Degree Offered
- Master of Science
Nature of the Program
The Master of Science in Sport Coaching (delivered online) 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 profession 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. Each course 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.
The primary goals of the Sport Coaching program are for students to graduate with the essential competencies necessary to work with athletes and teams in a variety of contexts and to enhance their professional skills as a sport coach.
Admissions for 2027-2028
Criteria
- Resume: including coaching background, sport participation, sport-related awards, and employment and/or experience (e.g., athletic administration, officiating, volunteering)
- Personal statement: 1-2 pages on professional goals and reasons for seeking admission
Applications are accepted on a rolling basis until August 1 for a fall term start, December 1 for a spring term start, and May 1 for a summer term start.
Note: Students who do not meet the 2.75 minimum grade point average requirement may be admitted as a provisional graduate student. Provisional graduate students are required to attain a 3.0 by the end of the term they complete their first nine hours of advisor-approved coursework to remain in the program and to be reclassified as a regular graduate student.
Major Code: 5529
Degree Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Required courses | ||
| ACE 508 | The Sport Coaching Profession (should be first course completed) | 3 |
| ACE 585 | Applied Professional Development (should be last course completed) | 3 |
| Electives | 24 | |
Select eight of the following: | ||
| Psychology of Coaching | ||
| Motor Behavior for Sport Coaches | ||
| Creating a Healthy Competitive Environment | ||
| Positive Youth Development in Sport | ||
| Training Theories for Coaches | ||
| Sport Movement Analysis | ||
| Strength and Conditioning Methods for Coaches | ||
| Coaching Education Administration | ||
| Interscholastic Sport Organization and Administration | ||
| Leadership in Interscholastic Athletic Administration | ||
| Current Issues & Applications in Sport Management | ||
| Social and Ethical Responsibility in Sport | ||
| Total Hours | 30 | |
Degree Progress
The School of Sport Sciences requires the following milestones for all students. According to the graduate catalog, students will receive a yearly evaluation. Students who are either not making adequate degree progress or who are failing to uphold professional standards may receive notice of probation, suspension or dismissal. Students may be notified of academic consequences outside of routine evaluation processes if an issue must be addressed immediately.
Each year, no later than the first day of classes of the Fall semester, the department will distribute an updated version of the CAHS Graduate Student Handbook, which includes links to program-specific handbooks.
Benchmarks
- Achieve a minimum GPA of 2.75 in coursework to graduate
Satisfactory Progress
- Students may be dismissed from their program if their GPA falls below a 2.5.
- Students below a 2.75 are considered on probation.
Major Learning Outcomes
Sport Coaching
The goal of the program is for students to graduate with the essential skills and knowledge necessary to prepare them for a career in sport coaching.
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.