The Ed.D. program in Kinesiology and Health Promotion is a high-quality graduate program which aims to respond to the needs of individuals looking to advance their careers. The Ed.D. specialty areas serve professionals from various fields through interdisciplinary and practical experiences, particularly those who desire advanced study to enhance professional knowledge and skills in educational, leadership, industrial, or other appropriate settings. Our program allows students to explore specific career options and engage in experiential learning within a small classroom environment which fosters personal and individual attention. Our goal is to enable all graduate students to become successful in their academic and professional career. The Department of Kinesiology and Health Promotion offers two different specializations (Health Promotion and Physical Education) to further interest in a specific area and/or career. Learn more about each specialization below.
Admission Requirements
• A master’s degree or 30 semester hours of approved graduate course work with a 3.0 GPA.
• GRE: Not required
• CV
• Personal Statement: Statement of your professional aspirations and explain how you believe graduate study at the University of Kentucky will enhance your ability to achieve those professional goals. In your statement, provide information about your background, research skills and experiences, personal and professional achievements, and educational, work or life experiences that influenced you and your life goals.
• Writing Sample: Students who have not written a Master’s level thesis will be required to submit an example of their research writing. A literature review or project from a completed class are acceptable examples for submission for application. Special circumstances will be considered at the discretion of the applicant’s designated potential advisor.
• Three letters of recommendation: At least two must be from a person with direct knowledge of applicant’s academic capabilities (e.g., instructor, research supervisor, advisor, etc.).
Degree Requirements
HEALTH PROMOTION SPECIALIZATION
The Ed.D. degree with a specialization in Health Promotion prepares students for a career in teaching/mentoring, consulting, policy development, or other leadership roles focused on individual and population health, evidence-based programming, and application of health behavior theory across diverse populations. With the skills and interdisciplinary knowledge students develop through coursework, independent research, community-engaged work, opportunities for teaching and/or professional service, as well as relationships with faculty mentors, they are prepared to lead in a variety of settings including universities, health promotion agencies at every level, healthcare systems and service organizations, and private industry.
The Ed.D. program utilizes a mentor-based admission process. Therefore, students are strongly encouraged to identify a faculty member with whom they wish to work prior to applying to the program.
Degree Requirements
Our Ed.D. degree with specialization in Health Promotion requires students to complete a minimum of 42 hours of course work. The doctoral degree requires students to complete a core of 9-12 hours of health promotion courses, 9 hours of research/statistics/design courses, a minimum of 4 hours of dissertation residency, plus supporting electives for a total of at least 42 hours. Students, with the approval of their advisory committee, select elective course work that will enhance their health promotion knowledge and skills as well as their research skills. Additional information, including possible pre-requisites and electives, can be found on the departmental website: https://education.uky.edu/khp/grad/
PHYSICAL EDUCATION SPECIALIZATION
The Physical Education Ed.D. program has a required core of classes and sample of electives with an emphasis in specific areas such as physical education, physical activity promotion, epidemiology, sociology, behavioral science, and public health. The goal is to prepare students to teach courses on physical education methods, physical education curriculum, and physical activity promotion at the undergraduate and graduate level, remain up-to-date on the latest research, network with physical education teacher educators (PETE) from across the country and around the world, and exhibit professional work ethic and behaviors as a PETE student/faculty member.
Degree Requirements
The Ed.D. program has a required core of classes and sample of electives. The student may have an emphasis in specific areas of education. Additional information, including possible pre-requisites and electives, can be found on the departmental website: https://education.uky.edu/khp/grad
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