Graduates are prepared for careers in a wide range of professional roles that include worksite health promotion, clinical exercise physiology, cardiac rehabilitation, commercial fitness, public/private or nonprofit health agencies, obesity/diabetes and heart disease prevention and treatment, teaching/coaching, independent research in a field of specialization, or continued graduate study at doctoral granting institutions. The curriculum and coursework in the Kinesiology MS degree program is designed to meet the mission of preparing students to be leaders in the fields of physical activity, health, and disease prevention and treatment. The common theme that binds us together is the study of physical activity and relationships with health and human performance.
The Program
Students completing this program will have demonstrated the ability to:
- apply advanced concepts and theoretical constructs in kinesiology
- design and implement research in kinesiology
- critically analyze, evaluate, and synthesize the scientific literature in kinesiology
- synthesize and present data relevant to specialization areas within kinesiology
- interpret, evaluate, and apply the scientific literature in kinesiology to promote health and optimize performance among diverse populations.
Program Admission Requirements
Applicants must submit the names of three references, including contact information, and a statement of intent with their application. Two admission options are available:
Postbaccalaureate
In addition to Humboldt State University requirements, the Department of Kinesiology and Recreation Administration requires the following criteria be met for admission to the program as a classified graduate student:
- a bachelor’s degree in Kinesiology or Exercise Science from an accredited institution, or equivalent. Students may be required to complete foundational coursework depending on their selected graduate program of study.
- a minimum undergraduate grade-point average (GPA) of 2.75 in the last 60 semester units (a 3.00 GPA is preferred).
- completion of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) for verbal reasoning (148 minimum), quantitative reasoning (140 minimum), and analytical writing (3.5 minimum) must be submitted as part of the application process prior to admission. A student may be conditionally admitted to the program if:
- The undergraduate degree is in a field other than Kinesiology or Exercise Science. Students will be required to complete 12-15 units of foundational coursework as approved by the graduate program coordinator. These courses must be satisfactorily completed with a grade of B- or better.
- The GRE scores or GPA are below the required minimum.
Four plus One (4+1) Program
(pre-baccalaureate)
A student can apply in the junior year after completion of at least 24 units of undergraduate coursework in Kinesiology, with a GPA of 3.25 or higher in KINS coursework.
International Student Addendum
International students must achieve a minimum TOEFL score of 550 (213 on computer-based test; 80 on internet-based test) that was received within two years of applying to HSU. The score must be sent to us directly by the Educational Testing Service (ETS); or
a minimum IELTS score of 6.5 that was received within two years of applying to HSU. The score must be sent to us directly by the English Language Testing System (IELTS).
Requirements for the Degree (33 units)
For a description of degree requirements to be fulfilled in addition to those listed below see, “Master’s Degree Requirements ”.