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Master's in Sport Administration Online


Acquire a combination of incredible networking and internship opportunities as well as instruction from internationally respected sports management professionals. Prepare for a leadership role in segments such as sports marketing and sales, athletics administration and facility management.

Next Apply Date: 12/15/25
Next Class Start Date: 1/12/26
Apply Now
Next Apply Date: 12/15/25
Next Class Start Date: 1/12/26

Program Overview


A snapshot of A-State's online master's degree in sport administration

From professional teams to secondary and collegiate athletic departments, sports managers are needed to design, implement and evaluate sports programs, strengthen athletic team rosters, improve organization efficiency and maximize profits. If you have a passion for sports and you’re ready to turn it into a rewarding career, Arkansas State University’s M.S. in Sport Administration online is one of the best values around. This 100% online sports management master’s program is built for working professionals by providing a flexible format with curricula available 24/7.

Through your sports management degree, A-State can give you our combination of incredible networking and internship opportunities, instruction from faculty who have experience as sports management professionals, and the flexibility and convenience of online learning – all at an amazing value.

Sports management online courses cover topics that prepare you for leadership in a variety of roles in collegiate and professional sports as well as upper management positions in parks, recreation and leisure. Take advantage of internship opportunities with professional teams, conferences, collegiate athletics and other amateur sport organizations. You'll graduate with credentials and connections that will give you an edge over your competition in the job market.

Additional documents

M.S. Sport Administration Internship Information

Textbook Information (.PDF)

State Program Approvals (.PDF)

In this program you will learn how to:

  • Apply an ethical lens to topics affecting the sports industry
  • Understand broadly the areas involved in a sports organization or related business: legal, governance, accounting and financial, communication, marketing, and leadership
  • Articulate the current issues and challenges within the sports industry
  • Understand and utilize research techniques used in physical education and related fields
  • Apply an ethical lens to topics affecting the sports industry
  • Understand broadly the areas involved in a sports organization or related business: legal, governance, accounting and financial, communication, marketing, and leadership
  • Articulate the current issues and challenges within the sports industry
  • Understand and utilize research techniques used in physical education and related fields

Your online degree in sports management can prepare you for a variety of settings, including:

  • Health and fitness clubs
  • Collegiate athletic departments
  • Stadiums and arenas
  • Community sport organizations
  • Country clubs
  • Professional sports organizations
  • Health and fitness clubs
  • Collegiate athletic departments
  • Stadiums and arenas
  • Community sport organizations
  • Country clubs
  • Professional sports organizations

Also available:

A-State offers a variety of graduate programs in a convenient online format. Explore our full range of online graduate programs.

Total Tuition: $12,600
Program Duration: As few as 12 months
Credit Hours 36

Accreditation

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Need More Information?

Call 866-621-8096

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Tuition


Pay for your online program by the course

Our M.S. in Sport Administration online program offers the same affordable tuition to all U.S. residents. All fees are included. Tuition may be subject to change on a yearly basis.

Tuition breakdown:

Per Credit Hour: $350
Total Tuition: $12,600

Calendar


Milestones to guide your student journey

Our M.S. in Sport Administration online program is designed to be flexible and convenient for working professionals, featuring accelerated coursework and multiple start dates a year.

Please note Summer 1 and Summer 2 terms are 5 weeks in duration for this program.

TermProgram Start DateApplication DeadlineDocument DeadlineRegistration DeadlinePayment DueLast Class Day
Spring 11/12/2612/15/2512/15/251/8/261/9/262/27/26
Spring 23/9/262/23/262/23/263/5/263/6/265/1/26

Now enrolling:

Next Apply Date 12/15/25
Start Class 1/12/26

Have questions or need more information about A‑State online programs?

Ready to take the next step toward earning your degree online from A-State?

Admissions


Read the details of our admission criteria

A-State Online offers a streamlined admission process for both new students and transfers. Students who are interested in the M.S. in Sport Administration online program must have a baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution. Review full admission requirements below.

Admission Requirements:

  • Online application
  • Official transcripts
  • Current resume

Admission requirements

  • Unconditional admission: Minimum 2.75 cumulative GPA, or a 3.0 GPA in the last 60 hours of university work (4.0 scale). For those with graduate credits, must have earned a minimum 3.0 graduate GPA with at least six earned credit hours.
  • Conditional admission: Students may be conditionally admitted with less than a 2.75 GPA, provided work experience in the program field is detailed on the resume and supported by one professional work reference letter (past or present employer) to be submitted with application materials. For conditional admission, students must maintain a grade of B or better for the first 9 credits of graduate work in the program.

Application submission requirements

  • Complete online application
  • Pay the nonrefundable $30 application fee.
  • Send official transcript(s) from the college/university attended. Official transcripts are sealed transcripts sent from the granting institution.
  • A current resume.
  • One professional reference that speaks to applicant’s professional responsibilities or academic potential.

Submit all documents to:

A-State Online
P.O. Box 2520
State University, AR 72467


Fax: 870-972-3548
Email: [email protected]

“The master’s degree most definitely helped me land this [new career] opportunity,” she said. “It gave me the confidence to push myself to see what I am capable of professionally."

Ruthanne Duffy, A-State online M.S. in Sport Administration graduate

Ranked #2 in the "Best 45 Accredited Online Master's in Sports Management Programs" by Intelligent.com, 2025

Courses


Read about our sport administration online classes

Students pursuing this degree must complete 36 credit hours, which includes an internship for six credit hours.

Visit the Course Registration page to view the course schedule for this degree.

Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
This course examines contemporary views of moral and ethical issues within various sport environments. Course includes discussion of major social criticisms and constructs of sport, analysis of relevant ethical theories in sport, application of critical self-evaluation, and synthesizing ethical reasoning knowledge and skills.

What are ethical issues in sport?

Ethical issues in sport involve moral challenges including performance enhancement, discrimination, commercialization, athlete exploitation, and governance corruption. These dilemmas affect fairness, equity, safety, and integrity across interscholastic, collegiate, and professional levels. Addressing them requires ethical reasoning frameworks and principled decision-making.

This course examines the ethical issues that shape modern sports environments. Students will apply ethical theories and decision-making frameworks while analyzing dilemmas, debating solutions with peers, and reflecting on personal values.

Upon completion, students will be able to:

Survey ethical theories applied to sport environments

Synthesize a personal value system and ethical reasoning philosophy

Develop understanding of gender, race and religion in sports

Analyze corporate social responsibility models in the sport industry

Examine the societal impact of gambling in sports

Critically analyze sport participation’s effect on moral reasoning and development

Explore and evaluate codes of conduct in sports organizations

Investigate athlete activism related to social and ethical issues

Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
In-depth understanding on a variety of legal issues pertaining to the amateur and professional sport environment. Tort law, negligence, contract, antitrust, labor, premise operator, exculpatory, and licensing law will be analyzed in the context of sports-related cases.

What is sports law?

Sport law examines legal frameworks governing athletics through constitutional, tort, contract, labor, and civil rights principles. It includes liability, Title IX compliance, intellectual property, antitrust regulations, and risk management. This field guides legal decision-making for amateur and professional sports organizations.

This course provides an in-depth examination of legal issues in amateur and professional sport environments. Topics include tort law, negligence, contract, antitrust, labor, premises liability, exculpatory agreements and licensing law, all analyzed through sports-related cases.

Upon completion, students will be able to:

Critically analyze the interaction between law and sport environments

Understand and apply principles of preventive law and risk management

Synthesize legal responsibilities related to negligence and liability

Understand legal issues in contract, tort, criminal law and intellectual property

Apply legal principles to civil rights and liberties cases involving sport personnel, participants and clientele

Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
This course guides students in an examination of the complex field of sport marketing. In an online seminar format, this course uses extensive student participation. Special attention is given to the components of managing sport marketing , such as segmentation, branding, licensing, pricing, sales, promotions, the 5Ps of sport marketing, and public relations among other; the marketing plan; and research in sport marketing.

What is sports marketing?

Sport marketing promotes sports products, teams, events, and brands through strategic campaigns. It analyzes consumer behavior, activates sponsorships, leverages digital channels, and builds brand equity. This discipline creates fan engagement and develops integrated marketing strategies that drive revenue for sports organizations.

This course provides students with advanced knowledge and skills to propose, develop and conduct strategic marketing plans for sport organizations. It also covers key elements of sport promotions and sport consumer behavior across professional and amateur sports.

Upon completion, students will be able to:

Formulate a marketing plan for a sport organization in their vicinity

Develop a SWOT analysis for a sport organization in their vicinity

Outline advanced sport marketing concepts

Interpret current sport marketing literature and apply it across sectors of the sport industry

Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Topics as they relate to fiscal and budgetary control of professional and amateur sport organizations. Included are: public sport facility financing, ownership, financial analysis, feasibility and economic impact studies. Analyzes financial challenges and strategies of professional and intercollegiate.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Provides students with advanced knowledge, skills and understanding relating to all aspects of the sport media and communication industry and how each is integral to the management, marketing, and operational goals of sport organizations at all levels. Use of technology in sport communications also covered.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Provides students with advanced knowledge, skills and understanding relating to leadership principles and aspects in sport organizations. Course content includes organizational goals, strategy, environments, culture, power, conflict, leadership, and change affecting sport managers and organizations.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Provides students with knowledge and understanding of the governance policies and procedures in professional and collegiate sports. Also covers essential elements of facility and game operations within intercollegiate, professional sports, and major sports events.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
An exploration in the role and impact of sports in our society from a social view. The course will discuss various sociological constructs as they impact all levels of sport participation including amateur and professional team sports, and the challenges of these constructs in managing sport organizations.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Study and critical analysis of recent trends and significant contemporary issues in sport through current literature.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
A study of basic research techniques and design utilized in physical education and allied fields.
Duration: 14 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 6
Supervised professional participation in an approved organizational setting. Prerequisite: Permission of the HPESS Department Graduate Internship Coordinator. Internships are offered during the Summer terms only. Students should make arrangements with the intern site at least a full semester in advance, and submit the application by the first Monday in February. Duration: Two seven-week terms
Duration: 14 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 6
Faculty guided research study whereby students conduct original research and present findings to the student’s thesis committee. Duration: Two seven-week terms

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