Sports Leadership (M.A.)

The M.A. program in Sports Leadership (SL) is offered to students with a variety of backgrounds who desire a concentrated plan of study to prepare for a career in areas of sport leadership including coaches, athletic directors, or other leadership roles in the specialized area of athletics including marketing, communications, event planning, fitness/wellness, or other nonprofit sports organization. The SL program is part of the Department of Exercise Science and Sports Leadership. The undergraduate and graduate programs benefit from an esteemed advisory board including members from collegiate and professional sports and other high level athletic administrators.

The SL program is practitioner-focused, emphasizing core skills and knowledge designed to position professionals in the sports industry to be exceptional leaders and decision-makers in their profession. The degree foregrounds the knowledge domains that sports professionals draw on every day, including psychology, communications, marketing, finance, and ethics, and offers opportunities for hands-on experiences in the industry through project-based work, internships, and other practical experiences. The SL program is delivered completely online with the exception of a Sports Symposium each summer. The Symposium will be a weekend event held on JCU’s campus with guest speakers, networking opportunities, and social events.

Program Learning Goals

M.A. in Sports Leadership students will:

1. Develop into effective leaders through grounded principles of leadership with application to sport and the sports industry.

2. Demonstrate an understanding of professional, legal and ethical principles in pursuit of truth, accuracy, and fairness for an individual or organization.

3. Demonstrate an understanding and ability to develop and implement policy regulations and operational strategies.

4. Develop written and verbal communication skills with knowledge of current events and issues in the world of the sports industry.

5. Understand the concept of diversity and inclusion and its impact on sports in socially responsible decision making.

Admission Requirements

The graduate sports leadership program is open to individuals who have earned a bachelor’s degree from an accredited university and who show high promise of success in graduate study. Students may enter the degree programs at the beginning of the fall, spring, or summer semesters. There are no prerequisite courses other than the internship/capstone (which will be completed in the last semester).  Courses can be taken in any sequence. 

Program Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree from accredited institution

• An undergraduate cumulative GPA of at least 2.75 (on a 4.0 scale).

• Two letters of recommendation from persons familiar with the applicant’s academic work, professional work, vocational commitment, and suitability for a role of leadership are required. Ideally, these letters will come from former professors and/or employers who can comment on the suitability of the applicant for graduate study.

• Current Resume including work and volunteer experience

• Official transcripts from all institutions of higher education

• Professional Goals Statement outlining career objectives and goals. The statement should be 400-600 words in length.

Courses in the M.A. in Sports Leadership Program

Sports Leadership Required Courses (30 credit hours)