The goal of many institutions of higher education is to provide students with the necessary skills and knowledge to be successful citizens of society. For college student athletes an athletic coach can play a vital role in the collegiate experience. The thesis, Coach's Influence On The Career Development Of Student Athletes, examined the extent, if any, an athletic head coach influenced the career planning process encountered by college student athletes. The study was original in nature as it attempted to investigate a head athletic coach's influence on a student athlete's career development. The participants of the study were 163 male and 92 female student athletes attending a Midwestern, NCAA division 1, mid-sized, public university. The 40 question, scaled, survey instrument was created by the researcher and field tested before the actual administration of the instrument. Significant findings were found for male head coaches influencing the career development of male student athletes. Other significant findings are also discussed. Recommendations of the study direct coaches and athletic administrators to be aware of the career-related challenges faced by college student athletes, and to create an environment that promotes healthy career choices. / Department of Secondary, Higher, and Foundations of Education