The majority of our students are provided Graduate Assistantships (awarded once the applicant has been accepted into the program), and include Teaching Assistants for our large undergraduate classes, Research Assistants working with faculty, and administrative positions within our department. We endeavor to place students in GA positions that best align with their educational/work backgrounds and career interests.
No. Our foundation courses are only offered in the Fall.
No. Specialization occurs through course selection and the internship.
Due to concerns about course and content overlap, Isenberg sport management alums are eligible to apply 2 years after their graduation date for the MBA/MS and 3 years after for the MS degree.
No, we do not accept transfer credits.
Our MBA/MS and MS programs combined typically receive between 100-125 applications per year. We typically accept 15-20 students into our MBA/MS program and 15-20 students into our MS program.
The program must be completed within three years or less. Most students complete the academic portion of the requirements within one academic year. There are instances, however, in which the student chooses to complete the academic courses in two or three years. This is usually the result of graduate assistant coaching commitments that occur during the academic year.
You will be billed directly by the University Bursar's Office. Billing information will be sent to your UMass email (UMass Email) account. Paper bills will not be generated. The bill can be viewed from a link within SPIRE and paid directly online, or it can be downloaded and mailed with a check. If your employer is paying for your tuition, you may also use Agency or Corporate Billing.
Graduate students not enrolled for any course credit, but who remain candidates for a degree, must pay a program fee for each semester (excluding summer terms) until the degree has been formally awarded. Deadline for payment of this fee (amount listed on the Graduate Tuition Rate Sheet) is one week after the first day of classes. This fee, as are others, is subject to change, so it is important to consult with the Bursar's Office for current rates. 2.
Any student who does not pay the program fee by the deadline, and later seeks readmission or applies for graduation, shall pay the accumulated program fees and a readmission fee. A candidate for readmission must file a written request, which includes the student's plan for completion of the degree, endorsed by the Sport Management Graduate Program Director and the Graduate Dean.
International students are encouraged to apply to the McCormack Department of Sport Management. There have been a number of graduates from various countries [Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, England, Greece, India, Japan, Scotland, South Korea, Spain, Taiwan, and Venezuela].
For assistance in applying please contact:
International Programs Office
International Students and Scholars
William S. Clark International Center
University of Massachusetts
Amherst, MA 01003
413.545.2710
An Internship experience is required to complete our MS and MBS/MS degree program. Students must pay for their summer internship credits through UMass Continuing and Professional Education (CPE). Students can elect to take a 6-credit summer internship (which is typical of dual degree students who intern between their first and second years) OR 3-credit internship ($220 per credit). In order to qualify, the internship must be for a minimum of 13 weeks in length for a minimum of 40 hours per week.
In the event that the student is able to secure a full-time position upon completion of the course work, the first 3 months of the full-time job is counted toward fulfillment of the required internship credits.
The Department's database, alumni network and personal contacts of the faculty are available to assist students in securing internships. Our department has a Director of Internships who works with students to assist them in securing an internship.
Generally, the internships begin either in the late Spring/early Summer or in the Fall after completing the academic requirements.
No. It is not possible to audit a course without having first applied and then been accepted to the graduate program.
Yes. A minimum 3-credit internship is a required “course” for completion of our MS and MBA/MS degrees.
If your transcript is not in English, you must send us a certified translation of your official transcript from every non-U.S. undergrad and graduate school attended. Notarized and true attested copies of original academic documents are also accepted.
Employment in the sport industry is very competitive. The Mark H. McCormack Department of Sport Management at Isenberg cannot guarantee a full-time position upon completion of the program. However, approximately 85% of our graduates from the previous 10 years still work in the sport industry.
The Graduate School at the University requires a minimum of a 2.75 GPA. However, the average GPA of applicants who are accepted to our program is approximately a 3.4. Although there is no specific minimum for a GMAT or GRE score, the average GMAT is 590 for the MS class and the average GMAT is 650 for the MBA/MS class. (A conversion table is used to convert a GRE score to a comparable GMAT score.) If you have not yet taken either exam, the GMAT is preferred.
The personal statement by the candidate should be very clearly constructed and presented. This is a very significant part of the application process. It should reflect a strong sense of career direction. It should also include a highlight of traits, skills, and past athletic and work experiences that are relevant to their applications.
The department requires a minimum of two letters of recommendation. Up to four letters are accepted. For applicants with professional work experience, letters of recommendation from both professional and educational sources are preferred. College athletic background, employment in the management field and/or sport management experience would make a positive impression on the Admission Committee. Your undergraduate major is NOT a factor for gaining admission.
UMass undergraduate sport management majors are required to wait a minimum of three (3) years before applying to the M.S. program and two (2) years if applying to the MBA/MS program.
You can find out what course materials will be required by looking at your course in SPIRE, either log in or select Search classes/Catalog to the right of the SPIRE log in information, search for your class by term, subject and mode of instruction and select the section, scroll down to Textbook/Other materials. UMass Amherst uses Books By ECampus.
You may take the GMAT or the GRE's. However, we strongly prefer the GMAT because it is a better predictor for a business program.
The full-time employment rate of placement within the sport industry is approximately 90% for the previous five years.
- Obtain and submit a completed Graduate School Application through the University Graduate Admissions Office website.
- Each application is reviewed by members of the McCormack Department of Sport Management faculty and evaluated to determine whether the candidate will be invited to campus for the required interview.
- After reviewing applications, selected candidates are invited for a two-day on-campus interview. Interview sessions are conducted on Thursdays and Fridays from February through April.
- Upon completion of the interview, the sport management department prepares and submits a departmental recommendation on each candidate to the Graduate School Dean.
- The Graduate Admissions Office notifies applicants about the acceptance decision.
Contact Graduate Program director Will Norton.
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