The National Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association, an organization for high school and middle school athletic administrators, has approved Rochester Christian University to be the first undergraduate bachelor’s program in the U.S. and the only university in Michigan to offer a NIAAA certification.

The certification prepares students to work in high school athletics or to become high school athletic directors, and RCU will begin offering the program in the 2025-2026 academic year. 

“Currently, only 11 universities in the U.S. are granted approval to offer NIAAA certification courses,” said Dr. Dave Hutson, chair of RCU’s Department of Sport Studies. “The NIAAA historically partners only with university graduate programs and is selective with the universities it selects for this certification. NIAAA certifications are highly sought after by athletic directors around the country because many school districts require their athletic directors to have at least a Registered Athletic Administrator certification.”

RCU will offer the Registered Athletic Administrator certification, which includes curriculum for Guiding Foundations and Philosophies, Strategies for Organization Management and Enhancing Organization Management. 

RCU will offer this certification in a junior-level course entitled “Interscholastic Athletic Administration.” Luke Beach, assistant professor of sport studies who has earned NIAAA’s Certified Athletic Administrator, will teach the course. Beach was named the Varsity Brands National Outstanding Athletic Director in 2017 when he served as athletic director for Rochester High School. He also was named to the first “Coach and AD Magazine” 40 under 40 class in 2018.

Once students have successfully completed this course and have earned their bachelor of business administration degree in sport management, they will have their Registered Athletic Administrator certification.

“Since adding an RAA certification to our students’ resumes will make them much more marketable in the athletic director job market, we will encourage those students who aspire to work as high school or middle school A.D.s to take this certification. We are thrilled to work with the NIAAA and to prepare students for future work as athletic administrators,” Hutson said. 

For more information about the NIAAA certification, contact Dr. Dave Hutson at dhutson@rcu.edu.