PhD in Kinesiology
Sport Management
The Sport Management PhD concentration at the Louisiana State University is offered by the School of Kinesiology as a degree program which focuses on developing a variety of academic skills to help students become successful in academic and/or scholarly endeavors. Students accepted into the PhD program will receive training toward careers in academia or related career fields. Specifically, students will be provided the opportunity to receive and demonstrate critical thinking and research skills through an interdisciplinary approach which centers on the student’s research interests and career ambitions. Building on a foundation of sport management courses, independent studies, and mentoring opportunities with the program’s faculty members, students will, through elective coursework (i.e., cognate area) explore a wide variety of management issues related to the field of sport. Such interests may include areas related to Organizational Behavior and Theory, Facility Management, Law and Legal Applications, Finance and Accounting, Economics, History, and Sport for Development to name a few. Finally, unique among graduate programs, LSU offers real opportunities to teach lecture courses in our undergraduate Sport Administration program to help prepare PhD students and candidates for careers in academia. Courses available for doctoral students and candidates at LSU include the basic core of most undergraduate and graduate curriculums (e.g., marketing and promotions, law and ethics, finance, introduction to sport industry, economics, etc.). Overall, the PhD opportunity at LSU allows students the flexibility to carve their niche within the sport industry to better serve the interest of the academy and their own natural curiosity.
Students must submit an application to the Graduate School. Students will be evaluated on these six areas regarding their application package:
- Cumulative Undergraduate Grade Point Average (GPA)
- GRE and/or GMAT score
- Three Letters of Recommendation
- Letter of Intent/Interest
- Research Statement
- Resume
PhD applicants should contact the faculty members before applying to understand the current research interests of the faculty and to communicate their own potential area of interest.
Minimum Total* 77 Credit Hours
Research and Statistics 26 Credit Hours
Cognate Area** 15 Credit Hours
| Professional Core Courses | 18 Credit Hours |
|---|---|
| KIN 7511 Administrative Problems in Kinesiology | 3 |
| KIN 7516 Organizational Behavior and Development in Sport | 3 |
| KIN 7519 Financial Issues in Sport | 3 |
| KIN 7524 Legal Issues in Sport | 3 |
| KIN 7545 Economic Issues in Sport | 3 |
| KIN 7548 Issues in Sport Marketing | 3 |
| Sport Management Elective Courses (Choose 12 Hours) | 12 Credit Hours |
|---|---|
| KIN 4501 Special Topics in Sport Management | 3 |
| KIN 4513 Facilities Management | 3 |
| KIN 4518 Governance and Policy Development in Sport | 3 |
| KIN 4515 Sports Seminar | 3 |
| KIN 4517 Sports Administration | 3 |
| KIN 4900 Independent Study | 3 |
| KIN 7505 Problems in Kinesiology | 3 |
| KIN 7544 Current Topics in Sport Management | 3 |
| KIN 7518 Social Issues in Sport | 3 |
| (Choose 12 credit hours) |
| Dissertation | 9 Credit Hours |
|---|---|
| KIN 9000 Dissertation Research | 9 |
*Classes can be transferred from a master’s degree program toward the 77-credit hour minimum. Students should consult with faculty advisor(s) as to the coursework plan that will prepare them to meet their goals and to understand what classes might transfer from previous graduate studies (e.g., master’s degree).
**Electives and Cognate: Electives and the selection of the Cognate specialization will be chosen on the basis of agreement between the student and the student’s advisor. Courses required for the Cognate specialization will be based on agreement between the student and the student’s Cognate professor. Each of these agreements is subject to approval by the student’s PhD committee. *At least 27 credit hours at the 7000 level or above, exclusive of any type of independent study, is required.
Dr. Adam Pfleegor (Original Placement: Mississippi State University)
Dr. Dylan Williams (Original Placement: University of Alabama)
Dr. Patrick Tutka (Original Placement: Niagara University)
Dr. Khirey Walker (Original Placement: Ball State University)
Dr. Jeremy Foreman (Original Placement: University of Louisiana- Lafayette)
Dr. Benjamin Downs (Original Placement: Ball University)
Dr. Yoseph Mamo (Original Placement: Tennessee State University)
Dr. Seungmin Kang (Original Placement: North Dakota State University)
Dr. Marcella Otto (Original Placement: Northern Illinois University)
Dr. Tiffany Demiris (Original Placement: St. Bonaventure University)
Dr. Nathan Baer (Original Placement: Southeastern Louisiana University)
Dr. Jeff White (Original Placement: Briar Cliff University)
Dr. Mandy Barefoot (Original Placement: Western Kentucky University)
Olga Khokhryakova (4th Year)
2021 MS; University of Arkansas, Community Health Promotion
2014 MS; Higher School of Economics University, Moscow, History
2012 BS; Higher School of Economics University, Moscow, Journalism
Interest: Olga’s primary research interest is focused on the role of social entrepreneurship and innovation in the field of sport for development. She is particularly interested in studying entrepreneurship during the formative stages of sport for development organizations. Olga is also interested in studying organizational capacity building in underrepresented regions.
King Saah (4th Year)
2017 MS; Temple University, Globalization and Development Communication
2012 BA; Cabrini College, Graphic Design
Interest: King’s primary research interest is focused on leadership in the field of sport for development. He is interested in the role of different leadership styles as well as leadership development. Additionally, King’s secondary research interest involves studying funding models and fundraising in sport for development.
Weizhe “Willie” Li (3rd Year)
2023 MS; University of Georgia, Sport Management and Policy
2020 BE; Guangdong University of Technology, Transportation
Interest: Willie’s primary research interests focus on sport marketing, social media strategies, and athlete branding, with a particular emphasis on how sport entities strategically leverage social media to enhance fan engagement. Methodologically, Willie specializes in advanced analytical techniques such as sentiment analysis and qualitative comparative analysis (QCA).
Joelle Ferguson (2nd Year)
2022 MS; Eastern Kentucky University, Sport Administration
2021 BBA; Business Administration
Interest: Joelle's primary research interest centers on funding relationships within the sport for development sector, with a particular emphasis on the perspectives and motivations of funders. Her interest aims to examine the decision-making processes of funding agencies and how these influence the allocation and availability of sport for development funding opportunities.
Hussein Alhassan (1st Year)
2024 MSL; Virginia Commonwealth University, Sport Leadership
2013 BS; University of Professional Studies, Accra, Marketing
Interest: Hussein’s research examines soccer practices in marginalized communities across the Global South. He is particularly interested in how governments and sport governing bodies such as FIFA and CAF can leverage grassroots soccer as a vehicle for inclusion and community development through governance and policy initiatives.
Victoria Larsen (1st Year)
2020 MA; University of San Francisco, Sport Management
2018 BA; California State University, Stanislaus, Kinesiology
Interest: Victoria's research examines the intersection of sport and politics, civic engagement, and social responsibility. She is particularly interested in athlete activism and how professional athletes and sports organizations can influence voter behavior and promote civic participation within their communities.
Accreditation
The PhD in Kinesiology with a specialization in Sport Management graduate program is accredited by the Commission on Sport Management Accreditation (COSMA). The program is designed to help students become successful in academic and/or scholarly endeavors. Of the 34 sport management doctoral programs in the United States, only three have achieved accreditation at this point from COSMA.
Sport Management Research
100%
Track record of Initial Tenure-Track Placement
- 2024 Data from the LSU School of Kinesiology - Sport Management Program.
You Will Publish!
Grads of our PhD program produced papers published or accepted before hitting the job market.
Sample List: JSM, SMR, IJSM, IJSMM, MSL, SMEJ, JASM, and IJSC, among others.
- LSU School of Kinesiology - Sport Management Program