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Commission Awards Accreditation to HPESS Programs

03/30/2017

JONESBORO — Arkansas State University recently received word that two programs in the Department of Health, Physical Education and Sport Sciences (HPESS) have been awarded accreditation.

A-State’s Bachelor of Science in Sport Management and Master of Science in Sport Administration have been accredited by the Commission on Sport Management Accreditation (COSMA) Board of Commissioners (BOC). The accreditation is good from 2017 to 2024.

Five new sport management programs in four universities, including A-State’s two, were accredited, bringing the total of COSMA-accredited sport management programs to 30 universities.

The Bachelor of Science degree in sport management at Arkansas State is designed to prepare future professionals with the needed knowledge, skills and experiences for careers in intercollegiate and professional athletics organizations, sport facility management (arenas/stadiums), campus and community recreation programs, sports information/public relations, sport marketing and management agencies, sport news media and sport merchandise.

The sport administration Master of Science program is designed as a full-time, 36-credit hour program that serves today’s working professional and/or full-time student. Both residence and online programs are offered. The program serves graduate students interested in professional management or administrative opportunities in professional sports, interscholastic and intercollegiate athletics administration, sports facilities, sports media, and sports marketing and management agencies. The goal of this program is to balance theory and practices in order to best prepare each graduate for employment in the field of sport administration.

“We are honored to be one of the few that has gained COSMA’s accreditation. The rigorous process COSMA has established serves as a standard that benefits our programs’ students,” said Dr. David LaVetter, associate professor of sports management and program director. “Only a handful of universities in the U.S. offering degrees in sport management/administration are accredited thus helping distinguish ourselves. Without a doubt, this elevates program quality and value our students receive as they prepare for their employment.”

COSMA is a specialized accrediting body whose purpose is to promote and recognize excellence in sport management education worldwide in colleges and universities at the baccalaureate and masters levels through particular accreditation. 

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