This is a named option in the Kinesiology, M.S. For more information, please see our program website.

The Applied Exercise Science named option of the Kinesiology MS is designed to provide broad, graduate-level training in Kinesiology for students who are not necessarily interested in a career doing research in the field. This degree supports and interest in coaching/teaching (team or individual), personal training, or fitness instructions. Students will take graduate-level courses that cover the breadth of the field of Kinesiology and will take additional electives from Kinesiology or from any departments across campus that the students see as fitting their personal educational goals. The degree also supplements the practice of physical therapy, athletic training, other allied health professions, or any individual purpose a student may have. Students can use elective credits, internships, and independent studies to customize their program to meet their needs and future career goals.

Please consult the table below for key information about this degree program’s admissions requirements. The program may have more detailed admissions requirements, which can be found below the table or on the program’s website.

Graduate admissions is a two-step process between academic programs and the Graduate School. Applicants must meet the minimum requirements of the Graduate School as well as the program(s). Once you have researched the graduate program(s) you are interested in, apply online.

Fall Deadline February 15
Spring Deadline December 1
Summer Deadline This program does not admit in the summer.
GRE (Graduate Record Examinations) Not required.
English Proficiency Test Every applicant whose native language is not English or whose undergraduate instruction was not in English must provide an English proficiency test score and meet the Graduate School minimum requirements (https://grad.wisc.edu/apply/requirements/#english-proficiency)
Other Test(s) (e.g., GMAT, MCAT) n/a
Letters of Recommendation Required 3

Applications may be considered after February 15.

For admission, the Graduate School requires, as does the Kinesiology department, a minimum 3.0 GPA (on a 4.0=A scale) on the last 60 semester hours (or equivalent) of undergraduate coursework. An applicant must submit academic transcripts from each institution attended and a statement of reasons for graduate study. Please consult the kinesiology website for further details of these requirements and procedures. 

Graduate School Resources

Resources to help you afford graduate study might include assistantships, fellowships, traineeships, and financial aid. Further funding information is available from the Graduate School. Be sure to check with your program for individual policies and restrictions related to funding.

On This Page

Minimum Graduate School Requirements

Review the Graduate School minimum academic progress and degree requirements, in addition to the program requirements listed below.

Named Option Requirements

mode of instruction

Face to Face Evening/Weekend Online Hybrid Accelerated
Yes No No No No

Mode of Instruction Definitions

Accelerated: Accelerated programs are offered at a fast pace that condenses the time to completion. Students typically take enough credits aimed at completing the program in a year or two.

Evening/Weekend: ​Courses meet on the UW–Madison campus only in evenings and/or on weekends to accommodate typical business schedules.  Students have the advantages of face-to-face courses with the flexibility to keep work and other life commitments.

Face-to-Face: Courses typically meet during weekdays on the UW-Madison Campus.

Hybrid: These programs combine face-to-face and online learning formats.  Contact the program for more specific information.

Online: These programs are offered 100% online.  Some programs may require an on-campus orientation or residency experience, but the courses will be facilitated in an online format.

curricular requirements

Minimum Credit Requirement 30 credits
Minimum Residence Credit Requirement 16 credits
Minimum Graduate Coursework Requirement 15 credits must be graduate-level coursework. Details can be found in the Graduate School’s Minimum Graduate Coursework (50%) policy (https://policy.wisc.edu/library/UW-1244).
Overall Graduate GPA Requirement 3.00 GPA required. This program follows the Graduate School's policy: https://policy.wisc.edu/library/UW-1203
Other Grade Requirements n/a
Assessments and Examinations Not required.
Language Requirements No language requirements.

required courses 

Fall A (odd years)
KINES 773 Cardiorespiratory Adaptions to Environment and Exercise3
KINES 991 Research in Physical Activity- Theory and Design3
Spring A
KINES 700 Psychological Effects of Exercise3
KINES/​POP HLTH  791 Physical Activity Epidemiology3
Fall B (even years)
KINES 618 Biomechanics2
KINES 713 Neural Basis of Normal and Pathological Movement3
Spring B
KINES 774 Metabolic Responses to Exercise and Environmental Stress2
KINES 861 Principles of Motor Control and Learning3
Suggested Electives 18
KINES 350
 Introduction to Exercise Psychology
KINES 521
 Physical Activity and Health
KINES/​NURSING  523
 Clinical Exercise Testing & Training
KINES 527
 Principles of Strength and Conditioning
KINES 528
 Seminar in Strength and Conditioning
KINES 555
 Sports Science & Athlete Monitoring
KINES 600
 Advanced Exercise Psychology
KINES 614
 Biological Factors Influencing Exercise Performance
KINES 690
 Internship in Kinesiology
KINES 721
 Neural Basis for Movement
KINES 779
 Human Muscle Function in Health and Disease
KINES 900
 Seminar in Kinesiology
NUTR SCI/​POP HLTH  621
 Introduction to Nutritional Epidemiology
NUTR SCI 625
 Advanced Nutrition: Obesity and Diabetes
CURRIC 744
 Perspectives in Multicultural Education
GEN BUS 310
 Fundamentals of Accounting and Finance for Non-Business Majors
GEN BUS 311
 Fundamentals of Management and Marketing for Non-Business Majors
Total Credits30
1

Student chooses, based on personal interests/goals, from this list or any other 300-level or higher numbered courses

Graduate School Policies

The Graduate School’s Academic Policies and Procedures provide essential information regarding general university policies. Program authority to set degree policies beyond the minimum required by the Graduate School lies with the degree program faculty. Policies set by the academic degree program can be found below.

named option-specific policies

prior coursework

Graduate Work from Other Institutions

With program approval, students are allowed to count no more than 15 credits of graduate coursework from other institutions. Coursework earned five or more years prior to admission to a master's degree is not allowed to satisfy requirements. 

UW-Madison Undergraduate

No credits from a UW-Madison undergraduate degree are allowed to count toward the degree. 

UW-Madison University Special

This program follows the Graduate School's policy for Transfer from UW-Madison University Special Student Career at UW-Madison.

Probation

This program follows the Graduate School's Probation policy.

Advisor/COmmittee

This program follows the Graduate School's Advisor policy and the Graduate School's Committees policy. 

The program advisor is the Director of Graduate Studies.

Credits per term allowed

15 credits

Time limits

This program follows the Graduate School's Time Limits policy.

Within the Department, completion of required courses within two years of matriculation is considered satisfactory progress. See the Graduate Program Handbook link in Contact Information for more information. 

Grievances and appeals

These resources may be helpful in addressing your concerns:

School of Education Grievance Policy and Procedures

The following School of Education Student Grievance Policy and associated procedures are designed for use in response to individual student grievances regarding faculty or staff in the School of Education.

Any individual student who feels they have been treated unfairly by a School of Education faculty or staff member has the right to file a grievance about the treatment and receive a timely response addressing their concerns. Any student, undergraduate or graduate, may use these grievance procedures, except employees whose complaints are covered under other campus policies. The grievance may concern classroom treatment, mentoring or advising, program admission or continuation, course grades (study abroad grade complaints are handled through International Academic Programs), or issues not covered by other campus policies or grievance procedures. 

For grievances regarding discrimination based on protected bases (i.e., race, color, national origin, sex, disability, age, etc.), contact the Office of Compliance (https://compliance.wisc.edu/eo-complaint/).

For grievances or concerns regarding sexual harassment or sexual violence (including sexual assault, dating/domestic violence, stalking and sexual exploitation), contact the Sexual Misconduct Resource and Response Program within the Office of Compliance.

For grievances that involve the behavior of a student, contact the Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards in the Dean of Students Office at https://conduct.students.wisc.edu/).

For grievances about, or directed at, faculty or staff in a School of Education department, unit, or program, students should follow these steps:

  1. Students are strongly encouraged to first talk with the person against whom the concern is directed.  Many issues can be settled informally at this level.  If students are unable to resolve concerns directly or without additional support, step 2 or 3 should be pursued.
  2. If unresolved after taking or considering step 1:
    1. If the concern is directed against a teaching assistant (TA), and the student is not satisfied, the student should contact the TA's supervisor, who is usually the course professor.  The course professor will attempt to resolve the concern informally.
    2. If the concern involves a non-TA instructor, staff member, professor, academic department, or School of Education office or unit, the student should contact the chair of the department or the director of the office or unit, or their designee. The chair or director, or their designee, will attempt to resolve the concern informally. If the concern is about the department chair or office/unit director, the student should consult the School of Education Senior Associate Dean for guidance.
  3. If the concern remains unresolved after step 2, the student may submit a formal grievance to the chair or director in writing within 30 business days1 of the alleged unfair treatment. To the fullest extent possible, a formal written grievance shall contain a clear and concise statement of the issue(s) involved and the relief sought.  
  4. On receipt of a written grievance, the chair or director will notify the person at whom the grievance is directed with a copy of the written grievance. The person at whom the complaint is directed may submit a written response, which would be shared with the student.
  5. On receipt of a written grievance, the chair or director will refer the matter to a department, office, or unit committee comprised of at least two members. The committee may be an existing committee or one constituted for this purpose. The committee, or delegates from the committee, may meet with the parties involved and/or review any material either party shares with the committee.  
  6. The committee will provide a written description of the facts of the grievance and communicate recommendations to the department chair or office/unit head regarding how the grievance should be handled.
  7. The chair or director will offer to meet with the student who made the grievance and also will provide a written decision to the student, including a description of any related action taken by the committee, within 30 business days of receiving the formal grievance.
    1

    For the purpose of this policy, business days refers to those days when the University Offices are open and shall not include weekends, university holidays, spring recess, or the period from the last day of exams of fall semester instruction to the first day of spring semester instruction. All time limits may be modified by mutual consent of the parties involved.

If the grievance concerns an undergraduate course grade, the decision of the department chair after reviewing the committee’s recommendations is final. 

Other types of grievances may be appealed using the following procedures:

  1. Both the student who filed the grievance or the person at whom the grievance was directed, if unsatisfied with the decision of the department, office or unit, have five (5) business days from receipt of the decision to contact the Senior Associate Dean, indicating the intention to appeal.   
  2. A written appeal must be filed with the Senior Associate Dean within 10 business days of the time the appealing party was notified of the initial resolution of the complaint.
  3. On receipt of a written appeal, the Senior Associate Dean will convene a sub-committee of the School of Education’s Academic Planning Council. This subcommittee may ask for additional information from the parties involved and/or may hold a meeting at which both parties will be asked to speak separately (i.e., not in the room at the same time).
  4. The subcommittee will then make a written recommendation to the Dean of the School of Education, or their designee, who will render a decision. The dean or designee’s written decision shall be made within 30 business days from the date when the written appeal was filed with the Senior Associate Dean.  For undergraduate students, the dean or designee’s decision is final.

Further appealing a School of Education decision – graduate students only

Graduate students have the option to appeal decisions by the School of Education dean or designee by using the process detailed on the Graduate School’s website.

Questions about these procedures can be directed to the School of Education Dean's Office, 377 Education Building, 1000 Bascom Mall, 608-262-1763.

Resources

other

n/a

Graduate School Resources

Take advantage of the Graduate School's professional development resources to build skills, thrive academically, and launch your career. 

The Director of Graduate Studies, Dr. Lisa Cadmus-Bertram, is the advisor for all students in the Applied Exercise Science named option.

Contact information for faculty can be found on the Kinesiology website.