Sport and Recreation Leadership, M.S.
Program Director: Benjamin Carr
Phone: (540) 568-3954, (540) 830-2000
Email: carrbh@jmu.edu
Sports and Recreation Leadership Program Website
Mission
The Sport and Recreation Leadership program is designed to empower students with the education and skill sets necessary to succeed and become a leader in the sport or recreation industries.
This program is designed to be completed in 1.5 years. Summer courses are not required.
Admission
In addition to The Graduate School qualifications for admissions, potential candidates must meet the requirements of Sport and Recreation Leadership. For more information, see the application website.
In all programs, courses must be selected with the approval of the advisor in accordance with the professional goals of the student.
Degree Requirements
The Master of Science degree in Sport and Recreation Leadership requires 33 credit hours. Students select a concentration in either sport and recreation or campus recreation when applying to the program. They enroll in core and concentration classes simultaneously throughout their program. Students in both concentrations may select either the thesis or non-thesis option.
The core curriculum is required for both concentrations and is designed to weave the concepts of leadership through the five common core courses of the program. These core classes will be the platform from which students learn to navigate the various segments of the sport and recreation industry and their communities as leaders. The focus of this set of course work is to provide students with specific industry skill sets and knowledge in the areas of budget management, human resource management, staff training and development, gender equity, research, legal and ethical issues, risk management, teamwork, networking and project management. All of these areas are essential elements for the training and success of master's level professionals in sport and recreation.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Core Courses | ||
| SRL 515 | Leadership in Sport and Recreation Professions | 3 |
| SRL 525 | Research Techniques in Sport and Recreation Leadership | 3 |
| SRL 615 | Fiscal Planning and Management in Sport and Recreation Leadership | 3 |
| SRL 635 | Human Resources Management and Development in Sport and Recreation Leadership | 3 |
| SRL 675 | Legal Concepts in Sport and Recreation Leadership | 3 |
| Subtotal | 15 | |
| Concentration | ||
| Students select a concentration in campus recreation or sport and recreation. See below for details. | 18 | |
| Total Credits | 33 | |
Concentrations
Campus Recreation Concentration
This concentration is designed for students who wish to pursue a career in campus recreation in higher education settings. Students who complete the campus recreation requirements are prepared to work at all levels of campus recreation, such as administration, event management, operations, programming, and facility management. A three-credit internship is required for this concentration in the non-thesis option.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Campus Recreation Concentration Requirements | ||
| SRL 630 | Facilities and Operations in Campus Recreation | 3 |
| SRL 640 | Group and Team Development: Theory, Research and Facilitation in Campus Recreation | 3 |
| SRL 646 | The American College Student | 3 |
| SRL 660 | Programming in Campus Recreation | 3 |
| Choose one of the following options: | 6 | |
| Non-Thesis Option: | ||
| Internship in Sport and Recreation Leadership | ||
Elective (Option must be approved by concentration coordinator.) | ||
| Thesis Option: | ||
| Thesis Research (Taken twice for 6 credits.) | ||
| Total Credits | 18 | |
Sport and Recreation Concentration
Students who complete the Sport and Recreation concentration requirements will be prepared to work in all segments of the sport and recreation industry. Graduates of this concentration will find employment in areas such as high school and college coaching and athletic administration; professional and amateur sport associations; public, private, and non-profit agency administrators; parks and recreation agencies; and youth sports programs.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Sport and Recreation Concentration Requirements | ||
| SRL 520 | Philosophy in Sport and Recreation | 3 |
| SRL 600 | Administration in Sport and Recreation | 3 |
| SRL 610 | Marketing and Promotions in Sport and Recreation | 3 |
| SRL 620 | Facilities and Event Management in Sport and Recreation | 3 |
| Choose one of the following options: | 6 | |
| Non-Thesis Option: | ||
| Advanced Event Planning and Management in Sport and Recreation | ||
| Internship in Sport and Recreation Leadership (or Elective) (as approved by SRL Program Director) | ||
| Thesis Option: | ||
| Thesis Research (Taken twice for 6 credits.) | ||
| Total Credits | 18 | |
Thesis Option
Students in both concentrations have the option of completing a thesis. The thesis option allows students to conduct scholarly research under the guidance of a thesis chair (selected by the student) and two committee members (selected by the student with chair approval). All committee members must be graduate faculty. One committee member may be a faculty member in a department outside Sport and Recreation Leadership. Any full-time graduate faculty member in the department is eligible to chair a thesis. Students will enroll in SRL 700 for two consecutive semesters upon completion of 18 credit hours. Before enrolling in SRL 700 students must get approval of their thesis proposal from all members of their committee as per the requirements of the Sport and Recreation Leadership program. Following approval, the thesis chair is responsible for guiding and directing the student through the research process. This includes submission of the thesis to the committee, final approval of the committee and submission to The Graduate School. Thesis students will participate in a defense with their committee. Following a successful defense, students will make recommended changes and submit the document to the thesis chair for final approval. Upon approval it will be submitted to the committee for signatures and then filed with The Graduate School.