Frequently Asked Questions – Graduate

Liberty University is an accredited institution.

• View accreditation information.

The Department of Hospitality & Sport Management’s Bachelor of Science degree and the Master of Science degree are accredited through the Commission on Sport Management Accreditation (COSMA).

Since our graduate program was launched in the fall of 2010, employers and internship sites of our current students and department graduates have included the following:

• Carolina Panthers (NFL)
• Charlotte Bobcats (NBA)
• Denver Broncos Football Club (NFL)
• Heritage High School Football (Lynchburg, Va.)
• Lynchburg Hillcats (Class A Affiliate of the Atlanta Braves)
• Mandalay Baseball Properties
• Liberty Christian Academy Football
• Liberty University Athletics (NCAA – Division I)
• Liberty University Flames Club
• Liberty University Campus Recreation
• Rockford IceHogs (Rockford, Ill. – AHL)
• Sodexo (Sports Facility Management)
• Southern Maryland Bobcats
• Washington Redskins (NFL)
• NFL Players Association
• Sports Spectrum Magazine

The Sport Management program admits 30 students residentially each year.

It is necessary to have an undergraduate GPA of 3.00 or higher for admittance to the program. Potential students with an undergraduate GPA of less than 3.0 will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Those who are granted admission with less than a 3.0 GPA are granted admission on required academic probation.

• Students must complete the Comprehensive Examination after the completion of 21 hours (the seven core courses within the program), and pass with an 80 percent pass rate.
• Students must obtain a 3.00 GPA to qualify for graduation with no more than two Cs permitted.
• Credit toward degree completion is not granted for a grade of D or F.
• Completion of the GRE is not required for admittance into the program.

No specific undergraduate degree is required; however, those with a background or undergraduate degree in the area of their specializations concentration will be better prepared.

Residentially the graduate program admits 30 students per year, for the fall and spring semesters. If all 30 spots are filled for the fall semester, we will not enroll any students for spring semester. However, if less than 30 students are enrolled, additional students are welcome to apply and enroll for spring semester. There is no cap on the number of students who may apply or enroll in the graduate online Sport Management program.

The Liberty University graduate Sport Management program does not require graduate admissions tests (i.e., the GRE is not required).

There are Student Worker and other Graduate Student Assistant positions for Liberty University throughout the university’s campus. For a listing of available positions please see the Human Resources Homepage.

Please refer to the Financial Aid Department website regarding tuition, fees, and room costs.

Classes are eight weeks in duration per term (B-term and D-term, excluding A-term internships which are 16 weeks in duration) Classes include reading assignments, writing assignments, video presentations, discussion boards, and quizzes or projects that are required. The M.S. in Sport Management’s graduate residential classes meet Monday and Tuesday nights weekly.

All eligible students must have completed 21 hours, the Comprehensive Exam, and receive permission from the Graduate Director to enroll in SMGT 699.

The SMGT 699 Internship course requires 400 hours.  Students in a non-thesis specialization are required to complete an internship, no exceptions.

The internship course requires the filing of a Student/Employer Agreement, Code of Conduct, Mid-term and Final Internship Evaluations, a Time Log and Journal and a Portfolio.

Students currently working full-time in the sport or outdoor recreation industry can apply to the Graduate Director for permission to complete a Special Project in lieu of a separate internship. Permission for completion of a Special Project is given by the Graduate Director ONLY.

Additional information, including how to apply, for internships can be reviewed by visiting the Internship page for the School of Business.

The comprehensive exam will be made available, by request, to those students who have completed 21 hours in the degree program (core seven courses).

• No student will be allowed to register for SMGT 689-Thesis Proposal and Research or SMGT 699-Internship without passing the comprehensive exam and receiving permission by contacting smgtgraduate@liberty.edu.
• Those students who are on the 201140 DCP to current are required to complete the Comprehensive Examination. The student will need to contact the program by e-mail and request entry into the Comprehensive Exam.
• Once the student has been registered, the Comprehensive Exam will populate in Blackboard.
• For additional information regarding the Comprehensive Exam please visit the Graduate Exam page.

All students in a thesis specialization are encouraged to start thinking about their thesis topic early in their master’s program studies. Students may contact the Graduate Director at any time to discuss their thesis ideas and receive advising in directing their research. It is important to choose a thesis topic early!

There are two courses in the thesis sequence; SMGT 689 Thesis Proposal and Research and SMGT 690 Thesis Defense. Prior to being allowed to enroll in either course, the student must contact the Graduate Director. No student will be admitted into SMGT 689 or SMGT 690 without the written approval of the Graduate Director.

In SMGT 689 the student is expected to complete their proposal for advisor approval, and complete the compilation of their research and composition of their thesis. Once the student has been admitted by the Graduate Director to the course, the student will be assigned an advisor based on the field of study that their thesis work relates to. The advisor will also be the chair during the defense.

In SMGT 690 the student is expected to defend their thesis in front of the thesis committee either in person or via video conference (as prearranged with the thesis adviser/chair).

Neither course has scheduled hours but each faculty supervisor may require certain reading materials for the course and deadlines. For further information please refer to the Thesis Portal.

Cap, Gown, and Hood

Liberty University works with Oak Hill to offer graduation supplies to faculty, staff and students. Typically, during the first or second week of May, Oak Hill representatives will be on campus at the Liberty University Bookstore for a few days to take orders for caps, gowns, diploma frames, class rings, etc. Students may place orders at that time. After the annual Oak Hill visit, cap and gown orders will be taken at the bookstore until graduation, with ancillary items on display for order directly from Oak Hill.

The hood color for the Master of Science degree in Sport Management at Liberty University is called Sage Green.