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. 

Additional information is available on the department website: https://www.sjsu.edu/kinesiology/.

Graduate Coordinator: Dr. Cole Armstrong

University Admission Requirements

Applicants must submit a complete graduate application by applying through the CSU Cal State Apply system and meet all the university admission requirements .

Admission to Graduate Standing - Classified

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:

1. A baccalaureate degree with a major or a minor in Kinesiology.
2. A minimum grade point average of 3.0 in the last 60 semester units (or 90 quarter units) of work.
3. 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.
4. Two (2) letters of recommendation submitted with online application (or emailed directly to the Graduate Coordinator via verified work email).

Admission to Graduate Standing - Conditionally Classified

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;

1. 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).

2. 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). 

Advancement to Candidacy

The university requirements for advancement to candidacy  for the master’s degree are outlined in the Graduate Policies and Procedures  section. Students should seek advancement to candidacy as soon as possible for their given program and on the advice of their graduate program coordinator. Graduate students may submit a Petition for Advancement to Graduate Candidacy form to the Graduate Admissions & Program Evaluations (GAPE) office after satisfying the following: achieved classified status; completed a minimum of nine letter-graded units with all grades “C” or higher; fulfilled the Campus Graduate Graduation Writing Assessment Requirement (CGGWAR) requirement; achieved a minimum cumulative and program 3.0 GPA, and, graduate within the seven-year time limit for degree completion. Graduate students must submit their petition no later than one semester prior to graduating. Courses that satisfy the CGGWAR are listed in the course requirements for the program.

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.

Program of Study 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 . Students must comply with all other graduate requirements contained in this catalog.

Culminating Experience (Plan A or Plan B)

Plan A (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 (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)