To Apply

Our programs lead to different careers. Make sure to pick one!

Interested in research?

• • • An M.S. in Kinesiology can support careers in biotech, fitness and wellness sector
    • A Ph.D. in Kinesiology can open doors for academic, military, and industry research positions.

Interested in fitness training?

• • • An M.S. in Exercise Science, Strength & Conditioning Track sets the stage to become a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS), for those interested in optimizing human performance in athletes, military personnel, and other healthy active individuals

Interested in a healthcare career?

• • • An M.S. in Exercise Science, Exercise Physiology Track sets the stage to become a Certified Clinical Exercise Physiologist (CEP), for those interested in healthcare jobs helping individuals with chronic health conditions improve health through exercise

Our programs require commitment. Make sure you have the time and money!

Our M.S. programs take

• • • 2 years (4 semesters, Fall/Spring)
    • Up to 3 courses per semester (~10 hrs/week) + internships/research (~15 hrs/week)
    • Costs ~$10,000 per semester

Our M.S. programs use a cohort design, which means that students that start together, graduate together. We expect accepted students to maintain consistent enrollment and finish in 2 years.

Our Ph.D. program takes

• • • 4-5 years (typically year-round)
    • Between courses, research, and teaching, this is a full-time job!
    • All accepted students will have a guaranteed salary (~$40,000) through a teaching assistantship position with tuition remission & health insurance for up to 5 years as long as they remain in good standing.

The KAP program cannot waive application fees, nor does it offer financial aid packages.

Our programs are competitive. Make sure you have what it takes!

Class sizes each year are limited:

• • • 50 students for the MS-ExSci program (25 per track)
    • 3-5 students for the KAP program (mostly PhD track)

Pre-requisites for our program include:

• • • 1 year general biology + lab
    • 1 year general chemistry
    • exercise physiology + lab
    • exercise testing and prescription
    • 12 credits in advanced physiology, kinesiology/exercise science, chemistry, physics, calculus, or psychology

We prioritize students with grades of B or better in these courses.

Relevant experience helps your application

• • • The M.S. in Exercise Science, Strength & Conditioning program prioritizes applicants with hands-on experience in exercise training and fitness instruction
    • The M.S. in Exercise Science, Exercise Physiology program prioritizes applicants with experience working in the healthcare setting or with clinical populations
    • The M.S. in Kinesiology and Applied Physiology program prefers applicants with some research exposure
    • The Ph.D. in Kinesiology and Applied Physiology program requires applicants to have had at least one immersive research experience (min 1 year) and prioritizes those with authorships on conference presentations and/or publications

For all programs, GRE is optional

Are you an INTERNATIONAL STUDENT? Consider this…

Our courses are taught at the highest level, with expectations that students have real-time comprehension of course materials and an ability to communicate with fellow students, faculty, staff and administration clearly and appropriately.

Our hands-on training opportunities are often held offsite with community partners. Based on the variety of populations served by our internship and research sites, we require that students have a high level of English fluency – both understanding conversational styles and being able to respond quickly and appropriately.

As a minimum standard for consideration, if a student is from a country where English is not the primary language of communication:

• • • They must take and report English testing scores
      • • TOEFL Score > 220 for computer-based test; > 560 for paper-based test
        • IBT-internet based TOEFL scores of: Writing 22, Speaking 23, Reading 21, Listening 17
        • We currently do not accept DuoLingo testing
    • They must complete an English communication interview
      • • Interviews will cover various topics, including program prerequisites and everyday conversational topics (e.g., navigating campus, discussing routines, or asking for help), to ensure applicants have the communication skills needed for both academic success and daily functioning within the program and broader community.

DEADLINE for complete applications (all programs) = December 1 (Sept 1 for international students)

Update your RESUME or CV

We know that you are on a journey and have not done all that you want to do! That’s OK. Think about the program you are applying to and prioritize the experiences that best demonstrate your commitment to your chosen path.

• • • A resume is a brief (1-2 page) summary of accomplishments and is appropriate for those applying to M.S. programs.
    • A curriculum vitae (CV) is a longer list of accomplishments with added details about knowledge of specific lab techniques, research equipment, software programs, and experiences that would help us determine your fit in our Ph.D. program.

Select Letter of Recommendation Writers

Three letters of recommendation are required.

Selecting writers who can best speak to your educational accomplishments, intellectual ability, work ethic, interpersonal style, and/or past work experiences. We are interested in an assessment of your ability to succeed in graduate school! Select a variety of people to give us a well-rounded perspective of your abilities.

• • • M.S. applicants must have at least 1 letter from a science professor or other person from an academic setting (ex: research advisor)
    • Ph.D. applicants must have at least 2 letters from science professors or research advisors

Don’t feel bad asking for a letter! Most professionals know that these letters are an important part of educational and career success.

When asking for a letter, include your resume, transcripts, and personal statement (or a description of the program, why you are applying, and what you want to do when you graduate).

When asking for a letter, make sure to include complete information about where and when the letter should be submitted.

Give letter writers time! Think months, not weeks!

You can log in to our portal to check the status of your letters of recommendation.

If you notice that one of your letter writers has not submitted their letter, don’t hesitate to send a reminder email!

Prepare your PERSONAL STATEMENT

Your personal statement should be a series of short-answer responses to the following questions. Each answer should be limited to 200 words.

1. 1. 1. Tell us about a prior exercise training experience that influenced your decision to apply to our program.
      2. Tell us about a favorite course in college. Why did you like it? Was it an important factor in deciding to apply to graduate school?
      3. Tell us about an important lesson that you learned from a work experience (fitness, healthcare or research, depending on the program you are applying to)
      4. Tell us about your general career goal or what you plan to gain from the program you are applying to.
      5. Based on the program you are applying to, please also:
         • M.S. in Exercise Science
           List 3 types of internship experiences that you hope to have in our program. (this will help make sure we find the right experiences for you!)
         • M.S. in Kinesiology and Applied Physiology
           List 3 types of research experiences that you’d like to have in our program. You can focus on the type of methodologies, scientific topics, and/or general skills.
         • Ph.D. in Kinesiology and Applied Physiology
           List 3 laboratories of KAP faculty that you’d like to work in. Explain why the laboratory fits with your interests and career goals. You are welcome to identify a primary lab of interest, but must also discuss other labs or faculty members that you believe do relevant research (and why they are of interest). *this response is not limited to 200 words

Graduate Application Portal