Skip to Main Content
Brooks College of Health
oneColumn

Bachelor of Science in Health

Kinesiology

The Department of Clinical and Applied Movement Sciences offers a Kinesiology concentration. This concentration culminates in a Bachelor of Science in Health (B.S.H.) degree. Of major concern to society is the health and well-being of its citizens. The field of Kinesiology includes healthcare professionals that utilize knowledge of the human body's adaptive responses to exercise to address an individual's health, fitness, or performance goals.

Kinesiology students who wish to continue their academic studies will benefit from a well-rounded curriculum designed to prepare students for admission into graduate programs in Kinesiology or other Health Care professions. The Kinesiology curriculum provides a strong foundation for students interested in the advanced degree of Physical Therapy. Other graduate programs that are of interest to Kinesiology students are: Occupational Therapy, Chiropractic, Medicine, Physician's Assistant, Sports Psychology, and Pharmacy.

Occupational Therapist checking our patients shoulder

Kinesiology students who seek employment after receiving the undergraduate degree are successful in 4 distinct areas of employment:

  1. Clinical Exercise Physiology: health care-based positions that incorporate exercise testing, prescription, and supervision for a wide spectrum of patients such as cardiac rehabilitation, elderly care, and weight management.
  2. Fitness/Recreation field: positions in personal training, fitness instruction, corporate wellness, wellness coaching, and recreation. 
  3. Human Performance: strength coach, performance coach, and athletic exercise testing.
  4. Other Related fields: medical supply reps (pacemakers, artificial joints, medical instruments) and pharmaceutical representatives.

Clinical Education

The Bachelor of Science in Health, Kinesiology Track includes an internship component, so it is important to determine the State Authorization of Distance Education and if you will be able to do an internship in other states if desired. Please see the UNF State Authorization Status website for more information and updates. State Authorization of Distance Education is a complex and dynamic environment.

  • BSH-Kinesiology to MSAT Accelerated Pathway

    The accelerated path for the BSH-Kines to MSAT program is an opportunity for exceptional UNF Kinesiology undergraduate students who are interested in pursuing a career in Athletic Training to combine program requirements for the BSH-Kines and MSAT Programs.

    Eligible Program

    Please ensure your undergraduate major* qualifies for the Accelerated Pathway.

    Eligible Program Table
    Eligible Program Eligible Undergraduate Major*
    Athletic Training M.S. Kinesiology B.S.H.

    Admission Criteria to Begin BSH-Kines to MSAT Accelerated Pathway:

    1. Meet with the Kinesiology and MSAT Program Directors and a BCH academic advisor to discuss eligibility for pathway.
    2. Personal statement describing prior experiences, accomplishments, and career goals. Submit this to MSAT Program Director by April 1st in the semester prior to enrollment in BSH-Kines summer courses (APK 3091 and APK 4101).
    3. College Cumulative GPA of 3.0.

    NOTE: Acceptance into the BSH-Kinesiology to MSAT Accelerated Pathway does not guarantee admission into the MSAT graduate program.

    Additional Admission Criteria Prior to Enrollment in MSAT-level Coursework:

    • Earn a GPA of 3.00 in upper-level courses.
    • Completion of all MSAT prerequisites with a GPA of 3.0.
    • Meet MSAT Program Technical Standards for admission (AT Technical Standards)
    • 50 hours of observational experience under the supervision of a Certified Athletic Trainer (UNF Athletic Training Observation Form).
    • Three (3) letters of recommendation submitted to MSAT Program Director. One letter of recommendation must be from an Athletic Trainer who supervised you during your observational experience.
    • Interview with the UNF Athletic Training Program Faculty.

    Additional prerequisites for MSAT Program (3 credits required, 3 credits recommended)

    • Required: PHY1028/1028L Introduction to Physics with lab (3 credits) (Prerequisite for MSAT; Not required for BSH-Kines)
    • Recommended: PET 3312C Biomechanics (3 credits)

    Special Notes:

    • Completion of the UNF application in the Athletic Training Centralized Application System is not required for students enrolled in the accelerated pathway.
    • APK 3091 Lead Prof in Kin or APK 4101 Skel Mus Str and Function and 4 credits of PET 4942 Internship in Kinesiology will be replaced by two graduate courses (ATR 5105C and ATR 5126C). Kinesiology students will be required to take PET 4942 Internship in Kinesiology at 2 credits.

Program of Study

Hands holding a clip board icon

Scholarships

graduation cap surrounded by leaves icon

Financial Aid

hand holding a coin

Academic Calendar

graphic calendar

  • Sequencing Guide

    Kinesiology Program Sequencing Guide for Admitted Kinesiology students 

    This is a recommended sequencing guide based upon projected course availability. It is subject to change and should not be considered a contract between the student and the Department of Clinical & Applied Movement Science. This sequence guide does not include Program Prerequisites. Program Prerequisites should be completed prior to the start of Fall Term, Junior Year. Failure to have Program Prerequisites satisfied prior to the Junior Year, could delay graduation. (Last Revised February 2022)

    Course Sequence

    Junior Year - Fall (12 Credit Hours)
    Course Title
    HSC 4612 Exercise Physiology for Health Science (3)
    HSC 4615L Lab Methods in Exercise Physiology for Health Science (3) (Co-req: HSC4612)
    HSC 3537  (BSH_KIN) Medical Terminology (3)
    ATR4610 Research in Sports Medicine (3)

     

    Junior Year - Spring (12 Credit Hours)
    Course Title
    HSC 4549 Advanced Exercise Physiology for Health Science (3) (prereq: HSC4612)
    APK 4125 Exercise Prescription (3)
    PET 4550 Physical Fitness Assessment (3) (prereq: HSC4612)
    PET 3310 Kinesiology (3) 

     

    Junior Year - Summer  (6 Credit Hours)
    Course Title
    APK 4101      Skeletal Muscle Structure and Function (3)
    APK 3091      Leadership and Professionalism in Kinesiology (3)

     

    Senior Year- Fall (12 Credit Hours)
    Course Title
    HSC 3553 Pathophysiology (3)
    PSY 3832 Psychology of Sport (3)
    PET 3080 Physical Activity Epidemiology (3)
    APK 4165 Bioenergetics (3)

     

    Senior Year - Spring (12 Credit Hours)
    Course Title
    APK 4120C Clinical Exercise Physiology (3) (prereq: HSC4612, HSC4615L and PET3080)
    APK 4405 Exercise Psychology (3)
    PEP 4135 Principles in Strength and Conditioning (3) (prereq: HSC4612)
    PET 4943 Pre-Internship (3) (prereq: all Kinesiology program courses)

     

    Senior Year- Summer (6 Credit Hours)
    Course Title
    PET 4942 Internship (6) (prereq: all Kinesiology program courses)
  • Internship Opportunities
    Internship Sites
    Wellness Sites Cardiac/Clinical Rehab Sites Corporate Fitness Sites Strength and Conditioning Research
    Brooks YMCA/ stroke wellness    Baptist Beaches Hospital City Bank Medifit Jacksonville University Athletics Brooks LIFE study

    Brooks YMCA

    Shands Hospital Cardiac Rehab Bank of American/ Plus One HIT Center Jacksonville Clinical Research

    UNF Health Promotion

    Baptist Hospital Downtown In Boca UNF Athletics UF Athletics
    Down Town YMCA St. Vincent Hospital CSX Corp. Salomon Services

    Mayport Naval base

    Memorial Hospital Lifescan Pittsburg Pirates

    YMCA Riverside

    Brooks Neuro-Recovery Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Dept.  Spectrum Sports Performance
    Metro YMCA Florida Hospital Flagler St. Vincent's God Speed Elite Sports
    Winston YMCA Jacksonville VA SCJFR SET Performance
    Williams YMCA
    Riverside YMCA
    Stretch and Grow
    Shannon Miller Lifestyle
    Third Street Crossfit
    Atlantic Beach Performance
  • What does the program cost?

    Tuition, fees, and textbooks make up most of the costs to students. Detailed information regarding tuition and all general fees can be found on the UNF Tuition website.

  • Admission Requirements

    Specialized Admissions Criteria

    Due to the exceptional number of applicants, the Kinesiology Program at UNF has been designated as a Specialized Admissions Program and abides by the rules for Specialized Admissions Programs established by the Florida Board of Governors as follows:

    • Students who have graduated from a Florida community college with an Associate in Arts degree or those who have successfully completed 60 or more semester hours of course work at public universities in Florida will receive priority for admission over other applicants.
    • Selection criteria will not discriminate against Florida community college transfer students in favor of public university students who are applying for admission or plan to continue enrollment after completion of 60 semester hours at the lower division level.
    • Where necessary to achieve established equal access enrollment goals, some students may be admitted to the Program using different criteria.

    Successful completion of admission requirements does not guarantee acceptance into the Program. Approximately 90 new students are typically admitted each year from a competitive applicant pool.

    Admission Requirements

    To be considered for admission to the Kinesiology Program, each applicant must fulfill the following minimum requirements:

    • Attainment of minimum 2.75 GPA overall.
    • Completion of and attainment of minimum of a "C" grade or higher on the following prerequisite courses no later than the summer term, prior to fall admission.
      • BSCX085/BSCX085L - Anatomy and Physiology I and Lab
      • BSCX086/BSCX086L - Anatomy and Physiology II and Lab
      • CHMX045/CHMX045L - General Chemistry and Lab
        • Please note: CHM1032C does not fulfill the Chemistry requirement
      • MACX105 - College Algebra
      • PSY2012 - Intro to Psychology
      • HUN2201 - Human Nutrition
      • SPC2608 - Fundamentals of Speech
      • STA2023 - Elementary Statistics - Business
    • Completion of all general education and prerequisite courses prior to enrolling in the Kinesiology courses.
    • Six of the eight prerequisites must be completed by the application deadline. The remaining prerequisite(s) must be completed no later than summer term, prior to fall admission.
    • Applicants who apply while still enrolled or plan to enroll in general education and/or prerequisite courses may be admitted contingent upon successful completion of all courses with a minimum grade of "C" or higher on the prerequisites above and with a minimum 2.75 GPA overall.
    • Submission of all official transcripts, UNF application, and documentation by May 10 of the year of application.

    How to Apply

    1. Make application to UNF using one of the appropriate university forms linked below:
      1. Online Version (recommended)
      2. Change of Major completed with UNF Academic Advisor for currently enrolled UNF students         
    2. Pay $30 UNF application fee. This may be done online, by mail, or in person. Check with the One-Stop Student Services at (904) 620-5555 regarding acceptable payment methods and policies regarding who must pay the fee.
    3. Submit transcripts from all institutions awarding credit or enrolled at during your academic career (even if you withdrew and received no credit). NOTE: This includes dual enrollment, transient enrollment, foreign studies, AP, CLEP, IB, DANTES, military, etc. For all courses taken outside of the United States, please submit official copies of course-by-course foreign college evaluations from approved agencies such as Josef Silny & Associates or World Education Services (the acceptability of evaluations from other organizations may be checked with the One-Stop Student Services).
    4. Transcripts are all due to the One-Stop Student Services by the deadline. Late materials will not be accepted or considered. Confirmation of these items should be handled online through your myWings account or with the One-Stop Student Services at (904) 620-5555.
    5. Submit Grade Report if you are taking a course where final grades/transcripts will not be available by the August 6th grade report deadline. The Grade Report will be attached to your review email.

    Decision Timeline

    Applicants who apply while still enrolled or plan to enroll in general education and/or prerequisite courses may be admitted contingent upon successful completion of all courses with a minimum grade of "C" or higher on the prerequisites above and with a minimum 2.75 GPA overall.

    Application Deadline: May 10, 2023, 11:59pm EST. All application materials must reach our office by this deadline, with the exception of summer Grade Reports.

    Applications received after the May 10 deadline will not be accepted.

    Deadline for updated transcripts from non-UNF schools for spring grades is no later than 2nd Friday in May. Deadline for updated transcripts from non-UNF schools for summer grades is no later than 2nd Friday in August. If official transcripts are not available by then, applicants are required to complete a grade report as stated below:

    Grade Report forms are necessary for Kinesiology applicants with "In Progress" courses during spring or summer term of the same year that admission is sought for the program. You will receive communication requesting the forms be completed when the initial review is conducted on your application. The applicant should fill in all information except for the grade and missing assignments; that information should be filled in by the course instructor. Forms should be returned to the Brooks College of Health Clinical & Applied Movement Sciences Office by mail, in person, via email or fax, preferably within two weeks. Do not mail this form to any other office on campus. The appropriate email to which to send a pdf copy of this completed form is kinesadmit@unf.edu. The proper fax is (904) 620-2848; all faxes should include a cover sheet.  

    Admission decisions: The Kinesiology Program will begin contacting applicants with completed prerequisites by the end of May 2023, in regards to admission offers.

    Mandatory Orientation: Friday before fall semester starts.

    Additional Requirements for the Clinical Internship

    Upon acceptance the following requirements must be fulfilled prior to the Clinical Internship (Program will assist accepted students with the items listed below):

    • CPR/AED certification
    • Background check

    The Kinesiology Program includes a clinical internship component, so it is important to determine State Authorization of Distance Education and if you will be able to do an internship in other states, if desired. Please see the UNF State Authorization Status website for more information and updates. State Authorization of Distance Education is a complex and dynamic environment. Prospective students should check State Authorization Website for updates.

  • Program Outcomes

    The University of North Florida Bachelor of Science in Health, Kinesiology concentration is accredited from the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) and the Committee on Accreditation for the Exercise Sciences (CoAES). Under this accreditation, Program Outcomes are collected and reported on student success and achievement. These surveyed outcomes include the following: 

    Graduates employed in a Kinesiology related field upon graduation or admitted to a higher-level degree program (5-year average) – 92% 

    Graduate satisfaction with Program curriculum, Faculty, and internship experiences (5-year average) – 95%

  • Background Check Information

    Background Checks

    A background check will be required of all students both undergraduate and graduate, who will be participating in field experiences as part of their educational program. The background check will be required prior to the field experience. These field experiences include, but are not necessarily limited to: internships, clinical experiences, or other types of experiential learning either directly involving or in agencies serving children, the elderly, patients, or other vulnerable populations. In addition, students interested in enrolling in programs that do not require these experiences during the undergraduate program, but whose programs lead to licensing/certification examinations and/or post-graduate internships that would require a background check prior to the examination or post-graduate internship should also be aware of the information below.

    The background check shall be completed:

    1. annually for students in programs including these types of experiences each year of the program of study;
    2. in the semester immediately preceding the experience for students in those programs including these experiences as a final or capstone experience.

    NOTE: To meet Brooks College's contractual obligation to the agencies in which students are placed, the background check must be done through a vendor sanctioned by the College and using the application format for the students' particular program.

    The mechanism for obtaining the background check will be explained by faculty/program leader/coordinator at the time the check is required.

    Information revealed by a background check may:

    1. preclude participation in required field experiences. Inability to participate in required field experiences will jeopardize successful completion of the program.
    2. jeopardize sitting for required post-graduate national examinations for licensure and/or certification and/or post-graduate internships.

    Students with questions regarding what may appear on their background check, should contact the Chair of the Department/School housing the program in which they want to enroll, prior to enrollment.

  • Honors in Kinesiology

    Honors in the Major in Kinesiology

    Requirements for Admission

    • Completion of at least 60 credit hours of college credit including at last 12 graded upper-division hours at UNF
    • At least 3.5 GPA within the major
    • At least 3.2 GPA in all upper-division courses regardless of institution. 
    • Honors in the Major in Kinesiology is awarded upon completion of the followings: 
    • 3-6 credits of Directed Independent Studies Research as determined by the student's honors thesis advisor 
    Honors in Major Kinesiology (9 credits)
    • 3-12 credits of an advanced Honors Thesis or Project works taken in Kinesiology
    • In addition, the Program Director may (but not required to) ask students to also complete IDH3922 Thesis Research Prospectus Colloquium (1 credit) and/or IDH3920 Thesis Symposium Colloquium (1 credit). The honor credits will satisfy the Kinesiology major electives and may be used in place of Internship.

    **Only one student per faculty member will be able to complete the Honors in the Kinesiology Major**

    Benefits for Completing the Honors in Kinesiology

    • Undergraduate research
    • Mentorship
    • Graduate School Preparation

Contact the Program Director 

M. Ryan Richardson Headhot

M. Ryan Richardson, PhD, MSH, ACSM-EP 

Director, Undergraduate Kinesiology Program, Assistant Professor
Department of Clinical & Applied Movement Sciences
Phone: 904-620-5068
Email: m.richardson@unf.edu

To request a copy of the student handbook please email m.richardson@unf.edu