Programs

Choose from one of over 50 programs at your convenience, online or on-site at an extended campus.

Sport Management (MSEd)

As the sport industry continues to expand, qualified leaders with sport business knowledge and skills are needed to plan, organize, direct, and evaluate sport programs and organizations. Old Dominion University’s online Master’s Degree in Sport Management prepares students to serve as leaders and meet the challenges of working in the sport management field.

In ODU's Sport Management MSEd program, you will expand upon previous undergraduate education and develop the ability to:

  • Apply theory to practice in sport management settings
  • Use critical thinking skills to solve problems
  • Conduct research and analyze data
  • Employ management and financial principles to achieve organizational objectives
  • Implement marketing strategies and tactics to meet the needs and wants of sport consumers
  • Plan events and operate sport facilities
  • Manage sport organizations in accordance with legal and ethical standards
  • Utilize existing and emerging technologies in the field of sport management

When you graduate, no distinction is made between online or on-campus credits. Your Sport Mangement degree is from ODU. You will earn a Master of Science in Education (MSEd) degree with a concentration in Sport Management.

Questions?
Contact Dr. Lynn L. Ridinger, Coordinator for the Online Graduate Program in Sport Management, at lridinge@odu.edu or 757-683-4353. Click here for additional information about our graduate Sport Management program from the department.

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Curriculum

In this online program, you will learn the same material and benefit from the same high-quality educational experience as campus-based students. Online classes are designed and taught by the same faculty who teach classes in on-campus programs.

This online Sport Management degree program is designed to be completed in two years. Students can take six credit hours per semester for a total of 36 hours to complete the Master’s Degree. Courses will be offered on a rotating schedule in fall, spring, and summer.

There are eight required core Sport Management courses (24 credit hours): 

  • SMGT 638      Fiscal Planning and Management in Sport and Recreation
  • SMGT 646      Sport Marketing
  • SMGT 650      Ethics in Sport Management
  • SMGT 652      Sport Facility Management
  • SMGT 653      Sport Sponsorship and Event Planning
  • SMGT 655      Sport and Society:  Issues and Controversy
  • SMGT 660      Legal Aspects of Sport
  • SMGT 675      Management and Leadership in Sport

There are two required Research Foundation courses (six credit hours total):

  • FOUN 611 – Introduction to Research (for those planning to do the Fieldwork Experience Option for their capstone experience)
    or
  • FOUN 612 – Applied Research Methods (for those planning to do the Thesis Option for their capstone experience)
  • FOUND 722 – Introduction to Applied Statistics and Data Analysis

The final requirement for the Sport Management degree program is a culminating research or industry-related experience. There are three options for the Capstone Experience. Each is worth six credit hours and students are required to choose one.

  1. Fieldwork Experience Option (SMGT 664) – You complete a 400-hour internship with a sport organization that fits your career goals. This option is suited for students who are looking to step into the field of sport management or move up within the industry and need additional experience. The internship provides a great opportunity to receive valuable on-the-job training.
  2. Thesis Option (HMS 698/699) – You participate in a research project, in which you receive faculty advisement. This option is suited for students who want to work in a research-focused position within the sport industry or who would like to stay in academia and pursue a doctoral degree.
  3. Research Problem Option (HMS 636) – You complete a project specifically within the industry, preferably with a sport organization. This option incorporates both research and practical experience. If you already have industry experience or are currently working in the industry, you would benefit from this culminating learning experience.

Questions? Please contact Dr. Lynn L. Ridinger, Coordinator for the Online Graduate Program in Sport Management, at lridinge@odu.edu or 757-683-4353.

Careers

The online Sport Management MSEd program prepares students for careers in a wide variety of organizations in the sport industry, including:

  • Professional sports
  • Collegiate athletics
  • Event and facility operations
  • Corporate sport management and marketing firms
  • Community recreation and leisure agencies
  • Non-profit sport organizations
  • Health and fitness industries
  • Military MWR programs
  • Golf & Tennis clubs
  • Campus intramural sports and recreation

Cost & Admission

Graduate Distance Learning Tuition Rates

Tuition Classification Cost per credit hour
Virginia residents (with Virginia domicile) $412
Students living outside of Virginia $412
* In Virginia but without Virginia domicile $1048


Effective Summer 2013. Rates are subject to change. Please visit the Office of Finance web site for complete tuition details.

* For questions about domicile or “in-state” status as it applies to tuition rates, please visit the University Registrar web site.

The specific admission requirements for the online Master’s degree in Sport Management are listed below:

  • Bachelor's degree from an accredited institution or an equivalent degree from a foreign institution
  • 2.8 cumulative GPA or higher (on a 4.0 scale)
  • 3.0 GPA or higher in the undergraduate major
  • GRE score of 291 or higher (verbal and quantitative sections) or GMAT score of 400 of higher
  • Three letters of recommendation (from former faculty or employers)
  • A two-page Statement of Career Goals
  • Current copy of resume
  • Transcripts from all prior institutions
  • TOEFL score for non-native English speakers (ODU requires a score of 550 on the paper-based TOEFL, and a 79-80 on the iBT)
  • Computer literacy

The deadline to apply is March 1. You will be notified of your acceptance status by April 1 and must confirm your intention to attend ODU by May 1. All admission application materials should be sent to the Office of Graduate Admissions. Click here for general information on Graduate Admissions.

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