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Athletic Administration

As an athletic administrator you will develop athletic programs that will prepare future athletics to lead, excel, and make a difference in their sport.

Program Information

The Master of Physical Education in Athletic Administration Program will help you elevate your career in athletic leadership. Our dedicated professors will provide you with an in-depth understanding of the management and business aspects of collegiate or scholastic athletic administration. You will graduate ready to help athletes and athletic programs grow. Join us, and make the world move!

  • Affordable and Flexible
    • Idaho State University is seen as one of the most affordable, accredited universities in the country. 
    • All athletic administration students can learn more about qualifying for scholarships and in-state tuition.
    • The fully online, asynchronous program is offered with no set time and students can be enrolled part-time or full-time and can start in the fall, spring, or summer semesters.
  • Competitive Edge- 
    • Hands-on events and paid internship opportunities allow students to gain competitive experiences to land their dream job upon graduation. 
    • Experiences and internships have included:
      • Big Sky Basketball Conference 
      • Bengal Triathlon at ISU 
      • Idaho Falls Chukars 
      • National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame 
      • National Girls and Women in Sports Day at ISU
      • Super Bowl LV
  • Skills learned include:
    • Coaching 
    • Ethics and legal processes in sport
    • Financial management in sport
    • Marketing in sport
    • Sport leadership
    • Sport management

Meet with our Graduate Studies Director

Admissions

Students must complete a minimum of 33 semester credit hours for the Master of Physical Education in Athletic Administration (MPE/AA) degree. Students completing a thesis will orally defend the thesis, but will not complete written examinations. Students not completing a thesis will be required to pass both a written examination and an oral examination. Master's Project option is also available. 

All students must document professional experience in an athletic setting either by prior athletic administrative experience (minimum of one year) or by completing an approved internship for credit while completing the MPE/AA program.

The Athletic Administration, M.P.E.-A.A. program break down:

  • Athletic Administration Coursework (33 credits)
  • Written Examination or Project (3-6 credits)

The Idaho State Graduate School admission process is initiated as follows:

  1. The application for admissions is available online.
  2. Applicants applying as degree-seeking students must request that each institution at which they have taken any post-secondary work submit one official transcript directly to the Graduate School. Idaho State University undergraduate transcripts are available to the Graduate School and need not be forwarded by the applicant. Non-degree seeking applicants must provide a transcript (official or copy) showing proof of degree.
  3. Applicants must include a $60 nonrefundable processing fee with each application form. The files of students who do not pay the required application fee will not be processed for admission. Request a Fee Waiver to apply for free!
  4. Some programs require additional information (e.g., letters of recommendation); please contact the specific department and review individual departmental sections of this catalog for additional requirements.
  5. Applicants must clearly indicate the desired graduate program on the application form, or if a non-degree-seeking student, the college and department in which the student intends to take courses.
  6. GRE/GMAT/MAT may be required for degree-seeking applicants at the discretion of the department.
  7. Additional requirements for degree-seeking last semester seniors, and international students are described under those headings on the following pages.

Application Deadline

  • Summer: May 1st
  • Fall: July 1st
  • Spring: November 15th

Curriculum 

The Master of Physical Education in Athletic Administration (MPE/AA) degree is aligned with 2 sets of standards: The Idaho State University College of Education Standards for Advanced Professionals, and The National Associate for Sport and Physical Education (NASPE) and the North American Society for Sport Management (NASSM) Standards.

The program is designed to strengthen the student’s understanding, knowledge, and skills in the areas of leadership and administration as they relate to the management of athletic programs at the interscholastic and intercollegiate levels. The program also enables students to form and pursue unique course goals and career objectives; such as advanced coaching skills, athletic administration/direction at the high school and collegiate levels. Also, it is possible to complete all degree requirements in one year’s time. (12 cr. in the Fall, 12 cr. in the Spring, 9 cr. in the Summer, for example.) The curriculum is based on current NASPE/NASSM standards.

NASPE - NASSME Content Standards:

The NASPE-NASSM standards for Master's Degree Programs in Sport Management address eight specific areas that include the following: Management, Leadership and Organization in Sport, Research in Sport, Legal Aspects of Sport, Marketing in Sport, Sport Business in the Social Context, Financial Management in Sport, Ethics in Sport Management, and Field Experience in Sport Management.

ISU Course Catalog



Career Opportunities 

  • Athletic marketer
  • Coach
  • Collegiate athletic director 
  • Financial sport manager
  • Intercollegiate athletic director
  • Recreation and youth development Manager
  • Secondary education athletic director
  • Sport agent
  • Sports manager
Students in the Athletic Administration Program can expect to achieve the following Student Learning Outcomes.  (SLO)

SLO #1:

Students will apply specific content knowledge to find solutions to complex organizational issues within the sport setting.

SLO #2:

Students will demonstrate socially responsible leadership grounded in the principles of diversity and inclusion, ethical decision making, and sustainable business practices.

SLO #3:

Students will exhibit the ability to gather relevant information and critically examine the information through multiple analytical approaches.

SLO #4:

Students will display the ability to synthesize information and devise viable solutions in complex organizational contexts within the sport setting.

SLO #5:

Students will demonstrate exemplary communication both individually and in groups across written, oral, and technological platforms.