Are you seeking an education that focuses on subjects like nutrition, biometrics or pathology? Are you interested in anatomy, physiology and overall well-being? If so, a bachelor’s degree in kinesiology may be the right educational path for you. When you become a kinesiologist, you provide services that could enhance the health and wellness of your clients.

Being able to promote the importance of good health through client work and education could be very valuable. You can find some kinesiology applications in physical education, health promotion, rehabilitation and in the workplace. If you’re interested in learning more about getting a kinesiology degree online, read on.

Sometimes identified as the study of body movement, Britannica defines kinesiology as the “scientific study of the mechanics and anatomy of human movement and their roles in promoting health and reducing disease.” 

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 80% of the world’s adolescent population does not get enough exercise. With a degree in kinesiology, you can teach others the importance of physical activity, not just exercise, but of body movement and how it affects health and well-being.

Although often used interchangeably, there are distinct differences between kinesiology and exercise science. The broad field of kinesiology focuses on movement, function and performance, and how movement affects a person’s health. Exercise science is a subfield of kinesiology that concentrates on human response and how it adjusts to exercise and the underlying processes that affect exercise.

Exercise physiology, like exercise science, is a specialization within the field of kinesiology. Exercise physiologists study how the body responds to physical activity and how it adapts to physical activity over time.

Yes, many colleges and universities offer an online kinesiology degree program, the most common being bachelor’s and master’s healthcare degrees. Although typical kinesiology programs range from certificate to Ph.D. level, not all are available in an online format. Depending on the school, degrees may require on-campus visits.

Before you apply to a university or college, you should have graduated from high school or passed the General Education Development (GED) test. As part of the application process, you may need the following:

Courses that are likely to appear in an online bachelor of kinesiology program include core physiology instruction such as:

In addition to any required general courses, such as English or history, these classes would make up your bachelor’s degree program. Although some programs may offer specialization in certain areas, such as health and wellness or exercise physiology, you should expect biology, nutrition, human anatomy and physiology to be included in your core kinesiology courses. 

It is also common for kinesiology students to complete an internship at a health or sports facility. Kinesiology students will often need to complete 1,000 clinical internship hours in kinesiotherapy to graduate, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports.

Some kinesiology degree programs, especially graduate degrees, can focus on a specialization such as physical education, sports administration, coaching or athletic training. Classwork may include sports psychology, Injury assessment, elementary physical education, program development and exercise physiology. 

In any case, both undergraduate and graduate degrees require elective courses and either an internship, independent study or clinical work, or a combination of the three. 

Explore these common kinesiology concentrations. Keep in mind that different schools will offer different specializations and courses. The following list provides examples of kinesiology concentrations:

This concentration prepares a student for advanced study in biometrics, exercise physiology, motor control and learning. It provides the knowledge and practical experience for a career in exercise science and research. 

Classwork may include Motor Control and Movement Dysfunction, Environmental Exercise Physiology and Biomechanical Analysis of Human Movement.

Students interested in pursuing a graduate program or career in clinical or in exercise and allied health (occupational therapist, physical therapist, athletic trainer chiropractor and clinical exercise physiologist) would find this an appropriate concentration. 

Courses may encompass Integrated Human Anatomy & Physiology, Human Physiology, Principles of Strength and Conditioning, and Cardiovascular Exercise Testing and Prescription.

A concentration in gerokinesiology provides the knowledge and skills to develop and teach various fitness and wellness classes, rehabilitation programs for older adults and personalized training. This option prepares students for advanced study in related allied health professions.

Coursework may include Functional Performance Assessment and Programming for Older Adults, Principles of Teaching Group Fitness and Physical Dimensions of Aging.

This concentration provides knowledge related to physical activity and sports programs in athletic and community settings. Sports Studies prepares students for advanced study in similar sport-related areas.

Courses may include Techniques of Coaching, Legal Issues in Sport and Exercise and Pathologies in Sport/Exercise.

Students seeking a career in recreation, physical fitness, worksite health promotion, corporate fitness and older adult fitness and wellness might enjoy this concentration. This prepares students for advanced study in recreation, fitness and health promotion. If this interests you, you may need to select either recreation or fitness and health promotion as your area of concentration.

Classes may include Legal Issues in Kinesiology, Introduction to Recreation and Leisure Time Physical Activities and Principles of Teaching Group Fitness.

The American Kinesiology Association, a professional organization promoting the study of kinesiology, lists various kinesiology careers related to health, fitness, athletics and more. Your degree concentration will help determine which direction you should take. Here are a few careers that may be of interest:

Because kinesiology is a broad, interdisciplinary field of study with many specialties, the salaries will vary. Here are median 2019 wages and the 2018-2028 job growth outlook for various kinesiology careers, as reported by the BLS: 

There are many reasons to pursue an online bachelor’s degree in kinesiology. If you are new to online learning here are a few considerations:

Last Updated July 2020