Master's Degree-
Several areas of study can be chosen for the Master of Science degree in Kinesiology at Indiana University. The area of Human Performance includes Exercise Physiology, Motor Control and Biomechanics. Thesis and non-thesis Master's degrees are available. The thesis option is much more demanding than the non-thesis option, and is strongly recommended for students who may wish to continue eventually on to a Ph.D. degree program. Biomechanics students follow the thesis option. Admission to this option is limited, and requires approval by the thesis chairperson. The qualities and academic background sought in Biomechanics Master's students are the same as those sought in Biomechanics Ph.D. students. (See below.) Students who wish to improve their knowledge of Biomechanics but do not wish to do a thesis are advised to look into the Applied Sports Science program. All Biomechanics Master's students will work also in the other subareas within Human Performance, as well as in the development of general tool skills, such as Statistics.
Doctoral Degree-
Admission to the doctoral (Ph.D.) degree program requires approval by the Department of Kinesiology and acceptance by a faculty sponsor for the particular area of study (Biomechanics, Exercise Physiology, etc.). For sponsorship of a student in Biomechanics, the main considerations are: (a) the course background of the student (science courses, including Physics, Mathematics, Computer Science, Anatomy, Chemistry, Physiology, etc.); (b) the student's mathematics ("quantitative") GRE score, which should be in the 700's (the verbal and analytical GRE scores are not too important, although the Department of Kinesiology requires scores above the 50th percentile score reported by Educational Testing Service in two of the three measures: verbal, quantitative, analytical); and (c) the student's record of interest and academic performance in the biomechanics of human movement.
The doctoral student in Biomechanics will be a specialist, with courses in mechanics, computers and biomechanics procedures, as well as research projects and a dissertation. Still, the student will also have to take a minor outside the Department of Kinesiology (usually in Computer Science), as well as courses in Statistics, Motor Control, Exercise Physiology, etc. Some background in the biological sciences is desirable for this curriculum; an excellent aptitude in math/mechanics is crucial.
Biomechanics Courses
Assistantships and Fellowships