Program Overview
The Master of Arts in Sport Management is composed of 36 semester credit hours and builds on the college’s successful Bachelor of Arts in Sport Management. The program will be delivered in an entirely online format and is intended for working adults who wish to advance in their careers in sport management. The program culminates in a capstone project. Students will have the option to complete a research thesis or in-depth applied project. Regardless of the final product, students will be required to pull information from various sources, generate a thorough report, and present their findings publicly.
Degree Requirements
To complete the Master of Arts in Sport Management degree, students are required to complete a total of 36 graduate credit hours and to fulfill the specific course and writing requirements for the program. Required courses include courses focused on applied skills in sport management, research methods, legal issues and risk management, sport finance and economics, sport marketing, the promotion and management of fitness and health-related programs/facilities, and diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging in sport. In addition to these courses, students must complete at least nine credits of graduate elective coursework and a capstone project. Elective coursework can consist of courses in sport management or other areas (MAIS, trauma-informed education, etc.), as approved by their sport management advisor.
Undergraduate Credit Allowed
Undergraduates with senior standing and a grade point average of at least 3.0 may ask for program and/or associate dean permission to take graduate courses. Any graduate coursework pursued beyond six hours requires that students apply for the Master of Arts in Sport Management program. Up to six credits of coursework may apply toward both the undergraduate and the graduate degree.
NOTE: Academic credit for Research Methods for Sport Management will only apply to the master's degree.
Core Courses
(8 courses – 24 credits)
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| APPLIED SPORT MGMT SKILLS | ||
| STRATEGIC SPORT MARKETING | ||
| SPORT FINANCE & ECONOMICS | ||
| DEIB FOR SPORT LEADERS | ||
| FITNESS & HEALTH PROMO/MGMT | ||
Research Methods for Sport Management | ||
Legal Issues and Risk Management | ||
Capstone | ||
Electives
(4 courses-12 credits)
Electives for the master’s degree include, but are not limited to:
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| NCAA COMPLIANCE & ENFORCEMENT | ||
| PSYCHOLOGY OF COACHING | ||
Governance and Policy in Sport | ||
Sport Analytics | ||
Strategic Communication | ||
Sports Journalism | ||
Sport Media Production | ||
HR Management Strategies | ||
Conflict Management and Negotiation Strategies | ||
Pathway
Fall entry (students may begin at any semester)
Courses are offered in the 8-week parts of term and are 3 credits each. The program is designed to be completed across six terms, but students may be able to complete one additional course periodically to accelerate their completion of the program.
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Hours | |
| SPMT 51000 | APPLIED SPORT MGMT SKILLS | 3 |
| SPMT 51500 or SPMT 52100 |
STRATEGIC SPORT MARKETING or DEIB FOR SPORT LEADERS |
3 |
| Hours | 6 | |
| Spring | ||
| SPMT 51800 | SPORT FINANCE & ECONOMICS | 3 |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Hours | 6 | |
| Summer | ||
| SPMT 53100 | FITNESS & HEALTH PROMO/MGMT (or Elective) | 3 |
| SPMT 63500 | LEGAL ISSUES & RISK MGMT SPORT | 3 |
| Hours | 6 | |
| Second Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| Research Methods in Sport Management | 3 | |
| SPMT 51500 or SPMT 52100 |
STRATEGIC SPORT MARKETING or DEIB FOR SPORT LEADERS |
3 |
| Hours | 6 | |
| Spring | ||
| Capstone | 3 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Hours | 6 | |
| Summer | ||
| SPMT 53100 | FITNESS & HEALTH PROMO/MGMT (or Elective) | 3 |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Hours | 6 | |
| Total Hours | 36 | |
Admission to the Program
The Sport Management department will conduct holistic reviews of applications to the program to ensure that admitted students will benefit from the program and be likely to succeed. There is no single set of fixed criteria that solely determines admissibility to the program and Hiram College reserves the right to make the final determination of a student’s admissibility to the College.
Applicants for admission are required to submit the following to via the Hiram College Admission web page for consideration:
- Completed online application
- Official transcripts from all schools attended previously (undergraduate and graduate)
- Two letters of recommendation describing the student's motivation, intellectual ability, and accomplishments
- Personal essay in which the student discusses their personal and professional goals and the objectives for wanting to enroll in the program. This essay is used to assess the student’s writing ability and education objectives, and to determine whether those objectives can be achieved through the program. Essays vary, but they might address the following questions:
- Why did you choose the SPMT program at Hiram College?
- What are your personal motivations, interests, and goals for study?
- How has your background prepared you for this program?
- What skills do you bring to the program?
- How will this program enable you to fulfill your life goals?
Acceptance to Hiram College is conditional upon receipt of all final official transcripts showing completion of an undergraduate degree. The Office of Admission reserves the right to withdraw or amend its offer of admission based on a review of any and all additional or updated documents until the start of matriculation.
Course Descriptions
APPLIED SPORT MANAGEMENT SKILLS ~ Through this course, students will engage an in-depth analysis of the relationship of sport and management. The study of sport includes sporting goods manufacturers; fitness centers; recreation departments; broadcasting; Little League teams; and high school, NCAA, and professional leagues. The study of management follows the four functions of management: planning, organizing, leading, and controlling. Students also will apply and deepen their knowledge on these topics through engaging in a community-based project with classmates and a nonprofit community sport organization.
STRATEGIC SPORT MARKETING ~ This course serves as a broad overview of marketing in the world of sports. Several marketing concepts from the undergraduate level will be emphasized further, such as the marketing mix, consumer behavior, advertising, and target segments. Further analysis of theories related to the concept of sport marketing will be explored. Strategic marketing and the importance of developing an effective marketing research paper will be emphasized.
SPORT FINANCE AND ECONOMICS ~ This course is designed to use sports to deepen our understanding of economics and financial markets and to use economics and financial markets to deepen our understanding of sports. Topics may include attendance modeling, salary structure, salary caps, financing of stadiums, tournament structure, competitive balance, doping in sports, and gambling markets. Key economic principles covered may include supply and demand, industrial organization, price theory, labor markets, salary determination and discrimination, tournament theory, Coase Theorem, and game theory. Financial principles covered include the financing of sports teams in different leagues, public vs private financing of stadiums, efficient markets hypothesis, and behavioral finance. We will cover historical topics and address current events.
DIVERSITY, EQUITY, INCLUSION AND BELONGING FOR SPORT LEADERS ~ It is vitally important for sport management students, who are and/or will be leaders in sport organizations, to be informed about how to create the conditions that enable all people within their organization to thrive personally and professionally. Sport organizations ranging from the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), and Nike, Inc. have stated commitments to promoting inclusivity. However, many inequities in sport persist, hindering many peoples’ access to participation in sport, safety while participating in sport, and opportunities to take on and succeed in professional leadership roles. In this course, students will read, analyze, and discuss research on leadership, diversity, equity, and belonging from the fields of leadership, education, organizational management, sport management, and sociology and utilize and analyze research-based practical resources for sport leaders created by experts on diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging in sport. Throughout this course, students will evaluate the ways in which common models of leadership hinder or promote inclusion of people with minoritized identities, examine key barriers people with minoritized identities in the US sport context face, and identify strategies and practices sport leaders and organizations can do to promote diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging in sport organizations.
NCAA COMPLIANCE AND ENFORCEMENT ~ This course will allow for a deeper understanding of the NCAA legislation and applications, from proposal creation to interpretation/waiver process to corrective actions through enforcement regulations.¿ Taking the philosophical, big picture perspective of the NCAA governance structure to the day to day inner workings of the application of legislation to situational circumstances in compliance and enforcement processes.¿ This will give students a hands-on understanding of the governance discussions in a situational, real life applications.
SEM:
FITNESS AND HEALTH PROMOTION & MANAGEMENT ~ This course is designed to equip students with a series of promotion, management, and other administrative tools necessary to operate fitness and/or health related programs. Students will become familiar with the assessment of certifications, proper group exercise instruction, and exercise leadership skills. In addition, students will also become familiar with current standards to organize fitness facilities and exercise programs in a variety of settings such as public and private sport facilities, recreation complexes, corporate fitness centers, and hospital wellness programs.
PSYCHOLOGY OF COACHING ~ This course will serve as a practical guide to navigating some of the challenges coaches experience through a psychological lens. Each student will use their own coaching philosophy as a foundational material for this course – and it will likely evolve throughout. We will focus on evidence-based information – including scientific research, experiential data from master coaches, and student experiences – to inform our exploration of mental tools and skills that could be used and developed to enhance one’s impact as a coach. Students will play a role in determining the exact topics to be covered in the course.
METHODS AND APPROACHES OF DISCIPLINES ~ This course will expose students to a particular discipline or related disciplines and explore the particular disciplinary perspective and insights that the disciplinary perspective tends to produce. Students will examine the various assumptions and theories of the discipline, phenomena the discipline generally engages, and methods for producing and evaluating discipline-related insights. Students will discern the assumptions of scholars in different disciplines, describe the methodologies used by scholars in different disciplines, compare and contrast the methodologies used by scholars in different disciplines, prepare a literature search in two disciplines on a question or topic of significance, prepare an annotated bibliography of sources in two disciplines on the question or topic chosen, and prepare a critical literature review of sources in two disciplines on the question or topic chosen. Cross-listed with MAIS 57300
ADVANCED COACHING AND LEADERSHIP ~ This course is designed for those students preparing to enter a coaching career or be involved in the management and organization of an athletic program. Students will learn guidelines and principles for organizing a successful athletic program. Topics include, but are not limited to developing a coaching philosophy, evaluating theories in motivation, understanding team dynamics, communicating effectively, and improving player performance. This course will also emphasize an awareness of the demands of the coaching profession and explore issues and ethical considerations significant to coaching.
LEGAL ISSUES AND RISK MANAGEMENT IN SPORTS Sports-related litigation continues to escalate in America year after year, due at least in part to increased pressure in the multibillion-dollar sport industry for all who are involved in the operation of sport. This course provides an extensive overview of legal principles and issues (Federal Amendments, torts, contracts, labor relations, etc.) as they relate to sport and how to mitigate associated risks. A key component of this course will be developing a detailed understanding of safety principles and risk management decisions that assist sport managers to provide reasonably safe environments. Various theories of risk management will be examined as managerial functions in modern sport organizations.
Research Methods for Sport Management
As the sport management industry continues to grow and evolve, so do the methods for gathering and applying research findings to drive successful sport organizations. In this course, students will develop their ability to find, read, and understand research in sport management – including conducting a thorough literature review, key elements of research designs, and methods for analyzing data and reporting results.
Governance and Policy in Sport
This course explores the managerial activities essential to good governance and policy development and looks at the structure and functions of individual organizations within the larger context of the global sport industry. The course will examine governing bodies at the youth, interscholastic, intercollegiate, and professional levels. Reflecting the latest industry changes, the course will draw on fresh selection of real-world examples to demonstrate the types of dilemmas that sport managers face every day. Other topics explored are current topics, such as sport and human rights, refugees, social media, and the evolution of eSports. The course will also develop policy writing skills for sport organizations.
Sport Analytics
“Big data” has revolutionized the sport industry – from player health and performance to ticket sales and facility operations, important decisions are being made using a data-driven approach. This course will explore how these data are obtained, analyzed, and presented on topics including athlete health and performance, talent management, marketing, finance, law, and facility and event management.
Strategic Sport Communication
In this course, students will explore the three main components of sport communication –personal and organizational aspects of communication, mediated communication in sport, and sport communication services and support systems – and how each is integral to sport management. Special consideration will be given to modern trends and industry demands, such as customer-centric marketing, influencer marketing, digital public relations tools, and the use of data analytics in marketing communication.
Sports Journalism
This course is a hands-on look at the field of sports journalism. This course examines the various elements necessary to bring a sporting event or story to the public through online storytelling and reporting, video, and social media. Topics include the evolution of media and coverage of sports, the role of sports department personnel, coverage of the sporting event, developing contacts, gaining access to sports figures, and interviewing. The course focuses on developing effective writing skills by approaching sports writing and coverage as a multi-media enterprise.
Sport Media Production
This course serves as a complete guide to the production of sports media – including television, radio, streaming, podcasting and more. While each aspect of the process will be addressed, the focus of this course will be on the production aspects of various types of sport media; topics may include camerawork, lighting, audio, graphics, editing, and managing crew members.
Sports Broadcasting
With the thrill of the game and the excitement of documenting captivating moments for sports history, sports broadcasting is one of the most desired jobs among sports and journalism professionals. This class takes a hands-on approach to help students develop the skills needed to be a successful sportscaster, including conducting in-person and remote interviews of coaches and players and writing for broadcast versus writing for other channels such as web and mobile devices. Students will learn about the process of preparing for and delivering a live sports production from different formats, including play-by-play for radio and television, color commentary, and sideline reporting. The impact of social media will also be explored with attention to creating an effective social media presence and best practices for using social media as a sports broadcaster.
HR Management Strategies
Management of human resources is critical in the success of all organizations, including those focusing on sport and recreation. In this course, students will explore the dynamic ways in which sport and recreation organizations navigate the process of managing paid workers, volunteer workers, as well as the clients they serve. Special consideration will be given to how human resource management strategies are related to overall organizational considerations.
Conflict Management and Negotiation Strategies
Negotiation and influence skills are key components of everyday life. We negotiate daily with potential employers, co-workers, bosses, landlords, merchants, service providers, partners, parents/children, friends, roommates, and many other people. Although we negotiate often, many of us know very little about the strategy and psychology of effective negotiation. The purpose of the course is to develop expertise in managing negotiations and to understand the influence tactics so often used to persuade us. This course uses a hands-on approach to increase students’ competence and confidence in negotiation and influence opportunities Students will develop their own personal style, evaluate its impact, experiment with different styles and strategies, and identify areas for development.
Capstone
This course is intended to be the culmination of the master’s program. Students will have the option to complete a research thesis or in-depth case study. Regardless of the final product, students will be required to pull information from various sources, generate a thorough report, and present their findings publicly.