our history

formation of a degree

Change of address

On February 10, 1960, the name of the School was changed to the School of Physical Education and Recreation and the first Bachelor of Recreation degree was awarded in 1969. From 1945 until 1963, the School offered a physical education required program for all first and second year university students in addition to the degree programs. In the Fall of 1958, a graduate program at the Master's level was introduced with the first M.P.E. degree being awarded in the Fall of 1960. In 1963, the School was removed from the Faculty of Arts and Science and re-located in the Faculty of Education. In 1969, the undergraduate degree program branched into two options (A and B), with students interested in teaching physical education entering a separate option from those interested in studying the science relating to physical education.

a new focus

Undergraduate student enrollment reached an all time high of 730 students in 1975. In 1978, the university reflected an increasing emphasis on research and scholarly productivity and the School also began to move in this direction. Associated with this emphasis on studying the science relating to physical activity, the existing laboratories began to develop and to grow. In 1979, a Sports Medicine Clinic opened in the School's John Owen Pavilion on the south campus with specific faculty of this clinic also being associated with the School in both teaching and research. The Bachelor of Recreation degree was discontinued in 1985 but the name of the School still contained the word Recreation.

On-going Development

Although the original mandate of the School included both intramural and extramural athletic programs, a special committee established in 1987 by the President of the university recommended that ties between the School and Intramural and Extramural Athletics be severed with the exception of selected areas of cooperation. The undergraduate B.P.E. degree expanded in 1987 to include seven programs: Exercise Science, Health and Fitness, Leisure Studies, Leisure and Sport Administration, Motor Performance and Control, Instruction and Coaching, and General Studies. The School initiated a restriction on enrollment in 1989 in order to maintain the high quality of the programs. These programs were reduced to four programs in the Fall of 1993 and the total number of credits for the undergraduate degree was also reduced at that time (from 132 to 120 credits). In 1991-92, an advancement policy was also approved to ensure a continuing high quality of students in the School's programs. Undergraduate students are accepted on the basis of their GPAs and although the intent was to reduce undergraduate enrollment to a total of 550 students, enrollment figures are over 750. There are 170 "new" undergraduate students accepted each year ( this number is divided between years 1, 2, and 3). In 1994, the name of the School became the School of Human Kinetics which faculty generally felt better reflected the breadth of programs and interests in the School. During the same year, the M.P.E. degree became the M.H.K. degree and two additional Masters degrees (Master of Arts and Master of Science) which offer opportunities for original investigation at the Masters level were initiated. The School's doctoral program also began in 1994.

the future

Today, our graduates are employed in many different fields, as the School of Human Kinetics is a spring board of opportunities to many careers  in a variety of disciplines ranging from sports administration and coaching to biomedical research and health sciences.  The future is now, and together we can make it a reality.