Program Overview

Kinesiology (PhD)

The PhD in Kinesiology provides a highly integrated approach to scholarship, allowing students to follow their research passion and become experts in the field. This program is research-intensive, with minimal course requirements.

Program Structure

• The PhD in Kinesiology requires a total of at least six courses at the graduate level.
• Two courses must be completed while registered in the PhD in Kinesiology program, in addition to:
  • KP801: Seminar in Kinesiology I
  • KP811: Seminar in Kinesiology II
  • KP891: Comprehensive Examination
  • KP899: Doctoral Dissertation
• Additional courses may be required at the discretion of the Doctoral Advisory Committee.

Core Research Areas

The program has four core research strengths:

• Movement science: motor control, biomechanics, and physiology
• Health: wellbeing of individuals, risk factors that influence health, and methods to evaluate health and social services within various populations
• Psychology of physical activity: using psychological principles to understand performance and adherence to physical activity and sport
• Sport development: sociocultural issues in sports, including sport history and ethics

Funding Highlights

• Winners of major external awards may be eligible for top-up funding, including the Dean's Graduate Scholarship, with a total value exceeding $10,000.
• Eligible domestic students admitted to study on a full-time basis receive a minimum of $22,000 per year, which may be made up of teaching assistantships, internal/external scholarships, and/or faculty-funded studentships or research assistantships.

Admissions

Admission Requirements

• A master's degree in Kinesiology/Physical Education or related disciplines with a minimum A- standing.
• Applications are reviewed by the graduate program committee, considering all prior university grades, a statement of research interests, academic writing sample, and letters of reference.
• Exceptional students may obtain early entry to the PhD program from the master's program.
• Students should contact a prospective advisor prior to submitting their application.

Application Checklist

• The Application Summary, generated after completing the OUAC application
• Transcripts of all undergraduate and graduate work, dated within the past six months
• A completed statement of intent
• A resume of academic and work experience, including publication and scholarly paper activity
• A sample of scholarly writing (10-20 pages in length)
• Completed reference forms (two academic references required)

English Proficiency

Proficiency in written and spoken English is essential for graduate studies. Applicants whose language of instruction during previous postsecondary education was not in English must submit evidence of proficiency in English.

Tuition and Funding

Financial planning is important for graduate degree programs. Laurier provides information on scholarship and funding opportunities to help students manage their finances effectively.

Careers

Graduates of the PhD in Kinesiology program can pursue careers in:

• Academic settings
• Upper-level management positions in health and physical activity-related settings

Faculty

The faculty members have diverse research interests, including:

• Movement pedagogy
• Teaching and coaching
• Meaningful movement
• Handedness, laterality, and manual asymmetries
• Motor development
• Developmental disabilities
• Perception-action integration
• Obstacle avoidance
• Balance control
• Concussions
• Sport psychology
• Exercise adherence
• Sport performance
• Sport and international affairs
• Sport and politics
• Sport ethics
• Sport humanities
• Group dynamics
• Team building
• Lived experience/qualitative research
• Chronic disease, disability, age-related conditions, and caregiving
• Biomechanics
• Spine health
• Ergonomics
• Organizational behaviour in sport organizations
• Athlete maltreatment
• Media representations of athletes
• Exercise physiology and nutrition
• Appetite regulation
• Gut hormones
• Regulation of energy intake
• Energy expenditure
• Energy balance
• Exercise metabolism
• Neuromuscular fatigue
• Neural control of movement
• Motor neuron properties
• Mental and physical health of paramedics and other public safety personnel
• Occupational injury in paramedics
• Neurovascular regulation
• Exerkines and cancer
• Breast cancer and the tumour microenvironment