Kinesiology, MA

Admissions

See the Admission Criteria section of this catalog for more information.

A composite GRE score of 300 or better is required for all candidates, irrespective of degree program, who are seeking an appointment as a college-sponsored Graduate Assistant.

Admission Requirements for Physical Education, Traditional Class A Certification

In addition to the minimum Graduate School admission requirements, to be considered for regular admission applicants must hold appropriate prior certification in physical education (P-12) or the approved equivalent. Also, three recommendations are required. (Applicants to a College of Education program that leads to professional certification must submit references from current and former professors and/or supervisory personnel knowledgeable of the applicant's academic and professional capabilities.) Applicants must also meet the fingerprinting requirement for background clearance.

Admission to the Graduate School is not equivalent to "unconditional admission" to a state-approved educator preparation program.

Admission Requirements for Physical Education, Alternative Class A Certification

In addition to the minimum Graduate School admission requirements, to be considered for regular admission applicants must complete specified undergraduate prerequisite courses.

For admission to the Alternative Class A (non-traditional) program in physical education (sport pedagogy), applicants must meet the following requirements:

• Transcript evaluation: Applicants should contact the Office of Student Services & Certification (104 Carmichael Hall) for a transcript evaluation to determine prerequisite courses and other requirements. [NOTE: Coursework and/or a degree from institutions outside the United States shall be substantiated by an evaluation of the foreign credentials through a foreign credential evaluation service recognized by the Alabama State Department of Education. Contact the College's Office of Student Services and Certification for more information.]
• Degree requirement: An appropriate bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited institution with a minimum overall GPA of 2.50 OR a master's degree with a GPA of at least 3.0 is required.
• Teaching Field: Applicants must have an academic content major (or the equivalent) in the teaching field or earn a passing score on the appropriate Praxis subject assessment. The transcript evaluation will determine if an applicant meets the teaching field requirement.
• Three recommendations: An applicant to a College of Education program that leads to professional certification must submit references from current and former professors and/or supervisory personnel knowledgeable of the applicant's academic and professional capabilities.

Applicants must also meet the fingerprinting requirement for background clearance.

Admission to the Graduate School is not equivalent to "unconditional admission" to a state-approved educator preparation program.

Admission Requirements for General Studies and Exercise Science

In addition to the minimum Graduate School admission requirements, to be considered for regular admission applicants must: 

• score at least 300 (combined verbal and quantitative) on the GRE
• have a 3.0 cumulative GPA in an undergraduate program

Prospective students who fail to satisfy one of the criteria above may be considered for Admission with Permission to Continue at the discretion of Kinesiology faculty. 

Curricular Requirements

Kinesiology, MA (Class A Physical Education)

This course listing applies to those who begin this program June 1, 2017. Candidates earning graduate credit prior to this date may elect to utilize this program. A minimum of 30 hrs of course credit must be earned, and a comprehensive exam must be successfully completed. Candidates must earn a cumulative GPA of at least 3.25 on all coursework in the program, with no grade below a C, and earn passing scores on a comprehensive assessment

Kinesiology, MA (Class A Physical Education)		Hours
Required course:
KIN 510	Tchg & Supervg Elem PE	3
Foundations of Professional Studies:
KIN 691	Res Sociology Human Perf	3
Select ONE course from these State Department of Education approved diversity courses:		3
BEF 503	History Of Amer Educn
BEF 507	Sociology Of Education
BEF 534	Multicultural Education
BEF 575	Found Educn Through Film
BEF 607	Readings In Soc Of Ed
BEF 650	Critical Race Theory In Educ
BEF 667	Multicult Soc Ed Leadershp
BEF 681	Ethics And Education
Educational Research:
(Select ONE of these educational research courses.)		3
KIN 506	Techniques of Research
KIN 566	Evaluation in Kinesiology
BER 540	Statistical Methods In Educ
Practicum:
KIN 585	Lab & Field Experience	3
Teaching Field:
KIN 512	PE Curriculum	3
Three advisor approved 500-600 level courses in Kinesiology Studies		9
Technology:
CAT 531	Computer Based Instruction	3
Additional Requirements:
Thesis		6
SPE 500 is required if a special education survey course was not part of the undergraduate program or another graduate program.		0-3
Total Hours		36-39

Kinesiology, MA (Physical Education, Alternative Class A Certification)

This course listing applies to those who begin this program June 1, 2017. Candidates earning graduate credit prior to this date may elect to utilize this program. Candidates must earn a cumulative GPA of at least 3.25 on all coursework in the program, with no grade below a C, and earn passing scores on a comprehensive assessment and the appropriate Praxis subject assessment(s).

Kinesiology, MA (Alternative Class A Physical Education)		Hours
Curriculum and Teaching:
KIN 510	Tchg & Supervg Elem PE	3
KIN 512	PE Curriculum	3
Foundations of Professional Studies:
BEF 510	Phil Hist Socl Founds Ed *	3
Technology:
CAT 531	Computer Based Instruction	3
Evaluation of Teaching and Learning:
KIN 566 is required if KIN 366 was not taken prior to unconditional admission.		0-3
Literacy:
CRD 512 is required if CRD 350 was not taken prior to unconditional admission.		0-3
Teaching Field:
KIN 595	Workshop Physical Education	6
KIN 590	Sports/Dance Workshop	6
Full-time Internship:
KIN 585	Lab & Field Experience	6
EDU 500	Internship Seminar	1
Special Education Coursework:
SPE 500 is required if SPE 300 was not completed prior to unconditional admission.		0-3
Total Hours		31-40

Footnotes
*	State Department of Education approved diversity course
NOTE:	Students must complete ATR 272 First Aid, Safety & CPR or submit certificate of completion of CPR/AED certification, with 2-year validation, through an accredited organization (i.e., American Red Cross, etc.).

Kinesiology, MA (Exercise Science Focused Area of Study)

A minimum of 30 hours of course credit must be earned, and a comprehensive exam must be successfully completed (or a thesis completed in lieu of a comprehensive exam).

Kinesiology, MA (Exercise Science)		Hours
Required Courses:
KIN 506	Techniques of Research	3
KIN 507	Lab Techniques in Kinesiology	3
KIN 592	Physiology of Exercise	3
KIN 593	Adv Fit Test Ex Prescript	3
KIN 690 or	Exercise Health Disease	3
KIN 566	Evaluation in Kinesiology
Choose ONE of the following three courses:		3
BER 540	Statistical Methods In Educ
POPH 522	Biostatistics
ST 550	Stat Methods In Res I
Total Hours		18

Code and Title		Hours
Additional coursework: Select 12 hours from the courses listed below.
Additional courses may be approved based on advisor's discretion. If KIN 599 Thesis Research (6 hours) is chosen, select TWO additional courses. If KIN 599 Thesis Research is not chosen, select FOUR courses.
BER 640	Adv Statistical Methods in Ed	3
KIN 585	Lab & Field Experience	3 or 6
KIN 596	Independent Study	1-3
KIN 598	Non-Thesis Research	3
KIN 599	Thesis Research	1-6
KIN 651	Systems Physiology I	3
KIN 652	Systems Physiology II	3
KIN 670	Exercise Biochemistry	3
KIN 692	Sem Exercise Physiology	3
BSC 524	Human Physiology	3
BSC 550	Fundamentals of Biochemistry	3
HHE 515	Adv Foundation Health Promot	3
HHE 520	Theories of Health Behavior	3
HHE 530	Health Promotion Techniques	3
NHM 562	Metabolism of Energy Nutrients	3

Kinesiology, MA (General Studies in Kinesiology Focused Area of Study)

A minimum of 30 hours of course credit must be earned, and a comprehensive exam must be successfully completed (or a thesis completed in lieu of a comprehensive exam).

Kinesiology, MA (General Studies)		Hours
Required course:
KIN 506	Techniques of Research	3
Kinesiology courses: (Choose 12-27 hours from the following courses. Additional courses may be approved based on the advisor's discretion.)		12-27
Exercise Science Courses:
KIN 507	Lab Techniques in Kinesiology
KIN 592	Physiology of Exercise
KIN 593	Adv Fit Test Ex Prescript
KIN 670	Exercise Biochemistry
KIN 690	Exercise Health Disease
KIN 692	Sem Exercise Physiology (1)
KIN 692	Sem Exercise Physiology (2)
Sport Pedagogy Courses:
KIN 510	Tchg & Supervg Elem PE
KIN 512	PE Curriculum
KIN 538	Adv Adapted Phys Ed.
KIN 612	Res Phys Ed Teach Education
KIN 622	Analy Res Teach Phys Ed
KIN 632	System Oberv Phys Educ
KIN 642	Instrct Design PE High Ed
KIN 691	Res Sociology Human Perf
General Courses:
KIN 566	Evaluation in Kinesiology
Thesis
KIN 599	Thesis Research (If KIN 599 is selected, 6 credit hours should be completed.)
Total Hours		15-30

Code and Title		Hours
Optional elective courses:
Choose up to 15 hours from the following courses as elective credit to fulfill the total 30-hour degree requirement. Additional courses may be approved based on the advisor's discretion. Courses chosen outside the Department of Kinesiology must support the student's main academic interest.
BER 640	Adv Statistical Methods in Ed	3
KIN 585	Lab & Field Experience	3 or 6
KIN 596	Independent Study	1 to 3
KIN 598	Non-Thesis Research	3
KIN 599	Thesis Research	1 to 6
KIN 651	Systems Physiology I	3
KIN 652	Systems Physiology II	3
KIN 670	Exercise Biochemistry	3
KIN 692	Sem Exercise Physiology	3
BSC 524	Human Physiology	3
BSC 550	Fundamentals of Biochemistry	3
HHE 515	Adv Foundation Health Promot	3
HHE 520	Theories of Health Behavior	3
HHE 530	Health Promotion Techniques	3
NHM 562	Metabolism of Energy Nutrients	3

Transfer Credit

A maximum of six (6) hours of graduate credit earned in the field of the master’s degree from a regionally accredited institution in which the student was enrolled in the graduate school of that university may be considered for transfer and applied toward the requirements for a master’s degree in Kinesiology under the following conditions:

• The credit hours must have been completed prior to the student enrolling in the master’s program at The University of Alabama.

The credit hours must not have been taken in order to satisfy the requirements for degrees the student has earned previously. For the traditional Class A Physical Education program, credits used for the previous Class B certification may not be used for this program.

Graduation School information on Transfer Credit. 

Accelerated Master's Program

The Accelerated Master’s Program (AMP) allows highly motivated students concentrating in Exercise Science to take courses that dual count toward the BS in Kinesiology degree (Exercise Science Concentration) as well as toward an MA in Kinesiology degree (with coursework focusing on Exercise Science). Students admitted to the program take 12 hours of graduate-level coursework during the senior year. Upon completion of the undergraduate degree, students can take an additional 18 hours of coursework during year 5 to complete the 30-hour MA degree. Students are not obligated to complete the master’s degree and choosing not to complete it will not adversely affect the ability to earn the BS degree.

Information on the Accelerated Master's Program. 

Comprehensive Exam

Dates for and Registering to Take Comprehensive Exams

• Master’s degree comprehensive examinations for students opting not to write a thesis will be offered twice a year. During the fall semester, they will be offered in the second full week of October. During the spring semester, they will be offered in the second full week of March.
• Only eligible students may take their comprehensive examination, eligibility being dictated by policies provided in the university’s Graduate Catalog.
• Students wishing to take comprehensive examinations must inform the departmental representative responsible for scheduling and organizing the comprehensive examination at least four weeks prior to their desired examination date.
• During the fall semester, any retakes of the master’s comprehensive examination will take place in the first week of December. During the spring semester, they will take place in the first week of May. Students can also delay retaking the comprehensive examination to the first opportunity during the following fall or spring semester.

Master’s Degree Comprehensive Examination Format and Content

• The master’s degree comprehensive examination for students opting not to write a thesis will consist of a morning and afternoon session during one day. Each session is 3 hours in duration.
  • Exercise Science only: Within 1 month after the written session, an oral examination will follow. At the discretion of each faculty member, the student may receive feedback regarding the written answers during the 1-month period before the oral follow-up. A single comprehensive examination attempt will comprise a written and oral component. The oral component will be administered by the faculty members who provided questions.  
• During each session, students answer questions on relatively narrow topics drawn from specific courses taught within the Department of Kinesiology.
  • Exercise Science only: Questions are provided by at least 3 exercise science faculty. 
• The departmental representative responsible for scheduling and organizing the master’s degree comprehensive examinations will solicit questions from those Kinesiology faculty who have taught graduate courses to each student.
• Students will be asked questions based on coursework from a minimum of 4 courses.
• The departmental representative responsible for scheduling and organizing the master’s degree comprehensive examination may provide examples of past questions for students studying for the examination.
• Students will complete the examination by typing within a word processing program on a computer.
• Personal technology including phones, tablets, personal laptop computers, and portable drives will not be permitted in the examination room.
• Each examination session will be monitored by the departmental representative overseeing the examination process.
• On completion of the examination, the departmental representative responsible for its scheduling and organization will distribute students’ answers to the faculty who composed individual questions for evaluation, collect all evaluated answers, and inform each student of his or her result (pass or fail) and average score (based on a rubric).
• Students failing the comprehensive examination will be required to rewrite individual questions on which they received a score of 1. They will be permitted only one further attempt to pass and may be required to take additional coursework.
  • Exercise Science only: The faculty administering questions will consider both the written and oral components in determining a score on a given attempt. Students failing the first attempt of the examination may be required to wait until the following semester to retake the exam. Additional coursework may be required. Retakes of written portions will only involve question(s) failed, but the oral portion of a retake will be administered by the full committee of faculty who administered questions. The committee will decide the pass/fail outcome of the retake attempt.

The departmental representative responsible for coordinating the master’s degree comprehensive examinations will keep a record of and report results to the Graduate School.

Graduate School information on Comprehensive Exams. 

Fieldwork/Practicum/Internship Requirements

Clinical Placements

All Class A and Alternative Class A programs require extensive field experiences in diverse settings. The majority of field experiences must occur in P-12 schools, and at least half of the field experiences shall be in the candidate’s teaching field. These placements are in the greater Tuscaloosa area in order to facilitate supervision of students. With approval, individuals who are employed in positions appropriate to the area of their current program may complete field experiences on the job, but those experiences must be planned with specific purposes and assessment. All clinical placements in the College of Education relating to educator preparation are coordinated through the Office of Clinical Experiences.

Professional Liability

Students enrolled in College of Education courses that require a clinical placement should have professional liability insurance. Professional liability insurance may be purchased through an independent insurer or is available to students who are members of the Student Alabama Education Association (SAEA).

Internship - Alternative Class A

The teaching internship (formerly called student teaching) is one of the most important experiences College of Education students have. It is generally regarded as the culminating activity of one's preparation to become a teacher. At The University of Alabama, the internship is a full-semester, full-time assignment and must be taken in residence.

Alternative Class A students must file internship applications with the Office of Clinical Experiences during the semester preceding the semester of the planned internship. The application process begins by attending a mandatory application session, which is held the first Wednesday in October for spring-semester interns and the first Wednesday in March for fall-semester interns. The time, date, and place of the application session are announced at the beginning of each semester. The deadline for filing applications for a spring-semester internship is October 31; for a fall-semester internship the deadline is March 31.
 
Alternative Class A students may apply to enroll for an internship if they meet the following criteria:

• The student must have completed all courses in the major or majors, or must secure written permission to enroll for an internship from the appropriate department head.
• The student must show proof of a passing score on the appropriate Praxis assessments.
• The student must have achieved a minimum grade point average of 3.0, both for all University of Alabama courses attempted and for all University of Alabama courses and transfer courses combined.
• The student must have achieved a minimum grade point average of 2.75 in each major, both for University of Alabama courses in each major and for combined University of Alabama courses and transfer courses in each major.
• The student must have achieved a minimum grade point average of 2.75 for professional education coursework.
• The student must have completed all methods courses and appropriate professional coursework with grades of "C" or better.
• The student must have removed from the transcript any grade of incomplete ("I") recorded in required courses; grades of incomplete are treated as grades of "F."

Registration for Internship Credit Hours

Students are required to register for the number of internship credit hours specified by their program. Students enrolled for internship must not expect to be enrolled in other courses while interning. Interns in P–12 programs such as physical education should expect to have a split internship assignment with an elementary and a secondary school.

Summer internships are rarely available and then only to persons who hold an undergraduate degree and certification and have one or two years of successful teaching experience at the level and in the subject for which they are seeking certification (with approval from the department head). In addition, summer internship assignments are allowed only if an appropriate placement can be secured in the Tuscaloosa area and appropriate supervision can be provided. These conditions also apply to those seeking to update or renew their certification or add an additional endorsement to a current certificate. To apply for a summer internship, students should file an appropriate application with the Office of Clinical Experiences by March 31 of that year.

Plan I - Thesis Process Requirements

Dates for and Registering to Complete the Thesis

• Students wishing to complete a thesis will register for at least 6 credit hours of KIN 599 Thesis Research.
• The student will work with the research advisor to formulate a committee of 3 faculty members, one of whom must be from outside the Department of Kinesiology.
• The thesis proposal meeting will be scheduled by the student at any time of the academic year in conjunction with the thesis chair and committee and following the policies provided in the university’s graduate catalog.
• Students can opt to write a “traditional” five-chapter thesis consisting of an introductory chapter, a literature review chapter, a methods chapter, a results chapter, and a conclusions chapter. In this case, the formal proposal will consist of the first three chapters with the methods section being written in the future tense.
• Alternatively, students can opt to write an “article-style” thesis which describes one study to be conducted by the student and written in a format consistent with a reputable journal in the student’s subdiscipline of Kinesiology. In this case, the proposal will consist of all sections of the study article prior to the reporting of results and any discussion of or conclusions about the results (e.g., introduction, literature review, theoretical framework, purpose statement, and methods) with the methods written in the future tense.

Thesis Proposal

• The student will provide a copy of his/her final thesis proposal to his/her thesis chair and committee prior to the proposal meeting in conjunction with the policies provided in the university’s graduate catalog.
• The student will then make a formal presentation of the proposed thesis research.
• Faculty will then question the student and provide feedback about the presentation and/or written document and content related to the proposed research.
• Once the thesis chair and committee have completed their questioning of the student, the student and all other parties, with the exception of the chair and the committee, will retire from the room in which the proposal is being held. Faculty will then deliberate as to the standard of the proposal.
• IRB approval may be necessary for research involving human subjects. More info here: http://ovpred.ua.edu/research-compliance/institutional-review-board-irb/

Thesis Defense

• The thesis defense will be scheduled by the student at any time of the academic year in conjunction with his/her thesis chair and committee and following the policies provided in the university’s graduate catalog.
• The student will provide a copy of the final thesis to the thesis chair and committee prior to the defense in conjunction with the policies provided in the university’s graduate catalog.
• The chair of the student’s thesis committee will announce the date, time, and place of the thesis defense to members of the department and College of Education at least one week in advance of the defense.
• The defense will begin with a formal presentation of the thesis research made by the student.
• Faculty will then question the student about the presentation and/or written document and content related to the thesis research.
• Other interested parties attending the thesis defense will also be given an opportunity to question the student about the thesis research.
• Once the thesis chair and committee have completed their questioning of the student, the student and all other parties, with the exception of the chair and the committee, will retire from the room in which the defense is being held. Faculty will then deliberate as to the standard of the thesis defense and score it using a rubric.
• Students failing the thesis defense will be required to defend their thesis a second time. They will be permitted only one further attempt to defend their thesis and may be required to take additional coursework.

Plan II - Non-Thesis Process Requirements

See previous Comprehensive Exam section.

Time Limit for Degree Completion Requirements

Graduate School information on Time Limits. 

Student Progress Requirements

For the Alternative Class A program in Physical Education, students must be formally admitted to the Alternative Certification Teacher Education Program during their program. Students must meet the minimum qualifications that are expected of candidates entering and completing undergraduate (Class B) certification in the same discipline. This usually means minimum GPA requirements in the core curriculum as well as minimum GPA requirements within the disciplines in which the applicant is seeking certification. Other requirements, such as completion of a writing assessment and other screening associated with undergraduate certification must be completed before formal admission to the alternative teacher education program.

Additional Academic Requirements

For the Alternative Class A program, a passing score on the appropriate Praxis subject assessment is required.

Electronic Learning Management System Requirement

For Physical Education, a designated, electronic learning management system is required of all students in programs leading to professional educator certification.

Academic Misconduct Information

Graduate School information on Academic Misconduct. 

Withdrawals and Leave of Absence Information

Graduate School information on Withdrawals and Leave of Absence. 

Academic Grievances Information

Information on Academic Grievances. 

Grades and Academic Standing

As required for traditional Class A and Alternative Class A certification, students must earn a GPA of at least 3.25 on all courses in the program, with no grade below a "C."

Graduate School information on Grades and Academic Standing. 

Graduate School Deadlines Information

Information on Graduate School Deadline. 

Application for Graduation Information

Information on the Application for Graduation. 

Certification