MA with a specialization in SPORT MANAGEMENT
Program of Study
The program of study for students pursuing a Master of Arts (MA) in Sport Management has three options:
- Minimum of 5 half-courses plus a thesis
- Minimum of 3 half-courses, a thesis plus an internship, or
- Minimum of 5 half-courses, a major paper plus an internship.
- All students are required to take two Sport Management specific half-courses from one of the following: (1) Organizational Theory, (2) Sport Marketing, (3) Leadership, and (4) Global Sport and Health Politics. The remaining courses are normally graduate or senior undergraduate courses approved by the student’s Advisor and Chair of the Graduate Program. Undergraduate courses, or combined courses in which undergraduate students predominate, must be less than one-third of the student's total course requirement for the graduate degree. Unless students can demonstrate equivalency from their undergraduate program, one of the remaining courses must be in statistics, qualitative methods, research design, or equivalent.
- Options 2 and 3 involve a one-term full-time (480 hours) internship. Students selecting the internship option must have a minimum of one term of study prior to the internship. Students typically complete the internship during the spring/summer period. Internships may be local, regional, or international, and may be paid or unpaid depending on the organization.
- Options 1 and 2 involve a thesis. Completion of the thesis process is progressive in nature. The preliminary steps are informal: the student is accepted by an Advisor prior to admission, the research problem is discussed, modified and/or delimited, and a research design or format is agreed upon. The prospectus is then developed, a prospectus meeting is held, and the research problem is discussed with an Advisory Committee (advisor plus one or two other faculty). The student then completes the project (i.e., collects the data, undertakes the library research etc.). The thesis should involve original work, and give evidence of independent thought, both in perceiving problems and making satisfactory progress toward their solution. The prospectus should be completed within one year of admission. Familiarity with the bibliography of the special area of study and correct citation of authorities is expected. Once this thesis work is completed, the student, in consultation with the Advisor, writes the thesis. An examining committee is then arranged for the oral examination. In order to graduate, both the written thesis and oral defense must be deemed satisfactory.
- Option 3 involves a final paper that is defended at an oral examination. The paper is written on a topic selected by the student in consultation with his/her Advisor. The Advisor is responsible for developing a candidacy reading list covering the topic selected. This reading list must be approved by the other members of the student's Examining Board. This reading list serves as the foundation of the paper the student undertakes to write. The final paper is evaluated by each member of the Examining Board once completed. If the paper is found acceptable by a majority of the examiners, then the student must successfully defend the paper at an oral examination.
Period of Study
The period of study for the Master of Arts degree in Sport Management is two years of full-time study, although students who select the thesis plus coursework option may complete the requirements for the degree in 18 months. It is typical that students who select the internship option require two full years to complete the degree. Master’s students are expected to continue their studies full-time during the summer months.
