Master of Science in Sport Management

Be a winning leader.

There’s nothing like the thrill of sports, and with an MS in Sport Management, you can stay around them for the length of your career. UIndy's program prepares you for a variety of options in athletics administration, letting you develop expertise in many areas, from public relations to revenue generation. Being so close to the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), universities, conference offices, professional sport organizations, and Olympic governing bodies, gives you many opportunities for networking, even while in school, putting you that much closer to your winning career.

  • colleges of distinction for 2024-2025
  • ranked #3 masters in sport management program by sportsdegreeonline.org (2024)
  • ranked #19 masters in sport management program by intelligent.com (2023)

Sports Management Top Programs
Read what makes ours a Top Program.

Advantages

  • The first program in Indiana to be accredited by the Commission on Sport Management Accreditation (COSMA)
  • Opportunity to engage in relevant research and real-world projects
  • Indianapolis location is ideal for internships and networking (10 minutes from downtown Indy)
  • Hybrid course model lets you complete the majority of the coursework online
  • Each student receives guidance from a mentor in the sport industry.

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Learn about the opportunities provided by UIndy's Sport Management Master's program from students, faculty members, and alumni.

Networking with industry leaders

At UIndy, we know that in the business of sport management, networking is key. Indianapolis is home to the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), universities, and conference offices from all three NCAA division levels, and various sports governing bodies, and professional sport organizations, giving you the opportunity to meet and work with practitioners who have a wide variety of both experiences and contacts.

Internships will give you a chance to show off your skills in compliance, facility operations management, media relations, development, and other aspects of intercollegiate athletics. We connect you with industry leaders who will serve as a valuable source of advice and professional development to help you advance your career.

These mentors come from the NCAA, various conference offices, and university athletic departments, professional sport organizations, and sport governing bodies. And with the program's faculty-to-student ratio of 1:15, you'll also be guaranteed to get the personal attention you need in the classroom.  

Career Opportunities

The MS in sport management prepares you for a variety of roles in athletic administration, including:

  • Compliance
  • Facility/operations management
  • Ticket office management
  • Development (sales, sponsorship, fundraising)
  • Public relations
  • Business office management
  • Human resource management

Learn from Current professionals

Each course is taught by a UIndy faculty member and a co-instructor who is a professional from the field. The professional brings a wealth of knowledge, ensuring students are getting the skills, knowledge, and experience they need for a career in sports. Our co-instructors have an average of 30 years of experience and are currently employed by the NCAA, a professional sport organization, an intercollegiate  athletic department, and a well known fitness organization.

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Watch Kiara Scott discuss how the mentor requirement has benefited her.

About the Master of Science in Sport Management Program

The Master of Science in Sport Management program at UIndy focuses upon content areas relevant to aspiring sport industry practitioners.

Program Length & Format

Students choose whether to complete the program in an accelerated format (12 months) or standard format (21 months) or even as a part-time student, completing one course per semester.  Full-time students are part of a cohort. Part-time students move in and out of the cohort as their program progresses. Our hybrid course model lets you complete most of your coursework online while meeting face-to-face several times each semester with an expert practitioner. 

Curriculum

The curriculum consists of 33 credit hours. It allows you to develop expertise in various segments related to the sports industry, including public relations, operations, revenue generation, risk management, human resource management, and financial management. Course content is accessible through BrightSpace, UIndy's online learning and resource portal. Through each course's BrightSpace site, you can view lectures, participate in Wikis and discussion forums, download project details, and submit assignments at your convenience.

In addition to the courses focused upon these content areas, students further enhance their education through experiential learning opportunities that are achieved through the internship component of the program.

Students will engage in relevant research and real-world projects to showcase their knowledge and critical thinking abilities. Examples include: assist in the implementation of championship events, with the NCAA, Horizon League, Great Lakes Valley Conference, and/or the Indiana Sports Corp; create and present NCAA championship bid proposals, create and present NBA sponsorship proposals, create strategic communication plans.

Students are required to complete two internships. Internships can be completed in a variety of settings. Program faculty will work with each student to create a plan that fits his or her individual interests and career goals. Current practitioners seeking their degree can use their current employment/experience to fulfill the internship requirements. Students will complete a total of 300 internship hours, either at one job site or split between two sites.

When can I start?

New students begin their studies in the fall of each year. The priority application deadline is April 15, with applications being considered until the cohort is filled. You must meet or exceed all admission requirements and be accepted into the program before enrolling in classes.

Accreditation

COSMA seal

The sport management degree programs at the University of Indianapolis has received specialized accreditation through the Commission on Sport Management Accreditation (COSMA) located in Fort Collins, CO, USA. The following program is accredited by COSMA: Master of Science in Sport Management.

UIndy's sport management programs were the first in Indiana to be accredited by the Commission on Sport Management Accreditation (COSMA). Accreditation protects the interests of students, their parents, the academic, and potential employers by ensuring that educational programs have attained a level that meets or exceeds standards that were developed by experts in the field. Accreditation also ensures that students demonstrate a certain set of skills and abilities, as reflected in the accreditation criteria.

COSMA offers the sport industry, students, and parents the assurance that graduates from accredited programs are of a high quality. Programs that have gone through the accreditation process are in a continuous cycle of improvement and collect and analyze data on student learning every year. Click below to learn more about our program outcomes, measurements, and efforts to continually improve student learning and job preparedness.

Notification of Student Achievement and Program-Level Outcomes

Admission Requirements

View the admission requirements and application process. 

The Direct Freshman Guaranteed Admission option is designed for incoming freshmen who have declared sport management as a graduate major in conjunction with any undergraduate major.

Tuition & Aid

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