The curriculum is designed to be flexible to accommodate individuals with different backgrounds and career goals.  Thirty-six hours of graduate-level course work are required.

Required Foundation Knowledge:

Foundation knowledge, skills and competencies in the exercise sciences; in physical fitness assessment and development; in strength, conditioning and fitness program design; and in nutrition are fundamental to this specialization, and are required for each of the qualifying certification exams.  At least one course at the undergraduate or graduate level must have been taken prior to entering the program or as part of the program in: biomechanics, exercise physiology, scientific principles of fitness assessment and conditioning (exercise prescription), fitness and conditioning program design, and life cycle or sport nutrition.  UGA undergraduate courses that fulfill these requirements are listed below.  Comparable undergraduate courses at other institutions may fulfill this requirement. Undergraduate courses are not counted as part of the graduate program of study. Additional graduate courses on these topics may be taken.  Graduate courses taken at UGA to fulfill this requirement should be selected from the courses listed under electives.

Biomechanics:                         KINS 3600, Applied Biomechanics (3); KINS 4200, Biomechanics (4)

Exercise Physiology:               KINS 3700, Applied Ex. Physiology (3); KINS 4630/4630L, Ex. Physiology

Physical Fitness:                      KINS 4640/4640L, Scientific Principles of Conditioning and Fitness (4)

Program Design:                     KINS 4310, Physical Fitness Programs (3)

Nutrition:                                FDNS 4050, Nutrition and the Life Cycle

Required Courses:

KINS 7150                             Research Methods in Kinesiology                                                      3

KINS 7800                             Practicum in Kinesiology and/or 3-6

KINS 7450                             Internship in Kinesiology                                                                    3-6

KINS 7140                             Seminar in Strength, Conditioning and Fitness                                  2

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Elective Courses:

Elective courses should be selected to fulfill the required foundation knowledge, and based on the career goal and competencies required for professional certification.* For those interested primarily in strength development and associated issues, a course in neuromuscular exercise physiology is important.  For those interested in sport skill development and improvement of athletic performance, courses motor learning and control, and exercise and sport psychology are important.  A course in performance-enhancing drugs in sport may also be of interest.  For those interested in working with children, individuals with special needs and the disabled, courses in motor development, therapeutic exercise and instructional strategies are important.  For those interested in personal training, improvement of health and fitness, and working with diseased individuals, courses in metabolic and cardiorespiratory aspects of exercise, clinical exercise physiology, advanced exercise prescription of individuals with chronic diseases and exercise epidemiology are important.  Those who elect to do an applied research project should enroll in KINS 7650 and may want to take a course in advanced measurements or statistics.  Recommended courses are listed below:

FDNS 6050                 Nutrition and the Lifecycle or

KINS 7140                 Exercise and Sport Nutrition**                                                                      3

KINS 6300                 Exercise Epidemiology                                                                                   3

KINS 6310                 Physical Fitness Programs                                                                               3

KINS 6320                 Exercise and Aging                                                                                         3

KINS 6400                 Exercise and Sport Psychology                                                                      3

KINS 6630                 Exercise Physiology                                                                                        3

KINS 6640                 Scientific Principles of Conditioning and Fitness***                                                4

KINS 6690                 Neuromuscular Exercise Physiology                                                               3

KINS 7040                 Instructional Strategies in Physical Education                                               3

KINS 7100                 Motor Development in Movement and Physical Functioning                        3

KINS 7160                 Advanced Measurements in Kinesiology                                                       3

KINS 7310                 Adult Fitness and Cardiac Rehabilitation (Clinical Ex Phys)                                    3

KINS 7330                 Metabolic and Cardiorespiratory Aspects of Exercise                                   4

KINS 7340                 Exercise Psychology                                                                                       3

KINS 7350                 Biomechanics of Human Movement                                                              3

KINS 7360                 Motor Learning and Control                                                                           3

KINS 7440                 Performance Enhancing Drugs in Sport                                                         3

KINS 7610                 Therapeutic Exercise                                                                                       3

KINS 7650                 Applied Project in Kinesiology                                                                       3

KINS 8630                 Program Design in Physical Education                                                           3

*Certification by NSCA, NASM or ACSM is required as a culminating experience (final written exam) unless student is already certified with a qualifying certification, in which case a final oral exam is required. Qualifying certifications include:

NSCA:  Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist, Certified Personal Trainer

NASM:  Certified Personal Trainer

ACSM :  Certified Group Instructor, Certified Personal Trainer, Certified Health-Fitness Specialist, Certified Inclusive Fitness Trainer

** Split-level class to be proposed

*** Graduate section of split level class to be proposed