Step 2: Candidacy Status

The second step in the accreditation process, Candidacy Status provides your sport management academic unit an opportunity to prepare itself for the development of a Self-Study (step 3) and a site visit (step 4).

CANDIDACY STATUS

All programs must provide the following materials in their application (see Link to Forms, Templates & Examples in box to the right):
Listed Elements from Candidacy Status letter
Outcomes Assessment Plan Template
Bloom's Taxonomy
​Scope of Accreditation Checklist

Once you have a draft of your Candidacy Status application, you are strongly encouraged to send a draft of your application to Heather Alderman for review.

Candidacy status and writing an oap [video]

CUrrent programs in candidacy status

The following 11 COSMA members are in Candidacy Status. An asterisk (*) means the program has had or has planned a site visit. Two asterisks (**) means a program added to an already accredited academic unit. Last updated September 22, 2025.

Alfred State College, Alfred, NY
Bowie State University, Bowie, MD
Farmingdale State College, Farmingdale, NY
​Endicott College**, Esports Management degree, Beverly, MA
Jacksonville State University, Jacksonville, AL
Lynn University, Boca Raton, FL
​New England College, Hennike, NH
Springfield College, Springfield, MA*
​University of Minnesota Crookston, Crookston, MN
University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Las Vegas, NV
Voorhees College, Denmark, SC

​Need an extension? Complete this form!

Effective learning outcomes

An effective set of learning outcomes statements informs and guides both the instructor and the students:
For faculty, it informs:

• the content of teaching
• the teaching strategies you will use
• the sorts of learning activities/tasks you set for your students
• appropriate assessment tasks
• course evaluation

For students, learning outcomes provide them with:

• a solid framework to guide their studies and assist them to prepare for their assessment
• a point of articulation with graduate attributes at course and/or university (i.e. generic) level.

Learning Outcome statements may be broken down into three main components:

• an action word that identifies the performance to be demonstrated;
• a learning statement that specifies what learning will be demonstrated in the performance;
• a broad statement of the criterion or standard for acceptable performance.

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• SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Time-constrained) Outcomes? Or, VASCULAR Outcomes?
• Verifiable? Can we tell when they have been achieved? And can students?
• Action oriented? Do they lead to real and useful activity?
• Singular? Not combining two or more into one, making it difficult to assess if differently achieved, but readily matchable to student work produced.
• Constructively aligned? Clear alignment between aims (What do students need to be able to know and do?), what is taught/ learned, how these are assessed and evaluated).
• Understandable? Using language codes that are meaningful to all stakeholders.
• Level-appropriate? Suitable and differentiable between UG, Masters, Doctoral.
• Affective-inclusive? Not only covering actions but affective capabilities.
• Regularly reviewed? Not just stuck in history, and always fit-for-purpose.

COMMISSIONER'S CHATS

Writing Measurable Student Learning Outcomes
​(recorded Zoom chat with Jennifer VanSickle, University of Indianapolis)
​
​​Outcomes Assessment plans, Rubrics and Annual Report content during the pandemic
(recorded Zoom chat with Curt Laird, Spartanburg Methodist College)

RUBRICS 101

What makes the process of developing and using rubrics effective and successful:

1. Work together. Faculty: This means you!
2. Understand the difference between rubrics for grading and assessment.
3. Test the rubric before using it.
4. Analyze results in a way that makes sense to you.
5. Tie results back to curriculum and pedagogy. 

WRITING STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES

• National Institute for Learning Outcomes Assessment
  
• New to Assessment?
  
• Degree Qualifications Profile - Scaffolding of verbs at associate, bachelors, masters levels.
  
• Bloom's Taxonomy - recently revised
  
• Specialized Knowledge - This category addresses what students in any specialization or major field of study should demonstrate with respect to that specialization. Tuning, a field-specific effort to map learning outcomes, is necessary to describe the concepts.
  
• ASSESS listserv - a place/resource to ask questions on assessment (Association for the Assessment of Learning in Higher Education)

REFERENCE ARTICLES

• "Outcomes: Getting to the Core of Programmatic Education and Accreditation" (ASPA, Association of Specialized and Professional Accreditors, June 2016)
• "SLO Assessment: Where the Buck Stops (And Starts)" (WASC Senior College and University Commission)
• A Board Member's Guide to Accreditation. (CHEA, 2016)
• "Aligning Assessments for COSMA Accreditation" (Journal of Physical Education, Recreation & Dance, September 2015)
• "The Current State of Student Learning Outcomes Assessment in U.S. Colleges and Universities" (NILOA, January 2014).
• "Rethinking the Bottom Line for Internationalization:  What are Students Learning?" (The Chronicle of Higher Education, March 11, 2013).
• "The Little Assignment with the Big Impact:  Reading, Writing, Critical Reflection, and Meaningful Discussion." (Faculty Focus, May 6, 2013).
• "What are Institutions Spending on Assessment?  Is it Worth the Cost?" (National Institute for Learning Outcomes Assessment, August 2013).
• Writing Student Learning Outcomes Handout
• Addressing Assessment Fatigue: Or, C.A.V.E.: Colleagues Against Virtually Everything.
• AACU: Quality, Curriculum, and Assessment

E-portfolio assistance:

• http://www.desire2learn.com/eportfolio/highered/
• https://www.pass-port.org/
• http://www.iwebfolio.com/ 
• http://www.schedulestar.com/ - used in management courses

The Board of Commissioners makes decisions about Candidacy Status applications bimonthly and, as time allows, during their biannual face-to-face meetings. Deadlines occur every two months:​​​​​​​​

• February 15
• April 15
• ​June 15
• August 15
• October 15
• ​December 15

• Accreditation Principles and Self-Study Preparation Manual (2024)
• Link to Forms, Templates & Examples
• Accreditation Process Manual
• Site Visit Preparation Manual
• Program Membership Application
• Site Reviewer Resource Guide​