Application to the Ph.D. or M.S. programs in Kinesiology is made by applying to the Graduate School at Penn State using the Graduate School's online application.
The application requires that you submit transcripts for all post-secondary institutions you have attended. These transcripts may be unofficial in your initial application. Once you have been offered admission and accepted the offer, official transcripts will be required by the Graduate School. See below for important notes regarding transcripts and other documents that are not in English.
Please ensure that your application is complete, including letters of reference. Only complete applications will be reviewed.
(Optional) Graduate Record Examination (GRE) general test scores. Please use school code 2660 to have ETS send your scores to Penn State. GRE scores are now optional for the Department of Kinesiology.
Three (3) letters of recommendation for those applying to the doctoral program, and two (2) letter for those applying to the master's program. These letters should come from academic referees (professors and research supervisors). Your referees will receive an email from the Graduate School, requesting they complete an online recommendation letter.
A personal statement of your background and professional goals, including your specific research interests.
(Optional) You may choose to include a CV/resume and a writing sample.
The names of any prospective research mentors among our faculty. In our mentor-based program faculty members are instrumental in admissions decisions. Your application will be routed directly to the faculty members you list. Please be selective in identifying possible faculty mentors, however, because conveying a lack of scholarly focus or purpose may negatively affect your chances for admission.
For the TOEFL internet-based test (iBT), the Graduate School requires minimum total score of 80 with a 19 on the speaking section. The Department of Kinesiology has a higher standard, requiring a total score of 100 with a 22 on the speaking section. Applicants with TOEFL scores falling between the Graduate School and Department thresholds who are recommended for admission by a faculty mentor will by interviewed by video conference (e.g., Skype or Zoom) by the prospective mentor and by the Professor-in-Charge of the Graduate Program.