A Master’s in Sport Administration Combines Your Career with Your Love of Sports

Growing up, were you a kid who was out on the driveway, shooting hoops all hours of the day, dreaming of a career in sports? Did you study stats, cheer on your favorite teams, and generally enjoy watching your favorite athletes? Did you then go on to study and work in the field of sports but now want to further your career?

Then you’d be a great fit for the University of Cincinnati Online’s Master of Science in Sport Administration program. Our program is designed for coaches and administrators working at every level in athletics – high school, college, professional, and Olympic. Each course provides training that is immediately applicable to your current position, whether you are new to the field or have years of experience.

A Rewarding Career

Discover your future in the sports industry and join one of the fastest-growing job markets in the U.S with a Master’s in Sports Administration degree. A career in the sports industry is not just a job – it is a calling for people who believe that a positive impact of sports reaches beyond the field of play. Essentially, you’ll be in the business of sport and all that it entails. While there are many opportunities within the world of athletics, achieving your master’s in sport management will help you get further, faster in this ever-growing field.

Career Outlook for Sport Management

Because the sports world is so alluring, employment in the field has become very competitive. But the good news is, for those who complete an MS in sport management, employment is easier to come by and you can earn a higher salary because of the knowledge you’ll gain regarding the way sports administration and sports management works.

With our dynamic curriculum, you’ll graduate with the financial, operational, and marketing knowledge needed to enter your chosen sports field the day after graduation. In addition, students pursuing our online Sports Management Master’s Degree get the opportunity to gain first-hand industry experience during their course of study.

Growing Careers in the Field of Sport Administration

• Head/Assistant Athletic Director. Athletic Directors are the people in charge of an athletic program, whether in a high school, at a university, or in a professional environment. An athletic director will oversee the hiring of coaches, scheduling and budgeting, promotion, facility management, and compliance with athletic organizations.
• Head/Assistant Coach. Coaches supervise the direction, training and operations of a sports team or individual athlete at all levels of athletics.
• Director of Sports Management. A sports manager spends a majority of their time behind the scenes handling the business components of organized team sports including: policy development, arranging training, hiring personnel, etc.
• Director of Event/Stadium Security. The director of stadium security will develop and implement security programs to enhance public safety and mitigate risk within a facility. The direct will oversee the entire security team – handling recruiting, hiring, staffing, and training.
• Special Events Coordinator. Event coordinators take care of the events of a facility, such as awards banquets and fundraisers. Duties include selecting venues, managing budgets, arranging services, and guest list coordination.
• Sports Facilities Manager. A facilities manager will take care of all of the needs of a sports facility or set of athletic buildings. Responsibilities include overseeing the cleaning, parking, security, ticketing, concessions, and any other aspects of that particular facility.
• Director of Operations. A director of operations for an athletic organization is in charge of the business side of that organization or company. They try to grow the organization and make sure it’s profitable. They are also in charge of other staff within the organization who are on the business side of things.
• Sports Marketing Manager/Director. If you go into the field of sports marketing, your job will be to help promote (or market) a team, an athlete, or a sports brand. A successful sports marketer can get the public excited about seeing an athlete, encourage them to purchase tickets to a game, or to buy a product endorsed by an athlete, organization, or team.
• Public Relations Director. PR directors in the world of sports management are in charge of developing and executing strategies that make an athlete or team look positive in the eyes of the public.
• Finance Director. A finance director is in charge of the money that a sports organization or complex receives and pays out. They will be involved in things such as ticket sales and athlete salaries as well as finances as related to upkeep with a facility and salaries of other employees within the organization.
• Student Athlete Advising. An athlete advisor coordinates and provides student athlete academic evaluation at a college or university. They support the athlete’s academic endeavors and make sure their studies keep up with the demands of their sport.
• Corporate Partnerships Manager. This position within a sports organization helps to find, develop, and manage partnerships to advance that organization. For example, securing a sponsor for an athletic facility or fundraising event.
• Fundraising. The path of fundraising allows you to organize events and campaigns whose purpose is to raise money and/or donations for an athletic program or other needs of the organization.

Examples of Day-to-Day Activities for Sports Marketers and Athletic Directors

Sport marketers have a variety of tasks, but some examples of daily activities include:

• Managing social media for the team or department.
• Brainstorming promotional ideas with other marketing professionals.
• Creating copy for websites, brochures, or other marketing materials.
• Overseeing projects related to the marketing of a team or department.
• Meeting with other departments to strategize an event or promotion that involves. more than one team within the organization.
• Attending events to make sure they go as planned or to handle any emergencies.

Athletic directors, on the other hand, have different areas of focus, including:

• Guiding the direction of a school’s sports program.
• Serve as the central decision makers responsible for supervising almost every aspect of an athletic department or sports organization.
• Prepare budgets.
• Allocate spending to coaches’ salaries, equipment, facility needs, etc.
• Keep up-to-date with practice and game schedules and handle any scheduling issues.
• Trip planning and coordination.
• Allocating game, practice, or training space and times.
• Delegating officials and umpires to the appropriate sport and handling their fees.
• Daily and monthly reporting on various aspects of the sports program.

To learn more, see what a typical day looks like for an Athletic Director.

Why Choose UC’s Online Program in Sport Administration?

Our Sport Administration Masters program supplies the perfect curriculum to graduate with the financial, operational, and marketing knowledge needed to enter the field the day after graduation, all on your own time, at your own pace.

In addition, you can complete the National Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association Certification Program. This professional certification is known for cultivating a high standard of excellence as it helps prepare you for the career opportunities listed above, and also will enhance your ability to better serve your school, community, and profession.

Our 100% online masters program is fully accredited through the Higher Learning Commission. The program allows you to experience real-world learning with the support of dedicated advisors, and a flexible schedule that fits your busy life. Students who complete this degree have a competitive advantage as they take their career and salary to the next level.

Take the first step in advancing your career in Sport Administration and Management – apply today.