Athletic Leadership
About This Program |
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Admissions ContactRachel Ahlmeyer |
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Program ContactKathy Mangano |
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Upcoming EventsVirtual Information Session Spring Graduate Fair Virtual Information Session |
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The Athletic Leadership, MEd/MS at Springfield College equips students with the knowledge and skills to develop as inclusive, equity-minded leaders who create empowering sport experiences and positively impact the sport community. Our program adopts a holistic approach to leadership development that blends training in the sport sciences and practical experience. Students develop their evidence-based practice by gaining a strong foundation in theory, research and application of the sport sciences through active engagement in the classroom. Opportunities for fieldwork in various sport settings (e.g., youth, interscholastic, intercollegiate, and professional) provide students with valuable practical experience and meaningful connections with professionals in the field to enhance their classroom learning.
Students can pursue an M.Ed. (practitioner focused) or M.S. (thesis) track, and tailor their curriculum path to meet their career goals. Core courses for all program students include athletic administration, supervision and mentoring, legal issues, inclusive and critical approaches to sport, and coaching methods and issues.
Students can select additional courses based on whether they wish to pursue a career in athletic coaching and/or administration.
- Coaching focus: Courses that prepare students include strength and conditioning, motor learning and control, and sport psychology. Springfield College’s unique teacher-coach model allows students to interact with experienced, highly successful coaches in the classroom and various performance settings.
- Athletic administration focus: Courses that prepare students for various administrative leadership roles at the interscholastic and/or intercollegiate levels include administrative oversight of student-athlete health and well-being, facilities in athletics, and athletic finance. Note: The legal issues and interscholastic athletic administration courses have 4 National Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association (NIAAA) Leadership Training Courses (LTC) embedded so that students can achieve a Registered Athletic Administration certification (RAA) for individuals interested in working within the interscholastic setting.
Admissions Requirements
This program enrolls students in the fall and spring terms only.
Complete the application form. No application fee.
Start your application process by completing the online application form. Be sure to complete your application by submitting all the required materials outlined in this section.
Graduate Admissions Essay
Once your application form is processed you will receive an email with your application portal login credentials. Once you login to your application portal you'll be able to upload your essay.
In two to three double-spaced pages, please describe significant life experiences that have contributed to your interest in your field, your understanding of this field, your occupational objectives, and why you have chosen Springfield College.
Resume
Please include any college activities, out-of-school leadership experiences, work history, and community involvement to support your interest in or qualifications for graduate study. Once your application form is processed you will receive an email with your application portal login credentials. Once you login to your application portal you'll be able to upload your resume.
Letters of Recommendation
This program requires two letters of recommendation. Recommenders will receive an email when you submit your application and will be able to upload your letter to your application.
Official Transcripts from All Institutions Previously/Currently Attended
- An official transcript from each college/university you have attended is required.
- Transcripts must be in English. If the transcript is not in English you will be required to submit a professional credential evaluation completed by any member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services. In some cases, including if you plan to request coursework be transferred, a course-by-course translation is required. For this we recommend the World Education Services or Josef Silny & Associates, Inc.
- In order to be considered official, transcripts must be received directly from the original source, by email to graduate@springfield.edu, or mailed to the college address:
Springfield College
Office of Graduate Admissions
263 Alden Street
Springfield, MA 01109
International Applicants
All international applicants from non-English speaking countries are required, in addition to the items listed above, to submit:
- Proof of English language proficiency by way of the TOEFL or IELTS. Other tests may be accepted on a case-by-case basis. Please refer to our language requirements for more information on acceptable tests, minimum scores, exemptions, and conditional acceptance. If your undergraduate degree was earned in the United States and you successfully completed college-level English, we will consider English language proficiency met.
- Please note: Transcripts must be in English. If the transcript is not in English you will be required to submit a professional credential evaluation completed by any member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES). For this we recommend SpanTran, with its customized portal for Springfield College applicants. World Education Services or Josef Silny & Associates, Inc. are also recommended for your credential evaluations.
The staff in the Office of International Admissions can assist you with questions you may have about enrolling at Springfield College as an international student by emailing intladmissions@springfieldcollege.edu.
To submit materials:
After submitting your online application form you will receive user login credentials to access your student application portal. From that portal, you will be able to upload your graduate admissions essay and your resume. Recommenders will receive an email when you submit your application and will be able to upload your letter to your application. In order to be considered official, transcripts must be received directly from the original source, by email to graduate@springfield.edu, or mailed to the college address:
Springfield College
Office of Graduate Admissions
263 Alden Street
Springfield, MA 01109
Curriculum
The Master’s candidate may choose from the M.Ed. (practitioner focused) or the M.S. Degree (thesis required). M.Ed. and M.S. students must complete a minimum of 36 credits.
Prerequisite: Coaching experience or collegiate athletics playing experience
PROGRAM CORE (22-26 credits) – required for all students in M.Ed. and M.S. tracks
PHED 613 Advanced Level Coaching: Methods and Issues 3 credits
PHED 633 Athletic Administration 3 credits
PHED 670 Supervision and Mentoring 3 credits
PHED 675 Legal Issues in Physical Education & Athletics (LTC 504, 506) 3 credits
PHED 681 Inclusive and Critical Approaches to Sport 3 credits
RSCH 610 Foundations and Methods of Research 3 credits
Field Experience – complete any combination of the 2 courses below. M.Ed. students 6-8 total credits of fieldwork. M.S. students 4 total credits of fieldwork:
PHED 685 Internship in Advanced Level Coaching
PHED 686 Graduate Field Experience
M.Ed. Track – complete 10-12 credits from the list of selectives below:
AEXS 670 Strength & Conditioning* 3 credits
AEXS 678 Sport Psychology 3 credits
MOST 624 Motor Learning and Control 3 credits
PHED 505 Sports Medicine for Athletic Administrators 2 credits
PHED 627 Facility Design, Operation, and Maintenance in Athletics 3 credits
PHED 634 Interscholastic Athletic Administration (LTC 501-503) 3 credits
PHED 645 Finance in Athletics 3 credits
PHED 683 Leadership in Athletics Seminar 2 credits
RSCH 618 Guided Individual Study 1-4 credits
M.S. Track – complete the 9-credit research sequence below AND 5 credits from the list of M.Ed. selectives above.
RSCH 612 Proposal Design 2 credits
RSCH 620 Educational & Psychological Statistics
Or RSCH 615 Qualitative Research Methodology 3 credits
RSCH 635 Thesis 4 credits
Deadline
Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis prior to the start of the intended term of entry.
Priority deadlines are as follows:
- July 15 for fall (September) entry
- December 1 for spring (January) entry
All required supporting materials are due as follows:
- August 15 for fall (September) entry
- January 1 for spring (January) entry
