Sport Coaching
Graduate Certificate
Online
Course Delivery
10
Total Credits
$9,330
Tuition
8 Months
Minimum Duration
Program Overview
Are you looking to increase your competency and knowledge as a coach but cannot make a commitment to a full master’s degree? Our fully online 10-credit graduate certificate post-baccalaureate program in sport science is designed to increase knowledge and skills for coaches at any level. High-performance, teacher, and youth sport coaches can gain fundamental knowledge and skills in a variety of sport sciences.
Our graduate certificate program is designed to fit your needs as a coach with fully online courses to enable you to work around your busy schedules.
Program Outcomes
Our graduate certificate will enable you to build your confidence and improve in your coaching capacity. While not a requirement for entering the coaching profession, our graduate certificate will give you skills and knowledge to help you advance in the job market. Completing the graduate certificate also allows for you to transfer your classes into the master’s degree program.
Based on your chosen courses and competency areas, the graduate certificate can help you become more efficient in the following areas:
- Effective communication skills (to improve communication with athletes and other sport stakeholders)
- Effective planning skills (to develop practice plans and program environments to enhance athletic performance and personal development)
- Effective sport pedagogy (including instructional messages and constraints-led approaches to technical and tactical development)
- Safety, injury control, and risk management
- Reflective practice skills (to help with your daily, weekly, and lifelong professional development)
- Ethical decision-making skills
- General sport science knowledge (to become a better consumer of evidence and information and how they inform practice as a coach or sport leader)
- Scientific writing skills (to better communicate your learning experiences during the program)
Career Outlook
The Sport Coaching graduate certificate program is best suited to a student seeking to gain knowledge and skills related to the practices of coaching athletes at all levels. Primarily, our alumni tell us that this graduate certificate has built their confidence and has prepared them to be more outspoken and assertive in the workplace and within sports coaching jobs. Although a degree or certificate is not a requirement for entering into the coaching profession, it will enhance your knowledge and skills and help you advance in the job market. There are some circumstances where higher education is a requirement for placement or advancement.
A Top-Ranked Education
- 1st Best in Online Master's in Curriculum and Instruction — U.S. News & World Report, 2022
- 4th Best Online Master's in Education Administration — U.S. News & World Report, 2022
- 5th Best Online Master's in Education/Instructional Media — U.S. News & World Report, 2022
- 7th Best in Online Master's in Special Education Programs — U.S. News & World Report, 2022
- 10th Best Online Master's in Education Programs for Veterans — U.S. News & World Report, 2022
- 24th Best Online Master's in Education Programs — U.S. News & World Report, 2022
Dr. Andy Driska
Assistant Professor, Program Director
Dr. Andy Driska is an assistant professor in the Department of Kinesiology, where he directs the graduate programs in sport coaching and leadership, advises and mentors students, and teaches graduate-level courses in sport psychology, skill acquisition, leadership, ethics, and coaching science. He has served as a consultant for several collegiate sports programs and for USA Swimming. He has published journal articles and book chapters on topics including mental toughness, the design and evaluation of coach development programs, and coaching ethics. He recently served on the nationwide committee to revise the National Standards for Sport Coaches and is a member of the National Committee for the Accreditation of Coaching Education.
Course Information
Core
KIN 852 – Ethics in Sport Coaching, Leadership, and Administration (1 credit)
Electives (9 credits)
Physical Cognate (1-2 courses):
KIN 829 – Safety and Injury Control (3 credits)
KIN 856 – Physical Bases of Coaching (3 credits)
KIN 865 – Stages of Athlete Development (3 credits)
KIN 868 – Skill Development in Athletes (3 credits)
Psychosocial Cognate (1-2 courses):
KIN 846 – Sociocultural Issues for Sport Practitioners (3 credits)
KIN 849 – Theory and Practice of Modern Sport Leadership (3 credits)
KIN 855 – Psychosocial Bases of Coaching (3 credits)
KIN 857 – Promoting Positive Youth Development through Sport (3 credits)
Admissions Requirements
To be accepted to this program, you must have:
- A bachelor's degree
- Undergraduate degree transcript that shows a minimum GPA of 3.0 from an accredited institution of higher education
- Current résumé (2-page max) that highlights all work experiences relevant to sport coaching and leadership
- A written academic statement clearly stating your professional goals and how you anticipate this program would help you to attain them. Your statement should be very close to 750 words. An ideal statement shows research into our course offerings and shows your deliberation and planning on what you hope to achieve in this degree program. It will also be used to help assign you to an academic advisor that best matches your interests.
- 3 letters of recommendation: One should come from an academic source who can vouch for your credentials as a student, the other should come from workplace source who can vouch for your credentials on the job. Provide contact information for your recommenders and the MSU application system will provide instructions to them.
- Optional: Written personal statement that illustrates your unique qualities and life experiences that might make you a stronger candidate for admission (750 words max).
To apply to this program:
- Complete a university graduate application.
- International applicants should speak with the program director about potential restrictions for online degree programs.
Key Dates
Fall
Application Deadline
June 15th
Spring
Application Deadline
October 15th
Summer
Application Deadline
January 15th
Tuition & Fees
In-State Tuition
Out-of-State Tuition
$933
$933
The university reserves the right to make changes in the types, structures, rates for fees, and tuition. Every effort will be made to give as much advance notice as possible.
Program Overview
Are you looking to increase your competency and knowledge as a coach but cannot make a commitment to a full master’s degree? Our fully online 10-credit graduate certificate post-baccalaureate program in sport science is designed to increase knowledge and skills for coaches at any level. High-performance, teacher, and youth sport coaches can gain fundamental knowledge and skills in a variety of sport sciences.
Our graduate certificate program is designed to fit your needs as a coach with fully online courses to enable you to work around your busy schedules.
Program Outcomes
Our graduate certificate will enable you to build your confidence and improve in your coaching capacity. While not a requirement for entering the coaching profession, our graduate certificate will give you skills and knowledge to help you advance in the job market. Completing the graduate certificate also allows for you to transfer your classes into the master’s degree program.
Based on your chosen courses and competency areas, the graduate certificate can help you become more efficient in the following areas:
- Effective communication skills (to improve communication with athletes and other sport stakeholders)
- Effective planning skills (to develop practice plans and program environments to enhance athletic performance and personal development)
- Effective sport pedagogy (including instructional messages and constraints-led approaches to technical and tactical development)
- Safety, injury control, and risk management
- Reflective practice skills (to help with your daily, weekly, and lifelong professional development)
- Ethical decision-making skills
- General sport science knowledge (to become a better consumer of evidence and information and how they inform practice as a coach or sport leader)
- Scientific writing skills (to better communicate your learning experiences during the program)
Career Outlook
The Sport Coaching graduate certificate program is best suited to a student seeking to gain knowledge and skills related to the practices of coaching athletes at all levels. Primarily, our alumni tell us that this graduate certificate has built their confidence and has prepared them to be more outspoken and assertive in the workplace and within sports coaching jobs. Although a degree or certificate is not a requirement for entering into the coaching profession, it will enhance your knowledge and skills and help you advance in the job market. There are some circumstances where higher education is a requirement for placement or advancement.
A Top-Ranked Education
- 1st Best in Online Master's in Curriculum and Instruction — U.S. News & World Report, 2022
- 4th Best Online Master's in Education Administration — U.S. News & World Report, 2022
- 5th Best Online Master's in Education/Instructional Media — U.S. News & World Report, 2022
- 7th Best in Online Master's in Special Education Programs — U.S. News & World Report, 2022
- 10th Best Online Master's in Education Programs for Veterans — U.S. News & World Report, 2022
- 24th Best Online Master's in Education Programs — U.S. News & World Report, 2022
Dr. Andy Driska
Assistant Professor, Program Director
Dr. Andy Driska is an assistant professor in the Department of Kinesiology, where he directs the graduate programs in sport coaching and leadership, advises and mentors students, and teaches graduate-level courses in sport psychology, skill acquisition, leadership, ethics, and coaching science. He has served as a consultant for several collegiate sports programs and for USA Swimming. He has published journal articles and book chapters on topics including mental toughness, the design and evaluation of coach development programs, and coaching ethics. He recently served on the nationwide committee to revise the National Standards for Sport Coaches and is a member of the National Committee for the Accreditation of Coaching Education.
Course Information
Core
KIN 852 – Ethics in Sport Coaching, Leadership, and Administration (1 credit)
Electives (9 credits)
Physical Cognate (1-2 courses):
KIN 829 – Safety and Injury Control (3 credits)
KIN 856 – Physical Bases of Coaching (3 credits)
KIN 865 – Stages of Athlete Development (3 credits)
KIN 868 – Skill Development in Athletes (3 credits)
Psychosocial Cognate (1-2 courses):
KIN 846 – Sociocultural Issues for Sport Practitioners (3 credits)
KIN 849 – Theory and Practice of Modern Sport Leadership (3 credits)
KIN 855 – Psychosocial Bases of Coaching (3 credits)
KIN 857 – Promoting Positive Youth Development through Sport (3 credits)
Admissions Requirements
To be accepted to this program, you must have:
- A bachelor's degree
- Undergraduate degree transcript that shows a minimum GPA of 3.0 from an accredited institution of higher education
- Current résumé (2-page max) that highlights all work experiences relevant to sport coaching and leadership
- A written academic statement clearly stating your professional goals and how you anticipate this program would help you to attain them. Your statement should be very close to 750 words. An ideal statement shows research into our course offerings and shows your deliberation and planning on what you hope to achieve in this degree program. It will also be used to help assign you to an academic advisor that best matches your interests.
- 3 letters of recommendation: One should come from an academic source who can vouch for your credentials as a student, the other should come from workplace source who can vouch for your credentials on the job. Provide contact information for your recommenders and the MSU application system will provide instructions to them.
- Optional: Written personal statement that illustrates your unique qualities and life experiences that might make you a stronger candidate for admission (750 words max).
To apply to this program:
- Complete a university graduate application.
- International applicants should speak with the program director about potential restrictions for online degree programs.
Key Dates
Fall
Application Deadline
June 15th
Spring
Application Deadline
October 15th
Summer
Application Deadline
January 15th
Tuition & Fees
In-State Tuition
Out-of-State Tuition
$933
$933
The university reserves the right to make changes in the types, structures, rates for fees, and tuition. Every effort will be made to give as much advance notice as possible.
The MSU Value Promise
You can be ensured a return on your investment at Michigan State University.
As one of the top research universities in the world, Michigan State University has advanced the common good with uncommon will for more than 160 years.
MSU pushes the boundaries of discovery and forges enduring partnerships to solve the most pressing global challenges while providing life-changing opportunities to a diverse and inclusive academic community.
MSU has been offering online degree programs for over 20 years. Our maturity is evident in the high quality of the learning experience enjoyed by our online students.
MSU provides programs and initiatives that support and enhance diversity. We will expand our campus and external partnerships to put in place inclusive recruitment and retention practices. We nurture and promote individuals’ varied experiences and perspectives, ensuring structures and processes make possible full participation by all members of our community.
MSU actively collaborates with campus and external partners to innovate across all dimensions of graduate education. We create and support networks that increase collaboration and improve educational opportunities for our online students.
MSU’s nationally recognized online programs foster student growth and well-being throughout their academic career. We will expand inclusive mentoring practices and accelerate improvement across units to implement evidence-based practices to ensure our students complete successfully.
Continuing education can be one of the most exciting, challenging, and rewarding experiences you undertake in your life. We hope you consider becoming a Spartan, to learn online and reach your career goals. With highly ranked online programs and exceptional professors, we educate students who advance the common good with uncommon will.