Registry of Courses

Number of Credits for Degree Completion

Required Core Courses

Sport Management Degree

Elective Courses

Choose one of the following or consult with the program coordinator for approval of any other course as an elective:

Time to Degree Completion

All requirements for the Graduate Degree Program in Physical Education must be completed within six years from the date of initial registration in the graduate program, excluding periods for military service. Students who encounter unique problems, which prevent compliance with this regulation, may appeal through the graduate program advisor to the Chair of the Policies and Petitions committee in care of the School of Graduate Studies, Research, and Outreach.

Under compelling circumstances, students may be awarded extensions, totaling not more than two years, to the present limit of six years. This provision restricts the period for completion of the degree to a maximum of eight years.

All transfer credit for the degree must have occurred within the designated period (six years) prior to the date of graduation. Transfer courses are not eligible for an extension of time. Test scores submitted in support of applications for admission must also be within the six-year period.

Withdrawal from the Graduate Program

Students who withdraw officially from the graduate program and the University will receive grades of “W” in the courses in which they are registered. Graduate students withdrawing from the program will not normally be permitted to enroll in future graduate courses. Students who encounter unique problems, which prevent compliance with this regulation, may appeal through the graduate program advisor to the Chair of the Policies and Petitions Committee, in care of the School of Graduates Studies, Research and Outreach.

Transfer Credits

The Graduate Program in Physical Education is a 36-semester hour program. a maximum of nine (9) semester hours from another accredited college or university in a student’ academic area of specialization may be reflected in the student’s plan of study.

Residency

For the purposes of the Graduate Program in Physical Education, residency is defined as at least two (2) consecutive academic semesters when professional employment does not override academic pursuits. Students will complete 30 semester hours of their program during the first year and will be classified as full-time students. Students enrolled in nine (9) semester hours of coursework will be considered to have full-time status.

Academic Standards

A graduate student who is a candidate for a degree must earn an average of 3.0 or higher in all courses applicable to his/her degree and receive grades of “S” where grades of “S”, “U”, or “P” are awarded.

Grades of “C” may constitute no more than 20% of the credits offered for graduation, or a maximum of two “Cs” in two four-hour courses on the graduate level, whichever is greater. Semester hours with “C” grades in excess of this percentage or the allotted eight (8) hours will not count toward the degree but will be calculated into the total cumulative average.

A prerequisite undergraduate course taken in conjunction with a graduate program must be completed with a grade of “C” or better, except that the cumulative average for undergraduate prerequisites must be not less than “B.”

Graduate students in non-degree programs are expected to meet and maintain the same academic standards as students in degree programs.

Although Virginia State University encourages a maximum of student responsibility, with a minimum of administrative regulation, it expects each student to maintain appropriate standards in s/he academic program. The University reserves the right to terminate the registration of any student who does not meet acceptable standards. Academically, a student who record falls below standard or otherwise indicates a lack of ability or effort needed to succeed in graduate study will be denied permission for further study.

Comprehensive Examinations

Assessments

Assessments include the successful completion of a research project (PESM 530), oral presentations (PESM 502), corporate proceedings manual (PESM 531), corporate objectives (PESM 530), internship evaluation (PESM 571), written comprehensive exam (PESM 599), and an oral comprehensive exam (PESM 599).

Requirements regarding completion of the Written Comprehensive Examination for the Master’s Degree in Sport Management:

1. All Candidates must successfully complete two of the three sections (educational research, statistical procedures, and sport management or physical education) of the written comprehensive examination. The first two (educational research, statistical procedures) are in the core curriculum and the last area is specific to sport management or physical education.
2. A candidate who fails to successfully complete one section of the written examination will be, following notification by the Department Chair, who will refer the candidate to the respective advisor, required to pass a written re-examination over the section failed.
3. The written re-examination, which may be scheduled no earlier than fifteen days following notification, may not be taken until the candidate has received from the respective advisor, at least two weeks before the scheduled written re-examination, a prepared list of sample questions over the sections failed.
4. The written re-examination will be evaluated by a committee of graduate faculty appointed by the Department Chair.
5. A candidate who fails to successfully complete the written re-examination will be, following notification by the Department Chair who will refer the candidate to the respective advisor required to pass a second written retake examination. the seconds written re-examination, which may be scheduled no earlier than one no earlier than one term following the first written re-examination, may not be taken until the candidate has audited the course(s) specific to the deficiencies.
6. The second written re-examination will be evaluated following the same procedure as was utilized for the first written re-examination.
7. The candidate who fails to successfully complete the second written re-examination will be, following notification by the Department Chair, dropped from the Master’s Degree program.

Requirements for the Oral Examination include:

1. A three person committee, typically consisting of two sport management graduate faculty members and one other HPER graduate faculty member. One of the faculty members must be the student’s advisor.
2. The student is responsible for identifying committee members and for securing the dates of the examination. This will be accomplished through written notification with appropriate signatures from the student and chosen committee.
3. The examination consists of questions, usually over a one-hour time period.
4. Questions will be asked of the student by committee members, covering material from the student’s academic course work, research project, internship and/or hypothetical situations.
5. If the student’s performance is unsatisfactory, as indicated by at least two (2) of three (3) committee members, the oral examination may be repeated one semester following the original examination date. Re-examination may occur only once. The student is responsible for identifying committee members and for securing the dates of the examination. This will be accomplished through written notification with appropriate signatures from the student and chosen committee.
6. This oral exam is typically scheduled at the end of the student’s last semester and after the successful completion of the written comprehensive exam.