Executive Sport Management, M.S.
Turn your passion for sports into executive authority. Move from the sidelines to the front office with WVU's online M.S. in Executive Sport Management. Master fundraising, sports law, and operations on your schedule.
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Courses and Credits:
10 Courses / 30 Credits
Duration:
2 years
Admission Terms:
Fall, Spring, Summer
Next Start Date:
January 11, 2027
Term Length:
8-week courses
Learning Format:
Online asynchronous
GMAT/GRE:
Not required
Program Overview
Behind every successful sports franchise, athletic department, and community program are sport professionals executing strategy and driving growth. The online Executive Sport Management M.S. prepares you to deepen your expertise and advance your career in the sport industry. Designed for working professionals and recent graduates alike, this flexible, asynchronous program allows you to complete coursework at your own pace while balancing professional and personal commitments. As one of the oldest sport management programs in the country, the Mountaineer Sport Management alumni network is extensive, spanning Division I athletics to interscholastic administration, and nonprofit organizations to professional teams. Guided by accomplished professors and industry professionals, our comprehensive curriculum provides advanced knowledge in key areas of sport management, such as sport marketing, fundraising, sport law, and financial strategy.
Get Your Competitive Edge
Acquire the executive capabilities, strategic marketing expertise, and institutional knowledge required to lead modern, high-performing sports organizations.
- Career Specialization: Tailor your degree with a specialized emphasis in Sport Industry Management or Interscholastic Athletic Administration.
- Mountaineer Alumni Network: Benefit from WVU’s network of sports executives, accomplished alumni, and organizational partners. Keep up with graduates of the program with the interactive alumni map to see where they have started careers and landed across the country.
- Expert Instruction: Learn from prominent sports industry faculty members and industry experts who bring real-world experience and research into the classroom.
- Certification Preparation: Accelerate your trajectory in school athletics through the Interscholastic Athletic Administration pathway, which prepares you for NIAAA, RAA and CAA professional credentials.
What You’ll Learn
The curriculum integrates business strategy, financial management, and ethical leadership across the sports landscape.
- Financial and Fundraising Strategy: Learn to direct the commercial side of sports by building sophisticated plans for athletic marketing, facility operations, and institutional fundraising.
- Organizational Leadership: Develop advanced management and administrative frameworks to guide diverse athletic staff, resolve structural challenges, and lead daily operations.
- Legal and Ethical Governance: Navigate the complex legal, ethical, and sociocultural regulations governing modern amateur, scholastic, collegiate, and professional sports.
- Evidence-Informed Practice: Translate sports industry data, research, and primary modes of inquiry into practical, strategic business decisions for your organization.
- Stakeholder Engagement: Master the communication skills needed to coordinate and advocate for the needs of athletes, community partners, sponsors, and institutional stakeholders.
Featured Courses
Explore some of the options you can pursue to build your competitive edge in executive sport management:
Application Steps
What You Need to Apply
- Successful completion of a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution.
- A minimum GPA of 2.75
- Provisional students must earn a 3.0 in the first 9 hours of coursework to continue in the program.
- Official transcripts from all institutions attended (other than WVU) to be sent to:
- WVU Office of Admissions - P.O. Box 6009 Morgantown, WV 26505-6009
- Or via email: WVUAdmissions@mail.wvu.edu
- Submit a Resume/CV that reflects your education and experience
- Create a Statement of Purpose
- Personal statements should be 750 to 1,000 words and double-spaced. This is an opportunity to tell the admissions committee more about your reasons to earn this degree and should not repeat the information on your resume.
Admission preference is given to individuals with experience in the sport industry. It is recommended that students have regular access to sport management settings, given the applied nature of many course assignments.
How to Apply
Applications for WVU’s online programs are processed through the University’s central portal. Follow these steps to set up your account and submit your application.
- Check the prerequisites: Review ‘What You Need to Apply’ to confirm your eligibility and get your application materials ready.
- Create your account: Visit the portal, create your account and start your application.
- Pay your application fee: Complete the required payment within the portal.
- Submit: Carefully review your details and submit your application.
Tuition, Fees, and Aid
Cost per credit hour is listed on each program page. Rates are reviewed annually and subject to change.
Tuition and fees are usually not the only educational expenses you may have while pursuing a degree. You may have other costs such as books, supplies, and living expenses. Please visit WVU’s Estimate Costs and Aid website for how to plan for other potential expenses.
- Complete the FAFSA
- Check Employer Benefits: Inquire about potential tuition assistance or reimbursement programs.
- Review Waivers: Understand the specific restrictions on University tuition waivers.
Learn More
Careers and Employment
The online Executive Sports Management, M.S. program is ideal for individuals seeking to pursue careers that deal with the business aspects of sports and physical activity. These degree programs provide in-depth instruction of theory and current practices, and many include practical experiences to enable students to gain real-world skills to increase success. The curriculum provides a collection of core courses to provide a solid background in sports management.
Additionally, you can choose an area of emphasis to further tailor the program to your interests and career goals. Upon graduation, you will be equipped with a functional knowledge of various business features of the sports field, including economics, marketing, law, finance, and facilities management and be prepared to join the growing sports management industry.
What can I do with an Executive Sport Management M.S. degree? Explore potential careers, employment environments, and academic pathways:
- Accounts/Corporate Partnerships Manager
- Athletic Administrator
- Athletic Director
- Athletics Compliance
- Business Development
- Coach
- General and Operations Manager
- Talent Scout
- Sport Marketing Manager
- Sport Agent
- Sport Camp Director
- Sport Content Producer
- Sport Information Director
- Sport Mediator/Arbitrator
- Sport Writer/Blogger
Frequently Asked Questions
If you’d like to dive deeper into the program’s curriculum and student experience, connect with:
Melinda Sierzega
- Email: Melinda.Sierzega@mail.wvu.edu
- Phone: 304-293-0882
- Schedule chat
