Curriculum
Research design, methods and statistics are the foundations of required Ph.D. coursework, complimented by a wide variety of options for electives. Doctoral milestones include successful completion of a qualifying exam at the end of coursework, developing and defending a dissertation proposal, a completed dissertation, and a successful oral defense.
The Department of Exercise Science houses several laboratories that support integrative research at the cellular, tissue, and whole organism level. Laboratories include:
- The Cardiovascular Laboratory: Conducts non-invasive assessment of vascular structure and function to explore the impact of exercise on emerging markers of cardiovascular disease risk.
- The Kinesmetrics Laboratory: Apply objective measurement tools to understand physical behaviors’ (sleep, sedentary behavior and physical activity) consequences on health.
- The Clinical Research Laboratory: Utilize metabolic testing facilities and wet lab space to measure cardio-metabolic risk factors—such as insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome, and type 2 diabetes—in obese populations.
- The Hypoxia/Altitude Simulation Laboratory: Assess the role of low oxygen (hypoxia) on human physical performance using a high-altitude simulation chamber.
Extracurricular Opportunities
Research Community
You—and your research—will benefit from the guidance of exercise science faculty. Faculty are widely published, leading scholars in their fields, whose research is supported by the National Institutes of Health, National Science Foundation, American College of Sports Medicine, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), and more. In addition, you have access to their network of collaborators and partner institutions.
Careers in Research and Teaching
With a Ph.D., you can lead a career in biomedical research for sport, health, and human performance:
- Faculty positions in university departments where exercise and human physical activity have emerged as major focus areas. For example, kinesiology, nutrition, public health, and others.
- Postdoctoral positions in a variety of settings (major universities, medical schools) for additional training in the area of expertise.
- Research careers in applied human physiology and/or human health, as exemplified by the research priorities of federal agencies such as NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Agency), NIH (The National Institutes of Health), and USARIEM (U.S. Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine).
Learn more about this program