Sport Administration Graduate Program

In our program you don't just sit in class and take notes. Here, you'll undergo a career analysis; evaluate your marketability within the sport industry; learn how to create your very own brand to differentiate yourself from the competition; network with leading sport personnel and organizations, develop a guerrilla marketing resume -- all while you gain essential hands-on sport industry experience.

So if you're looking for a Sport Administration program that will help you reach your career goals, you've found it. Compare us to any other program and you'll see why students love our program!

No one can guarantee you a job in the sport industry. You'll have to earn it. That's why our #1 goal is to prepare you for a career in the sport industry. This preparation includes teaching you little known secrets of sport industry job-hunting, how to make valuable networking contacts, and use technology to get a leg up on the competition. Students in our program also learn how to research companies and careers and then carefully target those companies and jobs that match your strengths, skills, and interests. In sum, you'll learn what works in sport job hunting, instead of falling prey to the common and ineffective practice of sending out 100s of "blind" resumes.

Yes. Sport industry experience is critical. That's why we encourage our students to complete 2 sport internships and gain as much volunteer experience as possible. 

Our students have interned at numerous youth, high school, college, and professional sport organizations in the following areas (just to name a few):

Our program consists of 30 credit units. Unlike 1 year programs designed to rush you through as quickly as possible, in our program you receive 24 months of intensive career development training. During this time you'll discover what you're good at, learn what it takes to pursue your dream job, and undergo a career analysis to evaluate your current marketability within the sport industry. After that, you'll learn how to create your own brand and differentiate yourself from the competition and set yourself apart from others in the sport industry. We'll then show you how to develop a strategic career plan that matches your strengths and interests, teach you how to design a "guerrilla marketing" sport industry resume that stands out from the rest, and share secrets on how to find sport industry job, connect and network with leading sport industry professionals and organizations. You'll do all of this and more -- while you gain valuable, marketable sport industry experience.

We take into consideration each applicant's entire background. For example, some of the things we consider are: undergraduate major & degree*, GPA, GRE or MAT scores, letters of recommendation, and sport industry experience.

*Students who do not have sport industry experience or a sport administration or business degree may be required to take 2 additional courses. However, students can take these courses concurrently with their Sport Administration classes.

 

Our program is an exceptional value. Not only is the quality of our program second to none, we're one of the most affordable sport administration programs in the United States. Don't add $20,000 - $30,000 more to your student loan debt when you can attend the premier Sport Administration program for a fraction of the cost.

See our links on tuition cost, financial aid, awards, and assistantships for more information.

Sport Leadership: In sport, you can be just another a worker, a manager, or a sport leader. Sport Leadership is designed to teach students the difference between these types of positions and how to develop the essential skills to lead, manage, & supervise others in the sport industry.

Sport Law: Sport Law prepares sport managers and leaders for the primary legal issues that they will face during their sport careers. Student then learn how to develop a risk management plan to minimize those risks. Sample topics include: sport contracts, negligence, intellectual property (copyright and trademark law), etc.

Sport Career Development: Sport Career Development is the most anticipated course in the entire program. Here students learn how to break into the sport industry. First, all students undergo a career analysis to determine their current market value. Next, students learn how to build a their very own personal brand to differentiate themselves from others in the sport industry; develop essential networking skills and meet a minimum of 50 new sport network contacts in their chosen sport profession. Finally, students create a guerrilla marketing resume to stand out from the competition and develop a strategic sport career plan, i.e., a blueprint, on how to achieve their career goals.

Sport Revenue Streams: The ability to generate revenue is one of the most sought after skills by sport employers. In Sport Revenue Streams, students learn about the various revenue streams of sport organizations, such as media (TV, radio, & internet), ticket sales, sponsorships, and fundraising. By knowing how revenue drives decisions made by sport organizations, students not only will have a better understanding of how and why sport teams operate as they do, but they will be better prepared to become a future sport administrator.

Title IX Compliance: Examination of the issues and principles related to Title IX compliance as they apply to interscholastic and intercollegiate athletics

Professional Ethics: In Professional Ethics, students tackle some of the most talked about topics in sport and the most pressing issues they will face as managers and leaders. Students learn how to make effective decisions and are then presented with real-life sport industry issues and hypothetical situations to hone their decision-making skills.

Sport Internship: There is no substitute for experience in sport. Our students are allowed to take 2 internships and are encouraged to volunteer for as many other sport experiences as possible in order to build a resume packed full of sport industry experience. Students may choose any approved sport internship site (professional or amateur). Students are supervised by both Fresno State faculty and the onsite sport organization supervisor.

Statistical Inference in Kinesiology: Statistical Interence in Kinesiology is an essential course for all graduate programs and plays a key role in many sport careers. For example, sabermetrics, made famous in the movie "Money Ball," is quickly becoming the norm in scouting and analyzing players. In this course, students learn how to use and analyze statistics in their careers.

Research Methods: Knowing where to find reliable sport information and how to research, test, and report it is critical in the sport workplace. In Research Methods, students learn how to evaluate outside research as well as how to create their own research projects.

Electives: In addition to these courses, students select 1-2 additional elective courses to gain more knowledge in their chosen career area. For example, with the assistance of the Sport Administration Program Coordinator, students may choose a second sport internship, and/or classes in business, marketing, finance, etc. No matter what your career goal in sport is, you can choose courses that are beneficial to you.