Concordia University Chicago (CUC) Degree FAQ
About the SMWW & CUC Partnership
Which CUC degree programs are available through SMWW?
Through the SMWW partnership, CUC offers a Master of Arts in Sports Leadership, an MBA in Sports Leadership, a Doctorate in Sports Leadership (EdD or PhD), a Sports Leadership Graduate Certificate, and a bachelor’s degree completion program. The master’s degree totals $14,340 for 30 credits. Dr. Lynn Lashbrook, SMWW’s founder and president, helped shape the curriculum for the master’s, MBA, doctoral, and bachelor’s degree completion programs.
Are any CUC courses taken with SMWW?
No. All coursework for the CUC degree programs is taken directly with Concordia University Chicago. SMWW courses are not offered for graduate level credit and cannot be transferred into a CUC graduate program, which is an important difference from the FHSU partnership.
How is SMWW involved with CUC?
Working in collaboration with the college, SMWW founder and president Dr. Lynn Lashbrook helped shape and develop the curriculum for the master’s, MBA, doctoral, and bachelor’s degree completion programs. Dr. Lashbrook invites all CUC students to his Sunday Worldwide live interactive audio chats on Zoom. CUC students are also invited to join Dr. Lashbrook at SMWW Conferences, including the NFL Combine, Winter Baseball Meetings, NHL Draft, MLS Preseason at the Coachella Valley Invitational, and the Basketball Career Conference in Las Vegas.
Is the degree from CUC or SMWW?
The degree is awarded by Concordia University Chicago.
Is this an accredited program?
Yes. CUC’s Sports Leadership and Sports Management programs are regionally accredited through the Illinois State Board of Education and the Higher Learning Commission.
Will this degree satisfy the master’s requirement for the NFLPA agent exam?
Yes! Many students have completed either the Master of Arts in Sports Leadership or MBA in Sports Management through this CUC partnership and then gone on to take the NFLPA agent exam.
Application Information
Is there an application fee for CUC?
No. There is no application fee when you apply and enroll through the SMWW application.
Do I need to take the GRE to apply to CUC?
No. The GRE is not required for the master’s or doctoral programs, and the admission file for the MBA in Sports Leadership also lists no GRE.
Where do I get my letters of recommendation for my CUC application?
Employers and past professors are a Employers and past professors are a strong starting point, and Dr. Lashbrook is also available to write a letter of recommendation for SMWW students applying to CUC.
Where do I send my CUC transcripts and application documents?
Send official transcripts directly to the CUC Office of Graduate Admission, and submit all application documents, including transcripts, to your CUC application and to SMWW.
Concordia University Chicago
Graduate & Undergraduate Online Admission
1115 Monroe Ave
River Forest, IL 60305
Tel: 708-209-4093
Fax: 708-209-3454
Email: grad.admission@CUChicago.edu
All documents should be submitted to the applicant's application and/or SMWW at CUC@SMWW.com.
What is included in the CUC admission file?
The admission file depends on the program. The master’s degree requires the online application, an objective statement, official transcripts from every university or college where a degree was earned, and two letters of recommendation, with no GRE. The MBA in Sports Leadership requires the same materials plus a resume, with no GRE. The doctorate requires a master’s degree with a minimum 3.0 GPA, the completed online application, a rationale statement and personal goals, official transcripts from every university or college where a degree was earned, two letters of recommendation, a resume, and a writing sample, preferably from your master’s program if completed within the last three years, with no GRE. The bachelor’s degree completion program requires all official transcripts from any institution where college level credit was earned.
Are CUC's application requirements different for international students?
Yes. International applicants must meet the standard admission requirements for their program and also demonstrate English language proficiency, unless they hold an advanced degree from an accredited U.S. institution or an international English speaking university. Acceptable proof includes a letter confirming that English is the university’s official language, a TOEFL score of at least 72, or an IELTS score of at least 6.0. International applicants must also have foreign transcripts evaluated by a Concordia approved credentialing service, such as WES or ECE.
How long does an international student wait for a CUC admission decision?
International students must qualify for regular admission before enrolling, and all required documents must be submitted at least six weeks before the program start date.
What happens once CUC receives all of my admissions documents?
You will hear back by email within one week, and you should expect a letter from the school in your application portal at the same time. You will then receive an email from your Concordia advisor explaining your next steps, including how to register for courses, how to buy books, and how to set up your CUC Portal.
What if my GPA does not meet CUC standards?
You can still apply, though you may be asked for additional information. Graduate applicants can be considered under three categories.
- Full Admission
To be considered for Full Admission, candidates must present a cumulative GPA above 2.85 or a master's degree with a 3.0 GPA or higher. - Probationary Admission
To be considered for Probationary Admission, one or more of the following special conditions may exist:- A cumulative GPA between 2.25 and 2.84 (on a 4.0 scale)
- Holding a master's degree with a cumulative GPA below 3.0
- credentials that raise questions for the admissions team, and students admitted this way must earn a 3.0 GPA in graduate coursework in their first semester to continue.
- Provisional Admission (available only to US residents and citizens)
To be considered for Provisional Admission, candidates must present credentials that generally satisfy full admission requirements but still need to meet additional requirements, such as special program prerequisites, by the end of their first semester.
What if I am missing a piece of my graduate admissions file and want to start school sooner?
U.S. citizens and residents only may start classes as a Pending Status student. Master’s students may enroll in an eligible program under Pending Status if some required documentation has not yet arrived. Students admitted under Pending Status may register only for courses in their initial term, and they must be unconditionally admitted to the graduate program to register for later terms. Pending Status students are not eligible for any form of financial assistance from the university, and doctoral and international students cannot enroll with Pending Status.
Master's in Sports Leadership
Where do I apply for the CUC Master’s in Sports Leadership?
Applicants apply directly through the CUC website under the MA in Sports Leadership program listing.
How long does the CUC master’s program take to complete?
The fastest path is twelve months, depending on course availability. CUC suggests following the course template schedule and taking one course every eight weeks, or two courses per sixteen week term, which takes eighteen months.
How much does the CUC master's degree in Sports Leadership cost?
Tuition is $460 per credit hour plus an $18 per credit technology fee. For the full 30 credit program, that totals $14,340, made up of $13,800 in tuition and $540 in fees.
How long is each CUC master’s course?
Every course in the master’s program runs eight weeks.
Is the CUC master’s program fully online, and do I ever need to visit campus?
Yes, the program is completely online, and there is no residency requirement, so you never need to visit the CUC campus.
MBA in Sports Leadership
Where do I apply for the CUC MBA in Sports Leadership?
Apply on the CUC website under MBA Sports Leadership. Make sure to check the SMWW partnership program during the application. https://cuchicago.edu/apply/gradsmww
How long does the CUC MBA take to complete?
You can finish the MBA in one year through the accelerated online track, depending on course availability, or in two years through the standard online track.
What does the CUC MBA cost?
Tuition is $710 per credit hour plus an $18 per credit technology fee. For the full 36 credit program, that totals $26,208, made up of $25,560 in tuition and $648 in fees.
What is the CUC MBA course breakdown?
The MBA totals 36 credits. It includes eight core MBA courses worth 24 credits and four Sports Leadership specialization courses worth 12 credits.
How long is each course?
Each course runs for 8 weeks.
Is the CUC MBA program completely online?
Yes. SMWW offers the MBA in Sports Leadership as an online only program, and all courses are delivered in an asynchronous format, so you can study on your own schedule.
What is the difference between the MBA in Sports Leadership and the master’s in Sports Leadership?
The MBA is a standard business MBA program with four electives in Sports Leadership: Economics of Sports, Sports Finance, Essentials of Sports Law, and Diversity in Sports. It is also more expensive, at $710 per credit hour compared with $460 for the master’s program.
Sports Leadership Graduate Certificate
What is the CUC Sports Leadership Graduate Certificate?
The certificate is a four course program drawn from the MBA curriculum, covering Economics of Sports, Sports Finance, Essentials of Sports Law, and Diversity in Sports. It costs $710 per credit hour plus an $18 per credit technology fee across 12 credits and is delivered entirely online.
Is the Sports Leadership Graduate Certificate available to international students?
At this time, international students are not able to enroll in the certificate program.
Doctorate in Sports Leadership
What does the CUC doctoral degree in Sports Leadership cost?
Tuition is $711 per credit hour plus an $18 per credit technology fee. The EdD track totals 61 credits for $44,469, and the PhD track totals 67 credits for $48,843.
What is the difference between the EdD and the PhD at CUC?
The PhD is research based, and the EdD is practitioner based. The program is the same for both until the end, when you split into your respective clusters. The PhD requires 67 credits compared with 61 for the EdD, so it takes six more credits, which is two courses, or about one semester, longer.
How long is each CUC doctoral course?
Every course runs eight weeks, though the required research course and dissertation work span a full sixteen week semester.
Is the CUC doctoral program fully online, and do I ever need to visit campus?
Yes, the doctoral program is completely online, and there is no residency requirement, so no campus visits are needed.
Need Help Choosing a Program?
What if I need one-on-one assistance?
SMWW staff are available by phone to help you compare the master’s, MBA, doctorate, bachelor's degree completion and certificate options and understand how the SMWW and CUC partnership fits your goals. Call 1 877 SMWW NOW in the United States and Canada, +44 0 871 288 4799 in the United Kingdom, or +1 503 445 7105 from anywhere else. Our offices are in Portland, Oregon, and London, England. For questions about your application status or enrollment, CUC’s Office of Graduate Admission can help directly.
*Non-Discriminatory Policy as to Students: Concordia University Chicago, River Forest, Illinois admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs and activities generally accorded or made available to students of the University. While it does give preference to members of the Lutheran faith, it does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national and ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies and loan programs and athletic and other University-administered programs.