Kinesiology Graduate Program

The graduate program in kinesiology is both nationally and internationally prominent in several research areas within the broader field of kinesiology. This prominence is due to individual faculty excellence, the production and dissemination of the highest quality research, and the mentoring and graduation rates of outstanding graduate students.

One of the top-ranked programs of its kind, Penn State’s Kinesiology graduate program has a long and distinguished record of producing leaders in the field. Graduates of our program regularly secure postdoctoral fellowships and tenure-track positions at excellent research universities.  Our research is funded by government agencies, private foundations, and industry, including the National Institutes of Health, the National Science Foundation, and the American Heart Association.

We offer two graduate degree programs:

• Ph.D. in Kinesiology (including dual-title Ph.D. degrees with Clinical and Translational Science and Bioethics)

• M.S. in Kinesiology

The graduate program emphasizes research and scholarly activity, and is strengthened by continued collaborations between our faculty and faculty in other departments that contribute to the discipline (e.g., engineering, history, neuroscience, physiology, psychology).

Graduate training is enhanced by our excellent laboratory facilities and the success of our faculty in securing external funding—more than $3 million annually—in support of their research and graduate training agendas. More than 40 students are pursuing advanced degrees in the program at any one time.

Penn State’s Kinesiology graduate program received a #1 ranking from the National Research Council in 2010, and in 2020 it was ranked #3 (unadjusted for the number of tenure track faculty) and #7 (adjusted for the number of tenure track faculty) by the National Academy of Kinesiology.

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Applying to the Program

• Prospective applicants should note that our admissions are mentor-based, so it is critical that you reach out to prospective faculty mentors even before you apply. Read more about the admissions process in our FAQ.
• There is no fixed deadline for applications, but you are encouraged to complete your application by January 15 to ensure full consideration for financial aid.
• There are many parts to the application; please ensure that your application meets all the application requirements for the Kinesiology program.