What is COSMA?

COSMA Vision
The vision of COSMA is to be the leader in mission-driven and outcomes-based programmatic accreditation for sport management education for student-oriented institutions of higher education worldwide.

COSMA Mission
The Commission on Sport Management Accreditation is a specialized accrediting body whose purpose is to promote and recognize excellence in sport management education worldwide in colleges and universities at the bachelors, master's and doctoral levels through specialized accreditation. ​​

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Broad-Based Goals:

1. To be the premier sport management accrediting body for 4-year institutions of higher education, both domestically and internationally.
2. To provide a forum to promote excellence in sport management education in colleges and universities throughout the world.
3. To identify characteristics of excellence in sport management education and establish accreditation expectations to assess excellence in sport management education.
4. To promote continuous improvement in sport management education through the use of outcomes assessment and other quality assurance processes, thereby benefiting our members, higher education, and the public.
5. To establish a continuing relationship with individuals and groups who are interested in promoting excellence in sport management education, including business and industry, government agencies, professional associations, and other groups throughout the world.
6. To promote innovation and creativity in teaching and learning, including the sharing of best practices in sport management education and assisting in the professional development of sport management educators.
7. To be a resource to member institutions and the public concerning issues in sport management education and accreditation.
8. To assist programs in benchmarking through the sharing of best practices and providing research and information.
9. To facilitate the globalization of sport management education through promoting awareness, understanding, and cooperation among domestic and international institutions.
10. To promote ethical practices in sport management and sport management education.
11. To promote fairness and diversity in sport management and sport management education.​

Functions: In furtherance of its goals, but not in limitation thereof, COSMA shall work toward developing the following activities:

1. Develop and promulgate sound educational expectations and practices for the accreditation of sport management baccalaureate and graduate degree programs.
2. Collect and disseminate information about sport management education throughout the world.
3. Provide appropriate support for worthy projects and research in sport management education, as requested.
4. Sponsor meetings, conferences, workshops, and symposia.
5. Confer recognition upon outstanding supporters of sport management education.
6. Engage in lawful and ethical activities that will enhance and promote the study of sport management education and apprise the public of its value, scope, and character.
7. Assure equal treatment among COSMA members through regularly-evaluated and intentional policies and practices subject to member review and discussion.

COSMA is the only organization offering discipline-specific accreditation in sport management. COSMA is recognized by the Internal Revenue Service as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.

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COSMA Core Values/Statement of Academic Quality
COSMA utilizes a distinctly different approach to specialized accreditation in sport management. It uses both characteristics of excellence in sport management education and assessment of educational outcomes as a basis for making accreditation decisions, rather than the prescriptive input standards approach. For COSMA, the measurement and advancement of academic quality focuses on the overall level of performance of the academic unit in the context of its mission and broad-based goals as measured by the degree to which it accomplishes its intended student learning outcomes and operational outcomes.

Because of the essential role that educational processes play in determining educational outcomes, COSMA has developed accreditation principles based on best practices in sport management education. These principles promote excellence in sport management education through a benchmarking process, which is helpful in determining whether the sport management program is, or is not, achieving its mission and broad-based goals, and is interpreting the results of the outcomes assessment process.

Educational institutions are unique, with differing missions, goals, processes, and intended learning outcomes. COSMA principles assess progress toward excellence, allow for a continuum of accomplishment, and encourage continuous improvement. There is no standard of learning that fits all programs, but there are principles that can apply to all programs.

COSMA is committed to a developmental approach to excellence in sport management education. COSMA and its members function in a collaborative and cooperative manner, encouraging each other toward higher levels of quality in sport management education.

COSMA is both flexible and innovative in applying its philosophy of accreditation. It recognizes that sport management education exists within a dynamic, complex environment that requires innovative approaches to achieving quality educational outcomes.

Membership in COSMA entitles an academic unit to pursue accreditation of their sport management programs. Accredited status is achieved through an intensive process that includes completion of a candidacy program, completion and review of a self-study, site visit by accreditation team, final approval by the COSMA Board of Commissioners and submission of annual reports. Once approved, accredited status is valid for 7 years.