Program Overview

Sports Communication Graduate Certificate

The Graduate Certificate in Sports Communication provides the foundation and specialization to succeed in a variety of sports communication careers. Students will focus on practical, real-world skills for communicating in an increasingly complex and diverse sports landscape.

Program Structure

• The program is a stackable graduate certificate providing transcripted academic credit.
• It is designed to help students build in-demand skills and succeed in an increasingly complex sports communication industry.
• The program is open to students who have completed a bachelor’s degree in any field.
• It offers a curriculum designed to prepare students for an ever-changing communication landscape.
• The program is taught by renowned faculty from the top-ranked Moody College of Communication.

Key Skills and Competencies

• Content creation and storytelling
  • Current and emerging social media
  • Personal branding
  • Negotiation and sponsorships

Course Offerings

• Political and Crisis Communication in Sports
• Sports Audio and Video Storytelling
• Negotiation in Sports
• Personal Identity Branding
• Social Media Strategies

Program Details

• The program requires five total courses in sports communication to be taken in a one-year period.
• Students engage with peers in their cohort for team collaboration and networking.
• They interact face-to-face with award-winning faculty.

Admissions Requirements

• All applicants must meet the University of Texas at Austin Graduate School admission requirements.
• Applicants must have earned a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution, or be on track to graduate before enrolling in the certificate.
• Requirements include:
  • Bachelor’s degree in any field
  • GPA of at least 3.0 on a 4-point scale, though conditional admission may be possible for GPAs under 3.0 in extenuating circumstances
  • For international applicants only, TOEFL score of at least 79 or IELTS score of at least 6.5

Application Process

• Applications are accepted through the Graduate School Application for Admission.
• After completing the data entry sections and paying the application fee, applicants must upload supporting documents on their MyStatus page.
• Additional documents required:
  • A resume
  • One letter of recommendation
  • A statement of purpose (maximum of 1000 words) responding to the prompt: Describe your reasons for pursuing graduate study and your academic and professional interests and goals.
  • Transcripts from all undergraduate and graduate institutions attended
  • Official TOEFL or IELTS scores taken within the past two years (for International Applicants only)
  • No GRE or GMAT is required

Acceptance

• The Admissions Committee for the Sports Communication stackable graduate certificate reviews complete applications after the deadline.
• Admitted applicants are notified by email from the Department of Communication Studies.
• Both the Department of Communication Studies and the Office of Graduate Studies must accept applicants before they can enroll.

Program Costs and Financial Aid

• Students in the program pay a flat program fee of $22,500 for the entire certificate.
• For students starting the program in August 2025 or January 2026:
  • Three courses: $13,500
  • Two courses: $9,000
  • Total: $22,500
• A non-refundable $1,000 deposit is required when applicants accept an offer of admission.
• Financial Aid: Non-degree-seeking students in an Option III program are not eligible for federal financial aid.
• They may be eligible for some private sector loans.
• The Sports Communication Graduate Certificate is eligible for use with GI Bill education benefits.

Application Deadlines

• March 1: Application Due for Fall Admission
• September 1: Application Due for Spring Admission

Stackable Certificate

• The Sports Communication Graduate Certificate can apply toward an Option III Master’s degree.
• Students who successfully complete the Sports Communication, Strategic Communication, or Communication and Leadership graduate certificates can apply those credits to the Master's degree in Communication Studies, Strategic Communication (Option III) if accepted into the program.