Leisure, Sport, and Tourism Management, Recreation and Leisure Services Concentration, M.S.

Admission Requirements

Admission decisions will be made after reviewing all materials and determining the applicant’s capacity, suitability, and preparation for graduate study. Admission decisions are based upon consideration of a number of criteria which are believed to indicate a high potential in the graduate program.

Admission to the Master of Science (M.S.) program in Leisure and Sport Management requires

1. an earned bachelor’s degree from an accredited university or college. Applicants must have earned at least 18 semester hours at the bachelor’s or master’s level in courses related to the selected concentration (e.g., foundations of leisure and sport management, management practices, financial management and marketing, program planning). Students lacking an appropriate background may be required to complete prerequisite coursework.
2. an acceptable grade point average (GPA) in all college work taken.
3. completion of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) with acceptable scores. Successful applicants typically have scores on the GRE Verbal and Quantitative measures that exceed 146 and 140 respectively with a total score that exceeds 286. The Analytical Writing Assessment score is also considered.
4. letters from professors who can address one’s ability to do graduate-level work: thinking, writing, and speaking.

Application Procedures

All application materials are to be submitted to the College of Graduate Studies.

Application deadline: Applications for Summer/Fall admission must be complete by April 1, and applications for Spring admission must be complete by November 1. Late applicants who meet the admission criteria may be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Applicants must

1. submit application with appropriate application fee (online at www.mtsu.edu/graduate/apply.php). Once this initial application has been accepted, the applicant will receive directions on how to enter the graduate portal to be able to submit other materials.
2. submit official scores on the GRE;
3. submit official transcripts of all previous college work;
4. provide three letters of recommendation from persons (faculty/professors) who can address their academic qualifications to do graduate-level thinking, writing, speaking, and potential for success in graduate study;
5. provide a 400-word statement of purpose giving their reasons for applying to the program, their academic interests, and their professional goals.

Degree Requirements

The Master of Science in Leisure and Sport Management with a concentration in Recreation and Leisure Services requires completion of a minimum of 36 semester hours (thesis) or 36 semester hours (professional project or internship).

Candidate must

1. complete either the thesis or professional project/internship curriculum as detailed below in the Curriculum section;
2. if choosing the thesis option,
   1. select a thesis committee composed of two members (one of whom must be from the Department of Health and Human Performance);
   2. successfully complete thesis proposal;
   3. successfully complete an oral examination relating to the thesis defense.
3. if choosing the professional project or internship option, successfully complete a written comprehensive examination prior to the completion of a professional project or internship (may be taken no more than twice).

Curriculum: Leisure and Sport Management, Recreation and Leisure Services Concentration

The following illustrates the minimum coursework requirements.