Application and Admission

Admission to the sport management and media graduate program is granted on the basis of cumulative undergraduate grade point average, Graduate Record Examination scores or Graduate Management Admission Test scores, a personal career statement, and recommendations. General admission to the degree program is granted to applicants who have a good scholastic record (a 3.00 on the 4.00 system) and have received a four-year baccalaureate degree from an accredited college. Applications are reviewed on an individual basis, taking into account such factors as previous academic achievements, successful professional experience, and special personal circumstances.

Prior to matriculation, applicants are strongly encouraged to complete a course in Principles of Microeconomics or the equivalent. The course can be taken while at Ithaca College or at other institutions. To verify the equivalency of courses taken elsewhere, contact the chair of the program. It is preferred that applicants also show evidence of completion of course work in conceptually relevant content areas (i.e. sport management, sport communication, sport studies, business administration, marketing, finance, accounting, international business, communications, economics, and pre-law/legal studies). Consideration will be given to candidates with other disciplinary backgrounds. However, those candidates must demonstrate in their application the link between their academic preparation relates to the pursuit of a master's degree in sport management. Applicants do not need an extensive work history; however, it is desirable that applicants have two or more years of relevant work experience.

To apply directly online for admission, go to http://www.ithaca.edu/gradstudies/apply.php and provide the requested information.

Applicants who have questions regarding their eligibility for admission are encouraged to contact Dr. Ellen J. Staurowsky, chair of the graduate program, at staurows@ithaca.edu or 607-274-1730.

Application Requirements

A complete application will contain the following materials:

• Application form, which includes biographical information as well as an essay. Note: Your application will be reviewed carefully to determine 1) whether Ithaca College's sport management graduate program is compatible with your career interests; 2) how you will contribute to the learning experience of other students enrolled in the program; and 3) whether you have demonstrated the requisite communication skills.

• Transcripts. All applicants, including Ithaca College graduates, must arrange to have official transcripts of all work completed beyond secondary school sent directly to the Division of Graduate Studies. Those who are finishing bachelor's degrees when they apply must have their schools send official transcripts with the degree posted and dated once they graduate.

• Two letters of recommendation from individuals who are familiar with the applicant's academic abilities and can comment on the likelihood of the applicant's success in a graduate management program -- such as former teachers. Recommendations must be sent directly to the Division of Graduate Studies.

• GRE or GMAT scores. Applicants to the program must arrange for official GRE or GMAT scores to be submitted to the Division of Graduate Studies at Ithaca College. Information about the GRE and GMAT can be obtained from Educational Testing Service, P.O. Box 6103, Princeton, NJ 08541-6103; 609-771-7330.

• Application fee. A nonrefundable application fee of U.S. $40 must accompany the application form. Your check or money order should be made payable to Ithaca College.

Special Requirements

PROVISIONAL STUDENTS (NON-MATRICULATED)
Students who have not met the requirements and standards for matriculation in the M.S. program may be admitted provisionally. These include students who have been accepted pending satisfactory completion of specific preparatory undergraduate courses as well as those with a lower-than-acceptable cumulative GPA. These students may enroll provisionally until they have completed, with a grade of B or better, the number of graduate credits stipulated by the graduate program director. A maximum of 12 credits earned as a provisional student may be credited toward the M.S. degree.

EXTRAMURAL STUDENTS
Students who are degree candidates in good standing in other graduate programs and who wish to take courses in the sport management program may be accepted as extramural students. Acceptance as an extramural student requires the following: a bachelor's degree from an accredited college, permission of the graduate program director, and a letter of endorsement from the chair of the graduate program in which the student is enrolled, stating that the graduate credit earned at Ithaca College will be applied toward the student's graduate degree. Registration is through the Division of Continuing Education and Summer Sessions, Ithaca College, 120 Towers Concourse, Ithaca, NY 14850-7141; 607-274-3143; cess@ithaca.edu.

Extramural students are eligible to apply to the M.S. program upon completing a maximum of 12 graduate credits with a GPA of 3.00 (B) or better, provided that they have earned no more than one grade below B. Up to 12 credits may be used to meet program requirements, but they must be approved by the program director. Credits earned more than three years before admission to the program cannot be applied to degree requirements.

INTERNATIONAL APPLICANTS
The Office of International Programs provides cultural adjustment counseling, orientation to the United States, immigration assistance, and other support services.