A Profile of the Characteristics and Professional Development Needs of National Collegiate Athletic Association Division II Athletic Directors
type: CreativeWork
description: The purpose for conducting the study was to identify the personal, professional, and educational backgrounds of NCAA Division II athletic directors. The study was designed to detail the professional development opportunities that existed among the population, and determine how frequently the NCAA Division II athletic directors took advantage of the opportunities that were available to them. The significance of the study rested on the ability to identify the NCAA Division II athletic director population and describe the qualities and characteristics that comprised the target population. Since little data existed detailing this population, the study provided an opportunity to describe a population involved in the membership of NCAA Division II. The study identified 317 athletic directors at either active NCAA Division II membership institutions or those institutions who were involved in the Division II membership process throughout the United States and used it as the target population. The results of the study indicated a demographic heavily comprised of Caucasian males whom had participated in intercollegiate athletics as an undergraduate and had coached at the collegiate level before becoming an athletic director. Although females were significantly outnumbered among the population, the response rate for females was proportionately more significant than their male counterparts. These results were consistent with the research that had been conducted on athletic administrators across the entire NCAA membership. The results of the study indicated a majority of the NCAA Division II athletic directors had earned a master's degree and had no desire to pursue an additional degree. The results of the study revealed a variety of professional development opportunities that existed and were utilized by the population on a consistent basis.
abstract: The purpose for conducting the study was to identify the personal, professional, and educational backgrounds of NCAA Division II athletic directors. The study was designed to detail the professional development opportunities that existed among the population, and determine how frequently the NCAA Division II athletic directors took advantage of the opportunities that were available to them. The significance of the study rested on the ability to identify the NCAA Division II athletic director population and describe the qualities and characteristics that comprised the target population. Since little data existed detailing this population, the study provided an opportunity to describe a population involved in the membership of NCAA Division II. The study identified 317 athletic directors at either active NCAA Division II membership institutions or those institutions who were involved in the Division II membership process throughout the United States and used it as the target population. The results of the study indicated a demographic heavily comprised of Caucasian males whom had participated in intercollegiate athletics as an undergraduate and had coached at the collegiate level before becoming an athletic director. Although females were significantly outnumbered among the population, the response rate for females was proportionately more significant than their male counterparts. These results were consistent with the research that had been conducted on athletic administrators across the entire NCAA membership. The results of the study indicated a majority of the NCAA Division II athletic directors had earned a master's degree and had no desire to pursue an additional degree. The results of the study revealed a variety of professional development opportunities that existed and were utilized by the population on a consistent basis.
author: Smith, Dustin
keywords: Social sciences, Education, Athletic directors, NCAA, Division II, Professional development, Profile, Higher Education Administration, Sports Management, Sports Sciences, Sports Studies
date published: 2013-05-01T07:00:00Z
date modified: 2026-07-24T00:58:44Z
provider: University of Arkansas
publisher: Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations
type: WebPage
source organization: University of Arkansas