A Master of Science in Kinesiology degree is an advanced degree specializing in human movement. Students who pursue this degree are interested in studying biomechanics related to physical activity, exercise, and sport. This often requires undergraduate-level knowledge of anatomy, physiology, chemistry, physics, and general psychology, but every program's prerequisites are different.
Many Master's of Kinesiology programs take about two years to complete, but some universities combine the Bachelor's program with the Master's program to "fast track" students to graduation. Students choose this option to save money on tuition or graduate quicker, but some don't fast track their degrees because they want time to decide the best academic path for their professional career.
Can you get your Master of Science in Kinesiology online?
Yes, you can get a Master's in Kinesiology online from universities in the United States. These programs are more accessible to students in rural areas. They're also more flexible, allowing students to attend courses from home. Many programs have virtual classes at set times every week, but some may offer self-paced courses. This allows you to finish assignments according to your schedule, within reason.
Top online Master's in Kinesiology degree programs
Below are some of the top online Master's of Kinesiology degree programs and their entry requirements, courses, and tuition details.
Louisiana State University - Online Master of Science in Kinesiology
Louisiana State University (LSU) offers an online Master of Science in Kinesiology degree for about $639 per credit hour (36 credit hours total). This program specializes in sport performance and health promotions toward athletes, so it's ideal for students who want to work with sport organizations.
LSU has 12 courses for this online degree, including:
- Social issues in sport
- Sport psychology
- Community health issues
- Changing health behavior
- Essentials in sport performance
- Theories of achievement motivation in physical activity
- Administrative problems in kinesiology
- Social-ecological influences on physical activity and health
- Governance and policy in sport
- Motor learning
- Introduction to research methods
- Qualitative research in kinesiology
To apply, you'll need a 3.0 GPA or higher and a Bachelor's degree. Other admission requirements include:
- Three letters of recommendation
- Letter of intent
- GRE score of 295 or above
- A resume
University of Florida - Online Master of Science in Applied Physiology and Kinesiology
University of Florida (UF) offers an online Master of Science in Applied Physiology and Kinesiology for about $585.75 per credit hour. This program is a 30-credit degree that does not require a thesis, although you can choose to specialize in athlete development or integrative strength and conditioning science.
UF's core courses for this online degree include (but are not limited to):
- Human pathophysiology for the exercise sciences
- Physiological bases of exercise and sport sciences
- Advanced exercise physiology
- Kinetic anatomy
- Corrective exercises
- Sport psychology
- Performance enhancement
- Ergogenic aids
- Research methods
UF's elective courses for this online degree include:
- Independent study
- Graduate internship in exercise and sport science
- Athlete development
- Sport law
- Sport sociology
- Sport finance
To apply, you'll need a 3.0 GPA or higher and a Bachelor's degree in a science, technology, engineering, or math (STEM) field. If you don't have a STEM degree, you need to show experience in a kinesiology-related field, including certificates or other completed coursework. Other admission requirements include:
- Three letters of recommendation
- Letter of intent
- A resume
University of North Dakota - Master's in Kinesiology
University of North Dakota (UND) offers an online Master's in Kinesiology degree for about $626 per credit hour (30 to 32 credit hours total). This program is completely online and asynchronous, which means you don't need to attend set class schedules. Instead, you'll learn through posted lectures and lessons. This program is also unique in that it offers a course on esports and gaming.
UND provides the choice between a thesis or non-thesis degree. The thesis degree focuses more on research, while the non-thesis degree focuses on coursework. You can also choose to pursue the Professional Science Masters (PSM). This option designates half of the credit hours toward the kinesiology degree and half toward PSM coursework, which focuses largely on statistics, analytics, scientific communications, and public policy.
UND's core courses include:
- Applied exercise physiology
- Applied sport psychology
- Sport biomechanics
- Individual research in kinesiology
- Internship in kinesiology
- Esports and healthy gaming
To apply, you'll need a 2.75 GPA or higher (or 3.0 for the last two years of undergraduate education) and a Bachelor's degree. Other admission requirements include:
- Three letters of recommendation
- Letter of intent
University of Southern Mississippi - Master's in Kinesiology
University of Southern Mississippi (USM) offers an online Master's in Kinesiology degree for about $556.12 per credit hour (30 credit hours total). This program is geared toward nutrition and clinical physiology, which the university states is designed to prepare students for cardiac rehabilitation programs or other health settings.
USM requires six to nine credit hours for research in kinesiology and nutrition, and core courses include:
- Applied physiology in sport, physical activity, and nutrition
- Assessment techniques in kinesiology
- Dynamics of skill acquisition
- Motivation and behavior in kinesiology and nutrition
- Advanced clinical exercise physiology
- Advanced kinesiology
- Nutrition and human performance
- Advanced biomechanics
To apply, you'll need a Bachelor's degree in a related field with a 2.75 GPA. Other admission requirements include:
- Three letters of recommendation
- Letter of intent
- A resume
University of Kentucky - Master's Degree (MS) in Kinesiology and Health Promotion
University of Kentucky (UK) offers an online Master's Degree (MS) in Kinesiology and Health Promotion for about $753 per credit hour (33 credit hours total). This program focuses on community wellness and directs students toward careers in public health or health administration. It also prepares students to take the Certified Health Education Specialist exam to further qualify them for public health careers.
UK requires students to complete one internship, and core courses include:
- Foundations of health promotion
- Health promotion and behavior change
- Planning health promotion programs
- Research techniques applied to kinesiology and health promotion
To apply, you'll need a Bachelor's degree in a related field with a 2.75 GPA. Other admission requirements include:
- Three letters of recommendation
- Letter of intent
- A resume
Typical coursework for a Master’s in Kinesiology
Every Master’s program will have its own set of coursework, including core and elective courses. However, most programs have similar core courses. These courses typically cover the following topics:
- Biomechanics: The relationship between muscle, bone, and other tissues and how they support human movement during normal physical activity or exercise.
- Exercise physiology: A deep understanding of how the human body systems operate during exercise down to a molecular and cellular level.
- Sport psychology: Lessons on how human behavior impacts sport performance and vice versa.
- Neuromuscular systems: The study of the connection between the central nervous system, peripheral nervous system, and muscles during rest or physical activity.
- Independent academic research: Self-driven studies that explore a scientific hypothesis related to themes in kinesiology, which may require data collection, data analysis, and submitting articles for publication in academic journals.
Universities that provide elective courses allow you to specialize your degree. Some specializations may help define career paths, like sport coaching or athletic training. Others may dive deeper into core courses, like biomechanics or exercise physiology, but through a research lens.
Many universities also offer thesis or non-thesis Master’s tracks. Thesis tracks are research-focused, requiring credit hours in methods, statistics, and analytics. Non-thesis tracks are coursework-focused with an opportunity to complete a capstone project, which can be an internship related to your career interests or independent research.
What is the best degree for a Master’s in Kinesiology?
The best degree for a Master’s in Kinesiology depends on your interests, requirements for your desired program, specialized elective courses you want to take (if applicable), and how you intend to use your Master’s degree in your future professional career.
If you want to be best prepared for a Master’s in Kinesiology, pursuing a Bachelor’s in Kinesiology is most applicable. But there’s value in pursuing a related degree instead. Students who complete a Bachelor’s in Biology are well-versed in molecular and cellular science, so they may be best prepared for exercise physiology topics in a Master’s in Kinesiology. As long as you’re meeting the program’s requirements, you have the freedom to choose which undergraduate degree is best based on your interests.
Is Kinesiology a hard major?
Kinesiology can be a difficult major for those who aren’t interested in anatomy, physiology, or physical activity. Many students who pursue a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Kinesiology should enjoy physical sciences, including exercise science, and have a track record of success in related classes from high school.
A 2020 study in the American Physiological Society’s Advances in Physiology Education suggested that GPA is a fair predictor of success in an exercise science major (similar to kinesiology), but there are other predictors. According to the study, Kennesaw State University students who performed well in first-level chemistry, English, math, and psychology as well as second-level biology and exercise science tend to succeed in a future exercise science program. Aspiring kinesiology students may be able to predict their success based on their previous performance in similar classes based on this study. And if you’re pursuing a Master’s in Kinesiology, it’s fair to say that previous success in relevant college coursework is a similar predictor of future success.
Is a kinesiology degree worth it?
A kinesiology degree is worth pursuing if you’re passionate about the subject and you have an academic or career path that benefits from it. A Bachelor of Science degree in Kinesiology is worth pursuing if your goal is to apply for a related Master’s or Doctoral program. And a Master of Science degree in Kinesiology is worth pursuing if your goal is to go into academic research, education, or use it as a stepping stone toward higher education (like a Doctorate of Physical Therapy).
Requirements for a Master’s in Kinesiology
You’ll need to take courses that meet your desired program’s prerequisites and earn a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of about 2.75 to 3.0. However, specific requirements depend on the university that is hosting the program.
Many programs require students to have an undergraduate degree to apply. They don’t always detail which degrees are best as long as the undergraduate coursework is relevant.
For example, the University of Las Vegas recommends students to apply with an undergraduate major in kinesiology, exercise science, physical education, athletic training, biology, nutrition, or another related subject. If you don’t have one of these undergraduate majors, you can apply having taken one of the university’s remediation courses, including anatomical kinesiology, motor control and learning, biomechanics, and exercise physiology. You can also explain your education path in your letter of intent, which is similar to a cover letter for a job and is often required in applications.
Universities may also require you to submit letters of recommendation from former employers or teachers, official school transcripts, or a resume with related volunteer, education, or leadership achievements. Many programs require Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores, but not all.
What can you do with a Master’s in Kinesiology degree?
There are many career paths for students who complete a Master’s in Kinesiology. Some paths are in healthcare, while others are in sports or athletics. Below are a few examples listed by the American Kinesiology Association, although some may need additional education, certification, or training.
- Athletic administration
- Biomechanist
- Athletic trainer
- Exercise physiologist
- Clinical researcher
- Sport journalist
- Healthcare administration
Can you be a physical therapist with a Master’s in Kinesiology?
You can be a physical therapist (PT) with a Master’s in Kinesiology, but you’ll need additional education. You can use your Master’s to help qualify you for a Doctor of Physical Therapy program. If you’re accepted, you’ll earn your Doctorate in Physical Therapy after two to three years (depending on the program). This will qualify you to practice physical therapy.
