Program Accreditation

The Commission on Sport Management Accreditation (COSMA) is a specialized accrediting body that promotes and recognizes excellence in sport management education in colleges and universities at the baccalaureate and graduate levels (www.cosmaweb.org). Institutions, students, employers, and the general public all benefit from the external verification of quality provided through COSMA's accreditation process. They also benefit from the process of continuous quality improvement that is encouraged by COSMA's developmental approach to promoting excellence in sport management education.

COSMA was jointly established by the National Association for Sport and Physical Education (NASPE) and the North American Society for Sport Management (NASSM) in July 2008. Nevertheless, accreditation policy, processes, and decisions will be conducted by the COSMA Board of Commissioners with no input or interference by NASPE and NASSM. Once COSMA is incorporated as a non-profit organization and receives federal tax exemption, it would no longer be associated with NASPE and NASSM.

COSMA accreditation is replacing program approval granted by the former Sport Management Program Review Council (SMPRC) which was in operation for more than 20 years. All SMPRC-approved programs will be recognized through their date of expiration until and unless they submit for COSMA approval.  All SMPRC-approved programs are invited to begin the COSMA accreditation process as soon as they would like.

Annual institutional memberships cost $1,800 and individual memberships cost $30 per year.  The COSMA fiscal year runs from July 1 to June 30 and applications are accepted year round.  The Commission reviewed its first set of programs in the June 2010 and two institutions were accredited.  Three additional visits are scheduled for the fall of 2010 with more to come in the spring of 2011.

COSMA is governed by a Board of Commissioners. It is comprised of six members who normally meet twice a year. The Board of Commissioners independently determines the accreditation status of an institution's sport management program.

The current Board of Commissioners are:

  • Robertha Abney, Slippery Rock University (3 year term, expires 2014)
  • Robert Baker, George Mason University (3 year term, expires 2011)
  • Jackie Cuneen, Bowling Green State University (3 year term, expires 2011)
  • Ming Li, Ohio University (3 year term, expires 2014)
  • Lisa Miller, Ohio Dominican University (3 year term, expires 2014)
  • Jo Williams, University of Southern Maine (3 year term, expires 2011)

For more information and application materials, please visit www.cosmaweb.org or contact COSMA by email at cosma@cosmaweb.org or by phone at 800-213-7193 x394 (VM only).



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