Achieve meaningful victory with a coaching career.
If you’ve been searching for a sports coaching or fitness leadership degree program that can both be completed online and help you make a difference in the lives of athletes and in your career goals, congrats: you’ve found it! The Master's Degree in Coaching & Fitness Leadership program from the University of the Cumberlands can give you the fitness and leadership expertise you need to be successful in coaching any stage of individual and team sports – whether that be amateur, college, or professional. Develop practical leadership skills, an understanding of sports, physical fitness, and coaching, and use your skills and knowledge to inspire and lead athletes.
By the Numbers
Programs & Requirements
Online Master's in Coaching and Fitness Leadership
This online master’s program in coaching emphasizes practical application from strong academic content, giving you the tools you'll need to coach, teach, and influence individual and team performance. You’ll learn what it takes to develop an ethical and effective leadership style, how to help athletes prepare to reach their goals, and what it takes to guide individual and team performance during your master’s in coaching. Education for your master’s in coaching degree online program will engage you in topics ranging from exercise physiology and fitness to coaching and management strategies to help prepare you to launch a successful coaching career.
Course Requirements (30 hours)
Choose two courses from the following:
- HHP 531 - Applied Statistics
- HHP 533 - Health and Fitness Psychology
- HHP 536 - Foundations of Physical Activity in Health Promotion
- HHP 630 - Health Promotion through Physical Activity
- HHP 632 - Current Issues in Health Promotion
- HHP 634 - Strength and Conditioning
- HHP 635 - Youth Health and Fitness
- HHP 636 - Plant Based Nutrition
- HHP 637 - Applied Sports Medicine
- HHP 639 - Special Topics
Take the Next Step
Mission & Goals
The mission of the coaching & fitness leadership program at Cumberlands is to instill students with strong leadership qualities, an appreciation for sportsmanship, and the skills needed to lead a team of athletes well. Through this program, you will:
Coaching & Fitness Careers & Outcomes
*All statistics from the U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics
Coach: $38,970
Coach: $38,970
Coaches teach amateur or professional athletes the skills they need to succeed at their sport.
Sports Scout: $38,970
Sports Scout: $38,970
Scouts evaluate athletes as possible recruits.
Athletic Trainer: $48,420
Athletic Trainer: $48,420
Athletic trainers specialize in preventing, diagnosing, and treating muscle and bone injuries and illnesses.
Fitness Trainer/Instructor: $40,700
Fitness Trainer/Instructor: $40,700
Fitness trainers and instructors lead, instruct, and motivate individuals or groups in exercise activities.
Physical Therapist: $95,620
Physical Therapist: $95,620
Physical therapists help injured or ill people improve movement and manage pain.
Exercise Physiologist: $47,940
Exercise Physiologist: $47,940
Exercise physiologists develop fitness and exercise programs that help injured or sick patients recover.
Common Questions
With your master’s degree in coaching & fitness leadership, you have the ability — and credentials — to pursue a number of athletic- or fitness-related careers. Some options in this field include:
- Head Coach
- Scout
- Athletics Director
- Fitness Trainer
- Community Health Consultant
Each course lasts eight weeks, called a bi-term. There are two bi-terms per semester, and three semesters per year (fall, spring, and summer). Many classes are asynchronous, meaning there is no set login time; you can work on schoolwork whenever you find time. Cumberlands provides free rental textbooks to online students as part of its One Price Promise.
Yes! Through this program, you'll gain practical skills in leadership, teamwork, and health and wellness that are valued by employers in a variety of different fields.
You will not need to come to campus for this degree. This degree is offered in a 100% online format, so you can earn your degree without ever coming to campus.
University of the Cumberlands’ online master’s in coaching and fitness leadership degree program is made by coaching and fitness professionals, for coaching and fitness professionals. It’s designed to accommodate both pre-professional students who wish to further their education and those already working in coaching and fitness careers looking to advance within their respective areas.
All programs at University of the Cumberlands are offered at some of the lowest rates in the nation. For more information on how affordable this program would be for you, visit our Financial Aid page.
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