

M.S. Sport Management Degree Requirements

Course List
Code Title Hours
Minimum overall GPA of 3.0 or higher required.
SM 516Sport Marketing Research Methods3
SM 527Legal Issues in Sport Administration3
SM 535Sport Management Processes3
SM 540International Sport Governance3
SM 546Sport Marketing3
SM 570Sport Finance3
SM 575Fund-Raising and Development3
SM 580Sociocultural and Ethical Dimensions of Sport3
SM 586Facility Planning and Management3
SM 590Teaching Practicum3
Total Hours30

Suggested Plan of Study

First Year
FallHoursSpringHours 
ENGL 101 (GEF 1)3CS 101 (GEF 2)4 
Select one of the following:3ACCT 2013 
COMM 102
 PR 2153 
COMM 104
 SEP 2713 
MDIA 1013GEF 53 
SM 1673  
PASS 1912  
GEF 63  
 17 16
Second Year
FallHoursSpringHours 
ENGL 102 (GEF 1)3BCOR 350 or 3703 
Select one of the following (GEF 3):3ECON 200 or 2013 
MATH 121
 SM 3503 
MATH 124
 SM 3551 
COMM 3063Industry Approved Elective3 
SEP 272 (GEF 8)3Elective or Minor Course3 
GEF 23  
 15 16
Third Year
FallHoursSpringHoursSummerHours
BCOR 370 or 3503SM 375 (GEF 7)3SM 5163
SM 3403SM 4863SM 5863
SM 3452Industry Approved Elective3SM 5901
SM 4253Elective or Minor Course6Elective or Minor Course2
Elective or Minor Course3  
 14 15 9
Fourth Year
FallHoursSpringHoursSummerHours
SM 3873SM 5273SM 5353
SM 4913SM 5403SM 5703
SM 5463SM 5901SM 5803
SM 5753Elective or Minor Courses8 
SM 5901  
 13 15 9
Total credit hours: 139

Program Learning Outcomes

Sport Management

The goal of the program is for students to graduate with the essential skills and knowledge necessary to prepare them for immediately entry into a career in the field of sport management.

  • Professional Knowledge - Understand advanced disciplinary knowledge and the primary modes of inquiry that form the basis for evidence-informed practice in their field.
  • Professional Practice - Apply evidence-informed strategies in their professional practice to meet the differentiated needs of the client groups and key stakeholders whom they serve.
  • Professional Leadership - Contribute to the leadership of communities of professional practice as collaborative learners who can facilitate their own continued development and that of others.
  • School of Counseling and Well-​being
  • School of Education
  • School of Sport Sciences
    • Coaching and Sport Education
    • Coaching and Teaching Studies
    • Executive Sport Management
    • Physical Education Teacher Education
    • Sport Coaching
    • Sport, Exercise and Performance Psychology
    • Sport Management

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