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2026-27 Graduate Catalog
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) In Sport Management
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 Return to: Sorrell College of Business
Students should consult the General Regulations section of the Graduate Catalog for additional information regarding Graduate School admission requirements, transfer credit, and other critical policies and procedures.
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Purpose
The Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Sport Management is a terminal degree focusing on student comprehension and interpretation of contemporary, theoretical and applied studies within the field of Sport Management. The mission of the program is to prepare the graduate with a broad range of sport management-related positions to include, but not limited to higher education, research, professional or amateur athletics, and professional sport industry. Expected Program Outcomes
The program aims to provide a comprehensive curriculum with an area of specialization to prepare a sport manager practitioner or academician to: - Demonstrate the ability to conduct research related to the sport industry.
- Analyze, evaluate, and implement solutions to complex sport issues.
- Prepare innovators and leaders in the field of sport management.
- Disseminate of scholarly and practical research and knowledge in the behavioral sciences.
- Demonstrate teaching effectiveness for success in professional sport management roles.
Expected Student Outcomes
Upon successful completion of the PhD in Sport Management the graduate will be able to: - Demonstrate advanced knowledge of core and specialized content knowledge.
- Identify essential teaching strategies necessary for success in the sport management education environment.
- Demonstrate proficiency in communicating sport issues, while applying appropriate theoretical framework.
- Effectively interpret sport management research.
- Analyze and apply sport management principles, approaches and rationales to current sport management issues.
- Organize and plan programs of service designed to meet local, state, regional, national and/or international needs.
- Prepare research within the field of sport management for publication and research.
Admissions
Applicants must submit the following materials to Troy University Graduate School for admission: - Troy University Graduate School Application form
- One official transcript per each institution of higher education ever attended.
- Provide a list of three references including their name, title, affiliation, and contact information.
- Statement of Intent.
- Include details of your rationale for pursuing a PhD in Sport Management.
- Include details regarding your career and research interests.
- Identify 2-3 TROY Sport Management doctoral faculty members that you are interested in working with. A list of doctoral directive faculty members and their curriculum vitae indicating their research areas may be viewed at https://troy.edu/hstm.
- Writing Sample
- The goal of the writing sample is to measure the applicant’s ability to write clearly and succinctly in an academic fashion. The writing sample will assist the Doctoral Admissions Committee in evaluating the applicant’s research, writing, analytical and problem-solving skills. The writing sample may include a thesis completed by the student or a significant research paper, preferably written at the graduate level, and solely by the applicant. The Doctoral Admissions Committee will evaluate the writing sample based on the following criteria: 1) Writing Development and Critical Thinking - ability to articulate the primary concept and inform the reader of its focus; 2) Organization and Structure - development of the topic to include fluid transitions; 3) Paragraph Development - use of transitions and language within each paragraph.; and 4) Mechanics - appropriate spelling, grammar, and punctuation. NOTE: The writing sample could also include accepted or published research that the applicant has been sole or co-author of a research project. The applicant must submit a pdf of the paper or a link as proof of publication.
- Resume or Curriculum Vitae
No prerequisites will be required for admission other than the applicant must have attained a Master’s degree from a regionally accredited institution of higher education. In order to be given full consideration, all requested materials must be received by the deadlines listed below: | Application Deadlines (Preferred Application Dates): | | Fall Admission for US citizens: | May 1 | | Fall Admission for non US citizens: | April 1 | | Spring Admission for US citizens: | October 1 | | Spring Admission for non US citizens: | September 1 | Admission Examination Requirements
- TOEFL scores are required for all international students; this requirement is waived if the student has earned a bachelor’s or master’s degree from a regionally accredited United States institution. Students scoring 70 or higher on the Internet-based TOEFL Test, 193 or higher on the Computer-based Test, and a 523 or higher on the Paper-based TOEFL Test will be given full consideration for admission into the Doctoral Program.
- Official scores from nationally standardized aptitude examinations, such as the Graduate Record Examination (GRE), General Management Admissions Test (GMAT), or Law School Admissions Test (LSAT) are NOT required for admissions consideration; however, official scores may be submitted at the time of application by those students who feel the results of their examinations will enhance their admissions application.
Doctoral Admissions Committee
The Doctoral Admissions Committee will be composed of all Sport Management faculty members with doctoral directive status. Once all of the application materials have been received from the Graduate School, the Sport Management Doctoral Admissions Committee will review all eligible applicants. After the committee evaluates all aspects of the admission process, it will make a recommendation regarding an applicant’s admission into the PhD in Sport Management Program. After a decision has been made, applicants will be notified of their status. Doctoral Teaching Assistantships
Students who are accepted into the Doctor of Philosophy in Sport Management program may apply for a doctoral teaching assistantship. Applicants will be evaluated by faculty selection committee, and assistantship positions will be extended at the discretion of the School of HSTM based on program needs and the strength of the applicant pool. Consult the Sport Management PhD Director for more details. Transfer of Credit
The PhD degree in Sport Management at Troy University requires a minimum of 90 credits beyond a baccalaureate degree. In order to satisfy the 90 credits past a baccalaureate degree, no more than 30 credits of a Master’s or juris doctorate (JD) degree from another regionally accredited institution of higher education will be recognized. As such, the student must complete a minimum of 60 credit hours in the Sport Management doctoral program at Troy University. Conditions for Transfer Credit from another Sport Management doctoral program:
- Students must complete the admissions application packet as described previously.
- A maximum of 12 credit hours from another Sport Management doctoral program will be allowed to transfer to the Troy University Sport Management doctoral program.
- All transfer courses must be comparable to Troy University’s graduate courses and must be approved by the Sport Management PhD Director.
Entrance into the Program
All students accepted into the PhD in Sport Management program are required to complete a new student orientation course via Canvas. Once accepted into the program, students are assigned a Coursework Advisor that assists with course selection and program related questions until a Dissertation Committee Chair has been identified. It is the students’ responsibility to identify a faculty member willing to serve as their Dissertation Committee Chair no later than the conclusion of 15 credit hours in the program. Time to Complete Degree
Consistent with other terminal degree programs at TROY, the Sport Management doctoral student will have a maximum time for degree completion of eight years, inclusive of completing dissertation requirements. Dissertation Chair and Committee (and Comprehensive Exam Committee)
Each doctoral student must identify a faculty member to serve as Dissertation Committee Chair no later than the conclusion of 15 credit hours in the program. The Dissertation Committee Chair must hold Doctoral Directive Faculty status within the School of Hospitality, Sport, and Tourism Management (HSTM). Once identified, the Dissertation Committee Chair serves as the student’s primary academic advisor and chairs both the Comprehensive Examination and Dissertation Committees. The Chair is responsible for the administration of the comprehensive exam and guiding the student through the dissertation process and activities of the Dissertation Committee. The Dissertation Committee must consist of a minimum of three members, including the Dissertation Chair. All committee members may be selected from faculty affiliated with the School of Hospitality, Sport, and Tourism Management. If desired, one committee member may be selected from a related academic discipline outside the School of HSTM, provided the individual holds full-time Graduate Faculty status. Additional committee members may be included in accordance with Graduate School and program policies. Comprehensive Examinations
Sport Management doctoral students are required to successfully complete a written and oral comprehensive examination. The purpose of the Comprehensive Examination is to provide the doctoral candidate with an opportunity to demonstrate mastery of the salient concepts, theories, and practices related to the discipline of Sport Management, as well as competence in research design, methodology, and scholarly inquiry. The Comprehensive Examination may be completed through one of two formats, as determined by program guidelines and approved by the Dissertation Committee Chair and Comprehensive Examination Committee. These formats include (1) a traditional written examination followed by an oral examination, or (2) a qualifying paper accompanied by an oral defense. Regardless of format, the Comprehensive Examination is designed to assess the student’s ability to integrate information from diverse scholarly sources, critically evaluate existing research, and synthesize knowledge across relevant subfields of Sport Management. The examination process provides doctoral students the opportunity to demonstrate effective research skills, including literature review, data analysis where appropriate, and the ability to situate their scholarly work within the existing body of knowledge. For the qualifying paper option, the paper must be publishable quality and submitted to a peer-reviewed academic journal approved by the Dissertation Chair and Committee. The oral defense provides an opportunity for the student to present and discuss the research, ensuring mastery of the subject matter and research skills. Timeframe for the Comprehensive Examination
The comprehensive exam is recommended to be taken in the last term of class enrollment but not any later than the end of three subsequent terms, unless extenuating circumstances arise and approved by the Dissertation chair. For example, should students complete their final classwork during term 2, they may elect to take the comprehensive exam in term 2 but no later than the end of term 5 unless extenuating circumstances arise. Applying for the Comprehensive Examination
Students are required to notify their Dissertation Committee Chair about their plan to complete the Comprehensive Exam. The Dissertation Chair and student will work collaboratively to determine the appropriate format-either the traditional written and oral examination or the qualifying paper with oral defense-and to approve the comprehensive exam process. Coordination of submission dates for the qualifying paper and written exam, as well as the scheduling of the oral examination, is the responsibility of both the student and their Dissertation Committee Chair. Preparing for the Comprehensive Examination
The comprehensive examination involves a collaborative effort between the student and the Dissertation Committee Chair. For the traditional and written and oral examination, the student and Dissertation Chair will discuss the content areas to be covered, which typically include Sport Management core curriculum, specialization or cognate area, and research and statistical methods. Students should prepare in consultation with the Chair and may seek guidance from other committee members as appropriate. For the qualifying paper, the subject and topic of the paper will be determined through collaboration between the Dissertation Chair, committee members, and the student. Students are expected to have been working with their Dissertation Chair and committee well in advance of the Comprehensive Exam to develop a research study suitable to serve as the qualifying paper. The paper must be “ready for submission” and may originate from previous seminar work or other research projects. Taking the Comprehensive Examination
The Dissertation Committee Chair will oversee the administration of the Comprehensive Exam, including submission dates for qualifying papers or written exam, distributing the written exam (if applicable), collecting student responses, and scheduling the oral examination. The dates for the exam and for submission of responses will be provided to the student well in advance to minimize conflicts with external responsibilities. For the qualifying paper, committee members are given at least two weeks to review the submitted paper prior to the oral defense. The oral defense provides the student with the opportunity to present and discuss the research, demonstrating mastery of the subject matter and research skills. For the traditional written examination, the student completes the written portion within the designated timeframe, and responses are disseminated to committee members for review prior to the oral examination. Dissertation committee members are given at least two weeks to review the student’s responses before the oral examination. The oral examination allows committee members to ask questions to assess understanding of key concepts, theories, research methods, and other areas of expertise. Written Examination
The written portion of the Comprehensive Examination may be completed in one of two formats, as determined and agreed upon with the Dissertation Chair: the qualifying paper or the traditional written exam. For the qualifying paper, students must prepare the paper according to the style requirements of a specific peer-reviewed journal the student and Dissertation Committee agree upon. Students will be assessed on academic writing skills, including organizing ideas, constructing arguments, citing relevant literature, data analysis, and the ability to situate one’s research within existing knowledge. The qualifying paper may be seminar work or based on previous research projects submitted for a graduate course; the student must receive approval from the Dissertation Chair and the course instructor. Depending on the target outlet and recommendations from the Dissertation chair and Committee, the qualifying paper will likely include the following elements through modifications may be allowed. - Tittle
- Abstract and Key Words
- Introduction
- Theoretical Framework
- Literature Review
- Methods Section
- Analysis or Findings
- Discussion
- Conclusions
- References
Students are encouraged to maintain contact with all committee members during preparation. Coordination of submission dates for the qualifying paper is the responsibility of both the student and the Dissertation Committee Chair. Committee members will have at least two weeks to review the paper prior to the oral defense. The qualifying paper must be of publishable quality and submitted to a peer-reviewed academic journal approved by the Dissertation Chair and Committee. For the traditional written exam, students will be evaluated on mastery in the discipline of Sport Management. Typically, the exam will assess three areas: research/statistics, doctoral core knowledge, and the student’s specialization area. Students must submit the completed exam to the Dissertation Chair by the assigned date and time. Unless extenuating circumstances are approved by the committee, failure to meet the deadline may result in termination from the program. Oral Examination
Upon completion of the written component of the Comprehensive Examination (traditional written exam or qualifying paper), the student will complete an oral examination with the Comprehensive Examination Committee. The oral examination may be conducted in person or via approved technology that allows real-time interaction among all participants. For students completing the qualifying paper format, the oral examination will include a brief presentation of the paper, followed by questions from the committee. For students completing the traditional written examination format, the oral examination will focus on clarification, elaboration, and synthesis of responses provided in the written exam. Regardless of format, the oral examination will assess the student’s understanding of the subject matter, ability to articulate and defend arguments, and capacity to engage with literature and concepts relevant to the examination area. The committee may ask questions that extend beyond the submitted materials but remain connected to the approved examination content. Evaluating the Comprehensive Examination
The written examination will be read and evaluated by all members of the student’s comprehensive exam committee. Following the completion of the written examination, the committee will conduct an oral examination. NOTE: The comprehensive exam process will be scored by all members of the committee. Except for approved substitutions, all members of the examination committee must be present for the oral examination. Satisfactory performance on both the written and oral components of the comprehensive exam is required. Based on this evaluation, the Comprehensive Examination Committee determines whether the student is qualified to be admitted to doctoral candidacy. Upon completion of the written and oral examination, the committee will assign one of the following: Pass with Distinction: All of the committee members agree that the student demonstrated outstanding performance across all components of the Comprehensive Exam. Pass: The majority of the committee members agree that the student demonstrated acceptable performance across the majority of the examination components. Fail Retake Permitted: A majority of the committee members agree that the student did not demonstrate acceptable performance on more than one component of the examination. Under such circumstances, the exam cannot be retaken until following semester. The student must be enrolled in at least one credit hour during the semester/term in which the retake occurs. The student will not be allowed to propose a doctoral dissertation until the exam is passed. Additionally, if the committee members agree that the student failed to respond in an acceptable manner in the second exam, the student’s program will be terminated. Retaking the comprehensive final will be permitted only once. Fail: All of the committee members agree that the student failed to demonstrate acceptable performance on more than one component of the examination, and no retake will be permitted. In this case, the student’s program is terminated. For students completing the qualifying paper format, the qualifying paper must be submitted to an approved peer-reviewed academic journal, and proof of submission must be provided before the comprehensive examination is considered successfully completed. Reporting Results of the Comprehensive Doctoral Examination
- Only after the Committee reaches a decision on the results of the Comprehensive Exam should students be notified. Typically, this should occur within about three weeks of the examination date.
- The comprehensive examination committee chair will be responsible for notifying students of the examination results in a timely manner. Other Committee members should treat all exam information in the strictest confidence.
- After a student successfully completes the written and oral components of the comprehensive examination, the comprehensive examination committee chair will be responsible for notifying the Dean of Troy University’s Graduate School.
Admission to Doctoral Candidacy
Students seeking to enter Doctoral Candidacy must have: - Completed all coursework with a GPA of 3.0 or higher; and
- Passed the comprehensive exams
Dissertation Proposal
The dissertation proposal is a formal document that presents the student’s written plan for the projected doctoral dissertation. The proposal outlines the research problem, relevant literature, methodological approach, and anticipated contributions of the study. The Dissertation Committee reviews the proposal to evaluate the feasibility, rigor, and scholarly merit of the project. The student is required to pass their comprehensive exam prior to presenting their dissertation proposal. Approval of the proposal signifies the committee’s endorsement of the research and authorization for the student to initiate or continue work on the dissertation. Doctoral Dissertation
The dissertation is the culminating scholarly requirement of the Doctor of Philosophy in Sport Management degree. It represents an original research contribution that demonstrates the student’s ability to design, conduct, analyze, and communicate independent research relevant to the field of study. Completion of the dissertation reflects mastery of relevant theoretical frameworks, research methodologies, and disciplinary literature. The dissertation process is conducted under the guidance of the Dissertation Chair and Committee and includes the preparation of a written dissertation, committee review, and a formal defense. Writing the Dissertation
Approval of the dissertation proposal signifies the student’s commitment to the Dissertation Committee to complete the proposed project in a reasonable timeframe. The dissertation must be written in accordance with the most recent edition of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (APA), which is the sole writing style permitted. A 12-point font Times New Roman font should be used consistently throughout the document. Students are encouraged to consult the dissertation guidelines available on the Troy University Graduate School website for additional requirements. Students must obtain approval from the Troy University Institutional Review Board (IRB) prior to initiating any data collection. Students are responsible for ensuring continued compliance with all IRB requirements throughout the duration of the research project. Dissertation drafts are reviewed exclusively by the members of the Dissertation Committee. Students are expected to revise drafts in response to feedback from the committee until the dissertation is deemed acceptable by all members. Students should plan for the dissertation review and revision process to require significant time for committee evaluation and incorporation of feedback. Students must be continuously enrolled for a minimum of 1 credit hour in Dissertation (SM 8860) per term during and including the semester in which they successfully defend their dissertation. Dissertation credit hours may exceed the program minimum but may not be fewer than the number required for the student’s approved plan of study. Students will complete a minimum of 18 dissertation credit hours. Students who have completed the required minimum dissertation credit hours but have not successfully defended the dissertation must continue to enroll in at least one credit hour of Dissertation (SM 8860) each term until the defense is completed. If a student fails to maintain the continuous enrollment requirement, they may be required to undergo re-admittance into the PhD program. Dissertation Defense
The defense provides the candidate with an opportunity to address the components of the dissertation such as the introduction, importance of the study, methodology, results, and discussion/conclusion. The work must be of publishable quality using the Graduate School’s format requirements. To complete their degree, each doctoral candidate is required to prepare, present, and orally defend a dissertation that shows independent investigation. Upon completion of the dissertation, the student must successfully complete an oral defense pertaining to the dissertation research. When the dissertation has been approved by all members of the Dissertation committee, the student with the approval of the Dissertation Chair will determine the date, time, and site of the oral Dissertation defense. All members of the defense committee must receive a copy of the candidate’s dissertation at least two weeks prior to the scheduled defense. If the student does not pass the oral dissertation defense, a subsequent oral defense may be scheduled at the discretion of the Dissertation Chair. Only after the student has successfully defended the dissertation will the members of the Dissertation Committee sign the Dissertation Acceptance Page(s). The Dissertation Chair will notify the Dean of the Graduate School at least one week in advance of the scheduled oral dissertation defense. The oral dissertation defense must occur at least four weeks before the intended date of graduation/commencement. Due to distance constraints, if the student cannot physically be on the Troy campus for the dissertation defense, the student is responsible to arrange technology such as Teams, per the dissertation committee approval, for the dissertation defense. After Dissertation Defense
Dissertations must be written in English and must be acceptable in form and content to present to the Dissertation Committee and to the Graduate School. The work must be of publishable quality and must be in a form suitable for publication, using the Graduate Schools’ format requirements. The Dissertation must be reviewed by the Graduate School for adherence to Dissertation formatting requirements (Appendix C in the Dissertation Guidelines). The student must submit a flawless copy to the Graduate School (Adams Administration Building, Room 231, Troy campus) for format review. The appropriate number of “Dissertation Acceptance Pages” and “Human and Animal Review Forms” with appropriate original signatures should be submitted along with Dissertation. The last date a fully approved Dissertation may be submitted to the Dean of the Graduate School is three (3) full weeks prior to the date of graduation. THIS DEADLINE IS NOT NEGOTIABLE. The student is responsible for checking the University academic calendar for relevant deadlines for commencement for the semester in which they plan to graduate. Plagiarism
The awarding of a university degree attests that an individual has demonstrated mastery of a significant body of knowledge and skills of substantive value to society. Any type of dishonesty in securing those credentials therefore invites serious sanctions, up to and including suspension and expulsion (see Standard of Conduct in each TROY Catalog). Examples of dishonesty include actual or attempted cheating, plagiarism*, or knowingly furnishing false information to any university employee. *Plagiarism is defined as submitting anything for credit in one course that has already been submitted for credit in another course, or copying any part of someone else’s intellectual work - their ideas and/or words - published or unpublished, including that of other students, and portraying it as one’s own. Proper quoting, using strict APA formatting, is required. The use of artificial intelligence (AI) tools or services to generate or substantially draft dissertation content represents a form of academic dishonestly unless explicitly authorized in writing by the Dissertation Chair. All submitted dissertation work must reflect the student’s independent scholarly effort. Students are responsible for understanding that the unauthorized use of AI-generated content, including but not limited to text, data analysis, literature, summaries, or interpretations, may constitute plagiarism or falsification. Plagiarism is a very serious offense that Troy University does not tolerate. Evidence of plagiarism may prevent granting of a degree. Academic Suspension
Graduate students may earn no more than six term hours of grades below ”B”. Students who earn more than six term hours of ”C” grades or below are automatically academically suspended from the University for a period of one calendar year, at which time the student may petition the Dean of the Graduate School for readmission. Conditionally admitted students who do not attain a 3.0 grade point average (4.0 scale) at the completion of six term hours will be academically suspended from the University for a period of one calendar year at which time the student may petition the Dean of the Graduate School for readmission. Students who are academically suspended are prohibited from attending the Graduate School or any academic level of the University for a period of one calendar year. Any courses taken at another university during the time of academic suspension will not be accepted for credit. Further information may be found in the Troy University Catalog. Readmission
For any student seeking readmission into the program, they must meet all degree requirements current at the time of readmission. Further information regarding readmission procedures may be found in the Troy University Catalog. Doctoral Program Completion Requirements
All students will be required to take and achieve a minimum grade of “B” in each of the following doctoral core classes: Research and Statistics Requirements (15 sh)
All students will be required to take and achieve a minimum gradeof “B” in each of the following research and statistics courses: Specialization Requirements (12-18 sh)
PhD Sport Management students may choose one of the following specialization areas: College Athletics (12 sh)
Students will select 12 credit hours of courses from the following: Sport Marketing (12 sh)
Students will select 12 credit hours of courses from the following: Faculty-Approved (12 sh)
This option allows doctoral students an opportunity to customize an area of specialization by identifying 12 hours of graduate level courses. In consultation with their Dissertation Chair, students will complete a combination of approved 6000 level courses or higher from varied discipline offerings. Business Management (18 sh)
This option allows doctoral students an opportunity to further their expertise within a focused area of Business. In consultation with their Dissertation Chair, students must complete: - BUS 6600 - Survey of Business Concepts
- Select 15 additional credit hours of approved graduate level coursework in Management (MGT) and/or Human Resource Management (HRM)
*Students choosing the business management specialization are required to take an additional 6 semester hours of specialization courses.
Comprehensive Examination (0 sh)
Dissertation Requirements (18 sh)
Total Hours: 60-66 semester hours
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Return to: Sorrell College of Business
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