Program Requirements (68-69 hours)

Students must maintain a “C” or better in each course in the major. Additionally, in accordance with university policy, an overall grade point average of 2.0 or better must be attained upon on the completion of required curriculum.

A baccalaureate degree requires a minimum of 120 unduplicated semester hours. More information can be found at www.wku.edu/registrar/degree_certification.php.

Students who began WKU in the Fall 2014 and thereafter should review the Colonnade requirements located at: https://www.wku.edu/colonnade/colonnaderequirements.php.

Students must complete the following courses: 

Finish in Four Plans

Finish in Four Plan

Program Requirements (60-94)

A baccalaureate degree requires a minimum of 120 unduplicated semester hours. More information can be found at www.wku.edu/registrar/degree_certification.php.

Students who began WKU in the Fall 2014 and thereafter should review the Colonnade requirements located at: https://www.wku.edu/colonnade/colonnaderequirements.php.

Students need to select one of the three concentrations:

Physical Education Teacher Education (PETE)

Students will complete the core courses as detailed above, plus the following requirements:

Physical Education Teacher Education Health Education (PEHE)

Students will complete the core courses as detailed above, plus the following requirements:

Physical Education Movement Studies (PEMS) Non-Certification

Students will complete the core courses as detailed above, plus the following requirements:

Students majoring in Physical Education are required to meet with their advisor before enrolling for the next semester. 

Students must maintain a “C” or better in all coursework for this major. Students in the PETE AND PEHE concentrations must meet all requirements for admission into the teacher education program and be admitted into teacher education prior to registering for PETE 415 . All PEHE majors also need to declare the Health Education minor for certification purposes. Additionally, all PEMS concentration students are encouraged to declare the Athletic Coaching Certificate.

Finish in Four Plans

Movement Studies Concentration

Teacher Education Concentration

Teacher Education Health Education Concentration

Program Requirements (12 hours)

Program Admission

Exercise Physiology

1. Current resume
2. Statement of Professional Intent providing a sample of the applicant's writing style and ability. Please refer to the program website for additional information regarding the Statement of Intent.

Students with an undergraduate GPA lower than 3.0 are required to submit 2 letters of recommendation from professors in their major and/or their academic advisor.

Sport Science

1. Current resume
2. Statement of Professional Intent providing a sample of the applicant's writing style and ability. Please refer to the program website for additional information regarding the Statement of Intent.

Students with an undergraduate GPA lower than 3.0 are required to submit 2 letters of recommendation from professors in their major and/or their academic advisor.

Teacher Leader Concentration

Criteria vary, depending on the student's undergraduate institution and GPA. 

1. WKU Graduate:  Automatic admission with a current teaching certificate in Physical Education or a statement of eligibility.
2. Graduate of a Kentucky Higher Education Institute other than WKU:  A 2.75 GPA or higher or a GAP¹ score of 550.  A current teaching certificate in Physical Education or a statement of eligibility.
3. Graduate of an Out-of-State Institution of Higher Education:  A 2.75 GPA or higher or a GAP¹ score of 550.  A current teaching certificate in Physical Education or a statement of eligibility.

Kentucky applicants whose certificates have expired may be admitted, but they may enroll for only six hours before they must apply to the Kentucky Education Professional Standards Board for reissued certificates. After completion of six hours, a student admitted with an expired certificate must submit a copy of the reissued certificate before being allowed to register for any additional course.

¹

 GAP=(GRE-V+GRE-Q)+(undergraduateGPAx100)

Program Requirements (31-33 hours)

Exercise Physiology Concentration (33 hours)

Sport Science (33 hours)

Physical Education Teacher Leader Concentration (31 hours)

The program is divided into two instructional components. The first component, Professional Education, provides advanced level pedagogy, leadership, and content related to Kentucky Teacher Standards and applicable to all P-12 teachers working in various grade levels, content, and community areas. The second component is the specialization that allows the candidate to expand content, pedagogy, and/or leadership skills. The Physical Education Teacher Leader concentration consists of KIN 503, KIN 505, KIN 508, KIN 520, and RSA 534. This specialization allows for professional growth concurrent with the goals of the candidate. An Action Research Project for Teacher Leaders focusing on a classroom, school, or district issue is the capstone for the completion of the degree.

During the first course in the program, TCHL 500, students will complete an assessment process that will be used in determining which TCHL core courses they must take in the professional education core. All students must complete TCHL 500, TCHL 530, TCHL 545, TCHL 555, TCHL 559, and TCHL 560 or pass proficiency evaluations for TCHL 545 and TCHL 555.

¹

If the proficiency exams for TCHL 545 and TCHL 555 are passed, 6 hours of advisor approved electives will be needed to replace those courses.

Completion Requirements

1. TCHL 560 - Action Research for Teacher Leaders

2. Present research results in a venue approved by the advisor.

3. Achieve a minimum 3.0 GPA in overall coursework.

 Joint Undergraduate Master's Program (JUMP)

The Kinesiology Master's Program offers a Joint Undergraduate Master's Program (JUMP) which provides academically outstanding students the opportunity to complete both an undergraduate and graduate degree in an accelerated timeframe. The primary advantage of the JUMP program lies in its capacity to enable students to obtain both a bachelor's and a master's degree in an expedited timeframe. Contact the graduate program coordinator for additional information. 

This JUMP program allows students to start working toward their MS in Kinesiology with a concentration of Exercise Physiology or Sport Science while completing their Bachelor of Science in Exercise Science. Undergraduate students admitted into JUMP may take graduate courses that count toward both undergraduate and graduate degrees. 

Those who choose Exercise Physiology or Sport Science concentrations are permitted to take up to 15 hours of graduate courses while remaining an undergraduate student and double count up to 12 of those hours toward both degrees.

To be considered for admission to the JUMP program for Exercise Science (BS) and Kinesiology (MS) with a concentration of Exercise Physiology or Sport Science, a student must meet the following criteria: 

• Be an Exercise Science major;
• Has completed at least 60 hours total, with at least 24 hours earned at WKU;
• Have at least 15 or more credit hours remaining to complete a bachelor's degree; 
• Have a minimum of 3.25 overall GPA and a 3.25 in the Exercise Science major

Program Admission

Applicants to the Recreation and Sport Administration graduate program must submit the following:  

• A bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university

• An official transcript from the college or university granting the baccalaureate degree

• A cumulative baccalaureate grade point average (GPA) of at least 2.75 on a 4.0 scale.  Applicants with a cumulative GPA between 2.5 and 2.75 may be considered for conditional admission if they have:

  • A GPA of at least a 2.75 on a 4.0 scale in the last 60 hours completed OR

  • A GPA of at least a 3.0 in the major content area on a 4.0 scale

• A Statement of Professional Intent which adheres to the following guidelines: Statement should provide a sample of the applicant’s writing style and ability.  It should be 2-3 double-spaced pages in length and is expected to be well organized, clearly written, and error free.  It should include an introduction, responses to the three questions listed below, and a conclusion:

  • Why do you want to pursue this degree?

  • What related qualifications and/or experiences do you bring to the program?

  • What are your career goals after completing the program?

Conditional Admission Requirements

The KRS Graduate Committee may conditionally admit individuals not meeting the above criteria with the additional submission of the following for review:

• A resume including career objective, professional experience, and relevant coursework completed

If accepted conditionally, students must complete the following to be moved from conditional admission to full admission status:

• Must maintain at least a 3.0 overall GPA in the first 12 credit hours

Students meeting this requirement in the first 12 hours will be fully admitted. Students who do not meet this requirement in the first 12 hours will be dismissed from the program.

Program Requirements (33 hours)

General Concentration

Athletic Administration & Coaching Concentration

Facility and Event Management Concentration

Intercollegiate Athletic Administration Concentration

Joint Undergraduate-Master's Program (JUMP)

The Recreation & Sport Administration (RSA) graduate program offers a Joint Undergraduate-Master's Program (JUMP) which allows academically outstanding students the opportunity to complete both an undergraduate and graduate degree in an accelerated time frame. This JUMP option allows students to start working toward their M.S. in RSA while completing their B.S. in the following: Recreation, Park, and Nonprofit Administration or Sport Management. Undergraduate students admitted into the M.S. in RSA JUMP may take graduate courses that count toward both the undergraduate and graduate degrees. A maximum of 12 credit hours can be applied toward both degrees, and up to 15 credit hours of graduate coursework can be taken while the student is completing the undergraduate degree program. 

Eligibility requirements for the M.S. in RSA JUMP include the following:

• majoring in Recreation, Parks, & Nonprofit Administration or Sport Management;
• have earned a minimum of 60 credit hours total, with at least 24 hours earned at WKU;
• have 15 or more credit hours remaining to complete the undergraduate degree;
• possess a minimum cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.25 for individuals earning a first baccalaureate degree;
• possess a minimum cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.00 for individuals earning a second baccalaureate degree.

Program Requirements (12 hours)

Program Requirements (12 hours)

Program Requirements (12 hours)