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No GRE/GMAT Required
About This Program
Build your understanding of the administrative elements and business skills necessary for the sports industry by enrolling in the master’s in sports management at American Public University (APU).
With this sports management graduate program, you explore the impact of sports on the past and the present as well as analyze sports law, marketing, promotion, public relations, finance, and economics. Those completing the Interscholastic Athletic Administration concentration are able to earn national certification in interscholastic athletics.
APU’s online Master of Science in Sports Management provides helpful knowledge to those responsible for advancing the success of an athletic program, teams, or individual athletes.
You may choose to complete your program with a practicum to gain hands-on experience.
The sport management degree program at the American Public University System has received specialized accreditation through the Commission on Sport Management Accreditation (COSMA) located in Fort Collins, Colorado, USA. The sport management program in the following degrees is accredited by COSMA:
What You Will Do
- Apply management theory and managerial leadership concepts to contemporary sports industry practices
- Analyze and apply relevant business, legal, and ethical issues such as models of ethical analysis, codes of professional ethics, and situational analysis to the sports industry and enterprise
- Integrate economic decision making and advanced finance theory and concepts to sports and sports-related enterprises as it relates to sports in contemporary society
- Implement concepts and theories of marketing to sports-related enterprises to include internal and external sources of marketing information, marketing theory, industry segmentation, marketing mix, sport sponsorship, licensing, venue and event marketing, and image enhancement
- Examine ethical and legal concepts in a sport context relative to governance, gender equity, and managerial leadership and decision making within an athletic department or organization
Degree at a Glance
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Want to Learn More?
Program Requirements Printable Catalog Version
Students must choose a concentration for this degree program:
Explores the strengths, weaknesses, and multiple roles of a successful coach in contemporary sports, including an analysis of the leadership style. Focuses on the contrasting responsibilities of a coach and assistant coaches and the levels of coaching relevant to these roles, as well as current ethical, management, and controversial issues in the field.
Objectives:
Upon successful completion of this concentration, the student will be able to:
- Analyze and discuss the complexities and issues of academic sports administration from a collegiate or interscholastic context.
- Assess the strengths, qualities and weaknesses of a successful coach, including an analysis of the leadership style and multiple roles required of coaches in contemporary sports.
- Select, predict, and evaluate current ethical, management, and controversial issues in coaching today.
- Compare and contrast the roles and responsibilities of a coach and assistant coaches and discuss the levels of coaching relevant to these roles.
Must take all courses for this section.
Course ID: 2720
Registration Dates | Course Dates | Session | Weeks |
---|---|---|---|
10/31/22 - 03/31/23 | 04/03/23 - 05/28/23 | Spring 2023 Session B | 8 Week session |
11/28/22 - 04/28/23 | 05/01/23 - 06/25/23 | Spring 2023 Session I | 8 Week session |
01/30/23 - 06/30/23 | 07/03/23 - 08/27/23 | Summer 2023 Session B | 8 Week session |
03/27/23 - 09/01/23 | 09/04/23 - 10/29/23 | Summer 2023 Session D | 8 Week session |
Course ID: 2721
Registration Dates | Course Dates | Session | Weeks |
---|---|---|---|
11/28/22 - 04/28/23 | 05/01/23 - 06/25/23 | Spring 2023 Session I | 8 Week session |
02/27/23 - 08/04/23 | 08/07/23 - 10/01/23 | Summer 2023 Session I | 8 Week session |
Course ID: 2773
Registration Dates | Course Dates | Session | Weeks |
---|---|---|---|
10/31/22 - 03/31/23 | 04/03/23 - 05/28/23 | Spring 2023 Session B | 8 Week session |
01/30/23 - 06/30/23 | 07/03/23 - 08/27/23 | Summer 2023 Session B | 8 Week session |
Analyzes the complexities of sports administration from an interscholastic context. Evaluates the role of stakeholders in the sports industry, such as associations, the community, and administration, as well as various administration styles and a comprehensive sports event management plan that includes promotions, leadership, human resources, and financial aspects.
Objectives:
Upon successful completion of this concentration, the student will be able to:
- Analyze and discuss the complexities and issues of academic sports administration from an interscholastic context.
- Assess and develop your leadership and management styles as a sports administrator.
- Assess and discuss the role of stakeholders in the sports industry including associations, the community, and discuss all related regulations and guidelines.
- Develop, design, and assess a comprehensive sports event management plan to include functional plans, training plans, legal, financial, accounting, public relationships, human resources, promotions and leadership.
Must take all courses for this section.
Course ID: 2718
Registration Dates | Course Dates | Session | Weeks |
---|---|---|---|
10/31/22 - 03/31/23 | 04/03/23 - 05/28/23 | Spring 2023 Session B | 8 Week session |
01/30/23 - 06/30/23 | 07/03/23 - 08/27/23 | Summer 2023 Session B | 8 Week session |
Course ID: 4029
Registration Dates | Course Dates | Session | Weeks |
---|---|---|---|
11/28/22 - 04/28/23 | 05/01/23 - 06/25/23 | Spring 2023 Session I | 8 Week session |
01/30/23 - 06/30/23 | 07/03/23 - 08/27/23 | Summer 2023 Session B | 8 Week session |
03/27/23 - 09/01/23 | 09/04/23 - 10/29/23 | Summer 2023 Session D | 8 Week session |
Course ID: 4689
Registration Dates | Course Dates | Session | Weeks |
---|---|---|---|
12/26/22 - 06/02/23 | 06/05/23 - 07/30/23 | Spring 2023 Session D | 8 Week session |
03/27/23 - 09/01/23 | 09/04/23 - 10/29/23 | Summer 2023 Session D | 8 Week session |
Examines the rapidly-growing and global sports business industry with an emphasis on leadership. Designed to develop the skills and effectiveness of future leaders interested in managing individuals, teams, and sport organizations. This specialization in sports business leadership studies critical topics within the industry including courses specifically focused on sports leadership, entrepreneurship, and sales and promotions Designed for those interested in professional, interscholastic or recreational leadership positions.
Objectives:
Upon successful completion of this concentration, the student will be able to:
- Identify leadership styles and strengths and take steps to improve personal leadership capacity.
- Implement practices necessary to build highly effective teams.
- Apply theory to real-world problems.
- Develop the capacity to understand and analyze sport organization realities from multiple perspectives.
- Examine the leadership, management, scheduling, and financial issues associated with running a successful athletics program.
- Develop the ability to be creative and entrepreneurial in thinking and application.
Must take all courses for this section.
Course ID: 2772
Registration Dates | Course Dates | Session | Weeks |
---|---|---|---|
11/28/22 - 04/28/23 | 05/01/23 - 06/25/23 | Spring 2023 Session I | 8 Week session |
02/27/23 - 08/04/23 | 08/07/23 - 10/01/23 | Summer 2023 Session I | 8 Week session |
Course ID: 4029
Registration Dates | Course Dates | Session | Weeks |
---|---|---|---|
11/28/22 - 04/28/23 | 05/01/23 - 06/25/23 | Spring 2023 Session I | 8 Week session |
01/30/23 - 06/30/23 | 07/03/23 - 08/27/23 | Summer 2023 Session B | 8 Week session |
03/27/23 - 09/01/23 | 09/04/23 - 10/29/23 | Summer 2023 Session D | 8 Week session |
Course ID: 4030
Registration Dates | Course Dates | Session | Weeks |
---|---|---|---|
11/28/22 - 04/28/23 | 05/01/23 - 06/25/23 | Spring 2023 Session I | 8 Week session |
02/27/23 - 08/04/23 | 08/07/23 - 10/01/23 | Summer 2023 Session I | 8 Week session |
Must take all courses for this section.
Course ID: 5370
Registration Dates | Course Dates | Session | Weeks |
---|---|---|---|
10/31/22 - 03/31/23 | 04/03/23 - 05/28/23 | Spring 2023 Session B | 8 Week session |
11/28/22 - 04/28/23 | 05/01/23 - 06/25/23 | Spring 2023 Session I | 8 Week session |
12/26/22 - 06/02/23 | 06/05/23 - 07/30/23 | Spring 2023 Session D | 8 Week session |
01/30/23 - 06/30/23 | 07/03/23 - 08/27/23 | Summer 2023 Session B | 8 Week session |
02/27/23 - 08/04/23 | 08/07/23 - 10/01/23 | Summer 2023 Session I | 8 Week session |
03/27/23 - 09/01/23 | 09/04/23 - 10/29/23 | Summer 2023 Session D | 8 Week session |
Course ID: 2716
Registration Dates | Course Dates | Session | Weeks |
---|---|---|---|
11/28/22 - 04/28/23 | 05/01/23 - 06/25/23 | Spring 2023 Session I | 8 Week session |
01/30/23 - 06/30/23 | 07/03/23 - 08/27/23 | Summer 2023 Session B | 8 Week session |
03/27/23 - 09/01/23 | 09/04/23 - 10/29/23 | Summer 2023 Session D | 8 Week session |
Course ID: 5126
Registration Dates | Course Dates | Session | Weeks |
---|---|---|---|
10/31/22 - 03/31/23 | 04/03/23 - 05/28/23 | Spring 2023 Session B | 8 Week session |
11/28/22 - 04/28/23 | 05/01/23 - 06/25/23 | Spring 2023 Session I | 8 Week session |
12/26/22 - 06/02/23 | 06/05/23 - 07/30/23 | Spring 2023 Session D | 8 Week session |
01/30/23 - 06/30/23 | 07/03/23 - 08/27/23 | Summer 2023 Session B | 8 Week session |
02/27/23 - 08/04/23 | 08/07/23 - 10/01/23 | Summer 2023 Session I | 8 Week session |
03/27/23 - 09/01/23 | 09/04/23 - 10/29/23 | Summer 2023 Session D | 8 Week session |
Course ID: 2768
Registration Dates | Course Dates | Session | Weeks |
---|---|---|---|
10/31/22 - 03/31/23 | 04/03/23 - 05/28/23 | Spring 2023 Session B | 8 Week session |
12/26/22 - 06/02/23 | 06/05/23 - 07/30/23 | Spring 2023 Session D | 8 Week session |
02/27/23 - 08/04/23 | 08/07/23 - 10/01/23 | Summer 2023 Session I | 8 Week session |
Course ID: 2769
Registration Dates | Course Dates | Session | Weeks |
---|---|---|---|
10/31/22 - 03/31/23 | 04/03/23 - 05/28/23 | Spring 2023 Session B | 8 Week session |
12/26/22 - 06/02/23 | 06/05/23 - 07/30/23 | Spring 2023 Session D | 8 Week session |
02/27/23 - 08/04/23 | 08/07/23 - 10/01/23 | Summer 2023 Session I | 8 Week session |
Course ID: 2771
Registration Dates | Course Dates | Session | Weeks |
---|---|---|---|
10/31/22 - 03/31/23 | 04/03/23 - 05/28/23 | Spring 2023 Session B | 8 Week session |
12/26/22 - 06/02/23 | 06/05/23 - 07/30/23 | Spring 2023 Session D | 8 Week session |
02/27/23 - 08/04/23 | 08/07/23 - 10/01/23 | Summer 2023 Session I | 8 Week session |
Choose 3 credit hours from this section.
Course ID: 4587
Registration Dates | Course Dates | Session | Weeks |
---|---|---|---|
10/31/22 - 03/31/23 | 04/03/23 - 05/28/23 | Spring 2023 Session B | 8 Week session |
11/28/22 - 04/28/23 | 05/01/23 - 06/25/23 | Spring 2023 Session I | 8 Week session |
12/26/22 - 06/02/23 | 06/05/23 - 07/30/23 | Spring 2023 Session D | 8 Week session |
01/30/23 - 06/30/23 | 07/03/23 - 08/27/23 | Summer 2023 Session B | 8 Week session |
02/27/23 - 08/04/23 | 08/07/23 - 10/01/23 | Summer 2023 Session I | 8 Week session |
03/27/23 - 09/01/23 | 09/04/23 - 10/29/23 | Summer 2023 Session D | 8 Week session |
Course ID: 2779
Admission Requirements
- All APU master's degree/graduate certificate programs require a bachelor’s degree (or higher) from an institution whose accreditation is recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA®).
- Please read all graduate admission requirements before applying to this program and be prepared to submit the required documentation.
- There is no fee to complete the APU admission application. View steps to apply.
CHEA® is a registered trademark of the Council for Higher Education Accreditation.
Materials Cost
Most courses in this program use Open Educational Resources (OER). These teaching, learning, and research materials are made available to you at no cost, meaning there are minimal book costs associated with earning this degree.
Technology fee: $65 per course | $0 for U.S.active-duty military, National Guard members, and Reservists.
Need Help?
Selecting the right program to meet your educational goals is a key step in ensuring a successful outcome. If you are unsure of which program to choose, or need more information, please contact an APU admissions representative at 877-755-2787 or info@apus.edu.
Consumer Information
Disclosures
Maryland Residents learn more about costs, completion rates, median debt, and more.
*Cost Per Credit Hour
To minimize out-of-pocket costs, U.S. active-duty servicemembers, their spouse/dependents, National Guard members, and Reservists receive a tuition grant that caps undergraduate, master's degree, and graduate certificate tuition at $250/credit hour. In addition, a university book grant provides no-cost textbooks and ebooks for all undergraduates and military-tuition-grant-eligible master’s-level students.
See all military student benefits.