There are several components that distinguish the Master of Science in Kinesiology. These components include the graduate assistantships and the three concentrations students can choose. Outlined below are the descriptions of each, and how students can use the graduate assistant position or their concentration to positively influence the community.

Graduate Assistant 

This description below details the job responsibilities of the Graduate Assistant for Athletics Marketing & Communications, which is one of four graduate assistant positions. There are two others that work with PLNU athletics (volleyball, soccer, basketball, track & field, cross country, tennis, and baseball) and one position as an athletic trainer for Point Loma High School.

The Graduate Assistant (GA) for Athletics Marketing & Communications position is a two-year position in which the GA will provide individual sport and department-wide assistance within a multisport environment. This includes, but is not limited to, promoting, executing, and recapping athletic contest and events, as well as general marketing and communications support within the ahletic department. Candidates for the position will be highly organized and motivated creative thinkers with writing and graphic design skills, and who embrace the mission of PLNU through the integration of Christian faith. Specific assignments will be determined by the Senior Associate Athletic Director and the Assistant Atheltic Director for Communications based on the staffing demands for supporting an NCAA Division II intercollegiate athletic program. Graduate Assistants are employed on a ten-month appointment.

Concentrations

The curriculum of the Master of Science in Kinesiology includes 30 total units. All students in the program will complete 18 units of core courses. Upon completion, students are required to follow a 12 unit concentration in either exercise science, sport performance, or sport management.

Exercise Science Concentration

This concentration is designed for careers in exercise physiology, cardiac rehabilitation, and fitness assessment and exercise prescription, and will prepare you to:

Incorporate current best evidence and practices to make effective clinical decisions and advance scholarship in exercise science
Collaborate with colleagues to determine health, fitness, and disease states in clients and patients to enhance care
Create exercise interventions to prevent and treat chronic diseases
The program will prepare students as clinical exercise physiologists and cardiac rehabilitation specialists to receive the highest level of certification by the ACSM (Clinical Exercise Physiologist), which requires the completion of a master’s degree.

Sport Performance Concentration

This concentration is a functional approach to human performance designed for professionals in the fields of fitness, strength and conditioning, and athletic training, and will prepare you to:

Master advanced concepts in biomechanics and neuromechanics to improve function, eliminate pain, and optimize human performance
Enhance your clinical skills through focused hands-on opportunities in sport performance and sport medicine
Integrate your clinical experiences with current best evidence and practices to make effective decisions for optimal client and patient care
Students will be instructed by industry leading professionals in the San Diego region and have access to state-of-the-art health and athletic facilities to enhance their clinical experience. The program will prepare students to work with elite athletes at every level through a collaborative, interprofessional curriculum.

Sport Management Concentration

This concentration is designed for professionals in sport management, sport leadership, and sport education settings, and will prepare you to:

Master key management and leadership principles to direct sports organizations and athletic programs effectively
Develop strategic decision-making skills while gaining at least 100 hours of relevant professional experience in the San Diego sports industry
Effectively serve the sport and sport-education industries through faith-based ethical management principles and practices
The curriculum will highlight key management, leadership, and entrepreneurial strategies, offering courses both in kinesiology and PLNU’s MBA program. The program will allow for upward mobility to teachers, athletic directors, coaches, and sport managers in their various fields.

The curriculum for each of the concentrations within the MS-KIN has been specifically aligned with the national guild standards of industry leading organizations. The Exercise Science curriculum is aligned with the knowledge, skills, and abilities of the American College of Sports Medicine. The Sport Performance concentration is aligned with the National Strength and Conditioning Association’s standards and is an affiliated program of the National Academy of Sports Medicine. The Sport Management concentration is aligned with the standards of the North American Society for Sport Management.