A Top-Ranked Master's Degree for Sport Business & Administration

This 12-month master's degree features a convenient online delivery, and is one of the nation’s most highly-regarded programs. In the Sport and Exercise Science MS – Sport Administration Concentration, you’ll study sport finance, program management, marketing, law, events & facilities, fundraising & development, and current issues in the sport industry.

Through this program you will...

Discover new resources and expand your networking contacts
Transfer new skills to your work and open up new career options
Demonstrate greater expertise in your field
Incorporate your talents and interests into your degree

Prepare for a Rewarding Career in Sport Management and Administration

Graduates have secured jobs with organizations in the NFL, MLB, MLS, NHL and in university athletic departments across the country. The network of alumni from this UNC program includes professionals with:

The Denver Broncos
Colorado Avalanche and Rapids
The New York Yankees
Multiple U.S. Olympic sport organizations
The Air Force Academy, University of Colorado, Colorado State University and UNC

Where will you head with your sports career? Specialize your studies to pursue opportunities with team organizations, sponsorship, apparel and licensing, facilities, ticketing and more.

Hear It From Our Graduates

The experiences of our students tell the story best. Read about why our graduates love our program.

I'm Ready to Apply

SNAPSHOT

Credits Required:
30

Time to Completion:
12-15 months

Tuition:
$639/credit hour

Delivery Option & Start Term:
Online program: start any term

Get Started/Apply

APPLICATION INFO

Request Information

Meet with Admissions Coach

Program Coordinator

Alan Morse, Ph.D.
alan.morse@unco.edu
970-351-1722

Delivered Fully Online

This online program can be completed in one calendar year, and you can still work while pursuing your master's degree. Some students coordinate their internships during one additional term.
The program internships provide special opportunities to help you bridge the gap between theory and experience, which means you will complete our program with working knowledge and connections in the field.
You can complete the program via a thesis option, or a non-thesis (comprehensive exam) option.

Coursework (30 Credit Hours)

For an example of upcoming courses, visit the Current Students page for this program.

For full program requirement details, see the official program listing in the UNC Graduate Catalog.

Admission Requirements

Possess (or be in the process of finishing) a baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited college or university, or a comparable degree from a foreign institution.
Have a cumulative GPA of 3.00 or better (on a 4.00 point scale) for the most recent degree earned or current degree in progress.
If you are still completing your bachelor's degree at the time you apply, admission will be based on your current cumulative GPA, and you will need to re-submit your official transcript (showing your conferred degree and final GPA) during your first semester. If your final GPA fell below 3.00, you will be given additional requirements as defined by the academic program that must be met within one calendar year to remain enrolled at UNC.
If you have completed a master's degree, or at least 18 credit hours towards a master's degree, the GPA of your master's work will be used.
If your undergraduate GPA (last 60 hours) is under 3.0, please contact the Program Coordinator for advisement regarding your situation.
Note: the Graduate Record Exam (GRE) is NOT required for this program.

Eligibility by State

At this time, UNC can serve online education to students from every state, the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico. We are not currently accepting students to our online programs who reside in the CNMIs.

Because some states may have additional requirements or limitations for certain programs, please check the following page to verify your eligibility. Note: if your state is showing "limited authorization" it means you are likely eligible with additional documentation, but please contact jake.henderson@unco.edu for details.

Current State Authorizations for This Program

International Student Eligibility

International students residing outside of the United States are eligible to apply to our online programs. Applicants for online programs must demonstrate English proficiency, or enroll in the UNC Intensive English Program, in order to be considered.

Students in completely online UNC programs are not required to come to the United States. You will not need a student visa or receive any immigration documentation, and do not need to provide financial documentation.

Please visit the International Students Admission Requirements page for details about English proficiency requirements and applying as an international student.

Transferring Credit

UNC graduate school accepts applicable graduate credit with a grade of C or higher from accredited institutions. Please note that if your chosen program has a higher grade minimum for any program coursework, that minimum would apply to transfer requests for those courses. Graduate program faculty are responsible for reviewing any proposed transfer credit to ensure that course content and objectives match program content.

Students must complete at least 50% of their graduate program credits at UNC, not including research, capstone, seminar, internship/externship/practicum, thesis, dissertation proposal, dissertation and any credits graded with S/U (P/F).
Courses requested for transfer must not be more than five years old for master's degree credit, and cannot have been used to fulfill requirements for a previously awarded degree. See the full Graduate Transfer Credit Policy.

Students should first send course syllabi for the applicable courses to their program advisor for review. Student and advisor then complete a Transfer of Credit form. The graduate school requires a copy/copies of your official transcript(s) in order to process transfer credit; it is likely that they will have this as part of your original application packet.

Tuition

This is an Extended Campus program, which means:

A flat per-credit tuition rate for all students (in-state or out-of-state)
There are no student fees – they are incorporated into our flat tuition rate
Certain courses may carry specific course fees for additional services and materials

Program tuition for the 2023-24 academic year (which runs Fall, Spring, and Summer terms) is $639 per credit hour. Tuition for the 2024-25 academic year will be determined mid-June 2024.

Estimates of additional costs: For the purposes of determining financial aid, UNC follows Colorado Department of Higher Education (CDHE) and federal guidelines to develop an estimated, average Cost of Attendance (budget) for different student classifications. For your personal tuition estimates, we recommend using the program-specific tuition information above. But UNC's official Cost of Attendance/Student Budgets page can help you identify other estimated expenses for which you may be responsible while completing your program.

Financial Aid

Degree-seeking students who cannot pay for tuition alone are encouraged to apply for federal financial aid. Students must first complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The UNC FAFSA/financial aid page for graduate students has key dates and support, including the release date and deadline for each academic year (a Fall-Spring-Summer cycle which begins each August).

Late submissions of the FAFSA are still accepted throughout the school year but you may not be considered for the maximum amount of aid. If the priority deadline has passed for the upcoming/current school year, we encourage you to apply for FAFSA consideration as soon as you enroll for your first courses. Depending on the time of year, you may be able to submit an application for the current academic year and an early/priority application for the following academic year.

Master's degree students must be enrolled in a minimum of 5 credits per academic term for financial aid eligibility. Full time enrollment is based on 9 credits per term.

To apply for federal financial aid assistance

Fill out the FAFSA form at https://studentaid.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsa

For more specific help, contact the Office of Financial Aid: ofa@unco.edu, 970-351-4862 or via the UNC Financial Aid website.

Students can also find helpful information such as the Guide to Federal Student Aid at https://studentaid.gov/resources. Most of the resources are available in English, Spanish, and Braille.

Student Health Insurance

The University of Northern Colorado offers a Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP) to all degree-seeking students who enroll in courses on our main UNC Campus, an Extended Campus Center, or Online.

Degree-seeking graduate students enrolled in 6 or more credit hours will automatically receive this benefit each term. SHIP premiums will appear on your semester bill. If you have comparable insurance coverage, and do not want to be charged for SHIP coverage, you must opt out of this plan each Fall via an online waiver process.

Please visit the UNC Student Health Insurance pages for more information about the insurance plan.

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What Our Students Say...

The UNC Extended Campus program allowed me to step into the sport industry as a versatile professional. Our industry constantly reflects cultural, economic, and societal changes in a highly public forum, and the sport administration program at UNC prepares students to succeed in that environment. From marketing and financial aspects to cultural and research elements, UNC produces students prepared for any career path in sports. I am forever thankful to Dr. Morse and his staff for pushing me to be a better student and continuing to stay in touch as an alumnus. I will always be a Bear!

– Tyler Boone, Major Gift Officer, Ohio State University

Photo of Tyler Boone, Sport Administration Master's Graduate

I chose the Sport Administration program because I had heard that this was one of the top programs in the country. My professors provided an outstanding education where they were able to share their real life experience and didn't just teach us out of a book. The program was challenging and they kept us engaged because we used the knowledge and tools we acquired on projects we completed for sports organizations.

– Terry Anderson, Dean - Allied Health and Wellness, Aims Community College

Photo of Terry Anderson, Sport Administration Master's Graduate

When I was deciding on where to get my Sport Administration Master’s degree, I was looking for several things: the experience of the faculty, convenience, and a small class size. The University of Northern Colorado’s Sport & Exercise Science department checked all of these boxes. During my time in the program I was challenged to think outside of the box, and given the opportunity to collaborate with a diverse group of classmates. I can truly say my degree from UNC made it possible for me to get to where I am today.

– Alex Yack, Assistant Athletic Director - Major Gifts/Director of Development, Texas Tech University

Photo of Alex Yack, Sport Administration Master's Graduate