PhD in Kinesiology and Nutrition

Admission Requirements

Applicants are considered on an individual basis. Complete transcripts of all undergraduate and any graduate work must be submitted. In addition to the Graduate College minimum requirements, applicants must meet the following program requirements:

  • Baccalaureate Field Applicants for graduate study may come from the entire spectrum of undergraduate fields, or from other health professions such as medicine or nursing. Some applicants may not meet all course prerequisites without having to take selected additional undergraduate coursework. Minimum prerequisites for full admission to graduate study can be obtained from the department.
  • Grade Point Average At least 3.00/4.00 for the final 60 semester (90 quarter) hours of undergraduate study and 3.50/4.00 for all graduate work.

  • English Proficiency Additional information on the English proficiency test requirement for international students can be found on the UIC Admissions website. Minimum test scores for this program are:

    • Exam Score Reading Listening Speaking Writing
      TOEFL iBT 80 19 17 20 21
      IELTS Academic 6.5 6.0 6.0 6.0 6.0
      PTE Academic 54 51 47 53 56
  • Letters of Recommendation Three required.
  • Personal Statement Required.
  • Other Requirements It is recommended that PhD applicants contact members of the KN graduate faculty whose research matches their interests before applying. 

Degree Requirements

In addition to the Graduate College minimum requirements, students must meet the following program requirements:

  • Minimum Semester Hours Required 96 from the baccalaureate.
  • Coursework At least 24 semester hours of 400- and 500-level courses are required. A minimum of 9 semester hours of 500-level courses must be letter-graded courses (A to F), not project, thesis, or independent study, or seminar courses that are graded Satisfactory (S) or Unsatisfactory (U).
  • Examinations
  1. Preliminary exam
  2. Dissertation proposal
  3. Dissertation defense
  • Dissertation Required. Students must earn at least 32 hours using a 599 rubric.