Intercollegiate Athletic Leadership (M.A.)

By integrating academic excellence and Christian faith, the program nurtures higher education leaders whose professional identity is rooted in a deep sense of purpose and vocation. Students gain insight into the complex breadth of higher education but also develop expertise in a focused area of professional service within higher education. This is accomplished as students complete a core set of courses alongside a set of courses specific to their concentration. In addition to coursework, real-world experience is embedded in the program through a capstone requirement. Internships and graduate assistantships allow students to put the theories, gained through classroom instruction, into practice through supervised, real-world experience. By emphasizing the connections between theoretical principles, educational practice, and intentional reflection, the curriculum equips students with the requisite knowledge and creativity to excel in the dynamic environment of higher education.

Program Learning Outcomes

  1. To prepare professionals with a comprehensive understanding of athletic administration, including strategic planning, organizational effectiveness, event management, sport marketing, and leadership formation;
  2. To develop educators who understand the philosophical context of intercollegiate athletics and related athletic associations;
  3. To develop leaders who leverage the benefits of intercollegiate athletics for access, equity and student success;
  4. To nurture athletic leaders with a professional identity rooted in the ethical and vocational sensibilities of the Christian tradition.

Degree Requirements (36 credits)

Program Core Requirements (33 credits)

HIED 514Equity Issues in Higher Education

3
HIED 515Strategic Leadership in Higher Education

3
HIED 516Legal and Ethical Issues in Higher Education

3
HIED 530Intercollegiate Sport Administration

3
HIED 531Events and Facilities Management in Intercollegiate Athletics

3
HIED 532Marketing and Sponsorship in Intercollegiate Athletics

3
HIED 534Intercollegiate Coaching

3
HIED 553Enrollment Management in Higher Education

3
HIED 562Internship in Higher Education

3
LEAD 501The Character of a Leader

3
LEAD 550Organizational Effectiveness

3

HIED 562: HIED 567 Professional Seminar serves as a substitution for students who have two or more years of professional experience upon admission and who have received approval from the program director.

Choose one of the following: (3 credits)

HIED 513Institutional Assessment and Effectiveness

3
HIED 520Academic Engagement and Learning in Higher Education

3
HIED 555Spiritual Formation in Higher Education

3
LEAD 530Leading Leaders

3
LEAD 540Followership, Teamwork and Group Dynamics

3