Getting Started
School: PHHS
Information below is meant to guide first-year students in getting started with this major and choosing appropriate courses. More advanced students interested in this major would also likely start with proposed foundation/pre-requisite courses. Please refer to the Major page located in the left menu bar to learn about the full major requirements.
How to Explore the Major
Suggested General Education Courses
All undergraduates are required to satisfy the General Education Requirements. Guidelines for students are available at https://www.umass.edu/gened. Students should choose a wide variety of Gen Ed courses, providing breadth of experience.
Suggested Major and Prerequisite Courses
It is strongly recommended that KIN 100 and KIN 110 be taken in the first full academic year. All of the courses listed below are recommended to be completed by the end of the second full calendar year in the major.
- KIN 100
- KIN 110
- PHYSICS 131
- CHEM 111
- MATH 127, MATH 128
- KIN 270, KIN 272
Students who declare Kinesiology after June 1, 2013 will be required to comply with the department continuation policy. The Continuation Policy was updated for the start of the 2022 academic year: Students are required to enroll in Calculus I, Chemistry I and Physics I during their first three semesters declared in the major. Those who do not earn a combined GPA of 2.5 or better in these three courses will be required to declare another major.
How to Declare the Major
For current & admitted students: This major is unrestricted, which means any student may declare the major. Unrestricted majors may still have an entry process such as meeting with an advisor or attending an informational meeting.
Students looking to declare/apply to Kinesiology must attend one of the Declaring the Major Meetings. These meetings take place periodically during the semester and dates can be found at the advising website listed below. Students may also meet with an academic advisor or peer advisor for information. To make an office appointment, students should follow the scheduling procedures listed on the Department Advising website at https://www.umass.edu/public-health-sciences/academics/kinesiology/bs-kinesiology/academic-advising.
Students should be advised that the Kinesiology major has a rigorous science/math component. Students with any questions are encouraged to speak with a Kinesiology advisor before declaring the major.
Given the continuation policy described above which requires a combined GPA of 2.5 or better in Calculus I, Chemistry I and Physics I, a strong academic performance is preferred in all math and science courses.
Transfer Students
Students who enter UMass in any Exploratory Track, or other major, with a minimum 2.7 GPA from their other College or University can declare the major at any time during their first semester at UMass.
Summary of Requirements for the Major
Total number of credits required: 68
Under the revised curriculum approved in 2022, the Kinesiology major consists of three components: School Requirement (4 credits), Preparatory courses (22 credits), Kinesiology requirements (36 credits), and Kinesiology electives (6 credits). Interested students should consult with the advising website for the latest Degree Requirements and Sample Course Sequencing. Information can be found at the "Academic Forms for Kinesiology Majors" link at https://www.umass.edu/public-health-sciences/academics/bs-kinesiology.
Is there a minor?
No, the Department does not offer a minor in Kinesiology.
For further information, contact:
Eliza Frechette
Undergraduate Program Director
Kinesiology Department
160 Totman Building
efrechet@kin.umass.edu
(413) 545.1337