ADA, Okla. - The College of Education and Psychology at East Central University (ECU) has announced a new online Master of Science (M.S.) in Sport Psychology through the ECU Graduate Studies program.
“The Department of Psychology is thrilled to offer the only graduate-level Sport Psychology program in the state of Oklahoma,” said Director of Sport Psychology, Dr. Beau Leaf.
This unique program, offered at limited universities across the nation, is designed for students of all backgrounds, whether an athlete, athletic staff member, coach, counselor, sports administrator or teacher. The program will aid in developing expertise in sport psychology and in gaining the educational credentials to apply to be a Certified Mental Performance Consultant® (CMPC) through the Association for Applied Sport Psychology (AASP).
The online M.S. in Sport Psychology includes 45 credit hours, 21 of which are the psychological foundations core. The remaining 24 credit hours are the sport psychology major courses. Students will also complete an in-person internship accounting for 6 credit hours, allowing them to apply their skills and build readiness for future mentoring experiences.
The objectives of the program will help students:
- Prepare to conduct psychological assessments to evaluate mental strengths and areas for improvement.
- Prepare to develop customized mental conditioning programs to enhance performance.
- Develop skills for collaborating with coaches, trainers and other professionals to create a comprehensive support system for athletes and performers.
- Create an understanding and ability to complete research that explores the psychological factors that impact performance and mental well-being.
- Prepare students to work with individual and team athletes and performers on mental skills training, goal setting and motivation using various evidence-based techniques.
- Create an awareness of the psychology and counseling aspects of sport psychology.
“Our program will help prepare you to assist athletes, athletic organizations, military personnel, and other performers with mental skills intervention techniques to improve overall performance and well-being,” continued Leaf. “Our program will meet the educational requirements set forth by the Association for Applied Sport Psychology if you are in pursuit of a CMPC certification. This program is only 45 credit hours in length and offered fully online in order to provide a flexible path to your educational goals.”
The M.S. in Sport Psychology begins in the Fall 2025 semester. Applications are now being accepted.
For more information about the Department of Psychology at ECU, please visit www.ecok.edu or contact Dr. Beau Leaf at bleaf@ecok.edu.
Cutline: ECU Director of Sport Psychology, Dr. Beau Leaf
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