COSMA
  • ABOUT COSMA
    • MISSION >
      • CHEA Recognition
    • Value of Accreditation
    • Directory of Accredited Programs
    • Board of Commissioners >
      • Commissioners Actions
    • Board of Directors >
      • Strategic Planning
  • Accreditation
    • Why Accreditation Matters
    • Step 1: Program Membership
    • Step 2: Candidacy Status >
      • Measuring Student Learning
    • Step 3: Self Study Preparation
    • Step 4: Site Visit >
      • Site Visit Costs
    • Step 5: Accreditation Decision
    • Accreditation Training
    • Annual Report
  • Join COSMA
    • Program Members >
      • COSMA Exit Survey
    • Organizational Members
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  • Conference
    • Case Study Cup
    • 2023 Evaluation
    • Sponsorship Opportunities
    • Hall of Fame
    • Esports Management Series
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    • Archives >
      • 2022 Conference
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  • Resources
    • CSSM Access Signup >
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    • Mentoring Program
    • Faculty Salary Survey
    • Dashboard Data
  • Students
    • Scholarship & Grant
    • Chi Sigma Mu Honor Society
    • Student Sport Organizations
    • Graduation Cords
  • COSMA Store

What is Specialized Accreditation?

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COSMA reviews sport managements programs and evaluates how well the program educates students and prepares them for a career in the sport management industry.
 
When programs are reviewed by COSMA, the focus is at the program-level - on its faculty, curriculum, linkages to business and industry, and more. It is the degree-specific program that holds accreditation, not the department or college in which it is housed. Eligibility for COSMA includes having institutional accreditation, so the institutional issues such as financial viability and resources are addressed.
WHY Accreditation MATTERS - CHEA REcognition
The Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) outlines Ten Ways in Which Accreditation Serves Students, Society, and the Public Interest. CHEA has also created an "Accreditation Tool Kit" for students, faculty, administrators, governing boards, etc. to find resources about accreditation easily

​Need help talking about accreditation? See CHEA's "The Value of Accreditation," "Communicating About Your School's Accreditation," and Accreditation Videos about accreditation, types of accreditation, and President & Chancellor perspectives.
institutional & programmatic accreditation
In the United States, there are two types of accreditation - institutional and specialized. Institutional accreditation looks at the entire institution. Specialized accreditation, such as COSMA, looks at a particular type of professional program at an accredited institution.
​

This video by the Association of Specialized and Professional Accreditors (ASPA) explains the differences between institutional and programmatic accreditation in further detail.
COSMA Accreditation STEPS 
  1. Program Membership
  2. Candidacy Status
  3. Self Study Preparation
  4. Site Visit
  5. Accreditation Decision
  • Accreditation Principles and Self-Study Preparation Manual (2022)​
  • Accreditation Process Manual
  • Site Visit Preparation Manual
  • Site Reviewer Resource Guide​
"We opted only to include schools that held COSMA accreditation, an indicator of a quality sport management program."
Sport Management Degree Guide on why they only included COSMA accredited institutions in their ranking of the Top Bachelor's Sport Management Degree Programs​. 

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Look for the seal

Company

COSMA is a 501(c)3 charitable organization incorporated in Colorado.

Services

Accreditation
Training
​Conference

Contact Us

cosma@cosmaweb.org
202-329-1189
2236 Water Blossom Lane
Fort Collins, CO 80526
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© COPYRIGHT 2021. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
  • ABOUT COSMA
    • MISSION >
      • CHEA Recognition
    • Value of Accreditation
    • Directory of Accredited Programs
    • Board of Commissioners >
      • Commissioners Actions
    • Board of Directors >
      • Strategic Planning
  • Accreditation
    • Why Accreditation Matters
    • Step 1: Program Membership
    • Step 2: Candidacy Status >
      • Measuring Student Learning
    • Step 3: Self Study Preparation
    • Step 4: Site Visit >
      • Site Visit Costs
    • Step 5: Accreditation Decision
    • Accreditation Training
    • Annual Report
  • Join COSMA
    • Program Members >
      • COSMA Exit Survey
    • Organizational Members
    • Individual Members
    • Student Members
  • Conference
    • Case Study Cup
    • 2023 Evaluation
    • Sponsorship Opportunities
    • Hall of Fame
    • Esports Management Series
    • Conference Host Application
    • Archives >
      • 2022 Conference
      • 2021 Conference
      • 2020 Conference
      • 2019 Conference
      • 2018 Conference
      • 2017 Conference
      • 2016 Conference
  • Resources
    • CSSM Access Signup >
      • CSSM Journal Access
    • COSMA Fellow
    • Job Board
    • S.M. Degree Programs
    • COSMA Institute
    • Mentoring Program
    • Faculty Salary Survey
    • Dashboard Data
  • Students
    • Scholarship & Grant
    • Chi Sigma Mu Honor Society
    • Student Sport Organizations
    • Graduation Cords
  • COSMA Store