School of PAES: Sport Management M.A.

Program Objective

The Master's program in sport management is primarily a professional program designed to prepare students to serve in management positions in all segments of the sport industry.

Areas of Specialization

Sport and Exercise management, a specialization of the Sport and Exercise Sciences program in the School of Physical Activity and Educational Services, provides programs of study that will lead to Master's and doctoral degrees. Established in 1978, more than 800 alumni of the Sport Management program now hold prestigious positions in all segments of the industry and serve as athletic directors for universities, general managers of professional sport franchises, and executive directors of public and private sport, leisure, and fitness organizations.

There is unprecedented interest in health, sport and leisure. Sport today is a $100 billion industry in the U.S. Companies in North America spent $7.1 billion as sponsors of sporting events in 2004. Attendance at sporting events and participation in sport activity are at an all-time high. Given the economic magnitude and pervasive nature of popular sport in American society, the need has never been greater for professionally trained sport managers.

Career Opportunities

OSU and the Columbus area offer a uniquely rich environment for students pursuing educational and professional opportunities in sport. Students concentrating on intercollegiate athletics have direct access to the athletic department at OSU and six other colleges in the Columbus area. Students with an interest in professional sport have three professional sport franchises (soccer, hockey, and baseball) in the immediate area and six major league franchises within a 2-hour drive. All of these venues offer students experience in stadium operations, advertising and promotion, ticket sales, and media and public relations. Ohio State's Department of Recreational Sports provides an excellent training ground for prospective recreational sports administrators. Noted as one of the largest and best-managed campus recreation programs in the U.S., OSU can furnish the variety and depth of experiences necessary to meet the demands of this growing field.

Time of Study

The curriculum has been designed to allow master's students to complete all requirements within two academic calendar years. The length of student programs can vary from 12 to 22 months (4 to 7 academic quarters) depending on a number of factors. In some cases, students accepting graduate associate positions in the Department of Recreational Sports will be asked to serve for two complete academic years. For students electing to complete an internship, the length of the placement may vary from one to three consecutive terms depending on requirements stipulated by the hiring agency. An increasing number of sport organizations are offering attractive, paid 9-month to full year internships. Commonly, these placements begin in the summer or fall. Students electing to pursue these opportunities would plan to complete their on-campus work during the first academic year and spend all or part of the second year, typically off-campus, fulfilling their internship requirements.

Admission Criteria

To be considered for admission to the Sport and Exercise Management program, Master's degree applicants must meet the following minimum academic requirements:

1. A minimum grade point average of 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale) in all undergraduate courses from an accredited college or university.
2. A minimum score of 500 on each section (i.e., verbal and quantitative) and a minimum of 3.5 on the writing section of the Graduate Record Exam (GRE).
3. A score of 550 or better on the paper and pencil version (or 213 or better on the computer version) of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL); or a score of 82 or better on the Michigan English Language Assessment Battery (MELAB) for those students whose native language is not English (unless a degree was earned in an English speaking country). The Sport and Exercise Management Program conducts a personal, comprehensive interview of the top candidates for the M.A. program. The interview is one full day and usually takes place in February or early March. The faculty selects the top 20-30 candidates based on admission criteria.

Download the Program of Study