The best online sports psychology degree programs carry institutional accreditation and disclose faculty credentials such as the CMPC, so you know the coursework lines up with real practice standards. This guide compares seven online bachelor’s and master’s programs using accreditation, curriculum focus, and cost, so you can match a program to your own goals and budget.
An online sports psychology degree can prepare you for roles like coaching support, sport administration, or mental performance consulting, depending on your degree level and any additional certification you pursue. Increasingly, students are turning to online sports psychology degree programs for their training, since remote study removes the geographic restriction of living near a campus. For this list, we selected accredited online programs based on editorial review of accreditation, curriculum focus, and cost. To learn more about this process, visit How We Choose the Psychology Degree Programs We Consider to Be the Best.
Bachelor’s or Master’s: Which Level Fits Your Sports Psychology Goals?
A bachelor’s degree in sports psychology covers the same core psychology coursework, whether it’s a BA or a BS, plus sport-specific electives such as motor learning and performance enhancement. The BA/BS distinction is about the general-education emphasis, not program quality: a BA typically emphasizes humanities and language requirements, a BS emphasizes math and science. Either one can support entry-level opportunities in coaching support, sport administration, or athletics departments, and gives you a foundation for graduate study. However, job eligibility depends on the employer and any required certifications. If you’re weighing sports psychology against other specializations, our overview of types of psychology careers covers how the paths compare.
A master’s degree goes deeper into applied sport psychology. It is part of the eligibility pathway for the Certified Mental Performance Consultant (CMPC) credential from the Association for Applied Sport Psychology (AASP), which requires a qualifying master’s or doctoral degree, specified coursework, at least 400 mentored experience hours, and a passing score on a national exam. The CMPC is a widely recognized credential for mental performance consulting, though it isn’t a license, and requirements vary by employer. A doctorate, supervised experience, and state board licensure are still required for independent clinical practice as a licensed psychologist, and those requirements vary by state.
7 Best Online Sports Psychology Degree Programs at a Glance
All seven programs below carry institutional accreditation, tagged below as regional (the type most employers and graduate schools expect) or national (federally recognized and legitimate, though it can make transferring credit elsewhere harder). Verify each school’s current accreditation status directly with its accreditor before applying. Note that a bachelor’s degree is never “APA-accredited”: the American Psychological Association accredits health-service psychology programs at the master’s, doctoral, internship, and postdoctoral levels, but not bachelor’s programs. At the bachelor’s level, institutional accreditation is the accreditation story that matters. Tuition changes yearly, so confirm current rates directly with each school before applying.
| School | Degree | Tuition | Accreditation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Capella University | MS | ~$500/credit (GuidedPath) | HLC (regional) |
| 2. California Southern University | MS | $545/credit | HLC (regional, via AIU System) |
| 3. Adams State University | MS | ~$453/credit | HLC (regional) |
| 4. Faulkner University | BS | ~$376/semester hour | SACSCOC (regional) |
| 5. National University | BA | ~$370/credit | WSCUC (regional) |
| 6. Grand Canyon University | BS | ~$470/credit | HLC (regional) |
| 7. PennWest California | MS | ~$516-$645/credit | MSCHE (regional) |
1. Capella University – Online MS in Sport Psychology
Capella’s online MS in Psychology with a Sport Psychology specialization is regionally accredited through the Higher Learning Commission. Coursework covers performance enhancement in sports, the biological basis of behavior, applied sport psychology, and ethics and multicultural issues in psychology. Students choose between GuidedPath, priced at approximately $500 per credit, and FlexPath, a competency-based option billed at roughly $2,875 per 12-week session for students who want to set their own pace. See Capella’s full program details.
2. California Southern University – Online MS in Psychology, Sport Psychology Concentration
California Southern University, founded in 1978, is part of the American InterContinental University System and is institutionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC). Its online MS in Psychology includes a sport psychology-related concentration built by a specialist in the field, covering applied sport psychology, current issues in sport psychology, and preparation and motivation coursework. Tuition runs $545 per credit hour. Explore California Southern’s program.
3. Adams State University – MS in Applied Sport Psychology
Adams State University, in Alamosa, Colorado, is regionally accredited through the Higher Learning Commission. Its 36-credit MS in Applied Sport Psychology was among the first fully online applied sport psychology master’s programs in the country, built on a scientist-practitioner model and structured to help graduates pursue the Certified Mental Performance Consultant (CMPC) credential from the Association for Applied Sport Psychology. Tuition runs approximately $453 per credit hour.
4. Faulkner University – Online BS in Sports Psychology
Faulkner University, founded in 1942, is a private Christian school regionally accredited through the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC). Its 121-credit online BS in Sports Psychology splits into 29 core psychology credits, 24 sports psychology credits, and 18 free elective credits. Tuition runs approximately $376 per semester hour. Financial aid and discounts for first responders are available to eligible students. Confirm current options directly with Faulkner.
5. National University – BA in Sport Psychology
National University, a nonprofit institution offering degrees since 1971, is regionally accredited through the WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC). The online BA in Sport Psychology covers motor learning, sport psychology for coaches, the culture of sport, and the history of sport psychology, at an undergraduate rate of approximately $370 per credit hour. The university also offers a separate Master of Arts in Performance Psychology for students who want to continue at the graduate level. View the program page or read more about National University.
6. Grand Canyon University – Online BS in Sports Psychology
Grand Canyon University, a private Christian school with more than 70 years of history, is regionally accredited through the Higher Learning Commission. The fully online, 120-credit BS in Sports Psychology dedicates 64 credits to the major and up to 22 credits to open electives, with most courses completed in seven-week terms. Tuition runs approximately $470 per credit hour. See Grand Canyon’s program details.
7. PennWest California – Online MS, Exercise Science and Health Promotion: Sport Psychology
California University of Pennsylvania merged with Clarion and Edinboro to form Pennsylvania Western University in 2022; the California, PA campus now operates as PennWest California and delivers this program through PennWest Global Online. The school is regionally accredited through the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE). The 36-credit MS in Exercise Science and Health Promotion, Sport Psychology concentration, covers the psychological aspects of sport injury and rehabilitation, performance enhancement, and current sport psychology research. In-state students pay approximately $516 per credit, and out-of-state students pay approximately $645 per credit. Read more about this program.
Additional Online Psychology Degree Lists
Top 10 Online Bachelor’s in Psychology Degree Programs
Top 10 Online Master’s in Psychology Degree Programs
Top 10 Online Forensic Psychology Degree Programs
Top 10 Online Child Psychology Degree Programs
What to Look For in an Online Sports Psychology Program
Start with institutional accreditation. Regional accreditation is the type most employers and graduate schools expect without question. National accreditation is legitimate and federally recognized, but it can complicate the transfer of credit to a regionally accredited school later. Verify current accreditation status directly with the school and its accreditor.
If your goal is mental performance consulting, check whether the curriculum meets the CMPC coursework requirements set by the Association for Applied Sport Psychology, not just labeled “sport psychology.” Look at who teaches the program: faculty who hold the CMPC themselves, like Adams State’s program chair, signal a curriculum built around real practice standards rather than general psychology with a sports label attached.
Ask how “online” the program actually is. Some master’s programs list practicum or internship hours that require in-person supervision, which can mean local placement requirements even in an otherwise remote program. Finally, compare total cost using the real billing model, not just the sticker per-credit rate: flat-fee formats like Capella’s FlexPath can cost less overall than a traditional per-credit program with the same number of credits.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I become a licensed sports psychologist with an online bachelor’s or master’s degree?
No. Licensure as a psychologist generally requires a doctoral degree (PhD or PsyD), supervised clinical hours, and passing the EPPP through your state psychology board, and exact requirements vary by state. A bachelor’s or master’s in sports psychology can support coaching, performance consulting, or administrative roles, but not independent clinical practice or the title “psychologist.”
What is the CMPC credential, and do I need one?
The Certified Mental Performance Consultant (CMPC) is a credential from the Association for Applied Sport Psychology that requires a qualifying master’s or doctoral degree, specified coursework, at least 400 mentored practice hours, and a passing exam score. It isn’t a license and isn’t universally required. Still, it’s a widely recognized credential that many athletic departments, military performance programs, and corporate wellness employers look for in mental performance roles.
Is a bachelor’s degree in sports psychology enough to get a job in the field?
It can open doors to coaching support, sport administration, and athletics department roles. Still, most direct sport psychology consulting positions expect a master’s degree at minimum, often paired with CMPC eligibility. Many students use a bachelor’s as a foundation before moving into a master’s program. See our guide to career opportunities in sports psychology for a fuller breakdown by degree level.
Do online sports psychology programs require any campus visits?
It depends on the program. Fully online programs like those ranked here don’t require regular campus attendance, but some master’s programs include practicum or internship components that require local, in-person supervision. Confirm the specific fieldwork requirements with each school before enrolling.
How much does an online sports psychology degree cost?
Costs vary by school and degree level, from roughly $370 per credit hour at the bachelor’s level to $500-$645 per credit at the master’s level among the programs ranked here. Total program cost depends on credit requirements, transfer credits, and whether a school bills per credit or offers a flat-fee format like Capella’s FlexPath.
Select your program level below to compare accredited sports psychology degrees, application links, and program details in one place.