Kinesiology Major, BS in Kinesiology

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.

Major Requirements and Rules

Advising Transition

Academic advising for freshmen, sophomores, and new transfer students in the Kinesiology major occurs in the College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences Office of Advising & Student Services (BEC 332). A student will transition to KRSS Department advising after he/she completes the following U-track milestones:

• Maintains a minimum cumulative UT GPA of 2.5 after a minimum of 60 hours of coursework.
• Completes MATH 125 * or MATH 141 * or MATH 147 *, KNS 200 , CHEM 132 * CHEM 133 *, and BCMB 230 . These are the uTrack milestones for the first four terms.
• All of these courses must be completed with a C or better to remain in good standing and continue in the major.

At the end of each semester, staff of the CEHHS Office of Advising and Student Services will compile a list of students ready to change to departmental advising. 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 to complete this transition.

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 122 * and CHEM 123 *, CHEM 132 * and CHEM 133 *, and BCMB 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 122 * and CHEM 123 *, CHEM 132 * and CHEM 133 *, PHYS 221 *, Professional Science Elective, and BCMB 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 better to register for any required 400-level Kinesiology courses (KNS 414 , KNS 422 *, and KNS 480 *) and to graduate.

College of Education, Health and Human Sciences Honors Program

Kinesiology majors have the opportunity to participate in the college’s honors program. For eligibility and requirements, see College of Education, Health and Human Sciences Honors Program .

uTrack Requirements

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.