The Master of Science in Sport Management degree program prepares professionals for advanced careers in the expanding sport industry by enhancing their critical thinking skills and exposing them to expert knowledge and research in the field of sport. The curriculum is designed to enable students to acquire and demonstrate a set of management skills and an understanding of the sport industry through a combination of required core courses, electives, research and experiential components.
This master’s degree program is available fully online, on the Hattiesburg campus, or a combination of online and traditional courses.
Admission Requirements
Admission requirements and procedures are the same as those required by the Graduate School.
Applicants who have previously earned a Master’s degree or higher from an accredited institution qualify for a test waiver of the GRE/GMAT.
Integrity Assurance Program (IAP)
All faculty holding Regular or Associate graduate faculty status must complete CITI training modules required by the Graduate School and their departments. All graduate students must complete the CITI training modules required by the Graduate School and their departments the first semester they are enrolled in graduate school. The IAP policy and training information are found on the Graduate School web page – www.usm.edu/graduate-school. Contact the Dean of the Graduate School if you have any questions regarding the policy of training information.
Career Opportunities
The degree program is designed to prepare students for a career in the sport business industry, including facility/arena management, club management, corporate sport operations, professional team management, and state and national governing agency administration.
Degree Requirements
Successful completion of a minimum of thirty three (33) hours as follows:
Core Requirements (24 hours)
- Plus nine (9) hours of advisor approved electives.
Laboratories, Field Experiences, Internships, Practica
SM 692 - Special Problems in Sport Management 1-6 hrs. May be repeated for a total of 6 hours. Involves Sport Management study in a specific topic of work or a specific area of research under the direction of a consulting faculty member.
SM 697 - Independent Study and Research 1-9 hrs. Not to be counted as credit toward a degree. Students actively working on a thesis, consulting with the major professor, or using other resources of the University may enroll in this course.
SM 700 - Sport Management Practicum 3-9 hrs. The sport management internship is designed for students to gain practical full time work experience in the sports industry. Students will apply theory to practice.
Special Program Requirements
A previous record of academic study in one of the areas of business administration is valuable and highly recommended in sport management.
Comprehensive Exam
A comprehensive exam is required for all master’s students and must be passed before proceeding to graduation. A 3.0 GPA is required for graduation.
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