Overview

The School of Human Kinetics offers a Master of Human Kinetics (MHK), designed to prepare students for careers in research, teaching, and industry.

A research thesis is a major component of the program and there is an optional internship course for students interested in gaining research experience in an applied field setting.

Program Requirements

The School of Human Kinetics (SHK) offers a Master of Human Kinetics (MHK) through a combination of thesis and course work. The program is open to full-time students. All students admitted to the program will have a Faculty Thesis Advisor who will meet with the student on a regular basis throughout the student’s course of study. The student and Faculty Thesis Advisor will confirm the student’s course of study and thesis research topic. 

Students will also have a Thesis Committee, consisting of the Faculty Thesis Advisor and at least two other faculty members from the SHK.  The Thesis Committee will be established by the Faculty Thesis Advisor and the Graduate Program Coordinator within the first term of study.  The Thesis Committee will monitor the student's research progress, provide counsel on the preparation of the resulting thesis, and ultimately serve as part of the Thesis Examination Committee.

Students enrolled in the MHK program are required to complete:

• Two core courses : PHED-5126EL - Research Methods in Human Kinetics and  a choice between PHED-5136EL - Qualitative Methods: A Survey Course for Sport and Physical Activity OR PHED-5146EL - Quantitative Measurement Methods: Instrumentation for Human Kinetics Two research seminar courses (PHED-5026EL - Seminar in Human Kinetics I; PHED-5026EL - Seminar in Human Kinetics I), 
• A Research Thesis (PHED-5000EL - Thesis) 
• Two elective courses

Students will also have an opportunity to develop their oral communication skills via two formal presentations (research thesis proposal; thesis defense presentation).  Additional course work may be required if the student's background insufficient.

A student is normally expected to fulfill all the requirements of the MHK degree in two years or less. The minimum residency period is one year. Students must complete all requirements within five years or they will be asked to withdraw from the program.

Admission Requirements

To be admitted, students should normally hold an appropriate Bachelor's degree at the honours level, or its equivalent, with at least a B+ or 75% standing in the last three years of a four year degree program.

Students entering the MHK Program will normally hold a 4-year degree in a Human Kinetics Field (e.g., Physical and Health Education; Kinesiology; Sports Psychology) or equivalent. Candidates who have graduated from a three year degree program in a related discipline may be admitted to a qualifying year. Candidates with an honours degree in a related field such as Life Sciences, Sports Administration, Nursing Science, Rehabilitation Therapy, Sociology, Psychology, Physiology, Mechanical Engineering, Biology and Biochemistry to name a few, may be admitted to the MHK program. However, such candidates may be required to enroll in undergraduate courses in the School of Human Kinetics to round out their academic thesis preparation if deemed necessary by the admissions committee (students will be informed of this decision before being admitted to the program).

Application Process

According to their area of interest, students are required to identify a faculty member who has agreed to supervise them prior to applying to the MHK.  Applicants will require: (1) a completed Application for Admissions form, (2) an academic Curriculum Vitae, (3) official academic transcripts, (4) three referee letters, (5)  a complete Faculty Thesis Advisor form, (6) a statement of interest and (7) any other pertinent information (diplomas, TOLF, publications, etc.).  The following steps are recommended to apply to the MHK program

Step 1. Contact the School of Human Kinetics Graduate Coordinator or an individual faculty member about the possibility of becoming an MHK student.  Students are encouraged to consult the faculty list to identify a potential Faculty Thesis Advisor (i.e. a faculty member they would like to work with).  Alternatively they are advised to contact the Graduate Coordinator who will help them to identify a potential Faculty Thesis Advisor.  Contacting a faculty member directly is best as the communication leads to discussions on potential thesis topics and availability of funding.

Step 2. Once the student has identified a Faculty Thesis Advisor that is prepared and willing to supervise them, the student must contact the Admissions Office to obtain an application form. The Admissions Office will send a package that contains an Application for Admission form and forms for three referees (references). Students are also required to complete a Statement of Interest, Curriculum Vitae and the Faculty Thesis Advisor form.  The completed package (see list of documents below) must be returned to the Laurentian University Admissions Office.

Documents:

• Completed Application for Admission Form
• Three Referee Letters (in a sealed envelope and signed flap)
• Statement of Interest
• Faculty Thesis Advisor Form
• Curriculum Vitae
• Official Academic Transcript(s)
• Application fee (N.B. An application fee of $55 must accompany the application form for all graduate programs. Those who go on to register in a graduate program will have the application fee applied against tuition.)

Step 3. Once the Admissions Office receives all information and the application is deemed complete, the application will be forwarded to the Graduate Coordinator in the School of Human Kinetics.  The Graduate Coordinator will keep all the applications on file until the School of Human Kinetics Admissions Committee meets to review the applications.

Step 4. The MHK Admissions Committee will review all applications on file and make a decision regarding the suitability of each applicant.  The Admissions Committee will then make a recommendation to the Dean of the School of Graduate Studies at Laurentian University. The Graduate Studies office will verify the dossier and if satisfactory, the Dean of Graduate Studies will forward the recommendation to the Office of Admissions at Laurentian University. 

Step 5: The Office of Admissions will send the student an Offer Package.  Applicants wishing to accept the offer of admission must return a copy of the Response Document (to the Office of Admissions) by the deadline date indicated in the Offer Package (If the document is not returned by the response date the student will not be admitted to the program). 

Step 6: After the Admissions Office receives the Response Document from the student the Admissions Office will send the student a Registration Package. When the student receives the registration package they are encouraged to contact his/her Faculty Thesis Advisor to establish his/her course of study and confirm course registration procedures.

Students are urged to also visit the main Laurentian site for Graduate Studies admission information.

Important Admission Dates

Students interested in applying to the MHK to begin their graduate studies in September of 2008 should carefully note the following important dates:

If you have any questions regarding the admissions process in general or the important dates listed above please contact the MHK Graduate Coordinator or the Laurentian University Office of Admissions directly.

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