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Online Master of Science in Sports Analytics and Management

Program Length: 20 Months
Credit Hours: 30
Total Classes: 10
Cost per Credit: $1,427
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What are the program start dates?

Spring 2024
Closed

Summer 2024
May 6

Fall 2024
Late August

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At a Glance

Get the Technology & Data Skills Needed to Lead in the Sport Management Industry

Today’s employers look for sports managers with the skills to analyze and measure the impact of new technologies on their organization’s programs.

Designed to serve as a bridge across different sectors and industries, American University’s online Master of Science in Sports Analytics and Management program builds a range of technical knowledge and gives you the capabilities to make analytic-based decisions.

You’ll build advanced skills in leadership, communication and business strategies while gaining experience in the industry. This includes unique qualifications for emergent areas transforming sports such as social media, interactive spectatorship, mobile technology, performance data analytics, virtual reality, and more.

You’ll graduate from AU’s online sports management program ready for emergent careers in the sports management industry.

Program Objectives

Build a Strong Foundation in the Sports Industry and Be Prepared For its Future

In less than two years, you can be ready to stand out in this competitive industry. Graduate able to:

  1. Examine Impact:
    Assess emerging trends in the global workforce and the impacts of ever-changing technologies and platforms such as social media.
  2. Build Critical Relationships:
    Value the Value the importance of ethical, intercultural, and agency/client/stakeholder relationships, and use new leadership and communication skills within appropriate correspondence channels to establish them.
  3. Use New Tools:
    Examine and demonstrate the use of analytic tools, both quantitative and qualitative, to provide descriptive, predictive, and prescriptive project data.
  4. Develop Strategies:
    Create needs assessments and business plans that engage target audiences, and increase brand awareness, and improve the outreach of sports organizations.

Program Rankings

See How We Set the Standard

Our powerful Master of Science in Sports Analytics and Management ensures that you develop real-world experience and expand your professional network, enabling you to become a stand-out candidate for management roles and career advancement. 

  1. Experienced, Prestigious Faculty:
    Proven practitioners share their expertise in technology, analytics, and sport management to ensure you’re prepared for roles after graduation.
  2. A Comprehensive Curriculum:
    The curriculum has four pillars: global strategy, analytics and data-driven decision-making, technology enterprises, and revenue generation — so you’re fully prepared for a career in the sports management industry.
  3. Developed by Experts:
    The curriculum provides deep knowledge and skills in areas of sports management that our council of leading professionals from top organizations identified as lacking in other sports management programs.

A Top-Ranked Online MS

 

Top Online School for Sports Management Program 2022

Ranked by CollegeAffordabilityGuide.org

Affordable Sports Management Degree 2022

Ranked by CollegeAffordabilityGuide.org

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Admission Requirement
Curriculum Description
Careers and Outcomes
Faculty
Student Experience

Admission to American University’s online Master of Science in Sports Analytics & Management requires an undergraduate degree from an accredited college or university.

Applicants will need to submit:

*The application fee is typically waived if the application file is complete within a three week period.

Geared for long-term career success, the curriculum for our Master of Science in Sports Analytics and Management degree ensures you acquire practical, leading-edge, market-influenced strategies and skills through a best-in-class curriculum.

The curriculum was developed with deep and specific insights from professionals in top organizations and is rooted to our Professional Studies Experience. Graduate well-prepared to advance to a front-office role, ready to execute strategies based on analytics.

Details can be found on our Program Curriculum page.

Be Ready For the $700-Billion Dollar Future of Sports Management

According to an update by Research and Markets Sports Global Market Report 20221, the global sports market is strong and growing. The industry is:

  • Expected to reach $707.84 billion in 2026 at a CAGR of 9%
  • Largest in the North America Region in 2021
  • Expected to register stable growth in the U.S. during the forecast period
  • Implementing virtual reality (VR) technologies to their events

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics2 projects entertainment and sports occupations to grow at a rate of 13% from 2021 to 2031, much faster than average, adding about 95,500 new jobs over the decade.2

Join the Next Generation of Sports Management

American University’s MS in Sports Analytics and Management prepares you for sports industry opportunities with entities such as:

  • Sports leagues and teams
  • Athletes and athlete representation
  • Sports governance agencies
  • Non-governmental sports organizations
  • Private agencies and firms that are key stakeholders in the sports market
  • Sporting goods companies

Career Titles in Sports Management

The ability to understand, execute, and evaluate complex projects will set graduates of this program apart from individuals with a background in traditional sports management.

By graduation, you’ll be ready to step into the rapid stream of growth to take on challenges in new and emergent areas such as social media, interactive spectatorship, mobile technology, fantasy sports, e-sports gaming, performance data analytics, and virtual reality.

The Bureau of Labor and Statistics reports on the following titles in spectator sports:3

  • General and Operation Managers
  • Advertising, Marketing, Promotions, Public Relations, and Sales Managers
  • Public Relations Managers
  • Fundraising Managers
  • Facilities Managers

AU Grads Work Status

Our graduates can be found working across all sectors.

  • Working in Nonprofit Organizations - 11%
  • Working in Government - 15%
  • Working in For-Profit Organizations - 74%

Career Services

American University’s Career Center offers its services to online and on-campus students as well as to all alumni, so you’ll continue to receive support for as long as you need it. This means you’ll have access to resources for your job search, career advising, internships, and scholarships. You can also network, look for jobs, and apply for positions by making an account at AU Career Web, our online career search tool.

The Office of Professional Studies offers career development workshops, and continuing education through industry-specific webinars with practitioners who discuss emerging trends in their fields. Our program directors, who are academic practitioners, act as mentors to current students and alumni alike.

Alumni Employers

As passionate change-makers, our alumni are responsible for using their skills to make an impact. You can join an incredible set of AU alumni who work in diverse roles across sectors at organizations such as:

  • AMB Sports and Entertainment
  • AU Athletics
  • BetMGM
  • Citi
  • Chicago Cubs
  • Creative Artists Association (CAA)
  • DC United (MLS)
  • Disney/ESPN Streaming
  • Fanatics, Inc
  • FanDuel 
  • The Action Network
  • Maine Celtics
  • Major League Baseball (MLB)
  • Major League Soccer (MLS)
  • Monumental Sports & Entertainment
  • National Basketball Association (NBA)
  • National Hockey League (NHL)
  • NCAA
  • Postgame
  • Rockford IceHogs
  • New York Islanders
  • NCAA
  • Octagon
  • PNC
  • USA TODAY Sports
  • U.S Olympic Committee (U.S.O.C.)
  • Washington Spirit (NWSL)
  • WWE
  • YMCA

We’re especially proud of our faculty—prominent scholars and real-world professionals at the top of their fields who value mentoring students as much as they value excellence in the classroom. Through their teaching, scholarly achievements and first-hand experience, you’ll gain a special entry point to sport analytics and management.

Visit our Program Faculty page to learn more about our faculty.

Learning Online

American University welcomes its online students as a part of its community. As an online student, you’ll learn from the same outstanding faculty and be held to the same learning standards as students who attend courses on campus. On-campus and online programs deliver the same outcomes, and important support systems, like career resources, are set up for online learners as well. The only difference is you’re allowed to learn when and where it’s best for you so you can earn your degree and advance your career without putting the rest of your career and life on hold.

We Bring AU to You

Our digital campus was intentionally designed based on extensive research behind what makes online learning successful. We combine advanced technology, hands-on experiences, and full access to the American University community. Here, you’re not an online student, you’re an AU student.
 

Rigorous Courses

Online courses are as challenging as their on-campus counterparts and taught by the same connected faculty members and prominent lecturers.

100% Support

New-student orientation, 24/7 help desk for technical issues, a student services coordinator, financial aid advisers, and more are all available to ensure your success.

Expert Faculty

Home to some of the most acclaimed scholars and thought leaders in the world, you’ll learn from award-winning scholars and policymakers, diplomats, authors, artists, attorneys, scientists, journalists, and more.

Collaborative Learning

Use virtual tools to talk about your coursework, work in teams with classmates, build strong connections, network with others and ask your professor questions and turn in assignments.


 

The appearance of U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) visual information does not imply or constitute DoD endorsement.

Military Education Benefits

American University is dedicated to supporting military service members, veterans, and their families.

As a student in the online Master of Science in Sports Analytics & Management program, you can transform your military experience and leadership skills into new career possibilities as you earn your degree regardless of where you live or are stationed.

We support a full range of military education benefits such as:

  • Post-9/11 GI Bill
  • Montgomery GI Bill (MGIB)
  • Tuition Assistance (TA)
  • Yellow Ribbon Program

Additionally, if you’ve served in any branch of the U.S. military on active duty within the past three years, you’re eligible for an application fee waiver. We accept transfer credits from military coursework, have a dedicated Office of Veterans Services to help connect you to benefits, and maintain an active Veterans Services Support Network.

We welcome you to learn more about our military benefits and how to apply for them.

Take Your First Step Today

Become an American University student. A passion for public service, an emphasis on active leadership, and a global outlook are the hallmarks of the American University learning experience. We create graduates who stand out from their peers as active, socially aware, and compassionate leaders who work toward creating meaningful change in our world.

Join Us.

To learn more about American University’s Master’s in Sports Analytics and Management program, request more information, request an appointment, or call us toll-free at 855-725-7614.


Program FAQs

Our program will equip you to become a strategic sports manager possessing the skills needed to measure the impact that emerging technologies are having on sports organizations and society.

A council of leading professionals from top organizations advised on the curriculum development to ensure that it develops the current, relevant skill set needed today for professional success in sports management.

The American University MSSAM program provides multiple opportunities to gain work experience with sports organizations.

Admission to American University’s online Master of Science in Sports Analytics & Management requires an undergraduate degree from an accredited college or university.

Applicants will need to submit:
 

*The application fee is typically waived if the application file is complete within a three week period.

A TOEFL score of 600 (or 100 on the internet-based test), a minimum score of 68 on the Pearson Test of English, or a minimum IELTS score of seven (7) is required. Additionally, applicants with international transcripts must have them evaluated course by course. For a list of acceptable evaluators, go to NACES.org.

Applicants will complete a phone interview with the program director and will need to submit:
 

No. While this program is geared toward those with prior professional experience, many of our students come from entirely different professional and academic backgrounds to make a successful change in their careers.

The online Master of Sports Analytics and Management program can be completed in 20 months at a full-time pace of two courses each semester. Taking more than two courses per semester is not recommended due to the rigor of the program.

No, there are no specializations offered.

Although the Master of Sports Analytics and Management program does not require the GRE, students with a GPA below 3.0 are encouraged to take the GRE for further evaluation. LSAT scores can also be evaluated in place of the GRE.

Our application deadline varies based on the term you are applying for. Please contact us for more information.

AU will accept up to six hours of graduate work from another institution that applies directly to the degree. Transfer credits from another institution must be approved by the admissions team.

Our fall semester starts in late August. The spring semester starts in January. The summer session begins in May.

Graduate students enrolled at least part-time in a master’s program may be eligible for federal loans. To apply, students must submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Our FAFSA number is 001434.

No. This program is exclusively offered online. There will be opportunities for the learners to meet each other face-to-face but they are all optional.

Yes. The online Graduate Certificate in Sports Analytics and Management consists of four courses that you can complete in 12 months. If you decide to pursue the online MS in Sports Analytics and Management at a later date, you can use these 12 credits towards the full degree.

All students will have the opportunity to focus on an area of their interest and work with a client to complete their capstone project. Students will work with an experienced faculty member who will serve as a mentor and provide feedback throughout each step of the project.

Yes, online students can easily request a Student ID online to take advantage of all the same resources as our on-campus students.