Current Graduate Students

At the School of Kinesiology, we are dedicated to creating, advancing and disseminating interdisciplinary knowledge that fosters a healthy self and society through physical activity.

We continually strive to increase the quality and impact of research through improved infrastructure to support leading-edge research. We encourage you to get involved with the School of Kinesiology and the Graduate community in order to make your university experience all the more enjoyable.
Join UBC KIN GRAD EVENTS to communicate with other Kinesiology Grad Students and share some neat things with your colleagues!

For more information on the academic side of your degree, please see the “Resources” tab below. For additional information, please contact our Graduate Programs Assistant at kin.gradsec@ubc.ca

Heads up! Below are graduate courses that may be offered by the School. For current graduate course offerings, please see course schedule. HPCTL/MHPCTL course outlines and schedule can be found at the program site.

Graduate Courses

# Course Title (# of credits) Description
500C Advanced concepts in cardiovascular physiology and rehabilitation The purpose of the course is to examine advanced concepts in cardiovascular physiology and rehabilitation. A special focus of our course will be the integration of Indigenous understandings of health and wholistic wellbeing, highlighting the importance of strengths-based approaches to health and wellness including the incorporation of traditional Indigenous physical activities, sports, and practices.
500H Advanced Exercise Physiology, Assessment, and Prescription This course continues from KIN 562, further exploring advanced exercise physiology concepts and their connection to assessment and prescription in clinical and applied settings. It will provide detailed theoretical knowledge on the integrated exercise physiological responses of the respiratory, cardiovascular, and muscle metabolic systems. The latter part of the course will explore the effects of exercising muscle mass, modalities, sex, and environment. Throughout the course, these theoretical concepts will be applied to exercise assessment and prescription in various populations.
500J Coaching Skills for Strength and Conditioning(co-taught with Kin 483J) The objective of this course is to advance your knowledge within the realm of strength and conditioning through applying theory into practice (active participation and coaching). Students will learn how the principles of strength and conditioning intersect with the foundational and fundamental movements used to compete in sport.
500K Injury Prevention – A Multidisciplinary Approach This course exams the broad topic of injury prevention from the perspective of multiple sport science disciplines. Key topics to be reviewed include: The pathophysiology of Injury, The science and impact of warm-up & cooldown, The role of Training Load, Psychology of Injury, Nutritional Impact & considerations with injuries
500P Killam Connection: Healthy Aging from Cells to Societies “Killam Connection: Healthy Aging from Cells to Societies” will tackle the complexities of healthy aging across the lifespan and support the training of future scientists in developing practical skills in translating scientific knowledge to successfully engage the public. This 13-week course will include UBC, national and international speakers from across the biological, social and behavioural sciences.
501 Computational Methods for Data Acquisition and Signal Processing in Kinesiology The focus of this course is to provide graduate students with the practical experience necessary for the acquisition and processing of data related to human movements. This course will cover modern approaches and techniques commonly used for wearable sensing and laboratory research applicable to diverse disciplines related to Kinesiology, including biomechanics, physiology, neuroscience, psychology, and motor learning.
530 A/B Directed Studies Sample Outline Topics selected by the student, with the approval of the Program Supervisor and Graduate Advisor before the start of the course. A KIN 530 Directed Studies contract (under downloadable forms tab) must be completed and signed prior to registration.
562 Bioenergetics of Physical Activity This course will initially provide foundational knowledge by exploring basic energy systems powering muscular work, skeletal muscle properties, and energy system regulation and control.
564 Psycho-Social Aspects of Physical Activity In this course, students will further their understanding of the psychosocial aspects that shape physical activity participation and competition.
567 Skill Acquisition: Practice Design & Instruction Issues concerning how people practice, learn and retain movement skills, with an emphasis on sport (both beginners and high level performers). We will evaluate theory and processes underlying motor learning and expertise, drawing on current theories and research.
568 Seminar in Human Sensorimotor Control The focus of this seminar is upon the mechanisms and principles in human sensorimotor control as well as the research methods commonly used in motor control research. KIN 568 draws primarily upon the frameworks offered by human motor behaviour, experimental psychology, cognitive neuroscience, and neuroscience.
570 Research Methods in Kinesiology Research methods applied to the study of sport and physical activity, the nature of scientific inquiry, the design of experiments, (including the survey as a research medium), introduction to meta-research (science of science), presenting science and academic writing.
571 Qualitative Methods in Sport, Leisure, and Health Studies The ultimate aim is to give students the opportunity to attain a working understanding of the various research techniques commonly adopted by qualitative researchers and to develop the knowledge base and skills needed to design, defend, and rationalize an original research proposal. The course is designed especially for students interested in qualitative research conducted within the ‘sociology of sport and leisure, ‘sociology of health’, and ‘psychology of sport, exercise, and health’ fields, and the methodological debates and discussions that are featured within these fields.
572 Research Methods for Sport and Health Sciences This course examines current issues within coaching science research. The goal of the course is to develop coaching students’ research literacy skills to assist them in establishing best coaching and leadership practices. Students should develop a comprehensive understanding of (a) the strengths and limitations of quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods research designs; (b) interpretation of basic statistics; (c) how to critically evaluate scientific literature; and (d) how to synthesize and communicate research in written and verbal forms.
580 Graduate Seminar on Body, Exercise and Society This seminar examines ways in which the body has been fashioned in modern society to express the self through modes of exercise, sport and physical culture. Seminar topics include exercise, sport and the medicalization of the female body, the normal body, digital bodies, racialized bodies, and sites of embodiment such as the gymnasium, sports stadium and outdoor pursuits.
585 Performance Planning This course focuses on the application of findings from sport profile and gap analysis to the planning and design of high-performance training. Student will learn about quadrennial, annual, meso and micro cycle planning and how to integrate key factors that impact athlete performance and progression along the athlete development pathway.
586 Coaching Effectiveness The focus of this course is on the key attributes of effective coaching practices; a better understanding of the key coaching functions and core coaching skills; the importance and awareness of athlete development models and the associated physical, psychological, technical and tactical development of athletes; and the importance of developing a personal coaching philosophy.
595 MKIN Major Paper PresentationSample Outline Optional Course for MKin program only. Students usually register for this course in their final term to present their Final Paper.
598 Directed Field Studies in Kinesiology This course allows students to put into practice their knowledge of exercise science and/or health programming by working with a community partner. The Kin 598 contract must be signed prior to registration. See “downloadable forms” for the Kin 598 contract.

Awards, Scholarships & Funding

International Tuition Awards assist international graduate students with their tuition fees if they are registered full-time in research-oriented master’s and doctoral programs. Students in the MKin program are NOT eligible for this award. There are no applications for this award. International students automatically receive this award every term when they are registered full-time in their program.

Please visit the Faculty of Graduate Studies website for more information about the international tuition award.

See Teaching Assistantships for more information.

The TA application is due in May. The Graduate Programs Coordinator will be providing a link to the application in May.

The TA Job Descriptions are provided for reference purposes only. They will be subject to changes as required. For more specific details and information, students are advised to contact the instructor directly, if they are offered the position. Current course scheduling is posted online.

Faculty of Education (FoE) Endowed Awards

The UBC endowed scholarships are provided by the Office of Research in Education (ORE) in the Faculty of Education. These merit-based awards are awarded to our graduate students who are making the most outstanding contributions in their fields of study. Most Faculty of Education graduate students are eligible to apply on an annual basis. The adjudication for the awards is typically held in the early fall and awards are to be taken up in December of each year.

For more information, visit Office of Research in Education's funding opportunities page.

Affiliated Awards

The Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies offers approximately 50 Affiliated Fellowships each year to meritorious students for full-time study and research leading to a graduate degree. Awards are made on the basis of academic excellence, with applications open to current and prospective full-time UBC graduate students regardless of citizenship or visa status.

Deadline: Usually mid-September for PhD students and December 1 for Masters students
Annual Value: Fellowship values range from $175 to $30,000 (PhD) and $175 to $16,000 (Masters)
Eligibility: International Master and PhD students. Eligible domestic Masters and PhD students must apply for one of the Tri-Agency competition (CIHR, NSERC, SSHRC) and will be automatically entered into the Affiliated awards.
Application Procedures: See Affiliated Doctoral Fellowship and Affiliated Masters Fellowship. Also, more information in the "External Funding" section below.

Spring Graduate Awards

A number of University awards for the academic year are available to current and incoming graduate students.

Deadline: Usually in May
Annual Value: $150 to $18,000
Eligibility: International and domestic Master and PhD students. Students must be registered, full-time graduate students during the period of the award.
Application Procedure: Applicants must check with their graduate program regarding their program’s internal application deadline. More information at Spring Graduate Awards Competition

Graduate Student Research Grant

This annual competition is designed to reimburse Kinesiology graduate students (Magistral or Doctoral) for the financial costs of conducting or producing their own research projects necessary for the completion of their degree and is designed to cover your research or project expenses only.

Deadline: Usually in Fall term
Annual Value: $500 to $1500
Eligibility: Currently registered students in research programs (MA, MSc, PhD).
Application Procedure: The competition will be announced by the Graduate Programs Assistant.

The objective of the Canada Graduate Scholarships-Doctoral (CGS D) Program is to promote continued excellence in Canadian research by rewarding and retaining high-calibre doctoral students at Canadian institutions. These scholarships are provided by Canada’s three federal granting agencies (CIHR, NSERC, and SSHRC).  These scholarships are available to students who are Canadian citizens or permanent residents. International students are not eligible.

Deadline: Usually mid-September
Annual Value: Scholarship values range from $20,000 to $35,000 per year for 2 to 3 years at the PhD level
Eligibility: Canadian citizens or permanent residents
Application Procedures: Students apply directly to Tri-Agency portal. See new CGS D program page for the harmonized application process and timeline. In addition to the CGS D, each agency has its own doctoral awards. Refer to the appropriate literature for CIHRNSERC and SSHRC for further details.

The objective of the Canada Graduate Scholarships-Master's (CGS M) Program is to help develop research skills and assist in the training of highly qualified personnel by supporting students who demonstrate a high standard of achievement in undergraduate and early graduate studies.

Deadline: Usually December 1
Annual Value: one-time $17,500 annual award at the Master's level
Eligibility: Canadian citizens or permanent residents. The School will only review CGSM applications for current Masters students or incoming Masters students who have applied by the admission deadline.
Application Procedures: Students apply directly to Tri-Agency portal. See Canada Graduate Scholarships-Master's (CGS M) Program.

G+PS maintains a database of graduate scholarships and award funding opportunities, as well as various policies and FAQ section.

https://www.grad.ubc.ca/scholarships-awards-funding/award-opportunities

Travel funds are available for graduate students who are presenting as first authors at conferences/workshops. Students may claim their expenses using these grants.

Heads up!Please apply to FOE and G+PS Graduate Student Travel funds before applying to the KIN Grad Student Travel Grant. You can only apply once for the G+PS travel grant of $500 maximum per degree program. Therefore, please make sure your expenses add up to $500 before applying. The KIN Graduate travel grant allows students to claim their expenses up to 12 months after their thesis submission. Students must apply for the FOE and G+PS Graduate Travel Grants before applying to the KIN Graduate travel grant.

NOTE: The G+PS travel grant does not allow multiple students to receive the full travel award for the same paper / poster / performance. In cases where there are multiple presenters of a co-authored paper or poster, (i) a single student (normally, the student who made the greatest contribution to the paper or poster) may apply for and receive the full travel award or (ii) the travel award may be split among multiple presenters (this should be indicated in the travel award application).

The School’s KIN Grad Reps are:

  • Emily Tang (MA)
  • Keara Sutherland (PhD)
  • Jay Banwait (Mkin)

Our Reps represent Graduate students at School meetings, functions, plan social events, and provide peer support. They can be reached at kin-gradreps@lists.ubc.ca

The CUPE 2278 TA Union Rep is Carrie Peters.

Comprehensive exams for PhD students are required upon completion of course work, and/or readings; and usually scheduled by the end of the second year of the student’s start date. The exam  normally comprises of a two-part exam (oral and written), which the student's committee will establish and judge. Content will be relevant to the student's general area of study and will include questions covering theory, application, and methodology. No Chairperson is required.

The exam must be scheduled prior to the thesis proposal. See Thesis Proposal Instructions for PhD below.

The supervisor will fill the PhD Comprehensive Exam Report (in Graduate Student Forms) upon completion of the comprehensives.

More information about comprehensive examination can be found at G+PS website.

Thesis Proposal Instructions for MA and MSc

  • Thesis Proposals should be completed by MA/MSc students after they have completed all their course requirements, usually by the end of the first year.
  • Decide on the date with your supervisor and committee members for your proposal
  • No Chairperson is required for MA/MSc proposal.
  • Please let Graduate Programs Coordinator know at least 2 weeks in advance of your proposal so that it may be setup.

Two weeks prior to your proposal you’ll need to provide the following to the Graduate Programs Coordinator:

  1. Copy of your proposal document. This is a report outlining the research that you are proposing to conduct.
  2. Thesis Proposal Invitation Form. Please provide information about your abstract, including date and time. Proposals may be conducted in-person, on Zoom, or hybrid.

Thesis Proposal Instructions for PhD

  • Thesis proposals must be completed by PhD students by the end of their third year in the program, after all comprehensive exams are done. Failure to complete thesis proposal by the end of the third year will require an extension to the advancement to candidacy. For major award holders, this may affect further funding as well.
  • Decide on the date with your supervisor and committee members for your proposal
  • Chairperson is required for PhD proposals.
  • Please let Graduate Programs Coordinator know at least 2 weeks in advance of your proposal so that it may be setup.
  • A Chairperson will be invited for PhD proposals. The Chairperson may be faculty members from other departments.

Two weeks prior to your proposal you’ll need to provide the following to the Graduate Programs Coordinator:

  1. Copy of your proposal document. This is a report outlining the research that you are proposing to conduct.
  2. Thesis Proposal Invitation Form. Please provide information about your abstract, including date and time. Proposals may be conducted in-person, on Zoom, or hybrid.

Links for thesis preparations and workshops:
https://www.grad.ubc.ca/current-students/dissertation-thesis-preparation
https://www.grad.ubc.ca/current-students/dissertation-thesis-preparation/resources-thesis-preparation-checking
UBC Research Commons and G+PS provide workshops and one-on-one consultations to students who need assistance with master’s and doctoral thesis formatting.

Thesis Defence Instructions for MA and MSc

  • Decide on a date/time with your committee
  • Please let Graduate Programs Coordinator know at least 2 weeks in advance of your defence date to allow time to find a Chairperson.
  • A Chairperson will be invited for the defence. The Chairperson may be faculty members from other departments. If you or your supervisor have a preference for a faculty member to chair your defence, please let the Graduate Programs Coordinator know.
  • Thesis formatting instructions can be found at https://www.grad.ubc.ca/current-students/dissertation-thesis-preparation
  • This is also a good time to review the various deadlines to finish your program.

Two weeks in advance of your defence you’ll need to provide Graduate Programs Coordinator with:

  1. Electronic version of your thesis.  You will also need to submit a copy of your thesis to your committee members.
  2. Master Thesis Defence invitation. This will include information about your abstract, date and time. Proposals may be conducted in-person or via Zoom.

**After a copy of the thesis has been submitted, revisions are NOT ALLOWED until after the defence

Heads up!G+PS will be requiring students to check their theses against the Sample Thesis on their website at Resources for Thesis Preparation and Checking before submitting them to cIRcle or for pre-review. Students will no longer receive detailed feedback on errors that can be identified by comparing their theses to the Sample Thesis. It is the students' responsibility to check basic proofreading and formatting mistakes to ensure their thesis will be accepted. Non-compliance will result in the delay process for thesis acceptance.

Deadlines for thesis submission and program completion

Links for thesis preparations and workshops:
https://www.grad.ubc.ca/current-students/dissertation-thesis-preparation
https://www.grad.ubc.ca/current-students/dissertation-thesis-preparation/resources-thesis-preparation-checking
The UBC Research Commons in Koerner Library and G+PS provide workshops and one-on-one consultations to students who need assistance with master’s and doctoral thesis formatting.

Master's (MA, MSc) Oral Defence Process

  • Oral Defences may be conducted in-person or by Zoom.
  • All Zoom presentations are limited to School members or by invitation only. For security purposes, we are holding student defences to limited audience attendance.
  • Virtual defences may not be recorded.
  • The student should prepare a presentation between 20 to 30 minutes for the defence. This time limit will be strictly enforced by the Defence Chair. The presentation will not be interrupted by questions.
  • A minimum of  2  members of your supervisory committee (including your supervisor) are required for quorum on the examining committee at your oral defence. A quorum is the minimum attendance required. The quorum consists of:
    1. MA/MSc candidate
    2. the Examination Chair
    3. at least 2 members of the Candidate's Supervisory Committee (Research Supervisor and one other Committee member)
  • The student and their research supervisor are responsible for ensuring all members of the examining committee (attending supervisory committee members ) are aware of the exam schedule.
  • If the examining committee member required for quorum is late, you will need to wait for them to arrive before the exam can begin.
  • If the examining committee member is required for quorum and is absent, the exam will need to be postponed. If you learn that an examiner will be unable to attend, please contact the Graduate Programs Coordinator right away.
  • After the oral presentation, the Chair will call upon each member of the Examining Committee in turn to question the Candidate.
  • Then the Chair will invite questions from the audience.
  • The Chair will make a final call for questions from the Examining Committee and, if necessary, ask the Candidate to address/clarify any points not adequately covered previously.
  • The Candidate and all persons not on the Examining Committee will be asked to leave so that an examination discussion can take place. The examination discussion is the portion of the defence when the examination committee meets privately to discuss their assessments of the candidate's oral defence and written dissertation and to determine their overall recommendation to G+PS.
  • The Candidate will be recalled and in the presence of the Examining Committee, be informed of the recommendations  the Committee will make. The Chair will provide information about any revisions required for the dissertation before it can be accepted as final. Committee members will be withholding their signatures from the Dissertation Approval form until all revisions have been completed.
  • The examination process can last between 2 to 3 hours.
  • The Chair's Report on the oral defence is considered a confidential correspondence between the examination committee and the School. As a result, it is not shared with the candidate.

Doctoral Thesis Defence Instructions

For PhD students who are preparing to defend their thesis, there are four deadlines doctoral candidates must meet in order to be eligible for the respective end/graduation date. The Doctoral Examination deadlines are suggested in order to guide doctoral candidates through each step of the doctoral examination process in time to meet requirements for specific program end dates or for graduation ceremonies. Please note that if deadlines are not met, doctoral candidates may not be able to fulfill requirements for intended program completion dates or for graduation ceremonies.

The doctoral deadlines are posted on the G+PS website.

The first step in the doctoral defence process is submitting the Appointment of External Examiner form

G+PS will invite an external examiner to review your doctoral thesis, and provide you with instructions on each stage of the defence process. G+PS administers the entire Doctoral defence process to ensure all procedures and policies are held to university standards.

Please start preparing for your doctoral defence by reading all the instructions and procedures available at the G+PS on submitting final doctoral exams, including the Frequently Asked Questions. Then prepare a timeline and a plan of action for yourself using the Doctoral Examinations Planning Tool and Checklist for Candidates and Supervisors and discuss this with your Supervisory Committee. You are also encouraged to make use of the other planning resources available on the Tools for Planning page.

Heads up!G+PS will be requiring students to check their theses against the Sample Thesis on their website at Resources for Thesis Preparation and Checking before submitting them to cIRcle or for pre-review. Students will no longer receive detailed feedback on errors that can be identified by comparing their theses to the Sample Thesis. It is the students' responsibility to check basic proofreading and formatting mistakes to ensure their thesis will be accepted. Non-compliance may result in delays for thesis acceptance.

Deadlines for thesis submission and program completion

Links for thesis preparations and workshops:
https://www.grad.ubc.ca/current-students/dissertation-thesis-preparation
https://www.grad.ubc.ca/current-students/dissertation-thesis-preparation/resources-thesis-preparation-checking
The UBC Research Commons in Koerner Library and G+PS provide workshops and one-on-one consultations to students who need assistance with master’s and doctoral thesis formatting.

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Logging into UBC Student Webmail

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See what some of our graduate school alumni are doing now!

Jasmine Gill

Jasmine Gill is part of the UBC Fall Class of 2021 and will graduate with a Master’s degree in Kinesiology (MKin). She took courses in both Performance Sciences and Clinical Kinesiology streams, focusing on the prevention and management of sports injuries and performance planning. Jasmine has worked throughout her studies with youth, ages 6 and […]


Graduating Student Spotlight: Jamie Hawke

Congratulations to Jamie Hawke, who will join the UBC Class of 2021 this fall, with her MA in Kinesiology. Her graduate research combines dance education and dance science by using interpretive methodologies to explore participant experiences. For her master’s thesis, she examined what dance educators experience when helping pre-professional ballet dancers develop their dance skills. […]


Watson, Laura

Graduating year: 2006, 2018
Degree: BHK, MHPCTL
Laura Watson is a High Performance Coaching Advisor with Own the Podium where she is responsible for implementing the Coaching Enhancement Program. This program aims to support Canada’s coaches in the pursuit of world class coaching excellence in Olympic and Paralympic sport.


Kopecky, Igor

Graduating year: 2019
Degree: MHPCTL
Igor Kopecky has been a coach and athlete for the past 35 years, and is currently the technical director for BC Diving and the South Surrey White Rock Diving Club. Igor has coached at the World Cup, World Series, South American Championships, Commonwealth Games, World Junior Championships and the Pan Am Games.


Bahrami, Ben

Graduating year: 2013
Degree: MKin
Ben Bahrami, a Strength and Conditioning Coach for McMaster University. He is grateful that the UBC Masters of Kinesiology allowed him to focus on his passion and believes that although his knowledge of human physiology and biomechanics improved significantly, the most valuable thing he learned was how to establish a culture as a coach.


The annual Saltin International Course covers basic and applied science topics on various physiological systems and extends to common clinical physiological applications. Thematic areas in physiology will range from subcellular signalling to organ function and systemic integration.

The international aspect of the course facilitates the exchange of diverse topics, research perspectives, experimental approaches, research design, and national traditions. The International Course also aims to enhance academic and research interaction between institutions to enrich graduate student learning, develop networks and collaboration.

Download the full Program: Click Here.

MSc and PhD opportunities in exercise physiology at the Centre for Heart Lung Innovation at St. Paul’s Hospital

The Cardiopulmonary Exercise Physiology (CPEP) Laboratory is recruiting new students interested in pursuing graduate studies in human exercise physiology. The CPEP laboratory is located within the world renowned UBC Centre for Heart Lung Innovation at St. Paul’s Hospital. The lab studies the physiological mechanisms and management of exercise limitation and breathlessness across the full spectrum of health and fitness, including elite athletes to those suffering from chronic cardiorespiratory diseases. Students will work under the mentorship of Dr. Jordan Guenette and will collaborate with physicians, scientists, and graduate students from multiple institutions around the world. The following links provide more details about these exciting opportunities: