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Doctor of Philosophy in Kinesiology

In our Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Kinesiology program, you'll develop the technical, intellectual and conceptual skills to conduct original research and critically examine literature around physical activity and health in the context of schools, work, community and sport.

Graduates of the PhD program play key leadership and research roles in higher education, government ministries and other organizations.

Guided workout with personal trainer

Courses & program structure

Your exact program of studies will be negotiated between yourself, your supervisor and the School’s graduate advisor prior to the beginning of your first academic year.

A typical program schedule might look like the following:

Example program schedule
Year of study Fall term (Sept–Dec) Winter term (Jan–April) Summer term (May–Aug)
Year 1 2 elective courses

Doctoral seminar (EPHE 673A)
2 elective courses

Preparation for candidacy exam
Year 2 3 papers for candidacy exam

Doctoral seminar (EPHE 673B) 
Papers continued
Dissertation proposal

Papers for candidacy exam
Years 3 and 4 Dissertation (EPHE 699) Dissertation Dissertation

For a full list of program requirements and courses, please refer to the UVic Academic Calendar.

Dissertation phases

Your dissertation is completed in 2 phases: the proposal and the dissertation itself.

Proposals are done in 2 steps:

  1. You'll present a written document outlining the content of the proposed dissertation to your supervisory committee.
  2. You'll present and defend your proposal before the supervisory committee.

You'll then write your dissertation according to the standards of the university and the research standards of the wider scientific community. As a final step, you'll defend your dissertation through an oral examination in front of an examining committee.

Co-operative education & work terms

Co-operative education is an optional addition to the kinesiology PhD program. If you have questions alternating your coursework with paid work terms, please contact the program's co-operative education coordinator.

Funding, scholarships & grants

As a kinesiology graduate student, you may be eligible for a range of funding opportunities, including conference and travel grants, bursaries and scholarships.

 

Ready to apply?

If the kinesiology PhD program sounds right for you, we encourage you to visit the graduate admissions program page. You’ll find more information about program outcomes, finding a supervisor, admission requirements and how to apply.

When you're ready, you can apply through the UVic online application portal. You'll need to create a new profile if you're brand new to UVic. From there, you'll be guided through the application process.