Overview
COSMA and sport management education
The Commission on Sport Management Accreditation (COSMA) accredits sport management programs at the bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral levels, in the U.S. and internationally. CHEA-recognized. Sport management is not a licensed profession, so COSMA accreditation is a quality benchmark.
Why It Matters
What COSMA accreditation signals
- Program qualityCOSMA reviews mission, curriculum, and outcomes against sport-management standards.
- Industry recognitionTeams, athletic departments, and sport organizations recognize accredited programs.
- Not a licenseThere is no license to work in sport management, so COSMA accreditation is never legally required.
- A newer, growing benchmarkCOSMA accreditation is increasingly common but far from universal — many strong programs are not COSMA-accredited.
Do It Yourself
Verify a program
Go Deeper
Official sources
Questions
Frequently asked questions
- Who accredits sport management programs? The Commission on Sport Management Accreditation (COSMA), which accredits bachelor's, master's, and doctoral programs worldwide. It is CHEA-recognized.
- Do I need an accredited sport management degree to work in the field? No. Sport management is not a licensed profession, so COSMA accreditation is a quality benchmark rather than a legal requirement.
- What does COSMA accreditation signal? That a program meets sport-management standards for mission, curriculum, and outcomes — recognized by teams and sport organizations.
- Is a non-COSMA program worse? Not necessarily. COSMA accreditation is growing but far from universal; many strong sport-management programs are not COSMA-accredited.
- What levels does COSMA accredit? Bachelor's, master's, and doctoral sport management programs.
- Is COSMA recognized by the government? COSMA is CHEA-recognized. Sport-management accreditation is generally not a federal Title IV gatekeeper.
- Does COSMA accredit international programs? Yes. COSMA accredits sport management programs in institutions worldwide.
- How do I verify a sport management program? Search the COSMA directory of accredited programs.