Graduate students specialize in either coaching leadership or
the international dimensions of sport. The decision of which track
to choose does not have to be made until the student has completed
the common core. However, choosing a specialization early during
the first semester will permit students to choose research
topics in their core classes that are appropriate to their chosen
track.
Coaching Leadership
The coaching leadership specialization meets the demand for
professionally trained coaches and program administrators of
school-based sport at all educational levels, as well as positions
in league and community-centered programs.
- Develop and adopt an athlete-centered philosophy focusing on
maximizing the positive benefits of sport participation
- Develop competency in injury prevention, care and
management
- Demonstrate organizational and administrative efficiency in
implementing sports programs
- Understand the legal responsibilities involved with
coaching
- Understand the factors involved in growth, development and
learning in coaching
- Achieve competence in applying training, conditioning and
nutrition for optimal performance
- Understand the impact of social / psychological aspects of
coaching
- Achieve competency in the skills, techniques and strategies
associated with specific sport(s)
- Develop the ability to apply theoretical concepts of coaching
in a practical setting through a supervised field experience
- Implement effective evaluation techniques for athlete and team
performance in relation to established team and individual
goals
- Understand the assessment of athlete performance in practices
and competition as an important competency of coaching
- Demonstrate objective and effective procedures for the
evaluation of athletic personnel and programs
International Dimensions of
Sport
The international dimensions of sport specialization is designed
to meet the need for managers in the increasingly complex global
sport industry.
- Achieve specific knowledge of international governance beyond
the administrative boundaries of one’s country
- Develop an ability to apply managerial competencies to sport
organizations
- Understand internal and external factors that shape sport in
different cultures
- Achieve competency in sport marketing including fundamental
aspects of sport products, markets, consumer research, sponsorship,
and promotion.
- Achieve advanced understanding of the governance and regulation
of sport organizations
- Achieve competency in the finance of sport organizations
including key elements of budgeting, accounting, public/private
financing, and revenue development
- Achieve competence in legal aspects of sport including
state/federal/international legislation, liability, risk
management, contracts, and collective bargaining
- Understand the key elements of ethical behavior in sport
organizations including consideration of both personal and
professional ethical systems in sport organization management.
- Achieve competency in the economics of sport including
fundamental concepts of supply and demand, economic forecasting,
and economic impact assessment.
- Develop the ability to apply theoretical concepts of sport
management in a practical setting through a supervised field
experience