Kinesiology & Health Promotion Undergraduate Academics

The Physical Education Teacher Certification program provides comprehensive knowledge about the structure of physical education through content courses in individual and team sports, dance, lifetime activities, teaching methods, and adapted physical education. Students apply this knowledge in practical settings to ensure they are well-prepared to teach physical education. 

With a degree in Kinesiology: Strength and Conditioning, students gain the foundational knowledge, hands-on skills, and professional preparation needed for careers in the field of strength and conditioning. The program emphasizes evidence-based practice in exercise science, program design, movement analysis, and coaching techniques, while offering practical experiences that prepare students for the demands of working with diverse athletic populations.

This program equips you with the skills and knowledge to pursue a teaching certificate in K-12 health education, enabling you to inspire and educate students about the importance of healthy lifestyles. With this degree, you can make a positive impact on the health and well-being of younger generations through school-based health education, which helps adolescents acquire functional health knowledge, strengthen attitudes and beliefs, and practice skills needed to adopt and maintain healthy behaviors throughout their lives. 

The health promotion (non-teaching certification) program is designed for those interested in seeking employment in a community health setting or going to graduate school in a health-related area. The 30-hour major also requires students to complete one or more University-approved minors (18-21 hours).

With a degree in Kinesiology: Exercise Science, you will take classes that are both academically and physically engaging, preparing you for advanced study or your careers. Our curriculum is designed to give students a solid foundation within exercise science, preparing them for a variety of career paths and pre-professional programs such as Medicine, Physical Therapy, Physician Assistant, Occupational Therapy, Dentistry, Athletic Training, Health and Fitness, Personal Training, Exercise Physiology, and Biomechanics.  

A Bachelor of Arts in Sport Leadership and Management is designed for students who are passionate about sport and want to build successful careers in the field. The degree prepares graduates to become both effective leaders and skilled managers who can make an impact across today’s sport organizations.

The Wellness and Health Promotion Practice Minor equips you with the knowledge and skillset to empower individuals to take control of and enhance their health, extending beyond individual behavior to encompass a variety of social and environmental strategies. This interdisciplinary area of study focuses on not only the physical wellbeing of individuals, but includes the social and emotional dimensions as well.

The Coaching Minor at the University of Kentucky prepares students to develop and guide athletes in various sports. The curriculum includes foundations of coaching, psychological and sociological aspects, and team development strategies. Students must complete an independent study, where they assist in coaching a local team, gaining hands-on experience and learning various coaching philosophies.

An undergraduate certificate in nutrition for human performance is ideal for students passionate about optimizing health and physical performance through evidence-based dietary strategies. This program prepares graduates for careers in sports nutrition, fitness coaching, wellness consulting, or roles in healthcare and athletic performance settings.

A health and wellness coaching certificate enables students to guide individuals or groups toward sustainable lifestyle changes through motivational interviewing and other evidence-based practices. Students build skills in active listening, empathy, goal setting, and behavior change to help clients improve areas such as nutrition, physical activity, stress, and sleep. Health and wellness coaches can launch private coaching practices, work in corporate wellness, partner with clinics or gym networks, work with insurance companies, and more.

Sport, exercise, and performance psychology (SEPP) is an interdisciplinary field that examines the relationship between psychological factors and participation in sport and performance settings. As more college athletic programs and professional teams recognize the importance of sport psychology, governing bodies like the NCAA and NBA are increasingly seeking individuals with graduate training in both mental health and performance enhancement. This demand has led to a rise in graduate programs, primarily at the master’s level, across the nation.