Welcome from the Chair : Jane Clark
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The Department of Kinesiology is excited about joining the new School of Public Health. The Department brings to the new school a faculty with the expertise to examine the complexity of physical activity and its role in human health. At a time when the nation is witnessing an obesity epidemic, enjoys watching sport more than playing sport, and has an aging population at risk for falls, Kinesiology brings together individuals with backgrounds in physiology, psychology, sociology, communications, history, engineering, education, and neuroscience to work on these and many other important public health problems.
The Department of Kinesiology brings together people who study human physical activity from a variety of perspectives and at many levels of analysis. From the molecules, genes, neurons, and muscles of the individual performer, to sport in society and the study of groups that promote and educate others about physical activity, the University of Maryland's Department of Kinesiology is unique in its depth and breadth.
The Department of Kinesiology is dedicated to preparing its graduates to play important leadership roles in numerous fields associated with physical activity. The Department's academic programs strive to provide up-to-date, in-depth, interdisciplinary study of human movement at all levels of analysis. The faculty are committed to research programs that advance our understanding of movement, exercise, and sport across the lifespan and its relation to society and to public health.
The Department has a long tradition of excellent education and research. We have an outstanding group of 21 faculty. Six faculty have been elected fellows of the American Academy of Kinesiology and Physical Education (AAKPE), the top honorary society in the field. Several faculty in the Department have affiliate appointments with the Neuroscience and Cognitive Sciences program (NACS), the Center on Aging, the Departments of Psychology and Communication and the Medical School at the University of Maryland, Baltimore. Research in the Department is funded by a variety of agencies including the National Institutes of Health and the National Science Foundation.
Students in the Department of Kinesiology can pursue a BS in Kinesiological Sciences, a BS in Physical Education (with a teaching certificate), an MA or a PhD degree in Kinesiology. Students gain knowledges and have a range of experiences in the anatomical, physiological, psychological, sociological, educational and managerial perspectives on physical activity, movement, exercise and sport. In 2005, the Department of Kinesiology's doctoral program was ranked 3rd in the nation by the AAKPE.
Today there are over 678 undergraduates and 76 graduate students in the Department. Many of our undergraduates will go on to further study in such professions as physical therapy, public health, and medicine, while others pursue a career in teaching or research. Our doctoral students will go on to post-doctoral fellowships and to faculty positions at many of the nation's leading colleges and universities.
We encourage you to explore our website and discover what the Department of Kinesiology has to offer!
