The Master of Science in Kinesiology, offered by the Department of Kinesiology , includes five specializations. Our rapidly growing program regularly enrolls 70 to 90 students with varied interests, backgrounds, and goals. Our alumni successfully obtain jobs across the Bay Area, the state of California, the US, and abroad. In addition, the program has placed numerous students in top-tier doctoral programs across the US and Canada. Students are selected to the program based on undergraduate academic achievement and overall potential for success in the program, and in one of the following Graduate Specializations listed below.
Graduate Coordinator: Dr. Cole Armstrong
Requirements for Admission to Classified Standing
The Department of Kinesiology requires the following of all applicants seeking admission to classified standing in the MS - Kinesiology program in addition to meeting requirements for admission to the Graduate Division:
- A baccalaureate degree with a major or a minor in Kinesiology.
- A minimum grade point average of 3.0 in the last 60 semester units (or 90 quarter units) of work.
- A fully completed CSU Apply Application, including the Statement of Purpose on the application. Statement of purpose should include a thoughtful narrative about the applicant’s research interests, as the two core research methods courses necessitate that students think about their final culminating experiences upon acceptance into the program.
- Two (2) letters of recommendation submitted with online application (or emailed directly to the Graduate Coordinator via verified work email).
Requirements for Admission to Conditionally Classified Standing
The graduate coordinator, in consultation with faculty, may approve admission of a student who meets the requirements for admission to the Graduate Division who:
a. has neither a major nor a minor in Kinesiology;
b. has a grade point average between 2.75-3.0 in the last 60 semester units (or 90 quarter units).
The student may become eligible for admission to classified standing upon:
- satisfactory completion of a maximum of 12 units of upper-division foundation coursework assigned by the Graduate Coordinator or an assigned Academic Advisor. The number of foundation units are determined by the graduate coordinator based on an overall assessment of the applicant’s transcripts, experience, and overall portfolio. Foundation units may also be completed prior to entering the program (e.g., in the Spring semester prior to entering in the Fall).
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completion of six units of graduate course work with a minimum grade point average of 3.0 in each course (if admitted with no foundation units and a GPA of below 3.0).
Requirements for Admission to Candidacy
General university admission requirements to candidacy for the Master of Science degree are outlined in detail in the Catalog. The University requires that all graduate students complete the Graduation Writing Assessment Requirement (GWAR) as a condition for advancement to candidacy. For graduate courses that meet the GWAR, please refer to the Graduate Admissions and Program Evaluations website at www.sjsu.edu/gape. Following are additional requirements of the Department of Kinesiology for the Master of Science degree.
Upon admission to the Graduate Division and prior to registration, each student should meet with a graduate academic advisor in the student’s chosen specialization area. If there are any deficiencies in a student’s undergraduate work, additional upper-division undergraduate foundation courses (i.e., Foundation Courses) may be required. Foundation courses may not be counted for credit in the master’s program. If foundation units are required. additional upper-division KIN units will be assigned by the graduate advisor.
A proposed program for the graduate objective selected should be developed as early as possible with the assistance of a graduate academic advisor in the student’s specialization area.
The proposed program must be approved by the graduate advisor, the graduate coordinator, and the Office of Graduate Studies before the student is considered a candidate for the Master of Science degree.
Graduation Requirements
University Graduation Requirements
Students must complete all residency, curriculum, unit, GPA, and culminating experience requirements as outlined in the Graduation Requirements section of the Graduate Policies and Procedures .
Graduation Writing Assessment Requirement
At SJSU, students must pass the Graduation Writing Assessment Requirement (GWAR) . In Kinesiology, students must pass either KIN 250 or KIN 251 with a grade of B or better to satisfy this requirement.
Culminating Experience
Plan A (Master’s with Thesis)
The purpose of this plan is to provide research-focused concentrated study in one of the subdisciplinary areas of Kinesiology. It is crucial that students electing Plan A identify the focus of their specialization early so that an appropriate thesis topic may be developed and a thesis committee selected. (6 units)
Plan B (Master’s - Culminating Project)
This plan is for students interested in producing a research-based creative project in Kinesiology. The plan requires a special project in place of a thesis. (3 units)
