Main Office
Physical Education Building, Room 209
P.O. Box 310769
Denton, TX 76203-0769
(940) 565-2651
Fax: (940) 565-4904
Web site: www.coe.unt.edu/khpr
Graduate Faculty: Chng, Collins, Driver, Goggin, Goodwin, Greenleaf, Hamson, Hill, Hodges, Jackson, Keller, Martin, McKenzie, Morrow, Patton, Walker, Weiller-Abels, Williamson.
The Department of Kinesiology, Health Promotion and Recreation offers graduate programs leading to the following degree:
The degrees offered and the career opportunities afforded by the degrees are outlined in the program descriptions below.
Applicants for admission into the department’s graduate programs are expected to have the following qualifications to obtain unconditional admission:
1. Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university.
2. Candidates must meet minimum master’s admissions requirements to the Toulouse School of Graduate Studies.
3. Minimum undergraduate grade point average (GPA) of 2.8 overall or a 3.0 for the last 60 hours or a minimum 3.4 master’s GPA. A lower GPA (2.6 overall or 2.8 in the last 60 hours) may be considered on an individual basis at the departmental level along with other factors (e.g., undergraduate academic institution, course work listed on the student’s transcript, completion of a previous master’s degree).
4. Submission of verbal, quantitative, and analytical writing GRE scores are required. Miller Analogies Test (MAT) or Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT) scores can be substituted for the GRE. The program views high test scores as a predictor of future success. Lower test scores will be considered if other criteria indicate ability to be successful in the program.
5. A typed, 300-word candidate’s statement which includes the candidate’s purpose in pursuing graduate study at the University of North Texas, career objectives, goals and a discussion of the candidate’s particular interest area.
6. Individual programs may have additional requirements. Applicants should contact the program for details.
The CSPPE is a multidisciplinary center devoted to offering sport psychology interventions, research and training. The center combines the expertise of faculty in psychology and kinesiology to produce the most comprehensive and state-of-the-art sport psychology services available.
The primary purposes of the program in kinesiology are to provide students with an understanding of basic research methodology; to acquaint students with the professional literature, trends and research being conducted in kinesiology; and to enable students to take electives in an area of interest, such as sport psychology, exercise physiology, health/fitness management, motor behavior and teacher behavior.
Career opportunities for graduates are generally found in the private sector with health clubs, wellness centers, corporations, rehabilitation centers, athletic groups and other private groups; or within the teaching profession as teachers, coaches, athletic trainers and administrators.
Current research in kinesiology includes the study of overtraining and burnout, mental health benefits of physical activity, and exercise and fitness in special populations. Other projects include the study of anxiety and motor performance, mental preparation strategies and maximum performance, central versus peripheral cardiovascular adjustments to exercise, measurement and evaluation of physical fitness, age and physical activity and fitness, sociological profiles of sport consumers, regional commercial sport development, gender-sport issues in the 21st century, job characteristics and work production of sport/fitness personnel, and professional preparation of high school and college teachers.
Financial support for the research programs comes from internal faculty research grants and instructional grants, as well as external funding agencies.
The Master of Science 36-hour degree includes a 15-hour core curriculum of courses in kinesiology. The student takes 21 hours of additional course work (which may include thesis) that allow development of an interest area such as sport psychology, exercise physiology, health/fitness management, motor behavior, sport sociology and teacher behavior.
1. 36 semester hours are required.
2. All students will complete a 15-hour core of graduate courses in kinesiology.
3. The remaining 15–21 hours will be electives approved by the major professor with no more than 6 hours outside of KINE.
4. Thesis students will complete KINE 5950 (6 hours).
5. Master of Science candidates who select the non-thesis option are required to successfully complete a culminating experience consisting of (1) a comprehensive examination or (2) a graduate project (enroll in KINE 5190). If choosing the comprehensive examination, it must be taken after a minimum of 24 hours including all KINE core courses. A student who fails the comprehensive examination must wait until the next administration of the exam. This will delay the student’s graduation.
The Master of Science degree program with a major in recreation and leisure studies is designed to prepare students for management-level positions within the leisure service field or the therapeutic recreation area, or for further graduate work in recreation and leisure studies.
Career opportunities include leadership and management positions in various agencies such as municipal recreation departments, not-for-profit agencies, resorts, military bases, commercial recreation enterprises, sport facilities, schools, hospitals and rehabilitation centers, long-term care facilities, state or federal agencies, parks, outdoor education centers, camps, YMCAs, intramural and campus recreation programs, corporations and fitness clubs.
Research emphases of the recreation and leisure studies faculty include the examination of antecedents to leisure, the benefits and consequences of leisure, the assessment of leisure functioning, the administration of leisure services, the barriers or constraints to leisure and the future of leisure in society. The faculty also conduct research on various methods and techniques used in professional practice. Specific research examples include older adults’ health and well being, disability and sport, organizational behavior, administration of leisure services, human resources, and recreation and leisure opportunities for disenfranchised and under-represented groups.
Financial support for research programs is generated by the faculty from internal university resources and external grants and contracts.
The graduate program in recreation and leisure studies provides a 36-hour Master of Science degree, with opportunities for students to take course work in program management and therapeutic recreation.
Applicants for admission into the recreation and leisure studies graduate program must submit a current resume and a typewritten statement of purpose describing their reason(s) for seeking graduate study in recreation and leisure studies. In addition, two letters of reference pertaining to the applicant’s aptitude for graduate work are required. These materials should be sent to the recreation and leisure studies program coordinator.
Students without an undergraduate degree in recreation, parks, or leisure studies are required to take up to 9 hours of prerequisite or corequisite course work.
Every student is required to take 15 hours of core courses:
Students with a career interest in program management take the following 9 hours of elective courses: RECR 5060, 5080 and 5850. Students with a career interest in therapeutic recreation take the following 9 hours of elective courses: RECR 4760, 5130 and 5870.
Both thesis and non-thesis options are available. Students selecting the thesis option will register for 6 hours of thesis credit (RECR 5950) and will complete a 6-hour minor. Students selecting the non-thesis option will register for RECR 5110 and will complete a 9-hour minor. Non-thesis students will complete a written comprehensive examination appropriate to the selected interest area.
Students with no work experience in recreation and leisure services and those preparing for certification in therapeutic recreation with no prior therapeutic recreation internship will be required to complete RECR 5860 as a deficiency (does not count on the degree plan).
An area of emphasis (6–9 hours) to complete the 36-hour program is selected in consultation with the graduate adviser. Recommended areas of emphasis include public administration, sociology, computer science, education, business, psychology, rehabilitation studies, gerontology, kinesiology and health promotion.
The program in recreation and leisure studies is accredited by the National Recreation and Park Association/American Association of Leisure and Recreation Council on Accreditation [22377 Belmont Ridge Road, Ashburn, VA 20148: (703) 858-0784].
The program in health promotion seeks to improve personal and community health through its educational, research and service programs.
Graduates of the program are employed in a wide range of school and community health settings; public health departments; voluntary organizations; corporate and other work-site settings; health-care environments; federal, state and local agencies; professional health organizations; hospital-based health programs; commercial health promotion settings; and elementary and secondary schools.
Current research of the faculty in the health promotion program includes investigations of the impact of HIV/AIDS on dating and sexual behavior, study of issues of sexuality, epidemiological analysis of the psychosocial determinants of health behavior among school children and cross-cultural correlates of health promotion. Other research includes the study of a socio-psychological perspective on health, especially the effects of stress and divorce on mortality and morbidity. Faculty includes Research Fellows of National Health Promotion Societies.
Financial support for the research programs comes from internal faculty research grants and instructional grants, as well as external funding agencies.
Program is currently not accepting students.
The program offers a Master of Science degree that emphasizes the scientific base of community and school health, and the investigation of community health-related problems. This degree allows pursuit of special academic interests, yet requires a core of study in school and community health-related issues.
All Courses of Instruction are located in one section at the back of this catalog.
The “Course and Subject Guide,” found in the Courses of Instruction section of this book, serves as a table of contents and provides quick access to subject areas and prefixes.
Date of initial release: July 1, 2006 — Copyright © 2006 University of North Texas
Page updated:
July 14, 2006
— Comments or corrections: catalog@unt.edu
UNT · Search UNT · UNT News · UNT Events
“University of North Texas,” “UNT” and “Discover the power of ideas” are officially registered trademarks of the University of North Texas; their use by others is legally restricted. If you have questions about using any of these marks, please contact the UNT Division of University Relations, Communications and Marketing at (940) 565-2108 or e-mail branding@unt.edu.
(888) UNT-GRAD
(868-4723) (toll-free)
gradschool@unt.edu
(940) 565-2000