Kinesiology

Master's and Collaborative Doctoral Programs

Graduate opportunities

In the Department of Kinesiology, Health Promotion and Recreation at the University of North Texas, our graduate Kinesiology program provides you an in-depth understanding of basic research methodology and professional literature, trends and research being conducted in the field.

We offer course work leading to a Master of Science degree in Kinesiology with concentrations in exercise physiology, sport pedagogy or sport and exercise psychology. We also participate in two collaborative doctoral degree programs.

Careers are often found in health clubs, wellness centers, corporations, rehabilitation centers, athletic groups and other private groups. Other opportunities are available as teachers, coaches, athletic trainers and administrators. The degree may lead to advancement in your current field.

Our faculty members are outstanding teachers, recognized scholars and active researchers. They've earned honors from the American College of Sports Medicine, the National Academy of Kinesiology and the American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance. Their areas of expertise range from biomechanics to motor learning to teacher preparation. Current research includes:

• The study of physical activity
• Social and psychological factors associated with physical fitness and body composition
• Effective coaching behavior
• Mental skills related to performance success
• Physiology of resistance exercise related to hormones, nutrition, health and performance
• The role of motor skills and the learning environment on physical activity in children
• Concurrent feedback and practice organization on the learning of motor skills

Our collaborative doctoral programs

The collaborative doctoral degree program in Biology with a concentration in exercise physiology explores the body's neuromuscular and cardiovascular reactions to exercise and training. For more information, contact Brian McFarlin, Jakob Vingren or David Hill.

The Educational Psychology doctoral degree program with a concentration in the psychosocial aspects of sport and exercise examines how psychological strategies and techniques enhance or deter one's athletic performance and how exercise and fitness affect mental health and cognitive function. More information is available from Scott Martin.

The sport pedagogy concentration in the Educational Psychology doctoral degree program examines learning and teaching, the influence of policy, and program impact in physical education, physical activity and sport programs. More information is available from Kathi Thomas.

Research centers and laboratories

The Applied Physiology Laboratory specializes in research and education in physiology, health and nutrition related to exercise. It's composed of several units including the Exercise Metabolism Laboratory, the Neuromuscular Exercise Laboratory, the Exercise Biochemistry Laboratory, the Body Composition Laboratory, and aerobic exercise training and teaching areas.

Each laboratory houses state-of-the-art equipment for measuring oxygen uptake, anaerobic capacity and muscle activation, as well as other areas of related research.

Our Center for Sport Psychology and Performance Excellence combines the expertise of faculty members in psychology and kinesiology. It produces the most comprehensive and cutting-edge sport psychology services available to individuals, coaches, leaders, teams and groups.

The Physical Education and Sport Pedagogy Laboratory works to improve school-aged students' health through research, increasing public awareness and policy advocacy. Equipment includes active video game systems, a pediatric exercise ergometer, pediatric table and pedometers, among other tools.

Initiatives use qualitative and quantitative data collection, intervention development and design, evaluation of intervention outcomes and processes and data analysis. A number of software packages are also housed in the laboratory and used for research, teaching and service in sport pedagogy.

Attending UNT

Admission requirements

For each program, you'll need to complete the admission requirements for the Toulouse Graduate School® and provide the administering department the following materials. The admission requirements for the graduate school are outlined at the graduate school website or in our catalog.

Kinesiology master's program (Department of Kinesiology, Health Promotion and Recreation)

• Minimum 3.25 GPA on the last 60 undergraduate credit hours or 3.0 GPA on all undergraduate work
• GRE scores
• Typed candidate statement that includes career objectives, goals, area of interest and why you want to attend UNT

Collaborative Biology doctoral program (Department of Biological Sciences)

• Department application form
• Letter of intent
• Three letters of recommendation
• Application data sheet

Collaborative Educational Psychology doctoral program (Department of Educational Psychology)

• Minimum 3.4 GPA on master's degree work
• GRE scores that are less than five years old
• Personal résumé or curriculum vitae
• Three letters of recommendation from academic or professionally applicable sources
• Personal statement of career objectives explaining how this degree will advance those objectives

Degree requirements

Master's Kinesiology degree

• 15 credit hours of kinesiology core courses
• 15 to 21 credit hours of electives (no more than 6 credit hours may be taken outside of Kinesiology)
• 6 credit hours of a master's thesis course (thesis option) or comprehensive exam or graduate project (non-thesis option)

Doctoral Biology degree

• 6 credit hours of Biology courses
• 6 credit hours of Kinesiology courses
• 12 credit hours of dissertation
• 6 credit hours of special problems courses
• 12 credit hours of individual research courses

Doctoral Educational Psychology degree

• 9 credit hours of educational psychology core courses
• 21 credit hours of major required courses
• 21 credit hours of psychosocial aspects of sport and exercise courses or sport pedagogy courses
• 3 credit hours of supervised research practice
• 9 credit hours of dissertation

Financial assistance

Teaching fellowships

Teaching fellowship recipients may serve as a teaching fellow, teaching assistant, research assistant or graduate services assistant. Opportunities exist across a variety of instructional and research activities in health-related fitness, physical activity, health promotion and recreation.

Teaching fellows are paid a stipend of approximately $12,000 to $15,000 for nine months (20-hour-per-week appointment). Summer appointments are often available. They must be formally admitted to one of the graduate programs and enroll in a minimum of 6 credit hours each fall and spring semester.

Scholarships

The department, college and university award many scholarships each year. These scholarships typically apply to tuition and fees for two semesters. The award amounts depend on the scholarship. More information is available at our website or the financial aid website.