Master of science in marketing degree

United States Sports Academy develops new Master of Sport Science degree program, The

The United States Sports Academy serves the nation and the world as a sport education resource, whose mission is upgrading sport through programs of instruction, research and service. Consistent with a rich thirty-year tradition of ground-braking programs in sport education, the Academy is currently developing a first-of-its-kind, a Master of Sport Science degree in Sport Art. The MSS in Sport Art provides students with the opportunity to develop a personalized program whose main thrust is collection management and that does not require studio work or an undergraduate degree in Fine Art.

In keeping with its legacy as an innovator in sport education, the Academy is on the cutting edge of discovery with the MSS in Sport Art program. There is no other program offering like it in the world. Keeping pace with technology and the explosion of Web-based delivery systems that have catapulted learning from a distance into the educational mainstream, students can take the largest part of the program from the convenience of their homes or anywhere in the world and at any time that fits their specific needs. Combine this with the wealth of on-campus opportunity students have to immerse themselves in the ASAMA collection, whose aggregate value is estimated at well over $4 Million. The spectacular two story mural on the face of the Academy's main building by Spanish Artist Cristobal Gabarron entitled "A Tribute to the Human Spirit" has been appraised by the European Cultural Commission at well over $2 million alone. Such is the power and potential of the MSS in Sport Art program.

Undergraduate majors with backgrounds in studio art, art education, art history, or graphic design are most suitable to this new program. The focus of the program is on learning how to promote, display, market and write about sport art. The program gives students a complete overview of sport art history and provides the flexibility to structure and research internships and independent studies in areas of their own choosing.

Designed to prepare students for a number of career and leadership opportunities in sport art, students who complete the advanced degree will be qualified to work in many areas where sport art is exhibited, promoted, and marketed. Graduates will be prepared for a variety of careers that range from consultant positions for stadium and foyer designs to curator positions in museums that house sport art. With the rise in sport interest and the development of various halls of fame, someone with a master's degree in Sport Art would find worthwhile employment developing and managing such halls of fame dedicated exclusively to sport. Then, too, the opportunities in graphic advertising with a sport-specific bent would be more than apparent. The options are seemingly endless for this unique graduate degree in Sport Art.

The Curriculum

A minimum of 33 semester hours is necessary to complete the master's curriculum in Sport Art. The MSS degree program consists of two core courses, six major courses and a working mentorship or thesis. The degree program is as follows:

Core Courses

Sport Marketing(3)

Sport Writing and Research

Major Courses

Contemporary Issues in Sports (3)

Sport Art History (3)

Principles of Sport Museums

Mgmt. (3)

Principles of Sport Art Curating (3)

Role of Education in Sports

Museums (3)

Administration and Finance (3)

Sport Art Mentorship or Thesis (9)

Program Delivery Options

To provide the student with the greatest flexibility, courses may be taken via the Internet or through a combination of online and residential delivery. Sport Art students may choose to enroll in the mentorship or thesis experience after the completion of the four core courses or after completion of all of their course work which also includes the four Sport Art major courses.

Sport Art Textbook

Adding to the development of the Sport Art curriculum, the Academy has commissioned James and, Kathy Ridlon to write a text book tracing the development of sport art through the ages for the new program. Entitled Art of the Game: A Survey of Sport Art through the Ages, the text focuses on demonstrating the relationship between artists, athletes, and the game. The content of the book addresses the aesthetic issues and formal concerns explored by artists. The influence of culture, technology, and artistic expression of sport art are also reviewed. Featuring the outstanding work of Sport Artists of the Year selected by the Academy over the past twenty years, Art of the Game: A Survey of Sport Art through the Ages is both an exceptional resource and a work of art in and of itself.

Profile of the Authors

Jim and Kathy Ridlon have encompassed art and sport into one lifetime. Their achievements and accomplishments range from the hardships of the gridiron to the elegant world of art and sport art. Jim Ridlon played collegiate football at the University of Syracuse, and was a teammate of the famed running back, Jim Brown. Ridlon ranks eighth all-time in Orangemen history with eleven interceptions. In 1956 Ridlon became the first recipient of the Pat Miller Outstanding Athlete/Student/Citizen Award. After his senior year that included playing in the College All-Star Game, Ridlon was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers of the NFL. Jim played with the Dallas Cowboys as well, and was selected to play in the Pro Bowl in 1964.

After completing his illustrious professional career, Jim returned to SU to become the football team's defensive backfield coach, but he also began to continue the groundwork on his academic career. Ridlon's Bachelor of Fine Arts is in sculpture and art education, and his Master of Fine Arts is in sculpture. He is a professor of art in the College of Visual and Performing Arts.

Kathy Ridlon has been writing for the Syracuse newspaper (Newhouse Publications) for the past several years. She is widely considered to be the leading art expert, critic and writer in the greater Syracuse area. Kathy will be the main force behind the writing of the book, interviewing of the sport artists, researching the subject of sport art, and working the general flow of the book. Kathy has a unique gift of communicating complex ideas to the general public in a way they can easily grasp and understand.

The new Master's degree in Sport Art is but another example of the Academy being on the vanguard of development in sport education. It is indicative of its progressive President, Dr. Thomas P. Rosandich, who constantly challenges his thirty-year old institution of higher learning to reach higher and farther into new and uncharted territory as an on-going enterprise of the United States Sports Academy.