The California University of Pennsylvania is also featured in our ranking Top 50 Master’s in Sports Management Degree Online Programs.
Online Master of Science in Sport Management Studies
More than 30 graduates of the California University of Pennsylvania played or currently play professional sports. Those athletes played in the NFL, MBA and other major league sports. These players got their start at the university, which has a number of teams and organizations open to students. Prospective students who do not want to move to Pennsylvania for school can enroll in the university’s Master of Science in Sport Management Studies program, which is available online.
Two of the benefits of this program are that it pairs students with mentors and that it gives them a flexible way to complete their degrees. The university requires that students do an internship and work with a mentor in the field. Students may choose where they want to work and get approval from the university before beginning their internships. They will gain 12 credits for doing a minimum of 300 hours of work in the sports management field.
The flexible design of this program allows students to take as many or as few courses as they want and graduate within 13 months. Each course they take will feature online forums that allow students to discuss topics and issues with their peers. They’ll also watch online presentations and videos that help them absorb the information shared in their classes. The California University of Pennsylvania ranks as one of the most affordable online graduate programs in sports management.
Sports management majors can choose from three concentrations too: intercollegiate athletic administration, sports management or strategic sports analysis. The sports management concentration includes classes such as Research Methods in Sport, Leadership and Management in Sport, Sport Marketing and Legal Issues in Sport. Many students will take classes from one of the other concentrations too, including Legal Aspects of Equity in Intercollegiate Athletics and Public Relations in Sport. Students can also earn a sports counseling certificate while working on a degree. This California University of Pennsylvania certificate program teaches students how to support and help amateur and professional athletes with issues they face in their athletic and personal lives.
About California University of Pennsylvania
The California University of Pennsylvania is a university in Pennsylvania named after the city of California. Founded in 1852 as one large academy, it offered programs for a wide range of students. Not only did it have elementary school classes for younger kids, but the academy also offered classes for college students. After moving to a new location in the 1860s, it changed its focus to a normal school. Students could earn their teaching credentials through the school and gain some experience working with younger children on-site. It eventually became the California State Normal School and then the California State Teachers College before becoming the California University of Pennsylvania. Both students and locals often call the university Cal U.
Cal U now operates a large campus in California, Pennsylvania and operates a few complexes and facilities nearby. It maintains a large park that is home to its football field and grounds that both locals and students can use. Undergrads can enroll in more than 150 degree programs, while post-graduate students can earn a full degree or a certificate from the university. The California University of Pennsylvania Global Online campus offers just as many opportunities for online students.
California University of Pennsylvania Accreditation Details
Cal U has the regional accreditation that allows graduate students to transfer credits they earned from another school to the university. This type of accreditation also gives students the chance to apply for both government and institutional financial aid. The Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE) awarded the university regional accreditation. Though its online sports management program does not have accreditation, the classes that those students take in business and physical therapy do have specialty accreditation.
California University of Pennsylvania Application Requirements
Graduate students applying to Cal U can use an online application. The university offers one application for traditional students applying to on-campus programs and a second application for those who want to take online classes. Both of those applications feature the same sections and ask for the same information, but it helps the university decide whether to admit a student into one specific version of the program. It also asks students which of the three concentrations they want to study.
Cal U asks for an official transcript because it wants to see what grades the student earned. It typically looks for those with a grade point average of at least 3.0. Students with a lower GPA may apply and receive conditional acceptance. Those students must submit their transcripts and a resume that shows the names and contact information for at least two professional references. The university will contact those references to learn more about the student.
Students applying to the university will complete an online application and pay an application fee. They will then submit their official transcripts. Students who are still in an undergrad program can submit an unofficial transcript. The university allows students to submit their paperwork by fax or through email.
Tuition and Financial Aid
Traditional graduate students attending Cal U pay $516 per credit hour as a Pennsylvania resident and $774 per credit hour as a nonresident. The university offers different rates for online students, but it will still base their tuition on whether they are Pennsylvania residents or they live in another state. Students can use the university’s online calculator to estimate their exact costs. This calculator will ask them questions about where they live and who they live with as well as whether they have children and their ages. It uses that data to determine the financial aid that incoming graduate students might get.
Graduate students can get financial aid from the federal government to take classes online. This helps them cover the cost of the fees for the online program and their tuition. Many grad students use unsubsidized student loans from the government. They will go through different counseling sessions to make sure that they understand how much they can borrow and how they can pay off those loans later. Students can also use external financial aid such as an employer reimbursement program or an alternative student loan. The California University of Pennsylvania recommends that students look at all their financial aid options before they apply.