Master's in Kinesiology - Exercise Physiology

Exercise Physiology is the study of how exercise affects the functions of the body which can influence health and or performance. Students learn the impact of exercise at the whole body, system, and cellular level. You can apply this knowledge to work with healthy and clinical populations to impact positive alterations involving various physical activity programs. The knowledge gained in the academic field of exercise physiology may be acquired through the scholarly study of physical activity and through laboratory measurements of various physiological outcomes that can impact health and/or performance.

Educating the community, including patients, clients, athletes, children, and older adults on how and why to employ specific types of physical activity to improve performance, health, and well-being relies on application of knowledge gained by professionals in the area of exercise physiology.

For over a century, the Department of Kinesiology has been a cornerstone department of the University. Beginning as the Department of Physiology and Physical Culture in the Women’s College in 1892, the department took the progressive view that women should be physically active to improve their health and wellness. As the department evolved and grew with the university, our name changed, but our mission to promote education in and instruction of physical health remains at our core.

master’s in kinesiology — exercise physiology Program Distinctions

Our focus on interdisciplinary education and hands-on clinical experience, combined with our diverse, dynamic programs ensure our students are well-prepared for post-graduate life.

The graduate exercise physiology Student Experience

• We offer opportunities for students interested in a broad range of career specializations, including personal training, group fitness instruction, clinical careers (i.e., cardiopulmonary rehabilitation, cancer rehabilitation, etc.), allied health professions, exercise instruction, exercise psychology, exercise physiology, and much more. 
• The M.S. in Kinesiology with a concentration in Exercise Physiology includes both thesis and non-thesis (or coursework with internship opportunities) options. Both are 36-hour programs, with the thesis option more appropriate for students who wish to pursue a doctoral degree and the non-thesis option more appropriate for those who wish to work in the exercise programming of healthy adults (including athletes) and/or individuals living with chronic disease(s) of various ages. The non-thesis option includes a 6-credit capstone experience, which may include an internship or other experiential learning options.
• Nearly all students are admitted into the non-thesis option. Those who show strong initiative in learning laboratory skills and in identifying a mentor and research topic may later be admitted into the thesis track (usually late in the first or early in your second semester).
• You’ll progress through your degree based on your individual plan of study. A plan of study must be approved by your advisor (M.S.: non-thesis option) or a committee of three members (M.S.: thesis option) chosen by you and your advisor. The M.S. plan of study generally includes exercise physiology, a research methods course, and electives (mostly in the exercise physiology area). 
• You’ll have access to the Exercise Endocrinology Lab, Cardiac Metabolic Lab, Exercise Physiology Research Lab, and The Metabolic, Energetics and Sleep Laboratory (METS), which encompass over 4,000 square feet of research space. The laboratories include state-of-the-art instrumentation.

After Graduating with your master’s in kinesiology — exercise physiology

We have a strong record of placing our students in the top facilities in north central North Carolina; abundant opportunities exist in Greensboro, as well as in Winston-Salem, High Point, Durham, Chapel Hill, etc.

Apply to the graduate kinesiology — exercise physiology Program

• Process and Requirements