Purpose of the Degree

The M.S. Sport Administration degree in the Department of Health, Physical Education & Sport Sciences is designed as a 36-credit hour program that serves graduate students interested in preparing for management or administrative opportunities in professional sports, intercollegiate and interscholastic athletics, sport facilities, and sports marketing and management agencies.

Admission Requirements

Applicants must meet the admission requirements of the A-State Graduate Admissions and the specific program requirements. The minimum requirement for admission is the baccalaureate degree or its equivalent from an accredited institution.

Applicants must present evidence of potential ability to perform academic work at the advanced graduate level. Past grade performance will be used to provide the primary data for judging academic ability. Other indicators, such as quality of writing in the Applicant’s prepared statement and faculty references, will also be considered. Based on past academic performance, an applicant must qualify for either unconditional or conditional admission status.

• For unconditional admission, students are required to have a minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA or 3.25 GPA during the last 60 credit hours of university work.
• For conditional admission, students are required to have a 2.75 cumulative GPA or 3.0 GPA during the last 60 credit hours of university work.

Applicants are required to submit the following:

• Official transcripts as verification of all coursework and degree(s).
• A formal Statement of Goals which should explain in at least 500 words why he/she wants to be admitted into the program and what he/she plans to do with the M.S. in Sport Administration degree.
• A current resume.
• At least two letters of recommendation from individuals who can speak to the applicants academic potential and professional capabilities. Applicants must have at least one recommendation from a university faculty member who is familiar with the applicant’s work as a student. The professional recommendation should come from a supervisor in which he/she has evaluated the applicant’s current or prior work.

Lastly, faculty may require interviews in addition to written credentials as part of the admission process. In addition to the above requirements, admission to the degree program may require completion of specific prerequisite undergraduate courses. Applicants will be considered for admission during a given review cycle only if all of the above materials have been received by the Graduate Admissions application deadlines. After the initial review of admission materials the committee members can either choose to reject the candidate without an interview or decide to proceed with an interview. Following the interview phase, the Admissions Committee makes its final recommendation to accept the candidate for admission or to deny admission. Incomplete applications will not be considered.

Additional Requirements

A-State uses Blackboard as the learning management system. This platform allows synchronous and asynchronous interactions, streaming video and electronic discussion boards. Students might also interact via email, Zoom video, or phone. A high-speed internet connection (fiber optic, cable, DSL, wireless hotspot or satellite) will be required.

Comprehensive Examination

All students completing the nonthesis track (i.e. internship) in the M.S. Sport Administration degree program are required to pass the comprehensive exam with a score of 4 or greater in each of the program’s required courses. The exam is administered on one day in each semester (Fall, Spring, and Summer). To be eligible to take the comprehensive exam, students must be in good academic standing (3.0 GPA or above) in all graduate program coursework completed in the M.S. Sport Administration program, and in their last semester of coursework or have all courses completed. Students request to sit for the exam by contacting the program coordinator.