Build your Career with Advanced Skills
One of the first U.S. universities to offer a master’s degree in sport coaching, UNC is a national leader in the field. We helped establish the model for sport coaching master’s degree programs, integrating online coursework with real-world experience, professional coaching standards and action research. Learn from nationally recognized experts in sport coaching, gaining an exceptional graduate education that can greatly expand your career opportunities.
Designed for working adults who already hold a full-time or part-time coaching position, our online M.A. in sport coaching covers all aspects of the profession. Build advanced expertise in communication, motivation, psychology, training, safety, ethics and law, benefitting from focused guidance and specific techniques that make you a more effective teacher, mentor and advocate for athletes.
Degree Details
Credits Required:
30
Location/Delivery:
Online
Time to Completion:
4 terms (about 15 months)
Degree Option
M.A. in Sport Coaching
UNC offers one of the few sport coaching master’s degree programs in the country. You’ll earn 30 credits*, capping the degree with an independent action research project of your own design. Program strengths include nationally renowned faculty, international perspective, an emphasis on research and metrics and a focus on applied expertise that you can use immediately in your current work. The master’s degree in sport coaching incorporates professional standards set forth by the National Association of Sport and Physical Education (NASPE).
Take the next step! Explore courses, contact information and admission requirements.
*Please note that the current catalog shows this program as 31 credit hours. The program is approved to shift to 30 credit hours (including three credit hours of SES 692) in the next UNC graduate catalog. Students who are admitted to Summer 2024 term will be advised to update to the next catalog to complete the program under the 30-hour requirement.
Your Future in Sport Coaching
Our master’s degree in coaching empowers you to get the most out of your career. You’ll develop skills that can help you get better results in your current job, and possibly earn a promotion to a coaching position at a higher level of competition. You can also use the master’s degree to hone your skills in a coaching specialty or prepare for an international position. We designed the online sport coaching master’s degree in response to rapid growth in demand for highly trained coaching professionals. Put yourself in a position to meet this growing demand by earning a master’s in coaching from UNC.
Consider UNC’s M.A. in Sport Coaching if you:
- Want to build outstanding leadership skills
- Are driven to get the best out of yourself and your athletes
- Have a commitment to excellence
- Seek to maximize your career opportunities
You’ll learn:
- Psychology of athletes
- Advanced training and conditioning
- Sports law and administration
- International perspectives on coaching
- Applied use of metrics and research
Sample courses:
- Sports Administration for Coaches
- Psychology for Sports Coaches
- Training and Conditioning Principles
- Coaching With Technology
- Bridging Theory and Practice in Coaching
Beyond the Classroom
Although you’ll take most of your courses online, our sport coaching master’s degree program includes an extensive real-world component. You’ll gain expertise you can apply right away in your current job, with coursework and assignments that help you find practical solutions to coaching challenges. The program culminates in an action research project, in which you’ll test a new technique or concept in your coaching job, then analyze the results and draw conclusions.
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Still not completely sold? We understand. Here's more information on costs and funding and how to apply.
