Program Overview

Kinesiology - Doctor of Philosophy

The Ph.D. in Kinesiology requires a minimum of 36 credit hours of formal coursework (beyond a master's degree) and an expected 24 credit hours of research and dissertation work. Thus, the minimum expected credit hour accumulation is 61 credit hours.

Coursework

At least 12 credit hours must come from graduate courses in the department of Kinesiology. NMSU's department of Kinesiology offers courses across a range of foundational knowledge areas in Kinesiology, including:

• Relationships among physical activity, health, and quality of life
• Scientific foundations for the study of physical activity and human movement
• The social, cultural, and historical context of the study of physical activity
• The practice of physical activity

A minimum of 12 credit hours must be taken in research methodologies, at least 3 credits of which must be in experimental statistics and at least 3 credits from a qualitative methods course(s). There are many options for these courses on the NMSU campus that will permit the student to meet this requirement.

The remaining 12 credit hours are taken at the direction of the student's advisor and committee and agreed upon at the time of the student's qualifying exam.

Examinations

Students seeking the Doctor of Philosophy degree in Kinesiology must pass a:

1. Qualifying Examination that must be completed before accumulating more than 24 credit hours towards their degree
2. Comprehensive Exam including written and/or oral elements that must be completed before beginning a final dissertation project
3. Final Exam that includes the defense of their final dissertation study

Dissertation

The candidate for the degree of Doctor in Philosophy in Kinesiology must complete a dissertation in a focused area of study. The student and their committee must agree upon the dissertation topic, and approval of the dissertation requires the consent of the plurality of the student's committee members. The student must complete a minimum of 18 dissertation credit hours.

Graduate Courses

The following graduate courses are currently offered in the department of Kinesiology:

• SPMD 5310: Inferential Statistics in Sports and Exercise Science (3 credits)
• SPMD 5350: Principles of Strength and Conditioning (3 credits)
• SPMD 5410: Biomechanics (3 credits)
• SPMD 5450: Exercise for Special Populations (3 credits)
• SPMD 5510: Psychology of Sport (3 credits)
• SPMD 5550: Skill Acquisition and Performance (3 credits)
• SPMD 5575: Advanced Motor Development (3 credits)
• SPMD 6310: The Social Construction of the Body (3 credits)
• SPMD 6350: Advanced Exercise Physiology (3 credits)
• SPMD 6410: Cardiovascular Physiology (3 credits)
• SPMD 6450: Skeletal Muscle: Structure and Function (3 credits)
• SPMD 6510: Designing Resistance Training Program (3 credits)
• SPMD 6996: Special Topics (1-3 credits)
• SPMD 7000: Doctoral Dissertation (18 credits)

Total Credits: 61-63