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Lee J. deLisle, Chair
Main Office: 4024 Student Recreation Center
Telephone: (269) 387-2710
Fax: (269) 387-2704

Amos Aduroja
Suzan Ayers
Robert Bensley
Debra Berkey
Jody Brylinsky
Christopher Cheatham
Ray Cool
Marianne Frauenknecht
James Lewis
Yuanlong Liu
Timothy Michael
Michael G. Miller
Patrick Ryan
Carol Weideman
Jiabei Zhang

The graduate studies in the HPER Department offer academic programs intended to develop highly trained professionals in a variety of fields. The department now offers four degrees with several areas of concentration.

The Master of Arts in Physical Education allows students to matriculate online while permitting students to get practical experience close to home. Students can select a concentration in Pedagogy or Special Physical Education.

The Pedagogy concentration is designed to provide teachers with the knowledge, skills and experience that will facilitate effective instruction in private and public schools.

The Special Physical Education concentration prepares teachers to provide quality special (adapted) physical education for K-12 children with disabilities in the least restrictive, most appropriate and inclusive environments.

The Sport Management concentration prepares students to enter into sport careers in the commercial, non-profit, community and educational sectors. Students may choose a thesis or non-thesis capstone experience.

The Master of Arts in Coaching Sports Performance enables students to develop skills and knowledge that coaches and related sport clinicians should possess in high performance coaching environments.

The Master of Science in Exercise and Sports Medicine provides two areas of concentration.

The Athletic Training concentration is an NATA accredited post-professional athletic training education program designed to provide the student with advanced athletic training didactic and laboratory experiences, clinical internship opportunities and research experiences to become better clinicians and educators.

The Exercise Physiology concentration is designed to provide the student with an advanced understanding of the physical and functional adaptations to movement. The program integrates traditional lecture-based courses with hands-on laboratory experiences.

Admission Requirements

Students must meet Graduate College admission standards, successful completion of an undergraduate major or minor or equivalent appropriate for intended emphasis area, submission of GRE scores, submission of a letter of intent to include education, career and/or research goals and philosophy. In some programs, admissions requirements may vary slightly. Please contact the program advisor for details.

Program Requirements

Each graduate student is expected to show competence in four professional areas:  research, socio-cultural issues, curriculum or psychological foundations, and a professional area of emphasis. HPER 6900 and HPER 6920 are required in all programs.  Graduate degree programs also require the successful completion of a minimum of thirty-six graduate credit hours beyond the bachelor’s degree in one of the following:  Pedagogy, Special Physical Education, Sport Management and Coaching Sports Performance.  For information about additional specific course requirements for each degree or concentration, contact the graduate advisor.

Master’s degree candidates are required to complete a comprehensive, integrated capstone experience which can be met through the following:

HPER 7000 - Master’s Thesis   Credits: 6 hours
HPER 7100 - Independent Research   Credits: 2 to 6 hours or
HPER 7120 - Professional Field Experience   Credits: 2 to 12 hours

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