The Sport Administration program is a leader in developing students and advancing knowledge related to the sport industry. We are committed to excellence in research, teaching, and service to the sport community. This fully online program focuses on the business of athletics across all levels, from professional teams to collegiate and youth sports. Designed to be completed in one to two years, the program fits the needs of both recent graduates and working professional...
The Sport Administration program is a leader in developing students and advancing knowledge related to the sport industry. We are committed to excellence in research, teaching, and service to the sport community. This fully online program focuses on the business of athletics across all levels, from professional teams to collegiate and youth sports. Designed to be completed in one to two years, the program fits the needs of both recent graduates and working professionals.
Students gain a comprehensive understanding of the sport industry while building practical skills in areas such as leadership, event and facility management, sport marketing, finance, and governance. Courses are taught by experienced faculty and staff who maintain professional connections with team executives, sports agents, corporate consultants, and administrators in collegiate, professional, and amateur athletics.
Our program is built on strong partnerships in Arkadelphia and throughout the Arkansas sports industry, providing students with meaningful networking and experiential learning opportunities. This combination of rigorous academics, real-world engagement, and community connection prepares graduates to succeed in a wide range of sport administration careers.
Admission Requirements
All required information should be submitted to Dr. Lynn Glover-Stanley, Sport Administration Graduate Coordinator - stanlel@hsu.edu.
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Bachelor's Degree
Minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5
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Letter of Application
All prospective students to the MS in Sport Administration program will write a letter of application. In the letter, the candidates must state the reasons why they wish to pursue an advanced degree, provide a goal statement and detail all background and educational experience they have related to Sport Administration.
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Submissions
All prospective students must submit:
- current resume
- two letters of recommendation
Career Paths
- Athletic Administration
- Sports Marketing
- Event Coordination
- Facilities Management
- Community Relations
Program Goals
- Develop student's academic and professional competencies
- Increase knowledge of the major literature in the field of sport administration
- Develop competencies for independent study in methods of inquiry through quantitative and qualitative research methods
- Increase knowledge of subject matter content in the field of sport administration
Courses
In order to earn your M.S. in Sport Administration, you will complete 11 courses for a total of 33 credit hours. Students are able to choose from two options to graduate from the Sport Administration program:
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Non-Thesis
Students who would like to develop a business athletic project in which they will plan how to address a particular concept through reflective observation of a broad range of interactive experiences will collaborate with an individual/organization in the sport industry who is directly involved or in charge of the area that is related to the project focus. Students will present their project capstone to faculty at an assigned date during the final semester of the program.
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Thesis
Students who aspire to earn a doctoral degree are advised to take RESM 66783: Master Thesis (to be taken during the last semester of the program) During this course, students will interpret data collected and report research findings on thesis topics selected in RESM 66703: Research in Sport and Physical Activity. Students will present findings to a thesis committee at an assigned date during the final semester of the program.
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RESM 58503: Project Capstone
Credit Hours: 3
The Project Capstone is an experiential project where students will apply the knowledge and theory from what they have learned in their coursework to create their Project Capstone. The student must have completed 27 credit hours before applying for Project Capstone.
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RESM 66783: Masters Thesis Research
Credit Hours: 3
Prerequisite: RESM 66703: Research in Sport and Activity
This is an independent research project involving original collection and analysis of data and undertaken with the guidance of a faculty supervisor. The project will lead to a publishable research paper as a contribution to scholarship. Satisfactory completion of thesis requirements include an oral examination during the thesis defense colloquium.
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RESM 54603: Facility Planning and Management
Credit Hours: 3
This course studies current master planning and management techniques used by Athletic, Recreation and Physical Education programs. The course will take the student from a focus group to a final design presentation project review of facility designs, programming, and equipment. The steps to accomplish this task could include a review of showcase facilities, master planning, mission statement, finance, construction and maintenance.
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RESM 58003: Sport Compliance
Credit Hours: 3
Within this course, students will study rules and regulations that surround intercollegiate athletics at the NCAA I, II, and III level, NAIA and NJCAA. Students will examine key components of compliance including recruiting, eligibility, amateurism, and financial aid. Students will look at the best practice strategies used by institutions across the country to maintain institutional control in an environment of ever changing policy. Students will also examine the differences and similarities of the five different groups (NCAA I, II, III, NAIA and NJCAA). Students will look at the groups which govern NCAA legislation and examine upcoming legislation proposals.
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RESM 58903: Financing Sport and Leisure Activities
Credit Hours: 3
The purpose of this course is designed to help students understand the role of administration and finance in the sports enterprise. To demonstrate the standard accounting procedures and principles as they apply to sport management. Emphasis is placed on the fundamentals of financial accounting and the basic tools a sport manager must possess in order to manage a sport business entity. Additional topics will include grant writing, sponsorship, and working with other agencies to develop outside sources of funds.
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RESM 62403: Ethical Decision Making in Sport and Activity
Credit Hours: 3
This course will examine ethical decision-making in a variety of environments with an emphasis on sport and activity. Real and hypothetical situations will be utilized, and the course will combine theory with practical application. The case method in sport ethics will be incorporated.
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RESM 63703: Sport Event Planning and Fundraising
Credit Hours: 3
This course examines the fundamental tools and strategies necessary to raise funds within various segments of the sport industry. Both annual and major contributions will be emphasized as well as studying their role within the overall scope of a college athletic department, professional sport organization, or other industry segment.
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RESM 64303: Marketing and Public Relations in Sport and Activities
Credit Hours: 3
This course focuses on current factors and issues related to sport marketing and public relations. Emphasis will be placed on creating and evaluating a marketing plan and evaluating the relationships between sport organizations and a wide variety of consumers.
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RESM 65103: Organizational Behavior and Leadership in Sport
Credit Hours: 3
This course will examine and review the principles of organizational structure and behavior within sport organizations and a wide variety of consumers. Topics will include: leadership, decision making skills, organizational policies, organizational culture, organizational change, organizational effectiveness, communication networks, leadership values and diversity.
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RESM 66703: Research in Sport & Physical Activity
Credit Hours: 3
This course examines strategies, techniques, materials, and principles for effective research within the sport industry. The traditional research model will be a focus with special attention given to survey research and economic impact research.
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RESM 66803: Legal Aspects of Sport and Leisure Activity Management
Credit Hours: 3
This course provides students with a background and understanding of the courts and legal system in America; furthermore, it shows how the law is used by, and applied to, athletes and athletics in America. Some of the major legal problems and issues confronting the sports administrator will be presented (e.g. contracts, due process, risk management, torts and antitrust, actions against professional, college, and community programs, actions involving safety procedures and arbitration).
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RESM 67103: Social Dimensions of Sport and Physical Activity
Credit Hours: 3
This course is a study of the historical development of sport, physical activity and leisure as an institution in American society (e.g. the rise of organized sport, factors affecting sporting developments, sport as an influence in society and sport in education). Students will review selected material from the literature in sociology, social physiology, sport and minorities, gender, competition, cooperation, audience, leadership, group interaction, and aging. These materials will be considered along with the analysis of the cultural significance of sports in a contemporary society.
Resources
Contact
Dr. Lynn Glover-Stanley
Sport Administration Graduate Coordinator
870-230-5200
stanlel@hsu.edu