kinesiology

The Department of Kinesiology's mission is to create, interpret, transmit, and apply knowledge related to movement, exercise, and human occupation with the ultimate goal of enhancing human health, productivity, and quality of life.

The Ph.D. in Kinesiology is available with research specialization in biomechanics, exercise physiology, exercise psychology, motor control and behavior, physical activity epidemiology, and occupational science.

The Ph.D. in Kinesiology combines advanced courses with the option of an intensive research experience. Department research facilities are well equipped, and faculty and graduate students have access to other specialized research facilities across campus. Faculty and graduate student research is currently supported by funding from the state and federal government, research foundations, and private industry. Faculty are affiliated with the Institute on Aging; Cardiovascular Research Center; Center for Neuroscience/Neuroscience Training Program; departments of Biomedical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Medicine, Neurology, Population Health Science, and Psychology; McPherson Eye Research Institute; Harlow Center for Biological Psychology; interdepartmental graduate program in Nutritional Sciences; Trace Research and Development Center; VA Geriatric Research and Education Center; Waisman Center; and Wisconsin Alzheimer's Institute.

Fall Deadline February 15
Spring Deadline December 1
Summer Deadline The program does not admit in the summer.
GRE (Graduate Record Examinations) 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

The application deadline is February 15, applications may be considered after this date.

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 official Graduate Record Exam (GRE) scores, academic transcripts from each institution attended, a minimum of three letters of recommendation, and a statement of reasons for graduate study. The statement should name the applicant's intended area(s) of specialization and provide specific details on why the applicant names the area(s).  If a professor in the area of specialization agrees to serve as the prospective student's advisor, then the department's graduate office recommends the applicant for admission to the Graduate School.  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.

Program Resources

Prospective students should see the program website for funding information.

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.

Major Requirements

MODE OF INSTRUCTION

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

Mode of Instruction Definitions

CURRICULAR REQUIREMENTS

Minimum Credit Requirement 51 credits
Minimum Residence Credit Requirement 32 credits
Minimum Graduate Coursework Requirement Half of degree coursework (26 credits out of 51 total credits) must be completed graduate-level coursework; courses with the Graduate Level Coursework attribute are identified and searchable in the university's Course Guide.
Overall Graduate GPA Requirement 3.00 GPA required.
Other Grade Requirements Course numbered 300 and above with a grade of A, AB, B, or S count toward minimum credit requirement; grades of BC or C count only if equal credits of AB and A offset the lower grades to average B (3.00).
Assessments and Examinations Ph.D. students must:

1. pass all didactic courses in conformity with GPA and grad requirements;
2. pass preliminary exams (http://grad.wisc.edu/acadpolicy/#preliminaryexaminations) administered by a three member faculty committee; and
3. successfully propose and defend a dissertation before a five-member committee constituted as above in this chart.
Language Requirements No language requirements.
Doctoral Minor/Breadth Requirements A doctoral minor is not required due to the broad areas of inquiry within Kinesiology. To ensure the breadth of study requirement is achieved, students are required to complete a minimum of 2 graduate level courses (at least 2 credits each) in Kinesiology, but outside their identified area of specialization/track of study.

Required COURSES

Biomechanics Track1

Required Courses
STAT/​F&W ECOL/​HORT  572 Statistical Methods for Bioscience II4
KINES 900 Seminar in Kinesiology 21
KINES 951 Seminar-Biomechanics2
KINES 990 Research or Thesis2-12
KINES 991 Research in Physical Activity- Theory and Design3
Note: KINES 991 is required for PhD candidates who did not complete this or an equivalent course as part of their MS program.
General Field Requirement
At least 2 graduate level courses of at least 2 credits each in Kinesiology, at UW-Madison, outside of Biomechanics area4-6
Electives
Chosen in consultation with advisorRemaining Credits

Exercise Physiology Track1

Required Courses
ANAT&PHY 435 Fundamentals of Human Physiology5
KINES 773 Cardiorespiratory Adaptions to Environment and Exercise3
KINES 774 Metabolic Responses to Exercise and Environmental Stress2
KINES 991 Research in Physical Activity- Theory and Design3
Note: the above courses are only required if not taken as part of an M.S. program
KINES 900 Seminar in Kinesiology 31
KINES 953 Human Biodynamics Seminar1
KINES 999 Independent Reading1-4
General Field Requirement
At least 2 graduate-level courses of at least 2 credits each in Kinesiology, at UW–Madison, outside of Exercise Physiology area4-6
Electives (sufficient to meet graduation requirements; chosen in consultation with advisor)
Research
KINES 900 Seminar in Kinesiologyminimum of 8

Exercise Psychology Track1

Required Courses
KINES 991 Research in Physical Activity- Theory and Design 23
KINES 900 Seminar in Kinesiology 31
General Field Requirement
At least 2 graduate-level courses of at least 2 credits each in Kinesiology, at UW-Madison, outside of the Exercise Psychology area.4-6
With the exception of the requirements above, no specific courses are required of candidates for the Ph.D. in Kinesiology with specialization in Exercise Psychology. For the Ph.D., candidates must complete a minimum of 51 credits beyond the baccalaureate degree in accordance with Graduate School policy, but most students in the exercise psychology program elect to take additional credits beyond this minimum. Emphasis is placed on the demonstration of competence in general psychology, exercise psychology, exercise science, statistics and research design, rather than on completion of specific courses. Each candidate’s program of formal coursework and independent study is tailored in a personalized manner to accommodate the individual’s research and career goals.

Motor Control and Behavior Track1

Required Courses
KINES 991 Research in Physical Activity- Theory and Design 23
KINES 990 Research or Thesis2-12
KINES 900 Seminar in Kinesiology 31
Statistics courses (chosen in consultation with advisor) 44-6
General Field Requirements
At least 2 graduate level courses of at least 2 credits each in Kinesiology, at UW-Madison, outside of the Motor Control & Behavior area.4-6
Suggested Elective Courses (chosen in consultation with advisor) 5
KINES 721 Neural Basis for Movement3
KINES 861 Principles of Motor Control and Learning3
KINES 951 Seminar-Biomechanics2
KINES 961 Seminar in Motor Control and Learning2
KINES 713 Neural Basis of Normal and Pathological Movement3

Occupational Science Track1

Required Courses
Courses in Research Methods, Design, Proposal Development, and Research Ethics 26
KINES 991 Research in Physical Activity- Theory and Design3
KINES 900 Seminar in Kinesiology 31
KINES 785 Human Occupation and Health2-3
KINES 885 Seminar in Occupation and Health1
General Field Requirements
Two Kinesiology classes of at least 2 credits each outside your focus area (Occupational Science Track specific courses would not qualify for this requirement).4
Electives
Elective courses are taken in a “concentration area” specific to the area of research. (Examples: ICTR Clinical Trials, Global Health, Prevention Science, Aging, Lifespan Development). Selected in consultation with Faculty Advisor.
Research
KINES 990 Research or Thesis1-12

Physical Activity Epidemiology Track1

Required Courses
KINES/​POP HLTH  791 Physical Activity Epidemiology3
KINES/​POP HLTH  955 Seminar - Physical Activity Epidemiology1
KINES 991 Research in Physical Activity- Theory and Design3
KINES 990 Research or Thesis2-12
KINES 900 Seminar in Kinesiology 21
Electives (chosen from list below or others in consultation with advisor)
ANAT&PHY 435 Fundamentals of Human Physiology5
KINES 521 Physical Activity and Health3
KINES 600 Advanced Exercise Psychology3
KINES 614 Biological Factors Influencing Exercise Performance3
KINES 700 Psychological Effects of Exercise3
KINES 773 Cardiorespiratory Adaptions to Environment and Exercise3
KINES 774 Metabolic Responses to Exercise and Environmental Stress2
KINES 779 Human Muscle Function in Health and Disease2
CHEM 341 Elementary Organic Chemistry3
BMOLCHEM 503 Human Biochemistry3
STAT/​B M I  541 Introduction to Biostatistics3
STAT/​B M I  642 Statistical Methods for Epidemiology3
POP HLTH/​NUTR SCI  621 Introduction to Nutritional Epidemiology1
POP HLTH 750 Cancer Epidemiology3
POP HLTH/​SOC  797 Introduction to Epidemiology3
POP HLTH 798 Epidemiologic Methods3
POP HLTH 802 Advanced Epidemiology: Etiology and Prevention3
Students will take advanced course work in various areas as described in the program area synopsis. In accordance with Graduate School policy, a minimum of 30 credits is required for the M.S. degree, and a minimum of 51 credits for the Ph.D. The curriculum is intended to provide the student with a sound basis in the adaptations to physical activity and exercise as well as the statistical and methodological tools needed to evaluate relationships between physical activity and health outcomes at the population level. There are three required courses in addition to the thesis or dissertation requirement, and the remaining credits can be chosen in consultation with the graduate advisor to meet the degree objectives.
General Field Requirement
At least 2 graduate level courses of at least 2 credits each in Kinesiology at UW-Madison outside of Physical Activity Epidemiology area.

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.

Major-Specific Policies

Prior Coursework

Graduate Work from Other Institutions

With program approval, students are allowed to count no more than 18 credits of graduate coursework from other institutions. Coursework earned ten years or more prior to admission to a doctoral 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

With program approval, students are allowed to count no more than 15 credits of coursework numbered 300 or above taken in UW–Madison University Special student status. Coursework earned ten or more years prior to admission to a doctoral degree is not allowed to satisfy requirements.

ProbatioN

The Graduate School regularly reviews the record of any student who earned grades of BC, C, D, F, or Incomplete in a graduate course (300 or above), or grade of U in research credits. This review could result in academic probation with a hold on future enrollment or in being suspended from the Graduate School.

  1. Good standing (progressing according to standards; any funding guarantee remains in place).
  2. Probation (not progressing according to standards but permitted to enroll; loss of funding guarantee; specific plan with dates and deadlines in place in regard to removal of probationary status).
  3. Unsatisfactory progress (not progressing according to standards; not permitted to enroll, dismissal, leave of absence or change of advisor or program).

An overall GPA below 3.0 will place the student on academic probation. If a 3.0 GPA is not regained in the subsequent semester the student may be dismissed from the program or allowed to continue provisionally for 1 semester based on advisor appeal to the Graduate School. The Graduate School's probation policy is described in the Graduate School's Academic Policies and Procedures.

ADVISOR / COMMITTEE

Ph.D. students work with two (or three) committees during their studies.

  1. Preliminary exams Committee (three graduate faculty members)
  2. Dissertation committee (five members)
    1. Proposal committee
    2. Defense committee

Ordinarily the proposal and defense committees have the same membership.   Committee members are selected by the student in consultation with the faculty advisor to be consistent with Graduate School policy.

CREDITS PER TERM ALLOWED

15 credits

Time Constraints

Doctoral degree students who have been absent for ten or more consecutive years lose all credits that they have earned before their absence. Individual programs may count the coursework students completed prior to their absence for meeting program requirements; that coursework may not count toward Graduate School credit requirements.

A candidate for a doctoral degree who fails to take the final oral examination and deposit the dissertation within five years after passing the preliminary examination may be required to take and pass another preliminary examination to be readmitted to candidacy.

Within the department, completion of required courses and passing preliminary exams within three years of starting the Ph.D. program is considered satisfactory progress. See the program handbook for more information.

Grievances and Appeals

These resources may be helpful in addressing your concerns:

Any student who feels that they have been treated unfairly by a faculty or staff member has the right to complain about the treatment and to receive a prompt hearing of the grievance, following these grievance procedures. The complaint may concern course grades, classroom treatment, program admission, or other issues. To insure a prompt and fair hearing of any complaint, and to protect both the rights of the student and the person at whom the complaint is addressed, the procedures below are used in the School of Education.

The person whom the complaint is directed against must be an employee of the School of Education. Any student or potential student may use these procedures unless the complaint is covered by other campus rules or contracts. The following steps are available within the School of Education when a student has a grievance:

  1. The student should first talk with the person against whom the grievance is directed. Most issues can be settled at this level. If the complaint is directed against a teaching assistant, and the student is not satisfied, the next step would be to talk to the TA's supervisor, who is usually the course professor. If the complaint is not resolved satisfactorily, the student may continue to step 2.
  2. If the complaint does not involve an academic department, the procedure outlined in Step 4 below should be followed. If the complaint involves an academic department, the student should contact the chair of the department. The chair will attempt to resolve the problem informally. If this cannot be done to the student's satisfaction, the student may submit the grievance to the chair in writing. This must be done within 60 calendar days of the alleged unfair treatment.
  3. On receipt of a written complaint, the chair will refer the matter to a departmental committee, which will obtain a written response from the person at whom the complaint is directed. This response shall be shared with the person filing the grievance. The chair will provide a timely written decision to the student on the action taken by the committee.
  4. If either party is not satisfied with the decision of the department, they have five working days from receipt of the decision to contact the dean's office (at the number below), indicating the intention to appeal. If the complaint does not involve an academic department in the school, the student must contact the dean's office within 60 calendar days of the alleged unfair treatment.
  5. In either case, there will be an attempt to resolve the issue informally by the associate dean. If this cannot be done, the complaint can be filed in writing with the dean's office. This must be done within 10 working days of the time the appealing party was notified that informal resolution was unsuccessful.
  6. On receipt of such a written complaint, the associate dean will convene a subcommittee of the school's Equity & Diversity Committee. This subcommittee may ask for additional information from the parties involved and may hold a hearing at which both parties will be asked to speak separately. The subcommittee will then make a written recommendation to the dean of the School of Education who will render a decision. Unless a longer time is negotiated, this written decision shall be made within 20 working days from the date when the grievance was filed with the dean's office.

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

State law contains additional provisions regarding discrimination and harassment. Wisconsin Statutes 36.12 reads, in part: "No student may be denied admission to, participation in or the benefits of, or be discriminated against in any service, program, course or facility of the system or its institutions or center because of the student's race, color, creed, religion, sex, national origin, disability, ancestry, age, sexual orientation, pregnancy, marital status or parental status." In addition, UW–System prohibits discrimination based on gender identity or gender expression. Students have the right to file discrimination and harassment complaints with the Office of Compliance, 361 Bascom Hall, 608-265-6018, uwcomplianceoffice@wisc.edu.

Other

Students pursuing research degree generally supported with tuition remission throughout study career. Students pursuing classroom-based (Non-thesis) M.S. occasionally supported, generally without tuition remission (unless they personally locate same via separate department, e.g., Athletics).

Graduate School Resources

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

  1. Demonstrate academic mastery in at least one of the broad areas of specialization represented in the Department of Kinesiology.
  2. Demonstrate a broad understanding of major current and past theories, research findings, methodologies, and techniques in their area of specialization both orally and in writing.
  3. Retrieve and examine scientific literature, evaluate evidence for and against hypotheses, identify knowledge gaps, strengths and weaknesses in existing literature, synthesize knowledge, and develop conclusions.
  4. Formulate ideas, concepts, designs and/or techniques beyond the current boundaries of knowledge with their area of specialization.
  5. Demonstrate a broad knowledge of the field of kinesiology extending beyond their area of specialization.
  6. Develop and complete original research that makes a substantive contribution in advancing their area of specialization.
  7. Develop testable hypotheses and predictions for their own realistic and feasible research projects.
  8. Conduct independent research and analyze and interpret resulting data.
  9. Clearly communicate their ideas in both oral and written form through the preparation and defense of a dissertation.
  10. Foster ethical and professional conduct.
  11. Use scientific rigor when designing experiments, collecting and analyzing data, interpreting and reporting results.

Graduate Faculty

Susan Andreae
Karla Ausderau
Jill Barnes
David Bell
Janet Branchaw
Lisa Cadmus-Bertram
Luis Columna
Dane Cook
Gary Diffee (chair)
Dorothy Farrar-Edwards
Beth Fields
Kreg Gruben

Kelli Koltyn
Elizabeth Larson
Andrea Mason
William Morgan
Kristen Pickett
William Schrage
Brittany Travers
Peter van Kan

Graduate Faculty Affiliate

Marolowe Eldridge
Kimberlee Gretebeck
Troy Hornberger
Ozioma Okonkwo