Master of Science in Kinesiology

Personal Trainer helping patient with range of motion

The Master of Science (M.S.) in Kinesiology prepares students for careers in academia and industry.

Our master's degree is a research degree. The master's thesis, an original piece of research completed by the student under the guidance of a faculty mentor, is a critical component of this program. Students in our master's program work with leaders in the field as they gain research skills and work at the frontiers of knowledge in kinesiology.

This rigorous yet rewarding research degree offers six interdisciplinary areas of study:

Students completing the M.S. degree are prepared for careers in academia or industry, with options that include research at sports nutrition or apparel corporations, athletic trainer, exercise physiologist, or further graduate study leading to employment as a professor at a college or university.

The mission of the graduate program in Kinesiology at Penn State emphasizes doctoral (Ph.D.) training. Some students enter the Ph.D. program directly following their undergraduate studies, while others complete an M.S. before focusing on the PhD. It is possible to enter our program with the goal of an M.S. alone, but departmental GA and fellowship funding opportunities will be limited for such "terminal master's" applicants.

Applying to the M.S. Program

To learn more about applying to the M.S. program, please see the Application Instructions and our Graduate Admissions FAQ.

The KINES graduate program is among the top-ranked programs of its kind, according to the National Research Council and the National Academy of Kinesiology