Online Master of Athletic Administration Course Descriptions

This course is an introduction to the Master’s program in Athletic Administration. The course is the first course in the MAA program, and is designed to give students an overview of effective practices in athletic administration. It also focuses on the duties and requirements of the athletic director position, encouraging students to focus on strategies for career development.

This course provides an overview of the roles and responsibilities of interscholastic athletic administrators. Participants will discuss the philosophy of interscholastic athletics, and examine the technical, human, and conceptual requirements of athletic administrators.

This course provides an overview of legal concepts related to risk management in interscholastic athletics. Topics include constitutional law and its application to school sports; negligence and tort law; federal law, including Title IX, ADA, and FERPA; and current issues in risk management.

This course provides an overview of the Human Resource Management task (HRM) for high school athletics directors. Students will learn effective practices for hiring, supervising, and evaluating coaches and other departmental staff. The course also covers sexual harassment policies and procedures; the impact of federal laws on school district policies on coaching contracts and compensation; and strategies for increasing diversity in coaching and athletic department staff.

This course provides an in-depth look at the governance structure of national, state, and local organizations impacting interscholastic sport. Students will review internal governance processes, including strategic planning and internal decision-making, and will learn how to develop policies and procedures for effective management of interscholastic programs.

This course focuses on the theory and practice of planning and managing facilities and events in interscholastic athletics. Topics covered in this course include the strategic management of athletic facilities, planning for facility construction and renovation, the maintenance of athletic facilities and equipment, event planning and management for school and non-school users, and emergency planning considerations utilized in program administration.

This course provides an overview of ethical theory and its application to ethical decision-making in interscholastic athletics. The course will also review strategies for promoting ethical behavior through organizational Codes of Conduct and character development programs.

This course covers statistical applications and research in athletic administration. Topics include foundational statistical concepts, survey design, presentation of research results, and uses of research to address issues in interscholastic athletics.

The course provides an introduction to marketing and sponsorship principles and their application to interscholastic athletic programs. Students will develop a marketing strategy to effectively reach the various consumer groups of their school’s athletic program.

The purpose of this course is to help participants apply basic principles and concepts of finance to the operation of interscholastic athletic programs, and develop critical financial management skills required of athletic administrators. These skills include budget planning and management, the requisition and purchasing of athletic supplies and equipment, and developing fundraising campaigns to generate supplemental revenue.

This course reviews contemporary theories related to management and leadership, and their application to interscholastic athletics. Topics include strategies for building teamwork, communicating effectively, and managing conflict. Students will analyze their own leadership style, and will develop a personal leadership philosophy.

This course involves the development of a professional portfolio by each student that highlights knowledge, skills, and abilities developed through the MAA program.