Program Requirements (71-72 hours)

Students must maintain a “C” or better in each course in the major. Additionally, in accordance with university policy, an overall grade point average of 2.0 or better must be attained upon on the completion of required curriculum.

A baccalaureate degree requires a minimum of 120 unduplicated semester hours. More information can be found at www.wku.edu/registrar/degree_certification.php.

Students who began WKU in the Fall 2014 and thereafter should review the Colonnade requirements located at: https://www.wku.edu/colonnade/colonnaderequirements.php.

Students must complete the following Core Courses: 

Students need to select one of the two concentrations:

Rehabilitation Sciences Concentration

Students will complete the core courses as detailed above, plus the following requirements: 

Sport Science & Performance Concentration

Students will complete the core courses as detailed above, plus the following requirements:

Finish in Four Plans

Finish in Four Plan

Program Requirements (60-94)

A baccalaureate degree requires a minimum of 120 unduplicated semester hours. More information can be found at www.wku.edu/registrar/degree_certification.php.

Students who began WKU in the Fall 2014 and thereafter should review the Colonnade requirements located at: https://www.wku.edu/colonnade/colonnaderequirements.php.

Students need to select one of the three concentrations:

Physical Education Teacher Education (PETE)

Students will complete the core courses as detailed above, plus the following requirements:

Physical Education Teacher Education Health Education (PEHE)

Students will complete the core courses as detailed above, plus the following requirements:

Physical Education Movement Studies (PEMS) Non-Certification

Students will complete the core courses as detailed above, plus the following requirements:

Students majoring in Physical Education are required to meet with their advisor before enrolling for the next semester. 

Students must maintain a “C” or better in all coursework for this major. Students in the PETE AND PEHE concentrations must meet all requirements for admission into the teacher education program and be admitted into teacher education prior to registering for PETE 415 . All PEHE majors also need to declare the Health Education minor for certification purposes. Additionally, all PEMS concentration students are encouraged to declare the Athletic Coaching Certificate.

Finish in Four Plans

Movement Studies Concentration

Teacher Education Concentration

Teacher Education Health Education Concentration

Program Requirements (12 hours)

Program Admission

Applicants to the Recreation and Sport Administration graduate program must submit the following:  

• A bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university

• An official transcript from the college or university granting the baccalaureate degree

• A cumulative baccalaureate grade point average (GPA) of at least 2.75 on a 4.0 scale.  Applicants with a cumulative GPA between 2.5 and 2.75 may be considered for conditional admission if they have:

  • A GPA of at least a 2.75 on a 4.0 scale in the last 60 hours completed OR

  • A GPA of at least a 3.0 in the major content area on a 4.0 scale

• A Statement of Professional Intent which adheres to the following guidelines: Statement should provide a sample of the applicant’s writing style and ability.  It should be 2-3 double-spaced pages in length and is expected to be well organized, clearly written, and error free.  It should include an introduction, responses to the three questions listed below, and a conclusion:

  • Why do you want to pursue this degree?

  • What related qualifications and/or experiences do you bring to the program?

  • What are your career goals after completing the program?

Conditional Admission Requirements

The RSA Graduate Program Coordinator may conditionally admit individuals not meeting the above criteria with the additional submission of the following for review:

• A resume including career objective, professional experience, and relevant coursework completed

If accepted conditionally, students must complete the following to be moved from conditional admission to full admission status:

• Must maintain at least a 3.0 overall GPA in the first 12 credit hours

Students meeting this requirement in the first 12 hours will be fully admitted. Students who do not meet this requirement in the first 12 hours will be dismissed from the program.

Program Requirements (33 hours)

General Concentration

Athletic Administration & Coaching Concentration

Facility and Event Management Concentration

Intercollegiate Athletic Administration Concentration

Joint Undergraduate-Master's Program (JUMP)

The Recreation & Sport Administration (RSA) graduate program offers a Joint Undergraduate-Master's Program (JUMP) which allows academically outstanding students the opportunity to complete both an undergraduate and graduate degree in an accelerated time frame. This JUMP option allows students to start working toward their M.S. in RSA while completing their B.S. in the following: Recreation, Park, and Nonprofit Administration or Sport Management. Undergraduate students admitted into the M.S. in RSA JUMP may take graduate courses that count toward both the undergraduate and graduate degrees. A maximum of 12 credit hours can be applied toward both degrees, and up to 15 credit hours of graduate coursework can be taken while the student is completing the undergraduate degree program. 

Eligibility requirements for the M.S. in RSA JUMP include the following:

• majoring in Recreation, Parks, & Nonprofit Administration or Sport Management;
• have earned a minimum of 60 credit hours total, with at least 24 hours earned at WKU;
• have 15 or more credit hours remaining to complete the undergraduate degree;
• possess a minimum cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.25 for individuals earning a first baccalaureate degree;
• possess a minimum cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.00 for individuals earning a second baccalaureate degree.

Experiential Learning Credit

Students in the M.S. in Recreation & Sport Administration (RSA) program may be eligible to receive graduate credit for completion of advanced specialized training and/or professional certifications earned in conjunction with various industry associations and organizations. Examples of associations/organizations whose programs may qualify include:

• National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA)
• National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA)
• National Federation of State High School Association (NFHS)
• National Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association (NIAAA)
• National Intramural-Recreational Sports Association (NIRSA)
• The National Center for Spectator Sport Safety and Security (NCS4)
• International Association of Venue Managers (IAVM)
• Various branches of the Military including National Guard and Reserves

Any training and/or certifications earned must have been awarded as part of an individual's professional career development during employment and must be directly aligned to course content within the M.S. in RSA program. 

Graduate credit of up to nine hours is possible for the master's level degree. Submissions for credit must include a detailed description of the content and acceptable documentation (e.g. official certificate of completion). Credit equivalency will be assessed on a case-by-case basis upon review of the student's request for experiential credit. The evaluation will be conducted by the RSA Graduate Program Coordinator, and their recommendation submitted to the School Director for approval. 

Program Requirements (12 hours)

Program Requirements (12 hours)

Program Requirements (12 hours)