Application General Information
Any individual who applies to the graduate program in Health & Kinesiology must read and follow the instructions below.
Fall Application Deadlines
- PhD Degrees: December 1st
- Master's Degrees: December 1st
Master's and PhD Degrees
MS Non-thesis
The MS non-thesis option is very practice-oriented and involves field experience, an internship, and a project. A faculty mentor is not required for the application process.
MS Thesis and PhD
The research-oriented graduate program is mentor driven, so MS thesis and PhD applicants must match with an individual faculty mentor. It is therefore important that prospective MS thesis and PhD students contact the faculty member with whom they wish to conduct their research prior to submitting the application. Faculty members are more likely to accept students to conduct research under their supervision if the applicant's research interests match their own. Applicants to the research-oriented graduate program are encouraged to visit the campus for a personal interview with a possible faculty mentor.
Minimum Requirements
GPA
The University of Utah Graduate School requires that all applicants for graduate degrees have a minimum 3.0 GPA (of maximum 4.0) to be considered for admission. Applications of students with a GPA below 3.0 will not be evaluated. Meeting this minimum requirement does not guarantee admission into the graduate program.
GRE Scores
The GRE requirement has been suspended. You do not need to submit your scores during the application process.
TOEFL or IELTS Language Test for International Students
International applicants are required to take the TOEFL or IELTS test. The University of Utah requires a minimum TOEFL score of 80 iBT (550 pBT), or a minimum IELTS band score of 6.5, for an application to be evaluated. International students that have received a Bachelors or Master’s degree from an accredited institution in the United States, Canada (except Quebec), the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia or New Zealand are not required to take the TOEFL exam. More information regarding language proficiency requirements is available at the University’s Office of International Admissions.
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There are several prerequisite courses necessary for students to be successful in this program. Courses may be taken at the University of Utah (course numbers are included here), or at other accredited academic institutions. Prerequisites include:
- Human physiology (e.g., *BIOL 2420)
- College algebra (e.g., *MATH 1050)
- Foundations of Health Education (e.g., *HEDU 4200)
- Anatomy and Physiology (e.g., *HEDU 4650)
- Scientific Foundations of Human Nutrition and Health (e.g., *NUTR 1020)
*or equivalent
Application Procedure
The following items should be submitted directly to the Graduate Admissions Office.
Statement of Purpose
MS Non-thesis Applicants
Your statement of purpose should address two points. First, please summarize your prior educational and work experience as they pertain to this degree program. Second, please touch on your aspirations and motivation for applying to this program. Please limit your statement to 500 words.
MS Thesis Applicants
Your statement of purpose should address two points. First, please summarize your prior educational and work experience as they pertain to your intended degree program. Second, expand on your motivation to study with us. Please limit your statement to 500 words.
PhD Applicants
Your statement of purpose should address two primary areas. First, please summarize your prior educational and work experience as they pertain to this degree program. Secondly, please discuss your motivation for pursuing this degree and what you’ll bring to our program. Please limit your statement to 500 words.
Research Statement
MS Non-thesis Applicants
This is not a requirement. If the application requires an upload here to proceed, please upload a blank document.
MS-thesis and PhD Applicants
Please provide a research statement. You should include three main topics in your research statement. First, identify the research theme and faculty member you want to study under. Secondly, tell us about your research experience. Lastly, please touch on the types of research questions you would like to address if admitted. This statement should be no more than 500 words.
Letters of Recommendation
All Applicants
You are required to submit three letters of recommendation from academic and/or professional references who are able to speak to your academic competencies and ability to thrive in graduate school.
Transcripts
All Applicants
Transcripts from all universities are required. For the graduate school application, unofficial transcripts are acceptable. If a student is accepted into the graduate program, they will then be notified to send official transcripts directly to the University’s Office of Admissions.
CV/Resume
All Applicants
You are required to submit a CV or resume that provides a concise summary of your academic and professional life, as well as relevant skills and experiences.
Other Application Considerations
Transfer Credits
A maximum of 6 credit hours may be transferred from another institution, subject to approval of student’s Supervisory Committee (which is described a bit later on). Requests for transfer credits must be completed within the first program academic year.
Interview
MS non-thesis, MS thesis and PhD students being strongly considered for acceptance will be asked to participate in an interview (in person or Skype) with faculty. This will likely occur in February or March.
Back-up Mentor
Upon acceptance, MS thesis and PhD students will be assigned a primary mentor and a back-up mentor. We do this for two reasons. First, so that you have a broader direct support system. Second, in case your mentor is no longer able to guide you through the program we want you to have another faculty member who can step right in and assist in your progression.
- A high volume of more qualified applicants
- No match between the student and a faculty mentor
- An incomplete application
Contact Us
Master's and PhD Links