Kinesiology Major, BS in Education

The Kinesiology major prepares students for a variety of careers in health-related fitness and for graduate or professional study in various fields within kinesiology (exercise physiology, biomechanics, sport psychology, motor behavior, physical activity epidemiology, etc.), allied health professions (physical therapy, occupational therapy, physician assistant, chiropractic, athletic training, etc.) and medicine. Incoming freshmen (“first year students”) can enter the Kinesiology major when they start at UT, or during their first two years. Transfer students can enter the Kinesiology major when they start at UT.

If a chosen career path will require graduate school, a student should know that planning for that starts now. Educational preparation as an undergraduate is an essential part of success later on. Many students arrive at the university with the goal to become a physician, physical therapist, or other health professional, but they have little knowledge of what the profession is really like or of its demands. Because competition is so intense in medicine and other health professions, students should become as familiar as possible with the career they are pursuing, including the additional education requirements and the minimum GPA and grades in specific courses to be competitive for admission to graduate study.

uTrack Requirements (for students entering Fall 2013 or later)

Universal Tracking (uTrack) is an academic monitoring system designed to help students stay on track for timely graduation. In order to remain on track, students must complete the minimum requirements for each tracking semester, known as milestones. Milestones include successful completion of specified courses and/or attainment of a minimum GPA. uTrack requirements only affect full-time, degree-seeking students who first entered Fall 2013 or later. uTrack does not apply to transfer students who enter prior to Fall 2015.

Major Requirements and Rules

Advising Transition

Academic advising for freshmen, sophomores, and transfer students in the Kinesiology major occurs in the College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences’ Office of Student Services (BEC 332). To transition from college to department advising, the student must complete an application form and submit it to department advising staff (322 HPER or via email to the staff member listed on the application). College and department advising staff will assist students making this transition.

uTrack students will transition from college to department advising upon completion of the following:

• A minimum cumulative UT GPA of 2.5 after a minimum of 45 hours of coursework.
• Completion of MATH 125 * or MATH 141 *, KNS 100 , CHEM 130 *, and PHYS 221 *. These are the uTrack milestones for the first four terms.
• All of these courses must be completed with a C or better.

Students not following the uTrack requirements must apply for transition from college to department advising prior to the completion of 75 hours of coursework. Hours earned through AP credit or dual enrollment while in high school do not count toward this total. These students must also meet the following criteria:

• Achievement of a minimum cumulative UT GPA of 2.5 after a minimum of 45 hours of coursework.
• Completion KNS 100 , CHEM 120 *, and PHYS 221 *.
• All of these courses must be completed with a C or better.

Applications for the transition from college to department advising can be obtained by visiting HPER 322 or the Kinesiology, Recreation, and Sport Studies department website. Once the application form is approved by the department, students will be emailed a letter with the name and contact information of their new department advisor. Students will then be responsible for scheduling a meeting with their new advisor for an advising appointment in HPER.

Minimum Grades and Required GPA for Continuation in the Major

Students who do not earn a C or better in MATH 125 * or MATH 141 *, PHYS 221 *, and KNS 332  will not be allowed to take KNS 422 - Biomechanics of Human Movement . Students who do not earn a C or better in CHEM 120 *, CHEM 130 *, and Biochemistry and Cellular and Molecular Biology 230  will not be allowed to take KNS 414 - Fitness Testing and Exercise Prescription  or KNS 480 - Physiology of Exercise .

All Kinesiology courses, Professional Electives, Department Electives, MATH 125 * or MATH 141 *, CHEM 120 *, CHEM 130 *, PHYS 221 *, PHYS 222 *, and Biochemistry and Cellular and Molecular Biology 230  (or any course(s) used as a substitute for these requirements) must all be passed with a C or better to graduate.

Kinesiology majors must maintain a cumulative UT GPA of 2.5 or higher to register for any required 400-level Kinesiology courses (KNS 414 , KNS 422 , and KNS 480 ) and to graduate.

Service Learning Honors Program

Kinesiology majors have the opportunity to participate in the college’s Service Learning Honors Program. For eligibility and requirements, see Service Learning Honors Program .