The Department Profile
The Ohio University School of Recreation and Sport Sciences is well-known as the first graduate sports administration program in the nation. Since 1966, program graduates have consistently taken leadership positions in university athletic departments, with professional sports teams, and in other sports business-related settings.

The Challenge
Athletic administrators in high schools across the country voiced the need for a prestigious master's option that would allow them to continue working while offering the same high-quality education as Ohio University's full-time, residential degree. Working athletic administrators demanded "relevant knowledge" that would be instantly applicable to their day-to-day work. The delivery method would need to cater to their busy schedules.

The Solution
During planning stages for the program, Ohio University Without Boundaries developed a working partnership with the National Interscholastic Athletic Administrator Association (NIAAA). This partnership offered a valuable interface between program designers and prospective program participants, critical in the development of a truly learner-centered program.

OUWB worked with the Ohio University School of Recreation and Sport Sciences faculty and the NIAAA to create the Master of Science in Recreation and Sport Sciences with a concentration in Athletic Administration. This blended program engaged participants by combining high intensity, face-to-face residencies with e-learning content acquisition and on-line collaboration. The unique design of the program incorporates theory by emphasizing the application of that theory in a practical and relevant way to ensure that learning is transferred from the place of learning to the place of work.

OUWB continues to provide full-service support by managing all program communication and marketing, administration and logistics, as well as tech support.

For more information on The Ohio University Master of Science in Recreation and Sport Sciences, see the program site at http://www.ouwb.ohiou.edu/maa/