UIU kicks off Master of Sports Administration program

A new master’s degree program at Upper Iowa University will provide graduate students a career advantage in the fields of civic/regional sports, sporting goods manufacturers, high school athletics departments, college and university athletics departments, professional sports leagues, faculty positions and/or not-for-profit sports programs.

Set to be launched Monday, Feb. 29, the UIU Master of Sports Administration (MSA) online degree program will be available in a fast-paced curriculum, with new classes offered every eight weeks. Each MSA student will be required to complete a minimum of 36 credits with an emphasis in Sport Management or Coaching and Leadership Education. An 18 credit Leadership Certificate also is available to students not seeking a college degree.

“We are committed to establishing Upper Iowa University’s Master of Sport Administration program as a national leader in educating and preparing graduate students for leadership positions in a wide variety of sports businesses and organizations,” said Dr. Kurt Wood, UIU provost and executive vice president.

“Current athletic administrators and coaches seeking to achieve an MSA at Upper Iowa will not only benefit from our knowledgeable faculty and staff, but also a wide ranging network of alumni and other friends of the University,” added Dr. Graeme Armstrong, UIU assistant professor of education and MSA program chair. “A great number of these individuals are specially qualified to connect students with highly respected professionals within the sports world.”

Armstrong noted another unique aspect of the University’s MSA is a newly formed collaboration with Championship Productions.

“As the leading coaching education company in the world, Championship Productions relationships with America’s most successful coaches brings the highest degree of creditability to the program,” said Armstrong. “The University will utilize the company’s large library of resources within the MSA program’s emphasis on coaching and leadership education.”

Championship Productions was founded in 1976 by two-time National Champion and former Iowa State University men’s track and cross country coach, Bill Bergan. While guiding the Cyclones to two NCAA Championships, Bergan wrote and edited five track and field books to help coaches teach various skills, techniques and training in the sport. Based in Ames, Iowa, the company has grown from serving coaches in track and field to those in 20 different sports.

Approximately 2,500 videos are available in the Championship Productions library, including instruction from the top collegiate and professional coaches. Mike Krzyzewski, Fred Hoiberg, Tom Izzo, Geno Auriemma, Dan Gable, Russ Rose, and Clyde Hart are among Championship’s hundreds of authors. In addition to its newly developed education affiliation with UIU, Championship Productions has a history of strategic, professional affiliations in the sports industry, including Nike Championship Basketball Clinics, the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU), Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA), American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA), American Indoor Lacrosse Association, USA Wrestling, Fitter & Faster Swim Tour, and various other athletic organizations and clinics through the United States.

“The opportunity to play a role in the continuing education of coaches has been our mission for over 40 years; to be a part of the master’s degree program with UIU is one of the most exciting developments in the history of Championship Productions,” said Bill Bergan, Championship Productions’ founder and CEO.

Armstrong said that upon completion of the master’s program, MSA graduates will understand the organizational, financial, technology and personnel issues related to the sports industry. While the most common path for the graduates of the MSA program is to become an athletic director or similar administrator at the various levels of athletics, they may also seek various management and head coaching careers.

The coursework for the newly approved UIU program will focus on business management and leadership as well as working with, and in, the globally diverse sports industry. Ethics, critical thinking and problem solving, communication and marketing, teamwork and team building, strategic planning and networking will all be incorporated in the coursework.

For additional information on the Upper Iowa University Master of Sports Administration online program, visit uiu.edu.