Kinesiology and Sport Studies

Program Overview

Building on GSPP’s success in delivering excellent and highly rated graduate degrees in sport coaching and sport psychology, DU launched a new undergraduate minor in Kinesiology and Sport Studies (KINE) in 2021. Soon thereafter and to great demand, DU launched a Major in KINE in 2023.

Our on-campus kinesiology and sport studies major and minor undergraduate programs deliver a comprehensive, flexible, and progressive curriculum with challenging teaching and learning strategies to a community of diverse learners, alumni, and networks. We aim for our graduates to be well-prepared, curious, and ethical scholar-practitioners and leaders who integrate diverse ways of knowing to solve personal problems, address social issues, and live meaningful lives.

With a progressive and innovative curriculum, we introduce students to a variety of knowledge and skills, professional organizations, graduate school opportunities, and careers spanning health and fitness, medicine and allied health, coaching, outdoor recreation, sport management, and more. Our intentionally multidisciplinary program focuses on the psychological, sociological, historical, and applied physiological and biomechanical aspects of sport, human movement and the human body, and physical activity.

We offer a major and minor in KINE. All students are eligible for the major and minor. There is no application process.

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Major in Kinesiology and Sport Studies

With an emphasis on experiential learning and the integration of knowing and doing, the KINE major develops students to be scholar-practitioners in diverse kinesiology and sport fields and contexts. A member of the American Kinesiology Association (AKA), the major also prepares students for nationally recognized, leading certifications, such as the National Strength and Conditioning Association’s (NSCA) Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS), Certified Performance and Sport Scientist (CPSS), and Tactical Strength and Conditioning Facilitator (TSAC).

Full Course Requirements

Required Courses (20 credits minimum required)
KINE 1005 (4 credits)	Resistance Training and Strength and Conditioning Methods
or KINE 1015 (4 credits)	Foundations of Olympic Weightlifting and Powerlifting
KINE 2000 (4 credits)	Foundations of Kinesiology and Sport Studies
KINE 3005 (4 credits)	Research in Kinesiology and Sport
KINE 3000 (4 credits)	Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Kinesiology & Sport
KINE 3010 (4 credits)	Ethics and Leadership in Kinesiology and Sport
KINE 3980 (0-8 credits)	Internship in Kinesiology and Sport
Elective Courses (20 credits minimum required)
Select from the following:
KINE 1005 (4 credits)	Resistance Training and Strength and Conditioning Methods
or KINE 1015 (4 credits)	Foundations of Olympic Weightlifting and Powerlifting
KINE 2050 (4 credits)	Sport Psychology
KINE 2010 (4 credits)	Motor Learning for Skill Acquisition
KINE 2020 (4 credits)	Sociology of Kinesiology and Sport Performance
KINE 2030 (4 credits)	Administration of Sport, Fitness, and Wellness
KINE 2035 (4 credits)	Anatomical Kinesiology
KINE 2040 (4 credits)	Athletic Nutrition
KINE 2701 (4 credits)	Special Topics in Kinesiology and Sport Studies
KINE 3015 (4 credits)	Sport Science
KINE 3020 (4 credits)	Biomechanics of Kinesiology and Sport
KINE 3021 (1 credit)	Biomechanics of Kinesiology and Sport Lab
KINE 3025 (4 credits)	Prevention and Care of Athletic Injuries I
KINE 3026 (4 credits)	Prevention and Care of Athletic Injuries II
KINE 3030 (4 credits)	Strength and Conditioning Coaching
KINE 3031 (4 credits)	Theoretical Aspects of Strength and Conditioning
KINE 3991 (1-10 credits)	Independent Study
Total Credits	41 - 48

Minor in Kinesiology & Sport Studies

The KINE minor is an excellent fit for students with majors in biology or pre-health, business, or tourism and hospitality management who are considering careers in sport, health, fitness, or related fields. The KINE minor is also an excellent choice for students who major in the College of Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences (e.g., psychology, sociology) or School of Engineering & Computer Science seeking greater sport-specific knowledge, context, and culture or who are completing applied research, projects, internships, or community-service in kinesiology or sport settings.

The minor in KINE requires 20 credits in KINE coursework. KINE minor students are required to take KINE 2000, Foundations of Kinesiology. The additional 16 credit required for the minor can be fulfilled through any other KINE courses offered. Most students will complete the minor by taking five, 4-credit hours courses in KINE, one of which must be KINE 2000.

Careers

Kinesiology and sport careers vary greatly. Therefore, so do corresponding job requirements and preferences, and career development pathways into these varied positions. Designed with this in mind, the KINE major and minor are flexible and prepare students for a wide range of careers, such as: collegiate, professional, or national-team sport coaches, scouts, managers, and administrators; certified mental skills consultants; strength and conditioning coaches, personal trainers, health and wellness coaches, group fitness instructors, exercise or sport scientists; and coaches in k-12 settings, for-profit businesses, or non-profit and government settings including community recreation centers and military (e.g., tactical strength and conditioning facilitator), and graduate or professional schools (e.g., athletic training, physical therapy, sport psychology, sports medicine).

Careers in fitness and health
- Examples: strength and conditioning coach, personal trainer, dietician, health and wellness coach and more.
Careers in medicine and allied health
- Examples: athletic trainer, physical therapist, occupational therapist, cardiac rehabilitation specialist and more.
Careers in coaching and sport
- Examples: Sport coach, recruiter, scout, club director, coach educator, sport psychologist, strength and conditioning coach, and more.
Careers in outdoor recreation
- Examples: Park ranger, recreation therapist, wilderness guide, field instructor, adventure trip leader, ski or mountain bike guide, and more.
Careers in sport management
- Examples: Athletic director, diversity, equity and inclusion officer, agent, community program coordinator, sport event management, human resource management, sport marketing coordinator and more.

The Kinesiology and Sport Studies program is a member of the American Kinesiology Association.

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