Kinesiology

Department Head: Dr. Stanley P. Brown
Graduate Coordinator: Dr. Adam Love
216 McCarthy Gym
Box 6186
Mississippi State, MS 39762
Telephone: 662-325-2963
E-mail: adam.love@msstate.ed u

Graduate study is offered in the Department of Kinesiology leading to the Master of Science in Kinesiology  with concentrations in Exercise Physiology, Sport Pedagogy, and Sport Administration.  The Exercise Physiology concentration prepares students for careers in fitness and allied health care professions.  The Sport Pedagogy concentration prepares students for leadership roles as coaches and physical educators. The concentration in Sport Administration prepares students for careers in the sport industry, including positions with professional, collegiate, and recreational sport organizations.  These concentrations also prepare students for advanced study at the doctoral level.  Graduate teaching assistantships are available. To secure additional information write the Graduate Coordinator.

Admission Criteria

The following items are required in applying to the master’s and doctoral degree programs in the Department of Kinesiology:

1. A completed MSU Graduate School application form.
2. Official transcripts from all institutions attended since high school.
3. Graduate Record Examination (GRE) General Test scores.
4. Three professional letters of recommendation, at least one of which should comment specifically about the applicant’s academic capabilities.
5. A written statement of purpose, which should reflect a strong sense of career direction and highlight the applicant’s qualifications, skills, and professional experience.

In addition, a doctoral applicant must first gain acceptance by one of the graduate faculty members of the department. The student will typically approach a professor informally to discuss the professor’s research interests and need for additional doctoral students.  In all cases, the graduate committee’s decision to admit the student must be preceded by a conversation between the prospective student and a faculty member. Once admitted, that professor will then serve as the student’s advisor and chair the student’s dissertation project.  When the informal understanding is reached to the satisfaction of both parties and the faculty member agrees to accept the student into his research program as a new doctoral student, the student may then seek admission to the Graduate School.

Admission is a competitive process.  Positions within the programs are limited, and more individuals may apply than are able to be accepted.  Competitive applicants will have a GPA of 3.00 or better in their final 60 undergraduate hours as well as acceptable scores on the verbal, quantitative, and analytical sections of the GRE exam.

Application deadlines in the Department of Kinesiology are as follows:

Fall/Summer	March 1
Late Application Deadline for Fall	June 1
Spring	October 15

Applications are reviewed periodically each semester, and applicants should generally expect to receive a reply within 30 days of the application deadline. Because of the competitive nature of admissions, it is recommended that individuals apply as far in advance of a deadline as possible. Students who wait until the late application deadline to apply may find there are no remaining spaces available in the program.

An international student applying for admission must score a minimum of 550 PBT (213 CBT or 79 iBT) on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or a minimum of 6.5 on the International English Language Testing Systems (IELTS) in addition to meeting all other admission criteria.

Provisional Admission

Provisional admission may be granted to a student with a 2.50 to 2.74 on a 4.00 scale and an appropriate GRE score.  The student must complete, during the first 9 hours in the Master of Science in Kinesiology program, specific courses prescribed by his or her major professor.  Provisionally admitted students must attain a minimum GPA of 3.00 on the first 9 graduate hours after admission to the program in order to remain in good standing.  Courses with an S grade, transfer credits, or credits earned while in Unclassified status cannot be used to satisfy this requirement.

Academic Performance

The Master of Science in Kinesiology student must meet University and College of Education academic performance requirements in order to remain in good standing.  These requirements are found elsewhere in the Mississippi State University Graduate School Bulletin.  Students are encouraged to familiarize themselves with academic performance requirements.

Prerequisite and Core Courses

The Master of Science in Kinesiology student is required to complete research techniques, core, and elective requirements within the chosen concentration area. The student should contact his or her major professor to complete a program of study appropriate for the concentration during the first semester of graduate study.

Master’s Degree Completion Requirements

The student in the Master of Science in Kinesiology program must successfully complete written comprehensive examinations prior to graduation.  The student must be within 6 hours of graduation or in the last semester of study and in good standing to be eligible to apply for comprehensive examinations.

The student pursuing a thesis is required to complete 6 credit hours of thesis work as part of the 33 required hours.  A thesis committee, consisting of at least three graduate faculty members, including the student’s major professor and at least one more graduate faculty member from the Department of Kinesiology, must be established.  Upon completion of the thesis, the student must provide copies for the department head, major professor, and committee members.

A student not pursuing a thesis may choose to complete a Directed Individual Study and 33 required hours.  The student choosing the Directed Individual Study must establish a committee consisting of the student’s major professor and at least one additional graduate faculty member from the Department of Kinesiology graduate faculty.

Master of Science in Kinesiology with Exercise Physiology Concentration

Research Core		6
KI 8303	Research in Kinesiology
KI 8313	Interpretation of Data in Kinesiology
Exercise Physiology Core		9
EP 8243	Cardiorespiratory Exercise Physiology
EP 8263	Exercise Metabolism
EP 8203	Advanced Exercise Physiology
Electives
Select four of the following:		12
EP 8323	Science and Practice in Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation
EP 8423	Graded Exercise Testing
EP 8443	Neuromuscular Mechanisms in Exercise
EP 8253	Doping and Supplement Use in Sports
EP 8443	Neuromuscular Mechanisms in Exercise
EP 8453	Biomechanics of Human Movement
EP 8503	Occupational Physiology
Select one of the three following concluding options. 1		6
Thesis
KI 8000	Thesis Research/ Thesis in Kinesiology
Directed Individual Study
KI 7000	Directed Individual Study in Kinesiology
Additional 3-hour course approved by advisor, excluding KI 7000
Internship
KI 8710	Internship
Additional 3-hour course approved by advisor, excluding KI 7000
Total Hours		33

1	Students who select the Thesis Option must pass a thesis defense.  Students in the Directed Individual Study or Internship Option must pass a comprehensive examination.

Master of Science in Kinesiology with Sport Pedagogy Concentration

Research Core		6
KI 8303	Research in Kinesiology
KI 8313	Interpretation of Data in Kinesiology
Sport Pedagogy Core		12
PE 8103	Developing Coaching Expertise
PE 8163	Seminar in Physical Education
PE 8113	Curriculum Construction in Physical Education
PE 8203	Psychological Aspects of Sport
Electives
Select three of the following:		9
EP 6153	Training Techniques for Exercise and Sport
EP 8253	Doping and Supplement Use in Sports
EP 8443	Neuromuscular Mechanisms in Exercise
EP 8453	Biomechanics of Human Movement
SS 8203	Funding of Sport
SS 8803	Sport Law
SS 8883	Ethical Issues in Sport
EDS 8243	Advanced Planning and Managing of Learning
EDS 8623	Principles of Effective Instruction in Secondary Schools
EDX 8173	Special Education in the Regular Classroom
Concluding Options
Select one of the three following concluding options. 2		6
Thesis
KI 8000	Thesis Research/ Thesis in Kinesiology
Directed Individual Study
KI 7000	Directed Individual Study in Kinesiology
Additional 3-hour course approved by advisor, excluding KI 7000
Total Hours		33

2	Students who selecte the Thesis Option must pass a thesis defense.  Students in the Directed Individual Study or Internship Option must pass a comprehensive examination.

Master of Science in Kinesiology with Sport Administration Concentration 

Research Core		6
KI 8303	Research in Kinesiology
KI 8313	Interpretation of Data in Kinesiology
Sport Administration Core		18
SS 8123	Sport Management
SS 8203	Funding of Sport
SS 8803	Sport Law
SS 8823	Sport Sponsorships
SS 8883	Ethical Issues in Sport
Electives		3
Students may take an elective in areas such as Accounting, Business Law, Communication, Economics, Educational Leadership, Finance, Higher Education, International Business, Management, Marketing, Public Policy & Administration, Psychology, or Sociology, subject to approval of the program directors.
Concluding Options		6
Select one of the three following concluding options. 3
Thesis
KI 8000	Thesis Research/ Thesis in Kinesiology
Directed Individual Study
KI 7000	Directed Individual Study in Kinesiology
Additional 3-hour course approved by advisor, excluding KI 7000
Internship
KI 8710	Internship
Additional 3-hour course approved by advisor, excluding KI 7000
Total Hours		33

3	Student who select the Thesis Option must pass a thesis defense.  Students in the Directed Individual Study or Internship Option must pass a comprehensive examination.