Athletic Leadership, M.S.

Clemson’s M.S. in Athletic Leadership combines graduate-level study with practical application to prepare professionals for the opportunities and challenges of intercollegiate athletics. Students explore contemporary issues in coaching, athletic administration, governance and organizational leadership while developing skills they can apply directly to their professional roles.

The online program is structured with working professionals in mind. Students typically complete two courses each term and can earn the degree in approximately two years. Courses incorporate synchronous and asynchronous learning, providing flexibility while creating opportunities to engage with Clemson faculty and professionals from across the athletic landscape.

Throughout the program, students examine athletics from multiple perspectives, collaborate with peers from diverse professional backgrounds and strengthen their ability to make thoughtful, ethical and informed decisions as coaches, administrators and leaders.

The M.S. in Athletic Leadership prepares students to lead effectively in intercollegiate athletics while supporting the development and success of student-athletes. Students build a foundation in leadership and organizational decision-making while examining the responsibilities, challenges and opportunities facing today’s athletic professionals.

Students develop knowledge and skills in:

• Applying leadership theories and approaches in athletic settings
• Supporting student-athlete development and holistic well-being
• Making ethical decisions and demonstrating professional integrity
• Understanding governance, policy and compliance in intercollegiate athletics
• Applying principles of marketing, finance and organizational management
• Examining psychological factors that influence athletic performance
• Understanding community engagement and the broader role of athletics/li>

Together, these areas help students develop a leadership philosophy and professional perspective that can guide effective coaching, administration and decision-making throughout their careers.

Admission to the Program
The Athletic Leadership master’s program admits students for spring and fall entrance terms. Only complete applications are considered for admission.

Application Deadlines

• July 1, to enroll in the fall semester
• November 15, to enroll in the spring semester

Application Requirements

To be considered for the program, applicants must:

• Have completed a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited college or university with a minimum GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale or from a recognized international university with a bachelor’s degree equivalent to a US bachelor's.

• Submit an online Graduate School application which requires:
  • Unofficial transcripts (official transcript(s) will be required if you are accepted into the program)
  • A current resume
  • Two recommendation forms
    • Recommendation forms are emailed directly to recommenders via the online application process
  • A personal statement
  • Official TOEFL/IELTS scores for international students

The M.S. in Athletic Leadership is a 36-credit-hour, fully online degree. Students must maintain a minimum 3.0 grade-point average throughout the program.

Athletic Leadership M.S. - 36 credit hours

Students complete the following required courses:

AL 8640 – Ethical Issues in Intercollegiate Athletics

AL 8490 – Leadership Development in Intercollegiate Athletic Programs

Students complete an additional 30 credit hours from the Athletic Leadership graduate curriculum, with courses selected in consultation with and approved by their advisor.

Course options may include:

AL 8440 - Survey of Research Methods in Intercollegiate Athletics

AL 8500 - Scientific Principles of Strength and Conditioning

AL 8510 - Intercollegiate Athletics Facility Management and Planning

AL 8530 - Legal Issues in Intercollegiate Athletics

AL 8610 - Athletic Leadership for Intercollegiate Administration

AL 8620 - Psychological Issues in Collegiate Athletics

AL 8630 - Sociological Dynamics in Intercollegiate Athletics

AL 8650 - Marketing and Communication Responsibilities in Intercollegiate Athletics

AL 8700 - Intercollegiate Athletics Finance

AL 8710 - Governance and Policy in Intercollegiate Athletics

With the support of CU Online, Clemson uses the most advanced online technology to provide a rich, supportive, seamless learning environment. Courses will be asynchronous thus allowing students to access courses when and where they need. 

While students have great flexibility in asynchronous learning, there are key deadlines in each course when learning modules must be completed. Students will be provided with timely support from instructors and technology personnel so that learning is maximized. 

Canvas, a very user friendly learning management system, is used for all courses to guide the learning experiences. 

Tuition and Fees
Explore information on tuition and fees using the Student Financial Services’ graduate tuition and fee calculator (be sure to choose the ‘online’ tab at the top of the page).

Financial Aid
For information regarding Financial Aid, please contact the office of Student Financial Aid.

Assistantships
The Athletic Leadership program does not offer program/departmental assistantships. For information regarding assistantships within the athletic department, please contact Mike Echols eechols@clemson.edu. 

Review our College of Education Graduate Calendar to view upcoming events and information sessions.

For more information regarding the program, please contact Dr. Mike Godfrey at mgodfre@clemson.edu.

For questions associated with applying to the program, please contact Ashley Vaughan at avaugha@clemson.edu.