The kinesiology major is great for students interested in the the physiology and psychology of human movement. By studying kinesiology, you will explore the interactions between muscles, bones, joints, and the nervous system, and learn how to apply this knowledge to improve movement.
Our undergraduate kinesiology program is a comprehensive, science-based degree that studies human movement across various dimensions. The curriculum allows for hands-on lab experiences, as well as developing students’ research, writing, and analysis skills. The kinesiology major prepares students for a wide variety of health careers. We're also located in a health and wellness hub that allows students to get experiences outside the classroom to support their future career.
This major combines principles from various areas to understand how the body moves and how it can be optimized for health and performance, including:
- Human anatomy: Gain in-depth knowledge of the body's structure and function, and learn how different systems work together to make the body move.
- Exercise physiology: Discover how exercise, health, and sports impact the body.
- Biomechanics: Know why the body moves the way it does
- Neuromotor control: Understand how the brain develops and controls the body's movements, as well as the psychological factors that influence physical activity.
- Sport and exercise psychology: Study how thoughts, feelings, and behaviors impact physical activity and sports.
- Sport sociology: Grasp how various communities impact, and are impacted by, sport participation.
The kinesiology curriculum coincides with pathway programs for students interested in physical therapy and occupational therapy. These pathway programs allow students to mold their undergraduate experience to support graduate school applications.
Curriculum and coursework
The courses in the kinesiology BS program are divided into three general areas: Core courses, electives, and physical activity courses.
Sample plans
Get a better picture of what your course schedule could look like by viewing a sample plan.
If you're considering a health career, you can look at some of the pre-health sample plans below:
Pre-physical therapy sample plan
Pre-occupational therapy sample plan
Pre-med/physician's assistant sample plan
#10
ranked kinesiology program
National Academy of Kinesiology
22
students in a lab course on average
#1
city for new graduates
New York Times
Student experiences and support
Inside the classroom
Within their coursework, students learn in a variety of ways. Class discussions and group work are common in the kinesiology major. Modern technology is also used to support learning.
Students are taught by world-renowned faculty who are committed to student success. Our faculty's expertise is diverse and will expose students to a variety of areas in the field.
Outside the classroom
Hands-on experiences are essential to support your long-term professional and educational goals. Students in the kinesiology bs program are encouraged to explore opportunities to volunteer, work, and potentially earn academic credit through research supervised by a faculty member.
Directed study gives undergraduate students the opportunity to work with faculty on human movement research. To get a better sense of the various research areas and labs in the School of Kinesiology, visit our research page. Some projects students have done in the past include:
- Rewarding good sportsmanship and reducing injury rates in youth football
- Examining body composition, bone density, and visceral adipose tissue in male and female NCAA Division I basketball players
- Assessing the link between nervous system sensitivity and motor skill expertise
- Using a robotic wrist exoskeleton to test the wrist position sense of participants
- Exploring before and after surgical modification of severe patellarmorphic dysfunction