Midland University Adds New Master’s Program, Sport Administration & Leadership
Midland University is continuing its efforts to help meet the marketplace’s educational needs by announcing it will be adding a new Master of Science in Sport Administration & Leadership, beginning in the early fall of 2022.
The SAL program is constructed to prepare students for various administrative roles within the ever-growing sports industry while focusing on the foundations of business. Sport management theories, analysis of policies and principles, current sport industry laws, and financial planning of facilities will be carefully evaluated in the program’s curriculum. With this degree, Midland University students graduate career-ready for positions including athletic director, athletic administration, and sports marketing – among others.
A highlight of the new master’s program is that it will be entirely online, allowing individuals to complete their degree wherever their life may take them. Dr. Sara Waring-Tiedeman, Associate Vice President for Online Development, stated that “Midland University decided to have the SAL program be a 100% online program to meet the needs of the students who are pursuing the degree. We listened to the needs and requests of our students, alumni, and stakeholders when building out the program. More and more students are interested in pursuing education online because of the flexibility and convenience.”
Sport Administration & Leadership will be housed under the Dunklau School of Business. With a mission of equipping business students with the knowledge and mindset for success in a variety of career paths, Todd Conkright, Dean of the Dunklau School of Business, believes adding this new program is a big step forward to upholding that mission.
“I’m especially thrilled about the Sport Administration & Leadership program because it’s a really good fit for our students,” Conkright said. “Midland’s undergraduate population is made up of approximately 85 percent athletes, many of whom are interested in coaching, running athletic events, managing teams, or some other aspect of sport administration.”
He also touched on how SAL fits into the world of Midland University. “The SAL degree brings together relevant classes from existing programs, such as our MBA and Learning & Talent Development master’s programs, and sport-administration specific courses that will prepare students for the career path of their choice within the industry,” he said. “Because the program will be fully online, students can join from any location and continue working as they learn.”
Nick Schreck, Director of Undergraduate Business, believes that adding SAL as a Master of Science program will help keep Midland current with a field of study that is seeing steady growth. “The Bureau of Labor Statistics cites a 7 percent projected growth rate from 2019-2029, a faster than average growth rate among all occupations,” Schreck said.
“Most of that growth stems from the increase in athletes and those directly involved in the game itself, but it’s also important to note there are companies that are sports-dependent like Hudl and Opendorse. Both companies have seen exponential growth in the last decade and are located in Nebraska. As an example, over 40,000 athletes, 3,000 sports marketers, 2,000 sports organizations, and 1,000 sports agents use Opendorse. According to the Post Gazette, 98% of the high schools in the United States use Hudl in some form. Hudl cites that more than 180,000 sports teams use their products.”
Classes for the 36-credit Sport Administration & Leadership program will begin in August of 2022. After that, three start dates will be offered for students to conveniently choose from early spring, summer, or early fall.
