This program appears in our ranking of 25 Most Affordable Top-Ranked Schools for Online Master’s in Sports Management Degree Programs
Since 2012, the Kinesiology Department has conferred a Bachelor of Science in Sport Management for Wesley College undergrads seeking the professional qualities to lead athletic franchises in a $73.5 billion industry. Advised by Prof. Maureen Barry in Budd Hall, this 124-credit program integrates Methodist values into topics like Exercise Physiology, Sport Law, Principles of Marketing, and Entrepreneurship. Academics can continue for 24 months online via Moodle for the Sport Leadership M.A. Overseen by Dr. Raymond Phillips, this 33-credit, non-thesis curriculum deepens administrative knowledge in seven-week modules, such as Facility Management, Sport Governance, and Research Design. Both programs offer an optional 15-credit Coaching Certificate focused on boosting athletic performance. Adding the Honors Program is another possibility with minimum 3.3 GPAs or 1100 SAT scores.
Tackling Wesley College’s Sport Management B.S. involves a 400-hour senior internship after 100 documented practicum hours. Potential nearby placements include the Delaware Black Foxes, Wilmington Renegades, Allentown Jets, Delaware 87ers, Wilmington Blue Rocks, Delaware Destroyers, and BearFight FC of Wilmington. Each year, the Dover International Speedway also hosts the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. On campus, Wesley students get experience with 16 Wolverine teams in the NCAA Division III Athletic East Conference. State-of-the-art facilities like Scott D. Miller Stadium, Wentworth Gymnasium, DuPont Field, and Bob Reed Field help train future managers. Other opportunities include joining Kinesiology Club, taking Zumba at Malmberg Fitness Center, competing on the Dodgeball Team, entering PULSE Mentoring, traveling to Italy, and attending the State Leadership Seminar.
About Wesley College
Wesley College was opened in 1873 as the Wilmington Conference Academy by the United Methodist Church for college preparatory education. Forty-five years later, it became the Wesley Collegiate Institute when the first two-year degree was added. By 1978, the Bachelor of Arts/Science program began and regional accreditation was granted. Endowed for $68 million, Wesley College now honors Methodism’s founder as a private, nonprofit liberal arts CIC member. Wesley occupies a 50-acre, tree-lined Dover campus predating the Revolutionary War in Forbes’64th best city for careers. Offering 40+ clubs, Wesley College attracts 2,320 Wolverines from 21 states with 52 percent retention. Linked to 12,124 LinkedIn alumni, Wesley has trained sports greats Bryan Robinson, Joe Callahan, Rocky Myers, and more.
The U.S. News & World Report ranked Wesley College among the North’s 38th to 48th best regional institutions. On Niche, Wesley is America’s 285th most diverse school and 638th most liberal university. College Factual named Wesley the 79th best Methodist college with the 23rd best leisure and fitness studies. In Washington Monthly, Wesley College boasts the country’s 98th best financial aid and 256th highest graduation rate. PayScale noticed Wesley for the 464th highest mid-career median salary of $59,700. In 2017, the Wesley Wolverines football team ranked 11th in the Division III preseason poll. The 2002 NCAA men’s golf national champion, Chris Noll, represented Wesley College, too.
Wesley College Accreditation Details
In 2015, Wesley College underwent comprehensive institutional review by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE) to retain Level III accreditation for another 10 years under its 17th president, Robert E. Clark II. Headquartered 80 miles north in Philadelphia, this six-state East Coast accreditor is authorized by the U.S. Department of Education to certify the quality of Wesley’s 29 baccalaureate and eight master’s programs. The Kinesiology Department received national recognition from the National Association for Sport and Physical Education (NASPE) for a Coaching Certificate, too.
Wesley College Application Requirements
Getting into Wesley College is deemed “moderately difficult” by Peterson’s because 2,094 of the 3,463 Fall 2016 applicants were successful for 60 percent admission. First-year Wolverines are reviewed holistically only after high school or GED completion. The minimum admitted GPA for grades 9-12 is 2.0, but the average is 2.71. Freshmen also present a mean SAT score of 1000 and ACT score of 20. Declaring the Sport Management B.S. major is generally reserved for sophomores or juniors. Carrying a cumulative GPA of 2.5 or better in Kinesiology prerequisites is mandatory. Wesley expects the verification of 100 field observation hours. Transfers can only receive credit for 100- and 200-level courses graded at least “C.” The Online Sport Leadership M.A. only considers bachelor’s education from four-year, accredited schools. Conditional admission for post-grads with GPAs below 3.0 is limited.
Wesley College has rolling admission, but future Sport Management/Leadership stars are encouraged to apply by April 30th for Fall or September 30th for Spring. Both the undergraduate and graduate applications are filed primarily online thanks to Jenzabar. If needed, extra materials are mailed to 120 North State Street in Dover, DE 19901. Please contact (302) 736-2468 or Admissions@wesley.edu for further inquiry. The B.S. or M.A. application checklist might include the following:
- $25 fee via credit card or PayPal
- Official transcripts of all academics
- SAT or ACT scores from agency
- Two electronic recommendations
- Current résumé or curriculum vitae
- Typed personal essay on athletic goals
Tuition and Financial Aid
For 2017-18, Wesley College charged full-time Sport Management B.S. majors $13,203 per semester or $26,406 annually. Studying part-time incurred $1,100 per credit, except at Dover Air Force Base where costs are $250 per credit. Added expenses include the $50 vehicle registration fee, $200 online course fee, and $300 independent study fee. Living at the Kent County campus’ dorms like Gooding Hall bills $5,818 for housing and $5,624 for meals yearly. Annual bachelor’s attendance equals approximately $42,048 on-site and $30,806 at home. Sport Leadership M.A. graduates currently pay $600 per credit for a $19,800 total.
According to the NCES College Navigator, 99 percent of full-time Wesley Wolverines earn annual financial aid packages averaging $15,260 each for $20.23 million total. University funds include the Dave Reynolds Scholarship, Ashbrook Scholarship, Robyn J. Boswell Scholarship, Vaughn Smith Collins Scholarship, Gregory J. Flor Scholarship, Andrew Joseph Geyer Scholarship, Isabel Hope Jackson Scholarship, and Grover Hermann Scholarship. FAFSA applications with code 001433 determine Federal Pell or FSEOG Grant eligibility. Diamond State natives could earn the Delaware Scholarship Incentive or Governor’s Education Grant. Students have average debt of $29,000 from Perkins, Stafford, and Plus loans. The United Methodist Church offers loans and scholarships, such as the HANA Scholars Program and Richard S. Smith Award. Sport management majors at Wesley College could also enter the Work-Ship Program that pays at least $8.25/hour.
Learn more about Wesley College at the Sport Management Program website.
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