30 Most Affordable Master’s in Sports Management Degrees Online: Private Colleges in 2021

Campbellsville University offers online sport management programs for prospective students seeking business training and education with a sports and athletic emphasis. Students can also choose from an administration or marketing track within the sports management program. The 30-credit program can be completed within two years, but students can choose their enrollment level depending on their personal schedule. Courses include current issues and trends in sports, facility development and management, sport administration, and sport and the law. Admission requirements include a 3.0 undergraduate GPA, three letters of recommendation, and a 1,000 word personal statement. Students with a GPA less than 3.0 are required to submit GMAT/GRE scores. U.S. News ranks Campbellsville #116 in online MBA courses.

Tiffin University offers a master's in sports management online for individuals seeking business training within the context of the sporting and athletic world. Tiffin's program is completely online and includes a mentorship program model allowing students to work closely with a working professional to develop industry insight and create a working portfolio. The program consists of 36 credits including 28 MBA core classes and four sport management classes. Sport management courses include business strategy in sport, communication and fundraising in sports, personnel management in sport, and sport mentorship. Classes are offered in two 7-week terms starting in January, March, May, July, August, and October. U.S. News and World Report ranks Tiffin University #93 in regional universities Midwest.

Jacksonville University offers online sport management programs designed for students seeking business and leadership training within the sport and athletic sector. The degree is delivered completely online though the institution's School of Applied Health Sciences. The 36-credit curriculum is disaggregated into 8-week terms and can be finished in 12 months. Courses include essentials of finance and economics, leadership and ethics, sport analytics, and sport event and facility management. Admission requirements include a bachelor's degree from an accredited institution, 3.0 GPA within last 60 credit hours, personal statement, and resume. GRE scores can be substituted in lieu of GPA requirement. U.S. News ranks Jacksonville University #52 in regional universities South.

While many institutions offer an online master's in sports management, University of the Southwest confers a master's degree in exercise science that can be parlayed into a number of careers, including athletic training, coaching, sports psychology, sports information director, athletic administrator, and public health education. The program is delivered completely online and consists of 33 credits that can be completed in one year. Students must finish the degree within six years. The programmatic content is specifically designed to take into account the needs of the entire health care athletics and exercise industry, which allows students to pursue a variety of jobs in sport and athletic sub-fields. Curriculum includes advanced human nutrition, diagnostic tests and measurements in exercise science, issues in sport law, and health and human behavior. U.S. News ranks University of the Southwest #96 in regional universities West.

Coker College offers a master's in sports management online specifically designed for individuals seeking careers in athletic administration at the collegiate level. The program is delivered fully online for students unable to matriculate to a traditional in-class degree program. The 30-credit program includes courses such as college coaching and athletic recruiting, fundraising in college athletics, college athletic facilities, and financial management of intercollegiate athletics. Admission requires an undergraduate GPA of 2.85 along with a completed bachelor's degree, personal statement, three letters of recommendation, and all postsecondary transcripts from any institution attended. U.S. News and World Report ranks Coker College #8 in regional colleges South.

Hardin-Simmons University delivers sports management degrees online for prospective individuals seeking a business degree focused on the sport and athletic industries. The curriculum includes general MBA courses mixed with an array of sport-focused elective classes, including aspects of recreational sports programming, governing agencies and the law of sport and recreation, and organization and administration of athletics. The pedagogical philosophy of the Hardin-Simmons program is one where current theory is combined with practical skill building and praxis. Students learn how to apply content from the classroom to prospective jobs and duties they encounter post graduation. Hardin-Simmons is accredited and recognized by the Association Council for Business Schools and Programs and the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS). U.S. News ranks Hardin-Simmons #33 in regional universities West.

Fresno Pacific University's sports management degrees online are designed for individuals seeking leadership positions at all levels of the sports and athletics sector. The program is particularly strong for individuals seeking positions as athletic directors, athletic administrators, and sports marketers. The program is delivered entirely online except for an in-field practicum allowing the student to gain real world experience. The 30-credit program can be completed in just five semesters. Admission requirements include a minimum 2.75 GPA, three letters of reference, and a statement of intent. GRE/GMAT scores are not required. Courses include legal aspects of kinesiology and sport, sport administration professional development, and sports career development. U.S. News and World Report ranks Fresno Pacific University #41 in regional universities West.

Canisius College offers an online master's in sports management and administration designed for working professionals to seek a terminal master's degree while maintaining their current professional obligations. The curriculum is delivered online, but provides students the opportunity to blend online courses with face-to-face classes. The degree can be completed in as little as one year and includes coursework such as intercollegiate athletics, leadership in sport, risk management and contract negotiation, and strategic sport marketing. Students can also conduct research through the Canisius College Institute for Research in Sport (IRIS). Admission requirements include a bachelor's degree, resume, two letters or recommendation, and personal statement. U.S. News ranks Canisius #22 in regional universities North.

Keystone College's sport management online degrees are designed for anyone with a bachelor's degree looking for an advanced degree program that provides training and education for a potential career within a wide variety of sport and athletic contexts. Graduates may qualify for positions in professional, collegiate or high school sports as well as public and private recreation organizations. The cohort-based online program begins in August of each year and can be completed in one calendar year. Program prerequisites include a bachelor's degree from an accredited institution, an undergraduate GPA of 3.0, and an interview with the program director. Students may be provided provisional acceptance with a GPA below 3.0. Curriculum centers on current best practices in sports and athletics administration, leadership, and marketing. U.S. News and World Report ranks Keystone College #26 in regional universities North.

Gonzaga University offers online sport management programs for prospective students seeking sports-related careers. The online program consists of 31 credits and can be completed in as little as two years. The degree provides a business curriculum within the context of the sports industry. Curriculum includes ten courses and an internship. Specific classes include administration in sports and athletics, ethical and legal aspects in sports, facility management in sport and athletics, and research methods and statistics in sports. Admission criterion include a bachelor's degree from an accredited institution, a 3.0 GPA, two letters of recommendation, resume, and a personal statement. Students with a GPA below 3.0 are required to submit GRE/MAT test scores. U.S. News ranks Gonzaga University #4 in regional universities West.

University of Mary Hardin-Baylor offers sports management degrees online for prospective students seeking careers in the sports industry. The main emphasis of the Mary Hardin-Baylor program is to teach and train students specifically for a career in high school and collegiate athletics. Possible career tracks include athletic directors, athletic administrators, sports information and communications, and sports marketing and public relations. The 36-credit program is delivered entirely online, allowing students to keep their other professional and personal obligations. Coursework includes assessment and evaluation, administration of programs for diverse learners, management and leadership in sports, and marketing in sports. Admission requirements include a bachelor's degree in exercise science or a related field, a 3.0 undergraduate GPA, and an interview with the graduate program director. U.S. News ranks Mary Hardin-Baylor #54 in regional universities West.

Franklin Pierce University offers a master's in sports management online for working individuals seeking sports related careers. The Franklin Pierce program combines graduate level business curriculum within the context of the sports industry. Graduates may be qualified for careers in sports marketing, advertising and sponsorship, sporting event management, executive level leadership, and sports operations and technology. Coursework includes change management in sports organizations, media relations and technology in the sports industry, legal and ethical issues in sports organizations, and operations management. Admission requirements mandate students have a 2.8 GPA from a regionally accredited institution, competency in accounting, computer skills, and statistics. U.S. News ranks Franklin Pierce University #146 in regional universities South.

Full Sail University offers an online master's in sports management for individuals seeking an advanced degree in an entertainment and sports related occupational track. The sports management degree is a concentration within the broader entertainment degree pathway and provides students an in-depth look at how various components of the sports industry work. Curriculum within the degree focuses on advanced contract negotiation, financial planning, marketing and sales, and business development. The online master's degree can be completed within just 12 months. Courses include business storytelling and brand development, entertainment and business finance, legal issues in sports, and sports marketing and sponsorships.

United States Sports Academy offers sport management online degrees for individuals seeking careers within a variety of sporting contexts. The Academy's degree is 33 credits and can be combined with any other major for a dual degree, which adds approximately 9-12 additional credits. U.S. Sports Academy is accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Coaching Education (NCACE). Courses include advanced assessment in sports medicine, adaptive athletics and sports, contemporary issues in sports, membership and marketing for sports clubs, and philosophy and history of recreation and leisure. Students can choose a thesis or non-thesis option. Admission requirements include an undergraduate GPA of 2.5, three recommendation forms, and a personal statement. GMAT/GRE scores are not required, although administration may require them.

Upper Iowa University offers online sport management programs for individuals seeking a career in the sports industry. Graduates may qualify for positions such as athletic directors, agents, marketers and sales, public relations, fitness, faculty, and more. The 36-credit program blends current theory with practical industry skill sets that prepare graduates for a variety of positions. Students can choose from a sport management or coaching and leadership focus. Courses include ethics in sport, research methods in sport administration educational research, sport communication and marketing, and sport law and contract negotiation. U.S. News and World Report ranks Upper Iowa #126 in regional universities Midwest.

Southern New Hampshire University offers sports management degrees online for individuals seeking a business degree specializing in the sports industry. Graduates may qualify for a number of job positions within a wide variety of organizations performing job functions such as client relations, sales and marketing, public relations, entrepreneurship, and business development. The degree can be completed in as little as 15 months with a course load of two classes per 10-week semester. Classes within the curriculum include finance and economics in sports, internationalization of sports business, management of sport organizations, and sport marketing and media. U.S. News and World Report ranks Southern New Hampshire University #86 in regional universities North and #1 in innovative schools North.

Nova Southeastern University offers online sport management programs designed to help students develop and leverage business acumen to drive revenue within a sports-related occupation. The program teaches and trains graduates to develop marketing and sales funnels to assist sports organizations and franchises using a variety of marketing, public relations, sales, and technical skills learned through the program's cutting edge curriculum. Coursework includes sport event and fundraising strategies and techniques, sport revenue generation and emerging technologies, sport sponsorship design and strategies, and sport ticketing concessions and merchandise management. U.S. News and World Report ranks Nova #120 in online graduate business programs and #198 in national universities.

Duquesne University offers a master's in sports management online for individuals seeking careers in the sports industry across a variety of settings including client management, marketing, sales, business development, and consulting. Admission to the online sports management program includes official transcripts, GMAT/GRE scores, two references, a 250 word essay, and resume/CV. Students who graduated with a 3.25 from an AACSB-accredited business school may be eligible for a GMAT/GRE waiver. Coursework includes enterprise risk management, ethics and stakeholder management, the executive environment, and the legal environment. U.S. News and World Report ranks Duquesne University #120 in national universities and #95 in online graduate business programs.

Fairleigh Dickinson University offers sports management degrees online for aspiring students who seek careers within the sports industry. The program consists of 12 three-credit courses for a total of 36 credits, all of which can be completed online. Graduates may qualify to work in a variety of capacities, including sports personnel management, sports marketing and public relations, coaching, and recreation. Students may matriculate four times per year. Admission requirements include four years of undergraduate study from an accredited college or university, a 3.0 GPA, and a 1,000 word personal statement. GMAT/GRE scores are not required for admission. U.S. News and World Report ranks Fairleigh Dickinson #64 in regional universities North.

John F. Kennedy is a private university offering an online master's in sports management with a dual master's in business administration degree for students looking to leverage and blend skills involving sports psychology, management, and entrepreneurship. Students can attend the 103-credit program on a part-time or full-time basis. Students attending full-time can complete the dual degree in three years. Courses include cognitive and affective bases of behavior, ethics and professional issues in sport psychology, financial management, and visionary leadership and sustainability. All courses are delivered online with the exception of mandatory town hall meetings and seminars students have the opportunity to attend. U.S. News and World Report recognizes John. F. Kennedy University in its cohort of regional universities West.