Kinesiology, B.S.

Program Description

Students are advised to be certain they complete all General Education  requirements before applying for graduation.

The kinesiology major program leads to the Bachelor of Science degree. Students are advised to familiarize themselves with the B.S. degree requirements.

Students who major in kinesiology work toward a B.S. degree by selecting and completing one of the following concentrations:

• Exercise Science
• Physical and Health Education Teacher Education

Degree and Major Requirements

Required Courses: 21 Credit Hours

• BIO 290. Human Anatomy Credits: 3.00
• BIO 290L. Human Anatomy Laboratory Credits: 1.00
• KIN 100. Lifetime Fitness and Wellness (2,2) [C5W] Credits: 3.00
• KIN 201. Introduction to Kinesiology as a Profession Credits: 2.00
• KIN 202. Biological Foundations of Kinesiology and Recreation Credits: 3.00
• KIN 303. Motor Development and Learning Credits: 3.00
• NUTR 280. Nutrition for Wellness Credits: 3.00
• MATH 220. Elementary Statistics [C3QR] Credits: 3.00

Kinesiology Concentrations: 46-54 Credit Hours

MSAT Accelerated Pathway

Kinesiology majors who choose a concentration in exercise science and are interested in an athletic training career are eligible to apply to an accelerated pathway (3+2) leading to the Master of Science in Athletic Training (MSAT) degree. The purpose of this pathway is to prepare students to become certified athletic trainers with the clinical knowledge, skills and professional attitudes that will enable them to deliver health care effectively in various clinical settings. Highly motivated and academically talented students will complete both the undergraduate degree in kinesiology and graduate degree in athletic training programs in 5 years, compared to the traditional 6 years for completing both degrees. Students interested in this pathway must complete a very specific set of course requirements as part of the kinesiology degree. See those details below.

Admission and Application Requirements

Students interested in the accelerated pathway will begin their undergraduate studies with a focused curriculum designed to meet the prerequisites for their graduate program while meeting their major requirements. Upon successful completion of the required coursework at a high academic standard, students will transition into the graduate program. 

Interested students will need to:

1. Declare an undergraduate major in kinesiology with a concentration in exercise science.
2. Attain admission into the exercise science concentration (see admission policy above).
3. Discuss their intent to pursue the 3+2 accelerated pathway to the Master of Science in Athletic Training with their academic advisor and pre-professional health advisor (if applicable).
4. Submit their declaration of intent for pursuing the 3+2 accelerated pathway to the Master of Science in Athletic Training. Ideally, this declaration is made as a first-year student at JMU. Submitting the declaration of intent in the first year allows adequate time to plan and schedule year two and year three courses.

Students pursuing the 3+2 accelerated pathway to the Master of Science in Athletic Training are required to meet the following criteria for admission:

• Preferred GPA of 2.7 or higher
• Successful completion of the following MSAT prerequisite courses with a minimum grade of “C-“ by the end of the third year. The JMU courses in parentheses are part of the exercise science concentration in kinesiology and fulfil the prerequisite requirements:
  • General Psychology (PSYC 101 )
  • Nutrition (NUTR 280 )
  • Statistics or Research Methods (MATH 220 )
  • Human or Mammalian Anatomy & Physiology BIO 270 /BIO 270L  and BIO 290 /BIO 290L )
  • Physics or Biomechanics (PHYS 140 /PHYS 140L  or KIN 306 /KIN 306L )
  • General Chemistry (CHEM 131 /CHEM 131L )
  • Exercise Physiology (KIN 302 /KIN 302L )
  • Students who are uncertain whether a course meets prerequisites should email athletictraining@jmu.edu and include a copy of the syllabus from the semester they took the course. 
  • The following courses are not prerequisites but are highly recommended: ATEP 205 , ATEP 306 
• Submission of formal application to the Master of Science in Athletic Training program through ATCAS and the Graduate School of JMU by September 1 of the third year. 
• Successful completion of an admission interview during September of the third year.
• Successful completion of major courses by the end of the third year.

Program Structure

The 3+2 accelerated pathway to the Master of Science in Athletic Training allows undergraduate students to enroll in and apply 21-22 graduate credit hours toward the completion of the B.S. in Kinesiology. For a list of courses, please see the MSAT page in the graduate catalog. 

In their first year, students meet with academic major advisors and indicate interest in the accelerated pathway, declaring their intent to pursue this pathway, while beginning their major coursework. In the fall of their third year, students apply to the MSAT program. Students must complete all undergraduate major and prerequisite coursework by the end of the spring semester of their third year at JMU. Students admitted to the accelerated MSAT program will begin their graduate coursework in May after their third year at JMU. Admitted students take 21-22 credit hours at the graduate level during the summer after their third year and the fall of their fourth year. These 21-22 graduate credits will be applied to their undergraduate transcript to fulfill the remaining credits needed for the undergraduate degree. Students enrolled in graduate coursework are required to adhere to The Graduate School Academic Requirements for progression. The undergraduate degree will be conferred at the end of the fall semester of year 4, allowing students to participate in December commencement. Students transition to graduate student status for the spring of the fourth year and complete the remaining courses in the graduate program over the following semesters. Upon successful completion of all courses in the MSAT program, students will earn their master’s degree at the end of their fifth year at JMU. Students will participate in the May commencement.

Students pursuing the accelerated pathway should meet with their academic advisor each semester to discuss their progress toward undergraduate degree completion and staying on track with MSAT prerequisites to ensure prerequisite and graduate requirements are being met.

Program Total: 120 Credit Hours