Sports Strategic Communication, MA
Athletes, Brand, Communication, Content Strategy, PR, Public Relations, Sports, Storytelling, marketing, media
Ready to lead in the fast-growing world of sports media? Master leadership in communication strategy and digital storytelling --- skills that position you to manage brands, content and campaigns at the highest levels of the sports industry.
The Master of Arts program in sports strategic communication prepares you to lead communications in an increasingly complex, global sports environment. The program emphasizes advanced strategy, leadership and innovation in media, branding and organizational communication. Through project-based coursework and partnerships with industry professionals, you learn to design campaigns, manage cross-platform teams, and guide organizational storytelling at strategic levels. You explore analytics-driven decision-making, crisis and reputation management, stakeholder engagement and executive communication within sports organizations.
The program develops you into a leader who is equipped for management roles in professional sports teams, leagues, athletic departments, agencies and global sports brands. You emerge ready to influence the direction of the sports communication industry with integrity, creativity and data-informed strategy.
GI Bill® benefits
This new program is not yet approved for use with GI Bill® benefits.
GI Bill® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. More information about education benefits offered by VA is available at the official U.S. government website at https://www.benefits.va.gov/gibill/.
- College/school:
Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication
- Location: Downtown Phoenix
- STEM-OPT extension eligible: No
This program allows students to obtain both a bachelor's and a master's degree in as little as five years. Accelerated bachelor's plus master's degree programs are designed for high-achieving students who want the opportunity to share undergraduate coursework with graduate coursework to accelerate completion of their master's degree. These programs feature the same high quality curriculum taught by ASU's world-renowned faculty.
This program is offered as an accelerated bachelor's plus master's degree with:
Students typically receive approval to pursue the accelerated master's during the junior year of their bachelor's degree program. Interested students can learn about eligibility requirements and how to apply.
33 credit hours including the required capstone course (MCO 570)
Required Core (3 credit hours) Other Requirements (21 credit hours) Electives (3 credit hours) Culminating Experience (6 credit hours) Additional Curriculum Information
MCO 538 Strategic Sports Storytelling (3)
MCO 502 Media Skills (8)
MCO 503 Media Law (3)
MCO 504 Cronkite Master's Seminar (1)
MCO 525 Media Ethics Leadership (3)
MCO 554 Media Models, Organizations and Leadership (3)
MCO 561 Defining the Digital Audience (3)
MCO 570 Capstone (6)
Students should consult their program advisor for the complete list of electives.
General university admission requirements:
All students are required to meet general
university admission requirements.
U.S.
applicants | International
applicants | English
proficiency
Applicants must fulfill the requirements of both the Graduate College and the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication.
Applicants are eligible to apply to the program if they have earned a bachelor's or master's degree from a regionally accredited institution.
Applicants must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 (scale is 4.00 = ''A'') in the last 60 hours of their first bachelor's degree program or a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 (scale is 4.00 = ''A'') in an applicable master's degree program.
Applicants are required to submit:
- graduate admissions application and application fee
- official transcripts
- personal statement
- professional resume
- three letters of recommendation
- proof of English proficiency
Additional Application Information
An applicant whose native language is not English must provide proof of English proficiency regardless of their current residency. Applicants should have a TOEFL iBT® score of at least 5, or a score of 100 if taken before January 21, 2026 in a testing center. Students with an IELTS band score of 7.50 or a Duolingo score of 135 will also be considered.
| Session | Modality | Deadline | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Session A/C | In Person | 06/01 | Final |
Study abroad is possible for graduate students. There are more than 50 program opportunities, with programs on every continent delivered by ASU's Global Education Office, and programs just for Cronkite students that encourage content creation and sports communication opportunities (including sports communication experiences with Real Madrid, brand content creation opportunities at the Olympics, and more). Students may also pursue international internships for program credit.
Graduates are prepared for careers in teams, leagues, agencies and sports organizations thanks to the hands-on training they received in public relations, digital marketing, media relations and sports storytelling. Possible career paths include:
- athlete representation
- communications management
- content marketing
- media relations
- sports brand strategy
- sports public relations
- sports social media management
- team and league communication
Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Comm
|
CRONK 302
cronkitegrad@asu.edu
602-496-5055
Admission deadlines
Program term definitions
Accelerated programs allow students the opportunity to expedite the completion of their degree.
Accelerated master's
These programs allow students to accelerate their studies to earn a bachelor's plus a master's degree in as few as five years (for some programs).
Each program has requirements students must meet to be eligible for consideration. Students typically receive approval to pursue the accelerated master's during the junior year of their bachelor's degree program. Interested students can learn about eligibility requirements and how to apply.
Concurrent degrees allow students to pursue their own personal or professional interests, earn two distinct degrees and receive two diplomas. To add a concurrent degree to your existing degree, work with your academic advisor.
Joint programs, or jointly conferred degrees, are offered by more than one college and provide opportunities for students to take advantage of the academic strengths of two academic units. Upon graduation, students are awarded one degree and one diploma conferred by two colleges.
ASU adds new programs to Degree Search frequently. Come back often and look for the "New Programs" option.
ASU Online offers programs in an entirely online format with multiple enrollment sessions throughout the year. See https://asuonline.asu.edu/ for more information.
The Western Regional Graduate Program (WRGP) provides a reduced tuition rate to non-resident graduate students who qualify. Visit the WRGP/WICHE webpage for more information: https://graduate.asu.edu/wiche.
