KINESIOLOGY PROGRAM
Course Descriptions
The graduate program in Kinesiology is designed to enhance the professional expertise of teachers and coaches, to prepare students for positions in corporate, commercial, hospital health promotion, and sport management settings, and for entry into doctoral programs.
Entrance Requirements – Admission into the Kinesiology Master’s Program requires that a student must:
- submit Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores, and when applied to the following formula, 250 (undergraduate grade point average) + GRE scores, attain a minimum of 1500 for regular admission.
- have completed an undergraduate degree with a Kinesiology major or minor or
related field, and have completed 12 hours of advanced coursework related to
masters emphasis. These advanced hours must be approved by the Kinesiology
graduate coordinator. See the undergraduate catalog for a description of these
classes. - complete the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) and score at least
550 (paper-based), 213 (computer-based) or 79 (internet-based), if that individual
is from a non-English speaking country.
Students with incomplete admission files (i.e. have not taken the GRE) may be conditionally admitted for one semester, and are allowed to complete a maximum of 6 graduate hours.
Program Requirements
The Master of Arts in Kinesiology (thesis option) is a 30-hour program designed to prepare individuals for college teaching and for students who which to pursue doctoral studies in the future. This option requires students to complete a thesis (KIN 698 and KIN 699)
The Master of Arts in Kinesiology (non-thesis option) is a 36-hour program designed to prepare teachers, coaches, managers of commercial or corporate fitness programs, and administrators in recreationally-based activity settings.
The Master of Education (non-thesis option) with EC-12 Physical Education Certification is a 36-hour course of study for kinesiology majors/minors or a 48-hour course of study for students without kinesiology undergraduate coursework. The 36- or 48-hour course of study leads to a Masters of Education degree with all-level physical education certification.
For a 30-hour program, a maximum of 6-hours of coursework can be transferred from another institution, or applied to the graduate program from an area of study outside of Kinesiology. For a 36-hour program, a maximum number of 12-hours can be transferred from another institution, or applied from disciplines outside of Kinesiology. For any of the graduate degree options, only one independent study (KIN 577), and a maximum of two pre-approved 400-level offerings, may be applied toward the coursework. Consult the undergraduate catalog for course descriptions. All coursework falling under one of these considerations must have the approval of the Chair of the Health and Kinesiology Graduate Committee. Application of workshops (KIN 599) is limited to 6-hours for a 36-hour degree plan, and 3-hours for a 30-hour program.
All graduate students must complete the following core classes:
| KIN 562 | Legal Issues in Sport | 3 SCH |
| KIN 563 | Leadership in Health Promotion and Sport Management | 3 SCH |
| KIN 574 | Research Methods (within the first 12 hours) | 3 SCH |
| KIN 575 | Statistical Design in Health and Kinesiology | 3 SCH |
At the conclusion of the program, all students are required to pass a comprehensive written examination covering all coursework, exclusive of the thesis if applicable. Those selecting the thesis option are also required to successfully complete an oral defense of that research study. The comprehensive examination can be taken when the student is within his/her final 6-hours of coursework, and must be completed at least three-weeks prior to the graduation date. Students must be enrolled during the semester in which the comprehensive examinations are taken.
The oral defense must be completed at least four-weeks prior to graduation to allow sufficient time for review of the thesis by various administrative offices. Students should consult the calendar that appears at the beginning of the Graduate Catalog for the specific date the manuscript must be submitted to the Dean’s office.