In our 30-credit hour, 100% online graduate program, you receive the instruction needed to pursue a variety of professional roles and develop your leadership skills for success in one of today’s fastest-growing industries. Areas of focus include sport management, sport marketing, sport finance, personnel, legal issues and NCAA rules and regulations.
- Free Online Application
- Get Started on Xavier University’s free online application. You can begin the process in just a few clicks.
- Official Transcript
- One official transcript directly from all colleges or universities that you have attended for any undergraduate and graduate course work. Applicants must have a degree from a regionally accredited university. Send transcripts to:
- Xavier University
ATTN: Admission Processing Center
3800 Victory Parkway
Cincinnati, OH 45207-5131 - For electronic transcripts, send to:
xuadmit@xavier.edu
- Xavier University
- One official transcript directly from all colleges or universities that you have attended for any undergraduate and graduate course work. Applicants must have a degree from a regionally accredited university. Send transcripts to:
- Letters of Recommendation
- 2 letters of recommendation from professional references who are able to assess your potential for success in this program.
- Current Resume
- Current resume of work and volunteer experience.
- Personal Statement
- A 1-2 page statement of your career goals and how the Xavier sport administration program fits with your goals.
- Official test scores from the Graduate Record Exam (GRE).
- GRE (Graduate Record Exam): The minimum score requirements is 143 on the verbal section and 3.0 of the analytical section.
- If you have previously taken the GRE and want to have your scores sent to Xavier, please contact GRE at 1-888-GRE-SCORE.
Students may complete an application form and register for up to 6 graduate credit hours as a “non-degree seeking graduate student” before they are formally admitted in the program.
- Students must turn in all required admissions materials before they are permitted to go beyond the first 6 hours.
- Students do NOT qualify for financial aid until formally admitted into the program.
State Authorization
Xavier University is authorized to offer this fully online degree program in all states.
- SPMG 521: Intro to Sport Administration..........3 credits
- SPMG 522: Sport Research & Statistics..........3 credits
- SPMG 595: Sports Administration: Marketing..........3 credits
- SPMG 596: Sports Administration: Finance..........3 credits
- SPMG 598: Legal & Ethical Issues in Sport & Physical Education..........3 credits
Select One:
- SPMG: Sport Admin Research Project..........3 credits
- SPMG: Internship in Sport Administration..........3 credits
- SPMG 523: Sports Administration Seminar..........3 credits
- SPMG 570: Psycho-Social Aspects of Sport..........3 credits
- SPMG 610: Sport Ethics..........3 credits
- SPMG 622: Personnel Issues in Sport Management..........3 credits
- SPMG 625: High School Athletic Administration..........3 credits
- SPMG 632: Sport Event Management & Promotion..........3 credits
- SPMG 642: Sport Fund-Raising..........3 credits
- SPMG 652: NCAA:Rules Regulations Policy..........3 credits
- SPMG 654: Women in Sport..........3 credits
- SPMG 662: PR & Communication in Sport..........3 credits
- SPMG 664: Facility Design & Planning..........3 credits
- SPMG 666: Fitness Management..........3 credits
- SPMG 668: Admin of Fitness & Wellness Principles..........3 credits
Tuition
- MS..............$722
Fees
- Student ID Fee..............$12.50
- Graduate Student Association Fee, degree-seeking full-time..............$15 (per semester)
- Graduate Student Association Fee, degree-seeking part-time..............$10 (per semester)
For the full, official listing, please visit xavier.edu/costs.
Xavier University reserves the right to correct any computational or clerical errors.
Program Features
We created our 100% online sports administration master’s program to meet your scheduling needs. Earn your degree in one to two years and receive the same high-quality instruction as traditional, on-campus students.
Elective courses include sports management, marketing, finance, personnel, legal and NCAA rules and regulations. This focused approach allows you to gain industry knowledge and sharpen your competitive edge.
Built on a foundation of Jesuit values, our program prepares ethical, business-savvy leaders for a wide range of roles across collegiate, professional and non-profit sports.
As an online graduate student, you can complete a three- or six-credit internship, gaining hundreds of hours of real-world experience and learning from established industry experts.
Hear from Our Alumni
"The Xavier sport administration program prepared me for a career in one of the fastest growing segments of the entertainment industry today: interactive video games. The sports and entertainment field can be a tough career path, and Xavier's program fully prepared me for many of the challenges."
Melvin Lenzy
Product Marketing Manager, EA Sports
"As a non-traditional student seeking a career change after 25 years in law enforcement, I decided on Xavier's Sport Administration program. I am now the Security Director for the Cincinnati Reds. My master's degree from Xavier made me stand out from the other applicants."
Kerry Rowland
Security Director, Cincinnati Reds
"I chose Xavier's Sport Administration program because I always wanted to be an athletic director, and that decision paid off. I am using my degree from Xavier to do what I want to do with my life, and Xavier's program prepared me extremely well to do so."
Eric E. Higgins
Athletic Director, Fairfield City Schools
Dominique Kropp, Ph.D., professor in the Department of Sport Science and Management, found a love for sports very young and shares her passion by teaching Xavier students.
The Loyal Musketeer Scholarship reduces the graduate tuition rate by 25 percent and is available to all Xavier alumni enrolling as degree-seeking graduate students.
FAQ
Xavier's M.S. in Sport Administration program offers a comprehensive pathway to a rewarding career.
No, Xavier awards the M.S. in Sport Administration based on your ability to meet coursework standards, regardless of course delivery mode. Whether your program is in person or online, you earn a Master of Science in Sport Administration degree.
Sport administration and sport management are often used to refer to similar degrees. However, every program is unique, so it’s important to take a careful look at the curriculum to see if it’s a good fit for your career goals.
Some programs may have a heavier focus on the administrative side of running an athletic department or sports program, while others may focus more heavily on coaching and the development of athletes. Xavier’s Master of Science in Sport Administration allows you to tailor the curriculum to your individual career goals through electives, research and for-credit internships.
Sports administration master’s students may find that they can get to know their professors/instructors and other students better in an online course than in a traditional face-to-face course. In your online program, you have many options for interacting with your instructors and classmates, including discussion boards, video or audio files from your instructor, email and video conferencing. There may be additional opportunities to connect based on the sports administration course and instructor.
Athletic Director
Athletic directors oversee and manage all aspects of sports programs, including budgets, fundraising, athletic staff, scheduling, marketing, ticket sales, facility equipment and facility operations.
Sports Executive
Sports executives are part of the top management of sports teams. Their roles can include managing ticket sales, marketing and communications, public relations and financial decision-making.
Media Relations Director
Media relations directors build relationships with members of the media, manage communications plans, approve talking points, and write and distribute press releases on behalf of their respective teams.
Guest Services Manager
Guest services managers provide guests with a safe and comfortable experience and oversee managing all direct services to guests while they’re in a venue.
Facilities and Event Manager
Facilities and event managers ensure facilities and venues’ equipment, property and grounds have been maintained and repaired. They also oversee bookings for events and communicate with clients to determine facility needs.
Marketing and Advertising Director
Marketing and advertising directors manage the digital and print advertising initiatives for their respective teams, including in-game marketing efforts and sponsorship execution. Additionally, they foster relationships with advertising outlets, manage advertising budgets and run their team’s social media accounts.
Ticketing and Sales Director
Ticketing and sales directors manage the online and printed ticket sales for their respective teams and events. They lead the ticketing and sales staff, foster relationships with season ticket holders, manage ticketing transactions and reservations, and report ticket sales data.
Accounting/Finance Manager
Accounting and finance managers oversee bookkeeping, payroll, and tracking and auditing other financial information for their respective teams.
Review the syllabus for each course to determine how to obtain the necessary materials (print and digital). The Xavier Bookstore and/or Library are happy to assist you in finding course materials. Some readings or media lessons may be posted digitally within the online course itself or in Xavier’s E-Reserves system.
If you are new to online learning at Xavier University, we encourage you to go through the student orientation for online courses. Learn more on Canvas.
Sport Administration (MS) Program at Xavier University
Xavier University’s online M.S. in Sport Administration program combines the academic strength of a Xavier education with industry-leading expertise. We designed our curriculum with the guidelines recommended by the North American Society for Sport Management (NASSM) to promote professional development and scholarship within sports management. Xavier University's College of Professional Sciences prepares undergraduate and graduate students intellectually, morally and spiritually for careers and professions of service. CPS challenges students to strive for academic excellence and life-long learning through promoting collaboration and community partnerships, and incorporating research, scholarship and innovation. Xavier University is a private university located in Cincinnati, Ohio, providing a liberal arts education in the Jesuit Catholic tradition. Founded in 1831, the University is the sixth-oldest Catholic university in the nation. It has been ranked among the top 10 master's-level universities in the Midwest by U.S. News and World Report for the past two decades. The Princeton Review names it one of the "Best 385 Colleges in America."
Xavier University's College of Professional Sciences prepares undergraduate and graduate students intellectually, morally and spiritually for careers and professions of service. CPS challenges students to strive for academic excellence and life-long learning through promoting collaboration and community partnerships, and incorporating research, scholarship and innovation.
Xavier University is a private university located in Cincinnati, Ohio, providing a liberal arts education in the Jesuit Catholic tradition. Founded in 1831, the University is the sixth-oldest Catholic university in the nation. It has been ranked among the top 10 master's-level universities in the Midwest by U.S. News & World Report for the past two decades. The Princeton Review names it one of the "Best 385 Colleges in America."