UCM’s Sports Management Option Recognized Among Nation’s Best Online Accelerated Master’s Degrees

WARRENSBURG, MO – Providing opportunities that enable busy adults to get a quality education at an affordable cost, and in less time has contributed to the University of Central Missouri’s recent ranking as an institution that offers one of the nation’s “Best Online Master's in Sports Management.”

UCM is ranked 12th out of 50 public and private colleges and universities recognized in the study. It was conducted by Best Colleges Online with a focus on accelerated degrees that allow students to earn a master’s online in less than two years. The academic Sports Management program at UCM has been one of three options for students seeking a Master of Science in Kinesiology. However, starting this fall, while the required coursework is unchanged, the title of the degree will be changed to Master of Science in Sport Management, according to Program Coordinator Dr. Robert Slana. The program has and continues to provide learning outcomes related to the business of sport and hence the name change.

In their online feature, Best Colleges Online notes, “The University of Central Missouri’s master’s in sports management online is a highly competitive graduate degree that accepts students from all academic and work backgrounds. The program is an accelerated degree that can be completed in just 3-4 semesters including students with no experience or coursework in kinesiology or sport management.”

Courses include advanced sport marketing, organizational leadership in athletics and sport, sport law and risk management, and sport public relations. Students who complete this program will learn how to:

• Explain the major theories and concepts of the Sports Management discipline
• Apply sports management and leadership principles to various sports organizations
• Apply promotion and public relation strategies
• Analyze and conduct sport marketing research
• Analyze financial management in sport industry and create successful strategies for a sport enterprise
• Analyze case law in the sport industry and create legal strategies for successful sport enterprise
• Use graduate-level theories and concepts to demonstrate organizational, managerial, and administrative skills

Best Colleges Online compared 300 colleges and universities listed by the Center for Educational Statistics (NCES) College Navigator that offered online master’s in sports management programs. They narrowed the field by selecting schools that offered accelerated programs, had national or regional accreditation, and were ranked with at least one major publication, such as U.S. News and World Report. UCM is ranked #16 in top public schools by U.S. News and World Report.

Individuals who want to learn more about UCM’s Master of Science in Sport Management should contact Slana at 660-543-8932 or slana@ucmo.edu.