The Master’s degree offers opportunities for advanced research under the supervision of a faculty member, in areas such as psychology, health and fitness, epidemiology, biomechanics, neuroscience, physiology, nutrition and immunology. Further information on faculty members’ specific research within these fields is located in the Faculty section of this site. Coursework provides a strong academic foundation for the Master’s student, but the emphasis of the thesis program is to conduct original research within one’s area of study. The background of the student, the research focus of the supervisor and choice of courses determines selection of the Master of Science (MSc) or Master of Arts (MA) degree.
It is a full-time program that runs for 16 consecutive months during which students must also author a fitness-based article for a peer-reviewed professional publication.
The Master of Fitness (MFSc) degree (non-thesis) involves coursework and an extensive practical experience to prepare students for a variety of professional careers including health promotion, sport and occupational fitness applications and exercise management for persons with chronic diseases or disabilities.
Completing the MFSc, satisfies the requirements to receive designations such as the Health and Fitness Federation of Canada - Certified Exercise Physiologist™ and enables students to apply for the Ontario College of Kinesiology registration.
Eligible candidates must have completed an undergraduate degree in physical activity/exercise science and have taken upper level university degree undergraduate courses in human whole body physical activity/exercise science applications. Only applicants who have a high GPA (A+, A, A-, and in exceptional circumstances B+, in which case, your covering letter must explain your circumstances) will be considered for acceptance. Please be advised that the applicant pool is very large and we can only accommodate a handful of new MFSc students each year.
Although other graduate faculty members supervise MFSc students, the primary supervisor and application contact for this program is Dr. Veronica Jamnik.
The Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree is research intensive and offers opportunities for specialized research in areas such as psychology, health and fitness, epidemiology, biomechanics, neuroscience, physiology, nutrition and immunology. Further information on faculty members’ with supervision eligibility can be found on our Faculty page.
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The Graduate Program in Kinesiology and Health Science at York is an exciting environment to pursue innovative, socially engaging, career-ready education. Contact our Graduate Program Assistant to learn more.