Commission on Sport Management Accreditation

The B.A. and M.Ed.--Sport Management degree programs received Reaffirmation of Accreditation extending until 2027. The following narrative is from the official correspondence, dated 2/11/2020. For more information on accreditation status or other related accreditation question, please contact Mark Vermillion, Chair (mark.vermillion@wichita.edu) 

The COSMA Board of Commissioners (BOC) met on February 8, 2020, to discuss your application for Reaffirmation of Accreditation and to review all supporting materials. Based on your self-study, the site visit team report and your written response, the BOC determined that the following degree programs are in compliance with all COSMA Principles:

Bachelor of Arts in Sport Management
Master of Education in Sport Management

Wichita State University’s sport management programs are awarded “Accreditation with Observations.” Accreditation is awarded for a maximum of seven years, until February 2027.

According to COSMA’s Accreditation Process Manual, reaffirmation of accreditation is granted to those programs judged by the COSMA Board of Commissioners to be substantially in compliance with the COSMA accreditation principles. The program must be current with its membership dues and the site visit expenses must have been paid to COSMA before accreditation is granted.

“Observations” are suggestions for improvement that are intended to assist the academic unit/sport management program in achieving excellence in sport management education. Action on observations is recommended, but not required.

Both “Action Items” outlined in the Site Visit Team Report were responded to adequately and require no further follow-up:

Action Item 1: Revise master’s degree SLOs to reflect the depth of learning and analysis and higher expectations of these students (utilize Bloom’s Taxonomy).

Outcome: Resolved.

Action Item 2: Require graduates to complete the exit survey in order to get accurate reporting and data on this indirect measure (see Principle 2).

Outcome: Resolved.

COSMA accreditation covers a maximum time period of seven years, through February 2027. COSMA will notify you in advance concerning the timing of reaffirmation of accreditation, so that you can apply for reaffirmation in a timely manner.

The sport management degree programs at Wichita State University have received specialized accreditation through the Commission on Sport Management Accreditation (COSMA) located in Fort Collins, Colorado, USA.

The sport management programs in the following degrees are accredited by COSMA:

Bachelor of Arts in Sport Management

Master of Education in Sport Management

In keeping with COSMA’s policy of transparency and accountability, the most recent statement and assessment of student learning outcomes and operational effectiveness goals is listed in the "Annual Reporting of SLOs and OEGs" menu option. 

CONTACT: If you have any questions about the student learning outcomes, operational effectiveness measures, program profile information or would like a hard copy of the data, then please feel free to contact the department’s chair and accreditation officer.

Per our COSMA accreditation, we collect programmatic and student-learner outcomes, which are assessed on specific rotations detailed in our assessment plans. As an accredited program, the following diversity performance data dashboard provided to COSMA for their data collection purposes.  If you have any questions regarding outcomes assessment processes or conclusions; student data, or stuctural/programmatic information, then please feel free to contact Mark Vermillion, chair of Sport and Leadership Studies (mark.vermillion@wichita.edu). 

Program Performance Data

Total Sport Management Undergraduate Enrollment (majors, minors, tracks, concentrations)	Majors: 167 Minors: 38
Total Sport Management Master’s Enrollment (majors, minors, tracks, concentrations)	Majors: 32
Student: Advising Ratio	Undergraduate: N Students: 167 Faculty: 1 Graduate: N Students: 32 Faculty: 3
Total Number of Full-time, Tenured or Tenure Track Sport Management Faculty	Faculty: N (%) Full-time faculty: 4 (100) Tenured faculty: 3 (75) Tenure track faculty: 1 (25)
Total Number of Part Time/Adjunct Sport Management Faculty	N (%) Adjunct: 7 (63.6)

 

The following Program Institution Profile pertains to the B.A.--Sport Management program only and is provided to not only inform key stakeholders, but also to support COSMA's accreditation. For more information or a PDF copy of the information below, please contact Mark Vermillion, Chair (mark.vermillion@wichita.edu)

PROGRAM INFORMATION PROFILE

This profile offers information about the performance of a program in the context of its basic purpose and key features.

Institution: Wichita State University

Program/Specialized Accreditor(s): Commission on Sport Management  Accreditation

Institutional Accreditor:  Higher Learning Commission

Date of Next Comprehensive Program

Accreditation Review: 2027

Date of Next Comprehensive Institutional

Accreditation Review: 2026-2027

Indicators of Effectiveness with Undergraduates (as determined by the program)

1. Graduation Year: AY 2023

# of Graduates: 42

Graduation Rate: NA

2. Average Time to Degree:

4-Year Degree: 4 years 

5-year Degree: NA

3. Annual Transfer Activity (into Program):

Year: AY 2023

# of Transfers: 27.5% (46/167) of AY 2023 majors have transfer hours

Transfer Rate: Unknown

4. Graduates Entering Graduate School:

Year: AY 2023

# of Graduates: 42

# Entering Graduate School: 6.7% reported entering graduate school when applying for graduation, which is one to two semesters before they officially graduate.  

5. Job Placement (if appropriate):

Year: AY 2023

# of Graduates: 42 

# Employed: 71.1% reported current employment and 8.9% reported accepting a full-time job, when applying for graduation, which is one to two semesters before they officially graduate

 

......Form developed by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. © updated 2020

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Program Mission

Sport Management’s mission is to develop students into well-educated, ethical, competent sport management professionals. The program’s teaching, research, and service activities will occur in a positive learning environment valuing both theory and practice.

Program Constituents

The primary constituents served by the B.A.-Sport Management program are students, alumni, and sport management practitioners.  

Program Broad Based Goals

The broad-based program goals for the B.A.-Sport Management program are as follows:

• Provide a comprehensive curriculum allowing students to develop into well-educated sport management professionals.
• Assist students in the development of critical-thinking and problem-solving skills.
• Assist students in the development of interpersonal and communication skills.
• Facilitate students’ understanding and appreciation of diversity and its importance in the sport industry.
• Facilitate applied learning and professional development opportunities for students.

 Student Learning Outcomes

The approved student learning outcomes for students in the B.A.-Sport Management program are as follows:

 Upon completion of the program, students will be able to…

• Identify and describe foundational concepts relevant to effective professional practice in the sport management field, including knowledge of management, marketing, public relations, financial, psycho-social, and legal concepts.
• Apply ethical decision-making frameworks in relation to issues facing sport managers.
• Demonstrate critical thinking skills related to effective decision-making in sport organizations.
• Demonstrate an understanding of, and appreciation for, diversity in sport.
• Model the oral, written, and interpersonal communication skills necessary for effective sport management practice.
• Demonstrate skills pertaining to the use of technology in sport management.
• Apply the knowledge and skills acquired in their sport management classes in a sport management setting.

Student Learning Outcomes Measures 

The B.A.--Sport Management program uses a variety of direct and indirect measures to measure student learning outcomes. These measures include:

SMGT 447-Internship Reflection Report (direct measure)

• Students address multiple topics in the paper:
  • How well they were able to meet the learning objectives specified for their internship
  • How their experience as an intern related to the theory/concepts presented in other required coursework
  • How ethical decision-making was relevant to their internship
  • How they employed critical thinking skills during their internship
  • How they encountered diversity issues within the organization in which they served or within the organization’s key publics
  • How well they employed communication skills during their internship
  • How well they employed technological skills during their internship
• Criterion: Evaluation of “acceptable” or better for each major section of the grading rubric
• Benchmark: Minimum of 80% at acceptable or better for each section of the report
• Results to be reported annually

SMGT 447-Resume (direct measure)

• Students submit an updated resume at the conclusion of their internship to demonstrate how their internship has enhanced their credentials as a candidate for employment
• Criteria:
  • Rating of “acceptable” or better based on grading rubric
• Benchmarks:
  • Minimum of 80% receiving at acceptable or better based on rubric
• Results to be reported every year

SMGT 446-Key Concepts Exam (direct measure)

• Exam covers key concepts from required sport management classes that reflect critical knowledge students should possess as they enter their internship
• Criterion: Exam score of 80% or better
• Benchmark: Minimum of 80% of students scoring 80% or better on exam
• Results to be reported annually

SMGT 475- Ethics Writing Assignment (direct measure)

• Students read and summarize short articles on a sport ethics-related website. After providing a summary detailing how sportsmanship and cheating are related to youth sports and scholastic athletes, students identify the impact of socio-moral values within the sport management industry by critically examining ethical dilemmas and answering probing questions.
• Criterion: “Acceptable” or better based on rubric
• Benchmark: Minimum of 80% of students receiving score of “acceptable” or better
• Results to be reported every three years

SMGT 461- Risk Management Project (direct measure)

• Students will partner with a fellow classmate and attend an intercollegiate sporting event at an approved facility. Students will be required to address aspects of risk management by identifying potential risks (both managed and unmanaged) within both the facility and at the event. Students will develop an in-depth analysis, complete with photographic/empirical evidence, substantiating their conclusions.
• Criterion: “Acceptable” or better based on grading rubric (critical thinking)
• Benchmark: Minimum of 80% of students receiving score of “acceptable” or better
• Results to be reported every three years

SMGT 444-Organizational Diversity Reflection Paper & Presentation (direct measure)

• In groups, students will examine and assess diversity-related policies of a sport organization of their choosing. They will evaluate how the organization addresses diversity-related issues such as age, ethnicity, gender, religious, and others. Each group will submit a 2-3 page paper of their findings and present their evaluations to the class.
• Criterion: “Acceptable” or better based on rubric
• Benchmark: Minimum of 80% of students receiving score of “acceptable” or better
• Results to be reported every three years

SMGT 112-Instructor Interview Assignment (direct measure)

• Students research a position in the sport industry, write a job description of that position, and orally present their descriptions and findings in an interview with the course instructor.
• Criterion: “Acceptable” or better based on communication section of rubric
• Benchmark: Minimum of 80% of students receiving score of “acceptable” or better
• Results to be reported every three years

SMGT 426-Social Media Project (direct measure)

• Students will be asked to conduct an extensive online public relations campaign, employing various forms of social media, for a sporting event, organization or athlete. Students will present their projects at the end of the semester and will be graded upon several categories including the use of their selected social medium/media.
• Criterion: “Acceptable” or better based on rubric
• Benchmark: Minimum of 80% of students receiving score of “acceptable” or better
• Results to be reported every three years

SMGT 447-Internship Site Supervisor Evaluation (indirect measure)

• Site supervisors’ final written evaluation of interns which assesses students’ knowledge base, ethical decision-making abilities, critical thinking skills, technological skills, understanding of diversity, communication skills, and overall performance as an intern.
• Criteria:
  • Rating of “mostly prepared” or better in regard to knowledge base and learning outcome items
  • Rating of “agree” or better in regard to performance items
• Benchmarks:
  • Minimum of 90% receiving an overall performance rating of “agree” or better
  • Minimum of 80% of responses to knowledge base items at “prepared”
• Results to be reported every year

Student Exit Survey (indirect measure).

• Survey of undergraduate students administered at the end of SMGT 447A-Internship
• Criterion: “Mostly prepared” or better
• Benchmark: Minimum of 80% of all responses meeting criterion
• Survey is conducted and results reported every year

Employer Survey (indirect measure).

• Survey of graduates’ employers regarding the graduates’ preparation for effective sport management practice
• Criterion: “Mostly prepared” or better
• Benchmark: Minimum of 80% of all responses meeting criterion
• Survey is conducted and results reported every three years

Alumni Survey (indirect measure).

• Survey of recent graduates regarding the their preparation for effective sport management practice
• Criterion: “Mostly prepared” or better
• Benchmark: Minimum of 80% of all responses meeting criterion
• Survey is conducted and results reported every three years

 

Program Mission

Sport Management’s mission is to develop students into well-educated, ethical, competent sport management professionals. The program’s teaching, research, and service activities will occur in a positive learning environment valuing both theory and practice.

Program Constituents

The primary constituents served by the M.Ed.-Sport Management program are students, alumni, and sport management practitioners.

Program Broad Based Goals

The broad-based program goals for the M.Ed.-Sport Management program are as follows:

• Provide a comprehensive curriculum allowing students to develop into well-educated sport management professionals.
• Advance students’ development of broad-based skills, including critical-thinking, problem-solving, interpersonal and communication skills.
• Facilitate applied learning and professional development opportunities for students.
• Advance students’ understanding and appreciation of diversity and its importance in the sport industry.
• Develop students’ understanding of the foundations and importance of research in the sport industry.

Student Learning Outcomes

The approved student learning outcomes for students in the M.Ed.-Sport Management program are listed below.

Upon completion of the program, students will be able to…

• Demonstrate foundational concepts relevant to effective professional practice in the sport management field, including knowledge of management, marketing, public relations, financial, psycho-social, and legal concepts.
• Evaluate and effectively apply advanced ethical decision-making frameworks in relation to issues facing sport managers.
• Display critical thinking skills related to effective managerial decision-making in sport organizations.
• Examine and model effective research skills in sport management-related settings.
• Critically evaluate diversity and its impact on managerial decision-making in sport
• Develop advanced oral, written, and interpersonal communication skills necessary for effect sport management practice.
• Model the knowledge and skills acquired in their sport management classes in a sport management setting.

Student Learning Outcomes Measures

Student learning outcomes will be assessed at a programmatic level using the following tools. Appendix A contains a table listing student learning outcomes, assessment tools, and benchmarks.

Comprehensive Exam (direct measure)

• Administered during the semester in which a student applies for graduation. Covers all required course work
• Program faculty utilize the rubric when evaluating students
• Criterion: Grade of “acceptable” on each section of the exam based on rubric
• Benchmark: Minimum of 95% at acceptable or better overall
• Results to be reported annually

SMGT 847-Internship Reflection/Integration Paper (direct measure)

• Students address multiple major topics in the paper:
  • How well they were able to meet the learning objectives specified for their internship
  • How their experience as an intern related to the theory/concepts presented in three of their required courses
  • How they employed critical thinking skills during their internship
  • How they employed research skills or observed the use of research within the organization in which they served
  • How they encountered ethics-related issues during their internship
  • How they encountered diversity issues within the organization in which they served or within the organization’s key publics
  • What types of communication skills they were required to employ and how effective they were in their communication?
• Criterion: Grade of “acceptable” or better for each of the major sections of the rubric
• Benchmark: Minimum of 90% at acceptable or better for each section major section of the report
• Results to be reported annually

SMGT 847-Resume (direct measure)

• Students submit an updated resume at the conclusion of their internship to demonstrate how their internship has enhanced their credentials as a candidate for employment/professional advancement
• Criteria:
  • Rating of “acceptable” or better based on grading rubric
• Benchmarks:
  • Minimum of 90% receiving at acceptable or better based on rubric
• Results to be reported every year

SMGT 800-Research Report (direct measure)

• Students will develop a group research report utilizing data analysis and visualization techniques. Specifically, each group will identify a research question related to a salient research question, collect data or identify a secondary database relating to the research question, and develop a technical research report, which demonstrates a quality understanding of the research process (including proper statistical analyses). Students will develop a report describing their research process, summarizing the appropriate literature, graphically representing their results, and drawing appropriate conclusions.
• Criterion: “Acceptable” based on rubric
• Benchmark: Minimum of 90% at acceptable or better based on rubric
• Results to be reported every three years

SMGT 801-Organizational Evaluation Assignment (direct measure)

• Students profile a sport organization and write a position paper regarding its effectiveness.
• Criterion: “Acceptable” based on critical analysis portion of rubric
• Benchmark: Minimum of 90% at acceptable or better based on rubric
• Results to be reported every three years

SMGT 803-Marketing Plan (direct measure)

• Students work in groups to develop a comprehensive marketing plan for a real or hypothetical sport organization. A written plan is submitted for review, and an in-class presentation is also made.
• Criterion: “Acceptable” based on communication portion of rubric
• Benchmark: Minimum of 90% at acceptable or better based on rubric
• Results to be reported every three years

SMGT 810-Diversity Paper (direct measure)

• Students address the nature of diversity, its relationship with leadership effectiveness, and recommendations regarding managing diversity within organizations
• Criterion: “Acceptable” based on rubric
• Benchmark: Minimum of 90% at acceptable or better based on rubric
• Results to be reported every three years

SMGT 812-Ethical Dilemma Assignment (direct measure)

• Students examine ethical dilemmas within the sport management industry by developing a deductive argument based upon discussed ethical frameworks. Specifically, students will identify an ethical issue in the industry, gather evidence of the issue’s relevance, and provide a critical narrative examining the underlying value conflicts.
• Criterion: “Acceptable” based on rubric
• Benchmark: Minimum of 90% at acceptable or better based on rubric
• Results to be reported every three years

SMGT 847-Internship Site Supervisor Evaluation (indirect measure)

• Site supervisors’ final written evaluation of interns which assesses the students’ overall performance, attainment of internships objectives, knowledge base, ethical decision-making ability, critical thinking skills, research skills, understanding of diversity, and communication skills
• Criteria:
  • Rating of “agree” or better in regard to performance evaluation and professional qualities items
  • Rating of “mostly prepared” or better in regard to knowledge base and learning objectives items
• Benchmarks:
  • Minimum of 95% receiving “agree” on performance evaluation items
  • Minimum of 80% of responses to other items at either “mostly prepared” or better, or “agree”
• Results to be reported every year

Employer Survey (indirect measure).

• Survey of graduates’ employers regarding the graduates’ preparation for effective sport management practice
• Criterion: “Mostly prepared” or better
• Benchmark: Minimum of 80% of all responses meeting criterion
• Survey is conducted and results reported every three years

Alumni Survey (indirect measure).

• Survey of recent graduates regarding their preparation for effective sport management practice
• Criterion: “Mostly prepared” or better
• Benchmark: Minimum of 80% of all responses meeting criterion
• Survey is conducted and results reported every three years

 The following remediated Annual Reporting of SLOs and OEGs displays the Student Learning Objectives and Operational Effectiveness Goals/Measures for both the B.A.--Sport Management and M.Ed.--Sport Management degree programs for the current annual reporting cycle.

The Commission on Sport Management Accreditation (COSMA) provides accreditation for sport management educational programs. For more information on all accredited sport management programs or other COSMA-related updates, please see COSMA's website.