PhD in Sport Management

The sport industry has rapidly developed into a thriving business, with impacts across society, driving demand for sport business-trained professionals, and pioneering academic research. There are exceptional opportunities for aspiring academics with a passion for sport.

Isenberg has been ahead of this curve, crafting a doctoral program—one of only a handful in the country—that prepares students to meet this demand. By merging the Mark H. McCormack Department of Sport Management, a leader in the field for 40 years, with Isenberg, we can simultaneously provide students with PhD-level training in sport and business management.

We’re proud that our distinguished program also offers:

• Renowned faculty with diverse research interests who regularly publish scholarly work in top-tier sport journals
• A supportive and collaborative environment that extends beyond the classroom
• Low student-to-faculty ratio, providing individual attention to doctoral students
• Customization that encourages doctoral students to pursue their research interests
• Strong ties to sport industry leaders who can be utilized for research

Our graduates enjoy marketability as both published researchers and seasoned educators. We welcome applicants who are dedicated learners and inquisitive thinkers interested in making real contributions to this exciting and still emerging field.

Elizabeth B. Delia
PhD Coordinator & Associate Professor

• One of the few sport management PhD programs housed within a business school
• Access to Berthiaume Behavioral Research Lab with eye-tracking, facial analysis, and GSR technology
• Quality, personalized mentorship with 1:1 student-to-faculty ratio
• Guaranteed graduate assistantship with $40,000+ annual funding & benefits for 5 years
• Opportunities to learn from top scholars, with research faculty bringing diverse expertise
• Application Deadline: December 15

Reach out to PhD Coordinator Elizabeth Delia at edelia@isenberg.umass.edu for more information.

Your roadmap to a PhD—designed to help you make a lasting impact through research and scholarship.

Years 1 & 2: Coursework

• Students complete 45 credits of coursework and milestone exams, building a foundation in strategic management theory and research methods
• Flexibility to customize much of the curriculum across the university
• Sample courses include:
  • Sport Consumer Behavior
  • Sport Organizational Theory & Behavior
  • Theory Development
  • Research Paradigms in Sport Management
  • Experimental & Causal Inference Methods
  • Regression & Advanced Modeling
  • Predictive Analytics & Machine Learning
  • Qualitative & Mixed Methods

Years 3 & 4 : Dissertation & Teaching

• Focus on dissertation proposal, research, and defense
• Teaching requirement up to three to four courses, gaining valuable classroom experience

Take the next step by contacting our admissions team!

To apply, you'll need: 

• GRE or GMAT scores
• Official transcripts
• Personal statement and resume
• Short essay response
• Letters of recommendation
• English proficiency scores (if applicable)

For questions, contact doctoral_program@isenberg.umass.edu.