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**Review** Graduate Catalog 2025-2026

Sport and Exercise Science Ph.D. – Physical Education and Physical Activity Leadership (PE PAL) Concentration

 

Program Overview

College of Natural and Health Sciences

General Doctoral Degree Admission Requirements

View delivery options, start terms and admission requirements.

Location: Gunter 2590

Telephone: 970-351-2755

Fax: 970-351-1489

Website: www.unco.edu/nhs/sport-exercise-science/

Our Ph.D. in Sport and Exercise Science: Physical Education and Physical Activity Leadership is a research degree, designed for students who seek careers as college or university professors or related areas. In addition to building academic expertise in physical education and physical activity leadership, you will develop excellent teaching skills, drawing on UNC’s strength as an educator-training institution. Alumni of our doctoral program have a stellar record of faculty job placements. Students will be able to: Pursue an academic career as a faculty member; Produce applied, relevant, influential research; Belong to a global alumni network.

Degree Requirements — 65-68 Credits

Prerequisites — 3 credits

SES 602Introduction to Research in Sport and Exercise Science

3

May be required if not taken during a student’s Master’s program.

Required Concentration Credits — 22 credits

SES 622Directed Studies

1- 4

SES 680Perspectives in Sport Pedagogy

3

SES 681Research on Teaching and Teachers in Physical Activity Settings

3

SES 682Program Design and Evaluation in Physical Activity Settings

3

SES 695Seminar in Physical Education

1

SES 696College Teaching

3

SES 695: Take four times.

And choose 3 credits from the following:

SES 622Directed Studies

1- 4

SES 755Supervised Practicum in College Teaching

1- 6

Research Core — 12 credits

Take all the following courses:

SES 703Research Seminar in Sport and Exercise Science

3

SRM 602Statistical Methods I

3

SRM 680Introduction to Qualitative Research

3

Choose 1 of the following courses:

SRM 603Statistical Methods II

3

SRM 607Non-Parametric Statistics

3

SRM 610Statistical Methods III

3

SRM 625Applied Multiple Regression Analysis

3

SRM 627Survey Research Methods

3

SRM 635Categorical Data Analysis

3

SRM 660Mixed Methods Research

3

SRM 685Educational Ethnography

3

SRM 686Qualitative Case Study Research

3

SRM 687Narrative Inquiry

3

SRM 688Writing Qualitative Research

3

SRM 731Multivariate Analysis

3

Research Proposal/Dissertation — 16 credits

SES 797Doctoral Proposal Research

1- 4

SES 799Doctoral Dissertation

1-12

Research Tools

Doctoral students in this degree must demonstrate competency in two research tools. Four possibilities are listed below:

  1. Research Design. Applied Statistics/Quantitative Methods. Complete 9-12 hours (excluding SRM 600 and SRM 700).
  2. Research Design. Applied Statistics/Qualitative Methods. Complete 9-12 hours (excluding SRM 600 and SRM 700).
  3. Discipline-Specific Laboratory Techniques. Exhibit competency in laboratory-based research work, which is specific to a student’s concentration area. Coursework supporting this requirement is acceptable, but not required.
  4. A collateral field of study may be used as a substitute for a research tool. See Graduate School policies for details.

Cognate Credits — 15 credits

Must choose 15 credits from one of the Cognate Areas:

Physical Education Teacher Education Cognate

EDF 610Teacher Research

3

EDF 619Pluralism in Education

3

EDF 664Instruction and Assessment

3

EDF 685Philosophical Foundations of Education

3

EDF 700Implementation and Evaluation of Curriculum

3

EDF 777Social Justice in Education Reform

3

EDF 781Perspectives on Curriculum

3

EDF 787Technology, Innovation, and Education

3

SES 612Assessment in Sport Pedagogy

3

SES 614Analysis of Teaching in Physical Education

3

Physical Activity Leadership and Community Health Cognate

CH 509Behavior Change Theories

3

CH 525Contemporary Issues in School Health

3

CH 530Strategies for Community Health Promotion

3

CH 533Physical Activity Interventions in the Community

3

CH 615Methods in Public Health Research and Evaluation

3

SES 646Comprehensive School Physical Activity Programming

3

SES 647School Physical Activity Policy, Advocacy, and Leadership

3

Program Note

In addition to Graduate School candidacy and graduation requirements, doctoral students in the School of Sport and Exercise Science must complete requirements associated with the SES doctoral matrix.

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