St. Thomas University was established as the all-male Biscayne College in 1961 after Fidel Castro forced Augustinian priests from Havana. Home to the Miami Dolphins NFL training camp until 1993, St. Thomas University evolved into a private, coeducational Catholic teaching institution sponsored by the Archdiocese of Miami. Located atop 140 acres in Forbes’ #1 happiest place to work, St. Thomas enrolls 4,674 Bobcats, including sports administration majors. The U.S. News & World Report ranked STU the South’s 80th best university. College Factual placed St. Thomas University 372nd for diversity and 158th for business courses nationwide. Linked to 12,123 LinkedIn alumni, STU has produced sports greats like Andy Elisburg, Leslie Nixon, David Gettleman, and Al Avila.
Related Resource: Top 24 Best Sports Management Degree Programs
St. Thomas University Accreditation Details
In 2013, St. Thomas University renewed its decade-long regional accreditation from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) under president Monsignor Franklyn Casale. This Level VI approval is recognized without public sanctions by the U.S. Department of Education and Florida Higher Education Coordinating Council. The Gus Machado School of Business’ sports administration courses are reaffirmed by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP). Since 2016, STU has also been a member of the Commission on Sport Management Accreditation (COSMA).
St. Thomas University Application Requirements
Despite being classified as “less selective,” St. Thomas University had a Fall 2016 acceptance rate of 54 percent. Freshman Bobcats pursuing the Bachelor of Arts in Sports Administration need a high school diploma or GED equivalent. Finishing an 18-unit college-prep curricula with four units of English and three units of algebra or above math is requisite. Bachelor’s entrants must achieve a cumulative unweighted GPA above 2.5. Scoring at least 880 on the SAT or 18 on the ACT is mandatory. International students aged 18+ prove English competency with minimum TOEFL or IELTS scores of 71 and 5.5 respectively. Transfers who’ve completed one full-time semester at other accredited colleges with 2.0 GPAs or better can apply.
The Masters of Science in Sports Administration only considers “Leaders for Life” who have culminated bachelor’s study at an accredited institution. Preference is given for post-grads with an overall GPA of 2.75 or higher, but lower averages are judged with the Graduate Writing Assessment. The MBA requires foundational courses like managerial accounting and statistics before entry. Starting St. Thomas University’s doctorate mandates completing a bachelor’s or master’s with a minimum 3.25 GPA. Scoring at least 154 on the GRE verbal and quantitative sections or 600 on the GMAT is expected for DBA candidates.
Undergraduate admission to St. Thomas University is rolling, but the priority deadlines are May 1st for fall and November 1st for spring. The Gus Machado School schedules interviews year-round after rolling applications are received. Prospective students can complete the Common Application or STU Application online while sending paper materials to the admissions office. Don’t fumble the application process by forgetting the following:
- $40 non-refundable application fee
- Official undergrad or post-grad transcripts
- College entrance exams scores (SAT, ACT, GRE, etc.)
- One or two letters of recommendation
- Typed, two-page personal goals essay
- Résumé or CV of sports experiences
Tuition and Financial Aid
Full-time undergraduates are charged $14,400 per term or $28,800 annually. Studying part-time costs $576 per bachelor’s credit. Added charges include $375 per semester for textbooks and $1,570 yearly for health insurance. Room and board in Miami Gardens adds $11,700 each year. Total annual cost of attendance is $48,454 for residents and $38,098 for commuters. Graduate students pursuing the Sports Administration M.S. pay $782 per credit, which is $23,460 total. The Doctor of Business Administration in Sports Management costs $912 per credit, or $82,080 total.
The NCES shows that 91 percent of beginning, full-time STU Bobcats share $3.71 million annually for an average price of $19,625 apiece. Institutional funds include the Athletic Scholarship, Presidential Scholarship, Transfer Assistance Award, Catholic Education Continuum Scholarship, Broward College Transfer Scholarship, Academy for Tourism Scholarship, and Deans Scholarship. Sunshine State natives might earn the Florida Resident Access Grant, Bright Futures Scholarship, or Pre-Paid College Program. Based on expected family contribution, undergrads can claim the Federal Pell Grant and FSEOG Grant. The William D. Ford Loan Program lends Subsidized, Unsubsidized, and Grad PLUS funding. Applying before April 1st could unlock Federal Work-Study jobs paying at least $8.10/hour. St. Thomas University also proudly participates in the Yellow Ribbon Program for veterans’ GI Bill benefits.
Student Experience
St. Thomas University is a Catholic, civic-oriented liberal arts powerhouse conferring 35 bachelors, 27 masters, and five doctoral majors. The Gus Machado School of Business started the country’s first Bachelor of Arts in Sports Administration in 1973. With a 14:1 student-faculty ratio, the 120-credit undergrad curriculum covers industry-specific elements of marketing, law, economics, and finance. Post-grads can pursue the 30-credit Master of Science in Sports Administration face-to-face or online with five nine-week semesters. The Full-Time, 18-month MBA provides a Sports Administration Specialization too. For advanced executive and faculty leadership, STU grants the 90-credit Doctor of Business Administration in Sports Management.
Chaired by Dr. Som Bhattacharya, the Machado School has required three internship credits for each of its approximately 1,500 sports administration majors. Its South Florida locale helps score placements with the Miami Heat, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Florida Panthers, Tampa Bay Rays, Daytona International Speedway, Fort Lauderdale Strikers, Miami Hurricanes, and more. Field trips are often arranged to nearby Marlins Park and Hard Rock Stadium. On campus, aspiring sports administrators maintain the Fernandez Family Center, Paul Demie Mainieri Field, and Bobcat Softball Field. St. Thomas University has previously hosted the World University Netball Championships and COSMA Conference. Students also study abroad in 50+ nations, including Italy, Taiwan, and Dominican Republic.
Living in St. Thomas’ four residence halls in “Magic City” also offers exciting campus life. The Student Government Association Office (SGA) recognizes several chapters like Sports Administration Club, Kreyol Nation, Black Student Union, Campus Activity Board, Best Buddies, and the NSLS Society. Future sports media minds could publish in Driftwood or broadcast on WSTU95. Each April, the Fore the Love of Education Golf Tournament welcomes 128 golfers. Bobcat athletes compete in the NAIA Division I Florida Sun Conference for 14 varsity sports headed by Director Laura Courtley-Todd. St. Thomas University won conference championship titles for men’s basketball in 2014 and men’s soccer in 2016.
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