A master’s degree in sport management from the University of Windsor can be considered one of the best in the world, placing among the top 10 programs in this year’s Postgraduate Sports Course Rankings by SportBusiness International.

UWindsor’s Master of Human Kinetics in Sport Management program has been in the top 25 since the rankings were established in 2012, with this year’s ninth position earned through favourable class sizes, employment within three months of graduation, and student satisfaction. As in all previous years, UWindsor was the only Canadian school to make the grade.

“Our students come from all parts of Canada—we have students from as far away as British Columbia and Nova Scotia—as well as abroad,” says Jess Dixon, kinesiology professor and sport management program graduate.

“We currently have a student from Germany and have had students from China, Japan, New Zealand, Belgium and Ghana, among other countries. We believe this diversity of backgrounds and opinions helps to provide students with a broader base of understanding for how sport is managed in different parts of the country, but also on a global scale.”

Dr. Dixon says that while favourable post-graduation employment rates are considered for the survey, UWindsor also performs well in numbers of students who pursue a PhD following their completion of the master’s program.

“My pursuit of a doctorate in sport management undoubtedly stems from my master’s experience at UWindsor,” says Michael Naraine, a PhD candidate and part-time faculty member in the University of Ottawa’s Faculty of Health Sciences.

He says he was impressed with the ways in which the UWindsor program embraces innovation in research, enabling students to develop their own agenda while learning from an eclectic group of experts.

“I was encouraged to engage in collaborative efforts with peers and faculty members, guest lecture in undergraduate classes, and attend conferences to present research and build a network of contacts,” Naraine says. “The program also instilled the importance of student-focused teaching and learning, and service to the community—key values I have brought with me on my current endeavour. I am cognizant of the vast network of sport management alumni who have become leading experts in the field, a testament to the success of the program at UWindsor.”

Michael Khan, dean of the Faculty of Human Kinetics, says preparing graduates for success is the top priority for instructors.

“Congratulations to our team for this tremendous achievement,” he says. “These rankings reflect the hard work and dedication of our professors and staff towards this goal.”