Master’s Degree Requirements

All students in the Kinesiology Master’s Program are responsible for keeping aware of the following requirements to complete the degree. For all current requirements to complete your degree (e.g., credits, courses, milestones, learning outcomes/goals, etc.) see your specific Named Option page in the Graduate Guide.

• Applied Exercise Science
• Biomechanics
• Exercise Physiology
• Exercise Psychology
• Motor Control and Behavior
• Occupational Science
• Physical Activity Epidemiology

Graduate Seminar Requirement

All students are required to register for the Kinesiology 900 Seminar each semester that they are enrolled in the program. Any requests for a seminar waiver (due to TA course conflicts, research activities outside the Madison area, etc.) must be made to the Graduate Studies committee a minimum of 4 weeks prior to the start of the semester when the waiver is desired.

Thesis

A thesis is required for all students EXCEPT those in the Applied Exercise Science named option.

Committee

Master’s committees advise and evaluate satisfactory progress, evaluate a thesis, and/or sign a degree warrant. For general guidance from The Graduate School on the role and composition of committees as well as an online tool to determine if your committee meets minimum requirements, see the following policy page: policy.wisc.edu/library/UW-1201.

Your advisor chairs your committee and provides individualized guidance on how to select committee members. The thesis committee consists of three faculty members. The Chairperson must be from the Department of Kinesiology. Two committee members must be tenure-track faculty holding professorial rank (full, associate, or assistant) in any department with graduate program authority. One committee member does not need to hold a tenure-track faculty position but must hold a PhD or equivalent degree.

Topic

Your advisor can also provide guidance on selecting your topic. If you find that your topic and/or mentoring needs no longer align with your advisor, see “Advising & Mentoring” section on how to change advisors. Note that your committee composition may or may not need to change as well in this scenario, depending upon your new advisor’s guidance.

An oral and written proposal is required for graduate students in research-based named options. The student must be enrolled in 742-990 (Research or Thesis) during the academic term in which the student proposes. The student shall provide information regarding the proposal time, date, location, and subject matter to the GPM who will distribute an announcement to faculty and graduate students at least one week prior to the proposal. The purpose of the proposal is to get input and approval from the thesis committee prior to making a final decision about the research approach taken for the thesis or dissertation project. The student will provide the members of the committee a written proposal at least seven days prior to the oral proposal. The format of the oral presentation and written proposal will be determined by the major advisor with the approval of the other members of the committee.

An oral and written defense of the final thesis is required for students in research-based named options. The format of the thesis will be determined by the advisor, with the approval of the other members of the thesis committee. A written copy of the thesis must be given to thesis committee members at least seven days prior to the scheduled oral defense. The student must be enrolled in 742-990 (Research or Thesis) during the academic term in which the student defends. The student shall provide information regarding the defense time, date, location, and subject matter to the GPM who will distribute an announcement to faculty and graduate students at least one week prior to the defense.

Form & Content

Kinesiology does not have specific form requirements for the thesis. You will work with your advisor and committee to determine the style of your thesis document. General formatting requirements from the Graduate School should be followed. Students are required to submit a thesis to the Memorial Library.

Process for Continuing on to the PhD

By the end of the second year of study or when final paperwork is requested, the student should request permission to pursue the PhD degree. This request should be forwarded to the GPM for consideration by the Graduate Studies Committee. This request should include:

1. A letter from the student describing graduate study plans

2. A letter of recommendation from the student’s advisor

3. An updated transcript of graduate study (if requested by the Graduate Studies Committee)

Degree Deadlines and Final Steps

The Graduate School maintains a list of steps to complete your master’s degree, including deadlines and important things to know as you progress toward graduation: grad.wisc.edu/current-students/masters-guide.

Professional Development Opportunities

Individual Development Plan (IDP): The University and Department of Kinesiology recommend IDPs for all graduate students and require IDPs for all graduate students supported by National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding. The content of the IDP remains private to the student, but the department encourages students to talk with their selected mentor(s) about it.

DiscoverPD: The Graduate School has created an innovative tool for UW-Madison graduate students to advance their academic and professional goals. The department encourages graduate students to explore the DiscoverPD website at to create a self-assessment and get a customized report of areas of strength and weakness.