Dr. Andy Driska
Associate Professor, Program Co-Director
Dr. Andy Driska is an associate professor in the Department of Kinesiology, where he co-directs the online Master of Applied Sport Sciences (MASS) program, 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.
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
- 29th among Best Public Universities in America — U.S. News & World Report, 2026
- Veteran-Friendly 'Gold Status' 10 Years in a Row — Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency, 2025
Tuition & Fees
In-State Tuition
Out-of-State Tuition
$978.25
$1,181.25
Cost of Attendance
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. In addition to tuition and fees, there are other expenses associated with your Cost of Attendance. A breakdown of a graduate student budget can be found on the "Estimate Your Cost of Attendance" page.