Tailor Your Future in Sports: Executive Sport Management M.S. Areas of Emphasis
Sport leadership today takes more than a passion for sports or experience on the field. Employers need professionals who can understand the business of sports, lead people and organizations, and navigate the many areas that keep sports organizations running smoothly.
The online Executive Sport Management, M.S. program at West Virginia University, offered by the College of Applied Human Sciences, gives you a way to build those skills while choosing an area of emphasis that fits your interests: Interscholastic Athletic Administration or Sport Industry Management.
Interscholastic Athletic Administration: Focus on School Athletics
If your goal is to make an impact in athletics at the middle and high school levels, the Interscholastic Athletic Administration area of emphasis provides a targeted path. There are a lot of nuances to this field, so the program will give you insight and build best practices for succeeding in the space.
This concentration is designed for those interested in the administration and leadership of interscholastic athletics. It is particularly relevant if you’re working toward roles such as athletic director or other positions supporting school-based athletic programs.
The pathway also works to prepare you for professional credentials through the National Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association (NIAAA), including:
For professionals pursuing careers in interscholastic athletics, that connection to industry credentials can complement the leadership and management knowledge gained through a graduate degree.
Sport Industry Management: Broaden Your Opportunities in Sports
If you’re interested in the business and leadership side of sports, Sport Industry Management can help you prepare for roles across a wide range of organizations.
The sport industry extends well beyond professional teams. Career opportunities can include:
Event and facility management
Public relations
Sponsorship and ticket sales
Marketing
Fan engagement
Sport business leadership
This program’s curriculum explores the trends that are influencing the industry while also empowering you with courses that show you how to best read, understand, interpret, and conduct research to stay ahead. Those skills can apply across professional sports, intercollegiate athletics, governing bodies, community sport facilities, and other organizations.
This emphasis may be a strong fit if you want flexibility in where your sport career takes you. Rather than focusing on one type of organization, you can develop a broader understanding of the sport industry while building leadership skills that can support advancement in your current role or prepare you for future opportunities.
Build Skills You Can Use While You Work
Earning your degree doesn’t mean you have to put your career on hold.
The Master of Science in Executive Sport Management is built for professionals at different points in their careers, including working individuals, career changers, and those looking to move into leadership. The program is 100% online and asynchronous, providing a way to continue developing professionally while managing work and other commitments.
Courses typically combine readings, videos, discussions with your peers, and a long-term project, which gives you several opportunities to apply what you’re learning.
You’ll also learn from both faculty and sports industry professionals. That practitioner perspective can help connect coursework to the real-world decisions and challenges you may encounter in the workplace. Having industry-connected instructors will also help you hone in on the skills that employers are actively looking for, helping you stay ahead of the curve.
Tap into the Mountaineer Alumni Network
A career in sports is built on more than what you know. The people you meet along the way can also help you discover opportunities, learn from others in the field, and expand your professional network.
Through the Mountaineer Alumni Network, Executive Sport Management students can benefit from connections with sports executives, accomplished WVU alumni, and organizational partners. The network extends beyond Morgantown, with graduates building careers across the country and throughout the sports industry.
You can explore where graduates have started and advanced their careers through WVU’s interactive alumni map. Seeing where alumni have landed can give you a better sense of the range of opportunities available to sport management professionals and the scope of the network you’ll be joining.
Which Emphasis Fits Your Goals?
The choice of where to focus may come down to where you want to apply your leadership skills.
The Sport Industry Management emphasis will help you build a broad foundation for leadership across areas such as professional sports, marketing, events, sponsorships, or sport business.
Consider Interscholastic Athletic Administration if you’re specifically interested in leading school athletics and want a pathway connected to NIAAA professional credentials.
Whichever direction you choose, you’ll have the opportunity to build practical skills, learn from experienced professionals, and connect with a network that spans the sports industry.
Ready to explore your next move in sport leadership? Learn more about the online Executive Sport Management, M.S. or connect with Graduate Student Success and Enrollment Specialist Melinda Sierzega to learn more about which area of emphasis will best support your goals.
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