Sport Management Master’s Degree

College of Education, Sport, and Human SciencesDepartment of Educational Leadership and Sport ManagementSport Management Master’s Degree

Serious training for aspiring sport leaders

Our graduate program enhances your professional development.

You’ll get a well-rounded education featuring:

Program Mission & Description

The mission of the WSU Sport Management graduate program is to prepare students for a variety of careers as managers/administrators in the sport industry and for further graduate study in sport management, and to conduct research aimed at developing the body of knowledge in sport management.

The Sport Management graduate faculty are dedicated to meeting students’ needs as current and future leaders in a variety of sport settings within the sport industry. Given the growing economic and political significance of sport worldwide, there is a strong need for well-educated and professionally trained sport managers to ensure that sport is managed and delivered for the greater good of our global society. With that as our goal, the program provides a balanced integration of practical experience, theory, research, and policy.

What We Offer

The College of Education, Sport and Human Sciences offers a Master of Arts (M.A.) in Sport Management. Students choose between a thesis and non-thesis (comprehensive exam) option.

Our program also prepares students to pursue doctoral or professional degrees.

Our Pullman-based degree helps graduates build or improve their skills and become successful sport managers. Program alumni are employed across the industry, including:

intercollegiate athletics (in the areas of marketing, development, sales, sponsorship, sport information, administration, and compliance)
university and community recreation
professional sport
event management
sport media
high school athletics

What we do

100+ Undergraduate Sport Management students each semester doing professional internships within various sport fields.

300+ Students currently pursuing a bachelor's degree in Sport Management. That's 300+ people who will make positive changes.

30 Number of students in our upper-division courses. We keep classes small to encourage participation and networking.

$24,575 Average scholarship funds awarded to Sport Management students over the last two years.

$20,000+ Money raised by students each year through the program’s capstone event management course.

$1,000,000 A transformational estate gift made to our scholarship fund by program pioneer and Title IX trailblazer Jo Washburn.

Learning Objectives

Our graduate program trains students to:

Incorporate an understanding of ethical, legal, and socio-cultural issues in managerial decision making and policy determinations in sport
Employ sound principles of strategic planning, financial management, risk management, and human resource management in sport
Apply a fundamental knowledge and practical understanding of sport marketing, communication, and event management principles
Utilize critical thinking and abstract reasoning skills in analyzing sport management issues and in managerial planning and decision making
Demonstrate information literacy and oral, written, and group communication skills
Develop research skills in sport management