Master of Sports Administration (MSA) Approved
On September 22, the New Jersey Presidents’ Council Executive Board approved a new master of sports administration (MSA) degree, to be offered by Anthony J. Petrocelli College of Continuing Studies. This is the only such degree program in New Jersey.
Kenneth Vehrkens, dean, Petrocelli College (Metro/Flor), said, “The master of sports administration will fill a very important regional and national need. The sports industry is expanding in many directions, and there is a shortage of qualified administrators. Fairleigh Dickinson University is surrounded by professional teams, Division I and Division III collegiate programs and high school and community recreation programs that will provide internship opportunities for students enrolled in our program. The master of sports administration program will serve a very important role in New Jersey — a state with a huge interest in sports — and also on a national level.”
The United States Bureau of Labor Standards in its Occupational Employment Projections to 2012, provides information on projected growth in occupational groups. There is a 6.1 percent increase projected for the broad category of self-employed professionals and related occupations. Athletes, coaches, umpires and related workers are found within this group. Projected growth specifically for these occupations is 18.3 percent for the period in review. Another area of growth is in the recreation and fitness occupational sector. Growth in that area is expected to be 29.5 percent, from 485,000 to 628,000 total.
The 36-credit FDU program includes 15 credits of required courses, 15 credits in a specialization and six credits of electives. The three areas of specialization are sports administration, coaching theory and strategies and recreation administration.
Classes will begin in January 2009 at convenient off-campus locations and will also be offered in a blended model, combining the traditional classroom setting with online work, and through completely online delivery. The program is under the auspices of the School of Administrative Science.
An advisory board for the program is being assembled and will include alumnus George Martin, BA’87 (Ruth), 14-year veteran and former captain of the National Football League (NFL) New York Giants who currently serves as vice president for sports marketing at AXA Financial Services, and Dave Szott, a 12-year veteran of the NFL with the Kansas City Chiefs, Washington Redskins and New York Jets, who currently is director of player development for the Jets.
The degree was developed and received internal college and University approval during the 2007–2008 academic year. The proposal committee was composed of Paulette Laubsch, administrative science and director, MS in homeland security (Metro), who served as chairperson; Ernest “Bub” Kovacs, administrative science (Metro); Joseph Devine, administrative science (Metro); Ronald Calissi, executive associate dean for off-campus credit programs, Petrocelli College (Metro/Flor), and director of administrative science (Metro); William Klika, director of athletics (Flor); David Langford, director of athletics (Metro); and Vehrkens.
The consultant for the proposal was Charles Brown, director of athletics/physical education/recreation at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC). In his report, Brown concluded that the master of sports administration program is “contemporarily relevant, academically sound, intellectually rigorous and well structured and supported.”
