Kinesiology and Physical Education (M.S., M.Ed.)

Advanced training for careers in exercise science, physical education in K-12 schools, and leading fitness activities across the lifespan.

A photo of a man lifting weights

Program overview

Our graduate programs in Kinesiology and Physical Education offer a general, science-based curriculum that provide a strong foundation for careers in exercise science, as well as physical education and fitness in K-12 schools or across the lifespan. Students work closely with faculty specialists employing the latest technology to measure and analyze physical response, development and deviation to provide understanding and application of the latest theory and practical techniques. Classroom and laboratory experiences are designed to provide the student with an applied understanding of the scientific basis of exercise training in different groups. And as Maine’s only NCAA Division I school, UMaine offers a wealth of hands on and real world experiences right at students fingertips. Areas of specialization include physical education/teacher education, adapted physical education and exercise science.

Our graduate programs in Kinesiology and Physical Education are delivered via in-person classes, with several opportunities for hands-on learning in our state-of-the-art facilities on campus and through practical fieldwork. Students work collaboratively with a faculty advisor to choose between a Master of Science (M.S.) or a Master of Education (M.Ed.). The M.S. requires a thesis and a three-credit graduate apprenticeship, while the M.Ed. does not. Both options require a minimum of 30 credits.

Core Requirements

  • EHD 573: Statistical Methods in Education
  • KPE 551: Research Methods for Allied Health Professionals
  • KPE 575: Current Studies in Kinesiology and Physical Education
  • KPE 560: Assessment and Evaluation of Human Performance
  • KPE 580: Human Biomechanics
  • KPE 588: Advanced Exercise Physiology
  • KPE 573: Motor Performance and Learning
  • Six credit hours of targeted electives

Not ready to commit to a master’s degree program yet? No problem. We offer several graduate certificates that allow you to build knowledge and skills in focused areas to meet your personal and professional goals. The certificates vary from nine to 15 credits, or three to five classes, which can be applied toward a master’s degree should you choose to continue your studies. Click one of the links below to learn more about our graduate certificates in Kinesiology and Physical Education:

A master’s degree in Kinesiology and Physical Education from UMaine prepares students for in-demand careers in health and fitness, coaching, and K-12 physical education teaching and administration.

The mission of the Graduate School of the University of Maine is to produce engaged scholars and professionals by promoting excellence in all aspects of the graduate student experience. The Graduate School provides advanced education and professional training through innovative teaching, mentorship, research, and creative activity in established and emerging areas. This rigorous education prepares students to contribute meaningfully to the advancement of the state of Maine, the nation and the global community.

The University of Maine Graduate School prepares engaged scholars and professionals to make meaningful contributions to their communities of practice: research consortia, clinical practices, studios, workplaces, classrooms, and political collectives. As graduate students are key agents in helping to sustain an environment supportive of learning through teaching, collaborative inquiry, mentoring or demonstration, they are critical ambassadors for public higher education during their coursework and after graduation. During and after graduate training, accordingly, the Graduate School’s doctoral, masters, and professional-certifications degree programs will enable students to:
Understand, interpret, shape, and augment the knowledge base by

  • Contributing research, scholarship, creative work, and informed practice to our developing understanding of the social and material world;
  • Staying abreast of methodological, pedagogical, and professional advances;
  • Consuming research for continuing professional knowledge and practice; and
  • Committing to professional development through engagement in professional societies and other knowledge-transfer modes.

Share disciplinary expertise openly, effectively, and accurately by

  • Accurately distilling and disseminating complex expertise to help solve problems;
  • Responsibly integrating developing research consensus into professional best-practices;
  • Working collaboratively across domains to develop new insights and effective practices;
  • Responding with principled recommendations to emerging concerns that confront their communities of practice; and
  • Respectfully observing (and where necessary, helping to shape) the communicative conventions of the community of practice.

Demonstrate responsible and ethical practice by

  • Attending to sustainability, responsiveness, and potential long-term implications when engaging local-global context and communities;
  • Learning from and working respectfully with diverse cultural perspectives, knowledge-systems, and priorities;
  • Giving and acting on productive feedback;
  • Complying with best-practices in methodology and pedagogy and in making informed recommendations to employers, coworkers and the broader public; and
  • Maintaining a critical awareness of structural inequities in their communities of practice and working to redress them; and
  • Assuring that context–and discipline-informed modes of inquiry are safe.

For current information about tuition and fees, please visit the Bursar’s office.

Applications are accepted on a rolling basis. Please apply through the University of Maine Graduate School.

Admission to the M.Ed. program requires scores from either the Miller Analogies Test (MAT) or the Graduate Record Examination (GRE). Admission to the M.S. program requires GRE scores.

Contact Us

For questions about applying to the program, please use the Graduate School contact form below. For general queries, coehd@maine.edu.

UMaine Graduate school Contact form