Kinesiology & Recreation - Sport Management
Overview
This program helps students make the jump from sports fan to sport management. It includes innovative curriculum, small class sizes, and numerous opportunities to network and gain practical experience.
Our students work hard in the field and in the classroom. Through field trips, speakers, and class activities, students have numerous opportunities to connect with high-level sport executives and get practical experience with assistantships, internships, and volunteer opportunities.
These experiences give Illinois State students an impressive resume and thanks to our relationships with sport organizations throughout the country, they are able to form strong networking partnerships that often help them land a job in the sports industry.
Point of Pride
Sport Management students work directly with Redbird Athletics and other local and regional sport properties in consulting roles that connect students to the sport industry, solve industry problems, and serve our communities using sport as a vehicle.
How to Apply
University Admission Requirements
A student applying to a master's program must:
- have earned a four-year bachelor's degree or its equivalent from a college or university that is accredited by the appropriate regional accrediting association, or do so within one academic year
- present official transcripts from each college or university other than Illinois State at which graduate, undergraduate, or non-degree credit was earned. Transcripts can be emailed from the university to Admissions@IllinoisState.edu or mailed in a sealed envelope to: Office of Admissions, 201 Hovey Hall, Campus Box 2200, Normal, IL 61790-2200
International students can learn more about specific application requirements by visiting the Office of Admissions.
Additional Program Admission Requirements
A student applying to this program must:
- have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale for either the last 60 hours of undergraduate coursework or any previous work in a master's program.
- submit a current resume, outlining your education and work history (2 page maximum).
- submit a statement of your career goals, including why you are seeking ISU for graduate school and how the specific Master's program (ACED, Athletic Training, Biomechanics, Exercise Physiology, Physical Education Pedagogy, Psychology of Sport and Activity, Recreation Administration, or Sports Management) will prepare you for your future goals.
- submit names and email addresses of three references for letters of recommendation within the online application.
Applicants are strongly encouraged to communicate with Sport Management faculty with questions about the graduate program, assistantship availability, and the application process.
Application Deadlines
- Fall Term — February 1
- Spring Term — October 15
- Spring Term — October 1 for International students
Graduate Assistantships
The University provides graduate assistantships as a means of financial support. They are intended as a way to facilitate a student's progress to degree while providing important professional development.
Eligibility
To be eligible for an assistantship a student must, generally,
- be admitted unconditionally as a degree-seeking student into a graduate academic program, or have a minimum of 120 undergraduate hours if in an integrated degree program
- be in good-standing
- be enrolled full-time (typically at least 9 credit hours during the fall or spring semesters, or at least 6 hours during the summer session).
Benefits
Graduate assistants receive
- monthly wages paid in the form of either a stipend or an hourly wage
- a waiver for 100% of tuition during a semester of appointment
- a waiver for up to 12 credit hours of tuition for the summer term immediately following a fall or spring appointment
Costs & Funding
See Student Accounts for information on tuition and fees. Funding for graduate students is available from several different sources. Students who have been admitted from continuous states including Iowa, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri, and Wisconsin will receive in-state tuition.