MASTER’S PROGRAMS IN KINESIOLOGY

WITH A SPECIALIZATION IN MOVEMENT SCIENCE

The Master’s Degree programs in Movement Science at The University of Texas are structured around a broad science-
based curriculum that includes work in Biomechanics, Motor Control and Learning, and Developmental Science. The
Department of Kinesiology offers three master’s degree programs:
1. Master of Science (M.S.) with Thesis (Minimum 30 Credit Hours)
2. Master of Science (M.S.) with Report (Minimum 33 Credit Hours)
3. Master of Education (M.Ed.) without Thesis or Report (Minimum 36 Credit Hours)

All students are initially accepted into the master’s program without thesis or report (M.Ed.). Students who wish to
pursue a research degree can transfer to a research program (M.S.) only with the consent of a faculty member who
agrees to supervise the thesis or report.
Prospective students are strongly encouraged to directly contact individual faculty members
they may want to work with before applying.
Detailed requirements for each of these programs are provided on the following pages.

Master’s Degree Program Prerequisites

The prerequisites for graduate study in Movement Science are a Bachelor’s degree in Kinesiology or a related field
(e.g. biology, physiology, biomedical engineering) from an accredited college or university and the completion of specific
courses in kinesiology or other disciplines covering the following areas:
1. Human Anatomy (e.g. KIN 324k)
2. Exercise Physiology (e.g. KIN 325k)
3. Biomechanics (e.g. KIN 326k)
4. Motor Control or Motor Learning (e.g. KIN 335 or KIN 336)

Persons may be admitted to the Master’s program without these prerequisite courses provided they fulfill these
requirements during their first year, either by advanced standing examination or by taking the necessary course(s) at
The University of Texas, as noted above.
Courses completed at another college or university may be used to satisfy
all or part of these prerequisite requirements, provided such courses were
completed prior to beginning graduate study at The University of Texas Prospective students are
at Austin. Such courses may not be used to fulfill the requirements for a strongly encouraged to
graduate degree at the University. All courses taken to fulfill prerequisite directly contact individu-
requirements must be taken on a letter grade basis. al faculty members they
After entering the program, the student should request a prerequisite may want to work with
form from the program adviser. The completed form should be returned before applying.
to the program adviser for approval before it is submitted to the Gradu-
ate Adviser.

NOTES:
• Up to nine hours of adviser-approved upper division undergraduate course work may be counted toward a mas-
ter’s degree provided that no more than six hours are taken either within or outside the department.
• Up to twenty percent of the required hours may be taken on a credit/no credit basis; however the Kinesiology
department requires approval of the graduate adviser prior to the twelfth class day. Prerequisite courses may not
be taken on a credit/no credit basis.
Master’s Degree Requirements
Specific requirements for each of the three Movement Science Master’s Degree programs are outlined below. For all
degree programs, all organized graduate courses (i.e., not including seminar) taken in Movement Science must be taken
for a letter grade. Courses taken outside of Movement Science may be taken on a credit / no credit basis, as allowed
by the Graduate School (i.e., no more than 6 credit hours, or 20% of the hours on the Program of Work for a master’s
degree).

Master of Science (M.S.) with Thesis (Minimum 30 Hrs):

• KIN 382 Lab techniques 3 Hrs.
• KIN 196/197 – Seminar 3 Hrs.
• KIN 386 Research Methods, Topic 1 – Proposal Writing 3 Hrs.
• Advisor approved graduate statistics course 3 Hrs.
• KIN 698a & 698b – Thesis 6 Hrs.
• 12 Hrs. of advisor approved organized coursework (i.e., not Directed Research), of which:
»» At least 6 Hrs. must be Movement Science courses taken from at least 2 different sub-disciplines (i.e., Biome-
chanics, Motor Control/Learning, Developmental Science)
»» At least 3 Hrs. of organized coursework must be taken outside the department

Master of Science (M.S.) with Report (Minimum 33 Hrs):

• KIN 382 – Lab techniques 3 Hrs.
• KIN 196/197 – Seminar 3 Hrs.
• KIN 386 Research Methods, Topic 1 – Proposal Writing 3 Hrs.
• One adviser approved graduate statistics course 3 Hrs.
• KIN 396T Directed Research & KIN 398R Report 6 Hrs.
• 15 Hrs. of advisor approved organized coursework (i.e., not Directed Research), of which:
»» At least 6 Hrs. must be Movement Science courses taken from at least 2 different sub-disciplines (i.e., Biome-
chanics, Motor Control/Learning, Developmental Science)
»» At least 3 Hrs. of organized coursework must be taken outside the department

Master of Education (M.Ed.) without Thesis or Report (Minimum 36 Hrs):

• KIN 382 – Lab techniques 3 Hrs.
• KIN 196/197 – Seminar 3 Hrs.
• KIN 386 Research Methods, Topic 2 – Applied Research Techniques 3 Hrs.
• Advisor approved graduate statistics course 3 Hrs.
• 24 Hrs. of advisor approved organized coursework, of which:
• At least 9 Hrs. must be Movement Science courses taken from at least 2 different sub-disciplines (i.e., Biomechan-
ics, Motor Control/Learning, Developmental Science)
»» At least 6 Hrs. of organized coursework must be taken outside the department
»» No more than 6 Hrs. can be taken as “Independent Study” (e.g., KIN 397 or 397P).
• “Culminating Experience” (20-30 clock hours)

Master’s Student Evaluation

Master’s students must make satisfactory progress and will be evaluated for satisfactory progress each year, especially
regarding completion of course work, GPA, and research involvement, as appropriate.
• Incompletes. Graduate students are expected to complete courses within the time frame of the semester. In
unusual cases where this semester framework is not in the best interest of the student, the professor may
report the symbol X (incomplete) in place of a grade. The student must then complete the course requirements
and the instructor must report a final grade by the end of the grade reporting period in the student’s next long-
session semester of enrollment (i.e., spring or fall semester). If this deadline is not met, the symbol X is convert-
ed to the symbol I (permanent incomplete). The symbol I cannot be converted to a grade. The GSC considers
two or more grades of incomplete including permanent incompletes as unsatisfactory progress. (TAs, RAs, etc.,
may acquire no more than two grades of X or one grade of X and I. They cannot have two or more grades of I.)
 • GPA. The student is expected to maintain the minimum GPA of 3.0 required by the Graduate School. This GPA
pertains to course work within the major department, to course work outside the department and also to the
overall combined GPA.
• Research Involvement. For all Master’s students pursuing M.S. degrees with either Thesis or Report, it is the
responsibility of the student to meet with their Academic Adviser to be certain that all research expectations
are made clear. Students who are not actively involved in research will be considered as not making satisfactory
progress.

Proposed Program Schedule

1. The sequencing of course offerings favors admission in Fall semester.
2. Prerequisites, if any, should be completed in the first year of study.
3. By (or before) the end of the first year of study, Master’s students wishing to pursue the Thesis or Report option
should identify an Academic Adviser and work with that faculty member to outline a specific topic of study for
their research project.
4. In general, it is expected that most students should be able complete all of their degree requirements by the end
of their second year of study.

Time Limits
In general, most students are able to complete all of their degree requirements within two years.
All requirements for a master’s degree must be completed within one six-year period. Work over six years old may
be reinstated only with the permission of the graduate dean, upon recommendation of the Graduate Studies Commit-
tee.