Augustana, Western Illinois partner for accelerated sport management degree

The integrated “bachelor’s to master’s” agreement will enable students to complete both degrees in five years. Students who complete their undergraduate kinesiology degree at Augustana can transfer to WIU to finish the Master of Science degree. 

Augie President Dr. Andrea Talentino said the college’s kinesiology program was one of its fastest growing majors. It has around 70 students this year.

“This agreement with Western Illinois University represents one more avenue available to these talented students as they continue to build their academic and professional experiences,” she said in a news release announcement. 

Dr. Guiyou Huang, WIU president, said Monday’s agreement opened doors for students who were passionate about serving others locally and nationally. 

“We are eager to partner with Augustana on this initiative, and the new agreement will bring more opportunities to model social responsibilities for all sports contexts in the Quad-Cities and beyond,” he said. 

Dr. Renee Polubinsky, associate dean of WIU’s College of Education & Human Services, said the expansion of the university’s sport management program to the Quad-Cities region was significant.

At 50 years old, WIU’s sport management master’s program is one of the oldest in the nation. The program includes strategies for leading, managing and marketing sport enterprises, as well as the economic and financial applications of sport. 

Augustana introduced its kinesiology major and minor in 2019.

For more information, contact Nicole Lauer at 309-794-7645 or [email protected] or WIU’s College of Education & Human Services at 309-298-1981. Or, visit wiu.edu/sportsmanagement.