HATTIESBURG – The University of Southern Mississippi will become this fall one of only two universities in the United States to offer a Master of Science in Interscholastic Athletic Administration.

The new program, to be housed on Southern Miss’ Gulf Coast campus in Long Beach, aims to accomplish two key objectives. The primary focus is to groom students into skilled athletic professionals by educating them on the multidisciplinary fields of interscholastic education and sport administration. The second goal calls for the enhancement of current educational and athletic management practices, which will in turn provide a safer and more ethical environment for students involved in interscholastic extracurricular activities.

Collaborators of the major include the Southern Miss College of Education and Psychology, College of Health’s School of Human Performance and Recreation (HP&R), the State Department of Education, the Mississippi High School Activities Association (MHSAA), and The National Federation of State High School Associations. 

Creators of the curriculum believe the program is a gem, as over 200 interscholastic administrative jobs go unfilled each year in Mississippi alone—many of which are found in the athletic administration arena.  Supporters are confident the new program will not only fill in the gap with highly trained workers, but also increase the overall quality and effectiveness of current school sport administrators nationwide.

“Athletic directors have a huge impact on the quality of the sport experience for student-athletes, coaches, parents and the community at large,” said Dr. Dennis Phillips, associate director of the Southern Miss School of Human Performance and Recreation. He and Southern Miss HP&R professor Dr. Mark Maneval are overseeing the program.  

“It is our hope that Southern Miss and the state will lead the way in providing a national model of graduate education for the preparation of a new generation of certified Interscholastic Athletic Administrators.”

Along with in-depth lectures, prospective students can expect to gain first-hand experience in the rigorous operations of a typical Interscholastic Athletic Administration. For instance, aspiring athletic directors will have an opportunity to

• participate in the development of new sport programs within various school systems;
• contribute in the evaluation of yearly sport programs and the programs’ coaches within their chosen school;
• participate in the management of an athletic program;
• participate in the fiscal aspects of a sport program;
• participate in the procurement of sporting good products;
• add input in the risk management analysis and improvements of a sport program; and
• participate in devising the yearly sport budget within the school system.

The development of well-rounded professionals is just what the industry needs said Ennis Proctor, executive director of the MHSAA.

“We appreciate the dedication and hard work that Southern Miss has made to make this program the success it will be,” Proctor said. “The MHSAA is proud to
be affiliated with the outstanding faculty that Southern Miss will provide for our current and future athletic directors.”

 To qualify for the program, participants must meet the general graduate school requirements, hold a valid teaching license and have a minimum of two years of successful teaching or coaching experience.

To successfully complete the program, students must pass a licensure exam, which will be administered and certified by the National Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association.