DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND KINESIOLOGY

KINESIOLOGY PROGRAM

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:

1. 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.
2. have a minimum grade point average of 2.5 on all previous college studies, or a 2.8 in the advanced hours of coursework on the baccalaureate degree.
3. have completed an undergraduate degree with a Kinesiology major or minor, and have completed coursework equivalent to KIN 321, 322, 362, 373, and 469. See the undergraduate catalog for a description of these classes.
4. complete the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) and score at least 550, 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) is designed for majors in Elementary Education who wish to minor in Kinesiology. The 36-hour program is divided as follows:

(1) a major of 18-24 hours in Education, and

(2) a minor of 12-18 hours in Kinesiology.

The Master of Education (non-thesis option) is designed for those who desire to focus their coursework in Kinesiology and Education, while gaining greater knowledge in a second teaching field. Within this 36-hour degree, the student may take 12-24 hours in Kinesiology, 6-12 hours in a second teaching field, and 12-18 hours in Education.

Program Requirements

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:

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.

KINESIOLOGY COURSE DESCRIPTIONS

KIN 534 PRACTICUM. An internship experience in a personal working environment, organizational setting. Supervisory assistance by project staff occurs at frequent intervals.

KIN 562 LEGAL ISSUES IN SPORT. An examination of legal factors affecting Physical Education, amateur athletics and professional sport. Analysis will involve teachers, coaches, officials, spectators, medical personnel, owners of sports teams, and commercial suppliers of equipment and products used within an activity setting.

KIN 563 LEADERSHIP IN HEALTH PROMOTION AND SPORT MANAGEMENT. This course is designed for the individual who will assume some type of supervisory position in health promotion or sport management. The course’s focal point involves exposure to administrative skills required of those who serve in a leadership capacity.

KIN 567 ADVANCED PHYSIOLOGY OF EXERCISE. Advanced content reflecting the scientific principles underlying exercise is coupled with an emphasis on laboratory experiences. Students will be required to conduct an applied research project on a topic of their choice. Prerequisite: KIN 373 or permission of instructor.

KIN 574 RESEARCH SEMINAR. A study is made of research techniques, identification of problems, research designs and data gathering procedures. Students will develop a proposal for a research project.

KIN 575 STATISTICAL DESIGN IN HEALTH AND KINESIOLOGY. Principles of advanced statistical techniques and measurement theory, with emphasis upon their application to Health, Kinesiology, and related areas, will be presented.

KIN 577 INDEPENDENT STUDIES. This course is adaptable to the needs and interests of the individual student. Students with specific interests are provided the opportunity to investigate and make application in theoretical, laboratory, or field experience approaches to their area of concentration. Prerequisites: KIN 574. A proposal is submitted to the faculty sponsor and the Chair of the Health and Kinesiology Graduate Committee the semester before the student plans to register for this course.

KIN 579 MANAGEMENT OF ADULT FITNESS PROGRAMS. An analysis of factors associated with the management of commercial, corporate and hospital-based wellness programs. Special attention will be given to the purpose, development and maintenance of such programs.

KIN 589 SPORTS IN AMERICAN CULTURE. The course explores North American sport from a viewpoint that sport is a microcosm of society. Social structures, subcultures, and ethics are explored.

*KIN 592 PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT IN KINESIOLOGY. This course is designed to examine movement patterns and the developmental progression of motor actions in children and adolescents. The focus will be on how to create challenging curricula, while improving instructional skills.

KIN 593 ADVANCED STUDIES IN THE PSYCHOLOGY OF SPORT. An advanced study of the psychological factors that affect, and are influenced by, sports participation. Both the coach and the athlete are considered in this analysis.

KIN 595 ADVANCED BIOMECHANICS. The mechanical analysis of motion as it applies to the human musculoskeletal system. The course stresses advanced concepts of functional anatomy, linear and angular kinetics and kinematics, and application of those concepts in a laboratory/research setting. Emphasis is placed on data collection and evaluation in a semester research project. Prerequisite: KIN 362 or permission of instructor.

KIN 597 CURRENT ISSUES IN KINESIOLOGY. This course will include topics and specific issues germane to current concerns in the areas of Physical Education, health-related wellness, sport on the professional level, and interscholastic and intercollegiate athletics. Students will be required to complete a research project requiring data collection and analysis.

KIN 598 SIGNIFICANCE OF MOTOR LEARNING. This course will present the theoretical and experimental bases for the understanding of human behavior in movement. Areas of study include feedback manipulation, motor programming, dynamic systems theory, generalizability of schema, forgetting, and compatibility analysis. Students are required to plan and conduct a research study testing a motor learning postulate of their own choosing. Prerequisite: KIN 322 or permission of instructor.

KIN 599 WORKSHOP IN KINESIOLOGY, RECREATION, AND SPORT. An intensive laboratory-oriented experience for practitioners seeking to upgrade teaching, coaching, or leadership competencies in areas related to Kinesiology, Coaching, and Athletics. May be repeated for credit with approval of the Chair of the Health and Kinesiology Graduate Committee.

KIN 698 THESIS. This phase of the thesis investigation includes the completion of the review of the related literature, formulation of the research design and procedures and related pilot studies. Some data collection may also occur, and the thesis symposium must be completed to the satisfaction of the advisor and members of the thesis committee.

KIN 699 THESIS. This phase of the thesis includes the completion of the data collection, as well as the actual writing and defense of the thesis.

* Subject to action by the Board of Regents, the Texas State University System and/or the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.