About Us
Recognizing that physical activity is vital for all people, the Department of Kinesiology and Health at Georgia State University seeks to:
- Discover new knowledge and advance the understanding of the role of physical activity in attaining optimal health and well-being
- Educate members of society and prepare future professionals
- Promote healthy lifestyles through life-long activity and learning
The department serves over 1000 graduate and undergraduate students annually and has a reputation for excellent teaching with a diverse student body. The department supports state-of-the-art research and teaching laboratories in applied physiology, muscle biology, musculoskeletal injury, biomechanics and ergonomics, sport business and physical education pedagogy. In addition, many faculty are influential members of their respective national and international organizations.
Students interested in careers in public school teaching should refer to the programs in health and physical education. If you are interested in a career in fitness, wellness or cardiac rehabilitation refer to the programs in exercise science. Students interested in a career in the sports industry should refer to the sports administration program.
Doctoral programs are available for future students who already hold a master’s degree or equivalent and are interested in advanced training for teaching and research in sport science, physical education teacher education, or sport administration.
Explore Our Department
MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIR
Welcome to the Department of Kinesiology and Health website! Whether you are looking for specific information or just stumble upon our website, I will assure you that there is rich information that you will find useful about our degree programs, research projects, and service/community activities. Particularly, I urge you to explore the faculty, staff, and student webpages and get to know our vibrant department.
Our department offers the undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral degrees in each of the three content areas: Exercise Science, Health and Physical Education, and Sport Administration. The Exercise Science undergraduate program has been a popular undergraduate program for the past fifteen years and among the top 10 programs at Georgia State University. The excellent curriculum in our undergraduate and master’s programs prepare our students for a variety of healthcare or fitness-related careers.
Our Health and Physical Education programs provide both undergraduate and graduate students who are interested in school teaching and sport coaching with opportunities to learn theory-based instruction and assessment. Together with intensive student teaching at local schools, our Health and Physical Education programs produce high-quality student teachers to address the state and national needs of overhauling the health and fitness of K-12 students.
Our Sport Administration’s undergraduate program is fairly new to the department and has been growing fast. Given the booming sport business in Atlanta, it is no wonder that our undergraduate and master’s programs are attracting many prospective students who find their passion in sport business management. Our outstanding faculty has been integrating the curriculum with the involvement of local sport business and providing out students with the superb real-world experience.
Our doctoral program is designed for students who are interested in conducting innovative research in each of our three content areas. Through intensive coursework and innovative research activities, doctoral students are trained to become future professors who are committed to conducting cutting-edge research and promoting effective teaching and learning.
With the new President and Provost, Georgia State University is undergoing exciting changes in all aspects. With the new university strategic plan being around the corner, our department is determined to take this great opportunity to revise our departmental strategic plan accordingly. We will adopt the new vision and develop the action plan to continue our program excellence, foster student success, and move the department forward.
Sincerely,
Jerry Wu, Ph.D.
Professor and Chair