Mission
The Department of Kinesiology is one of eight departments and two programs within the School of Health and Human Sciences (HHS) at UNCG. The shared mission within HHS is to enhance the health and well-being of the people of the state, region, and nation through excellence in teaching, research, and service.
Since its establishment in 1892 as the Department of Physiology and Physical Culture in the Woman’s College, the Department of Kinesiology has grown from its role as a foundational academic department into a cornerstone of the university. As kinesiology becomes one of the fastest growing professional disciplines in the country, UNCG’s Department of Kinesiology is keeping pace, with a growing enrolment of over 800 undergraduate students and over 150 graduate students.
OUR MISSION
Through excellence in teaching, research and service, the Department of Kinesiology integrates the multi-disciplinary study of movement and application of lifetime physical activity to prepare professionals (teachers, clinicians, scientists, faculty) at both the undergraduate and graduate level to enhance the health, physical activity, physical performance and well-being of individuals across the lifespan in diverse contexts.
Students are drawn to the Department of Kinesiology for our focus on interdisciplinary education and hands-on clinical experience, and our diverse, dynamic programs of study. We offer opportunities for students interested in a broad range of career specializations, including physical education, athletic training, community youth sport development, exercise instruction, exercise psychology, exercise physiology and much more. Consistent with national trends, our enrollment has grown tremendously in recent years as Kinesiology has become the preferred major for students preparing for allied health professions. In fact, US Bureau of Labor Statistics suggest that careers in Kinesiology are outpacing the average expected job growth rate (2012-2022). Much of this growth is expected in health care due to the growing needs of an aging population. While this increase is exciting, it also presents real challenges as employers place greater emphasis on experience, particularly internships and employment experience.
Our programs emphasize experiential learning, and are taught by experienced, award-winning faculty, who are nationally recognized for their scholarship. We offer in-depth core courses and a highly diverse array of electives, enabling students to take ownership of their career preparation and tailor their college experience to their interests and aspirations. Our offerings range across traditional classroom-based classes and online courses, to our forward-thinking, professionally focused EdD program, a Doctorate of Education offered entirely online.
Beyond the classroom, the Department of Kinesiology emphasizes hands-on, experiential learning through research, practicum and practical opportunities on and off-campus. The department routinely partners with community organizations to provide our students with practical, hands-on knowledge and build relationships to help develop our students into well-rounded community citizens, and reinforce our mission of service to those in our communities.
With well over a century as a cornerstone academic department, Kinesiology benefits from a wealth of institutional knowledge and an engaged, supportive alumni community. Our evolution into a diverse, research-focused, technologically advanced 21st-century institution of learning is a key part of our mission to prepare students for the changing health needs of our communities, both today and into the future. But the most important part of our mission is our students – the thousand-strong cohort of students learning with us today, and the students who will join us in the future. We look forward to welcoming you to our community, and partnering with you on your own journey in Kinesiology.