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**Review** Graduate Catalog 2025-2026

Sport and Exercise Science PhD – Biomechanics Concentration

Program Overview

College of Natural and Health Sciences 

Coordinator: Abbie Ferris, Ph.D.

Email: Abbie.Ferris@unco.edu

Location: Gunter 2590

Telephone: 970-351-1238

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

In addition to required coursework, doctoral students in the biomechanics concentration assist with current research projects associated with their interests and specialized coursework which exposes them to research tools and procedures in the laboratory. Involvement in these lab research activities will help to stimulate the student’s development of research questions to pursue a dissertation. Experience in the classroom as a university-level instructor is also required of doctoral students given the teacher-scholar emphasis at UNC.

Admission

Location: Greeley

Start Term: Fall

General Doctoral Degree Admission Requirements

Sport and Exercise Science Ph.D.-Biomechanics Concentration

Admission Deadline

Fall Admissions: Feb. 1 to be given priority screening for fall admission of that year.

Admission Requirements

Applicants must apply to the Graduate School at the University of Northern Colorado before the program area reviews the applicant’s request for admission. Failure to submit all required materials will delay the evaluation and screening of your application.

Each applicant must:

  • Possess a master’s degree from an Institutionally Accredited college or university or a comparable degree from a foreign institution.
  • Have a cumulative GPA of 3.00 or better (on a 4.00 scale) for the most recent degree earned or current degree in progress.

    • If you are still completing your master's degree at the time you apply, admission will be based on your current cumulative GPA, and you will need to re-submit your official transcript (showing your conferred degree and final GPA) during your first semester. If your final GPA fell below 3.00, you will be given additional requirements as defined by the academic program that must be met within one calendar year to remain enrolled at UNC.

Take the following steps to be considered for admission:

Step 1: Complete the Application

Complete the online application.

  • Answer the application questions.
  • Send your requests for letters of recommendation.
    • Request three (3) academic or professional letters of recommendation from those who can attest to your academic potential and abilities. You will be asked to supply information for your recommenders in the application.
  • Submit the application and pay the non-refundable application fee. 
    • Domestic Students: $50 non-refundable application fee
    • International Students: $50 non-refundable application fee
    • The Graduate School is waiving application fees for all current UNC students and alumni! (The waiver applies only to the UNC Graduate School application.) Click for details.

Once you submit your application you will be assigned an Admissions Portal, allowing you to upload supplemental items, as listed below, and track your application through the admissions process.

Step 2: Request Transcripts

Request one official transcript from any regionally accredited college or university where a bachelor’s degree or higher was earned or is in progress (if you have earned multiple degrees, bachelor’s level or higher, an official transcript is required from each college or university where a degree was conferred). If you received a degree from UNC, you do not need to request a transcript from UNC. The Office of Admissions reserves the right to request that applicants provide official transcripts from other colleges or universities as needed. Applicants who have earned or are directly pursuing a higher degree from a regionally accredited institution without receiving a bachelor’s degree (e.g., PharmD) may be eligible to apply to the Graduate School without the conferral of a bachelor’s degree. 

Exceptions:

  • If an applicant intends to use Veteran’s Education Benefits, an official transcript from all colleges or universities attended will be required in order to maintain compliance with Veteran’s Affairs policies.
  • Per program requirements, some programs may require that official transcripts from each college or university attended be submitted for admission consideration. Currently, applicants to the following programs must list all colleges or universities attended and provide official transcripts for each:
    • Biomedical Sciences MBS
    • Sport and Exercise Science — Biomechanics Emphasis (M.S. and Ph.D.)
    • Athletic Training M.S.

Official transcripts from U.S. institutions should be sent via mail directly from the educational institution in an unopened, sealed envelope or through an electronically secure digital program from the issuing institution.

Mailed transcripts should be sent to:

University of Northern Colorado
Office of Admissions
Campus Box 10
501 20th St
Greeley, CO 80639

Electronic transcripts from U.S. institutions should be sent directly from the educational institution to: grad.admissions@unco.edu.

The Office of Admissions does not accept email, scanned or PDF transcripts directly from applicants. All official transcripts, submitted as part of the application process, are retained by UNC and not returned to applicants or admitted students.

UNC retains submitted transcripts, from institutions other than UNC, for admitted students for up to five years after graduation or date of last attendance at UNC. Transcripts provided by applicants who were not admitted, denied admissions or did not complete their application are destroyed after one (1) year. The Office of Admissions will make every attempt to use previously-submitted transcripts if they are within these timeframes. However, if the Office of Admissions cannot locate previously submitted transcripts, the transcripts fall outside the timeframes listed above or they are considered illegible, applicants must provide new transcripts.

Applicants with academic credentials from outside the U.S. will need to follow therequirements for submission of foreign transcripts. Click on the Transcripts tab for information about international transcripts.

Step 3: Take the GRE

Official GRE scores (less than five years old) are required. UNC's institutional code is 4074. 

Required minimum scores:

  • 140 Quantitative;
  • 146 Verbal Reasoning;
  • Combined score of at least 297;
  • Analytical Writing 3.5

Please note, UNC does not accept GRE Subject Test scores.

Step 4: Supplemental Items

Log back into the Admissions Portal to submit the following:

  • Letter of Intent
    • Written statementof your background, career goals and research interests (if applicable). Please indicate that you are applying to the SES: Biomechanics Ph.D. program in the first paragraph. Failure to do so could mean a rejection of your application.
    • It is also important that the name(s) of any faculty member(s) you are interested in working with appear somewhere in your research statement. Our program is mentor-based so faculty members are instrumental in admissions decisions.
  • Current resume or curriculum vitae

Once you apply to the UNC Graduate School and your application packet is complete, your application will be reviewed by the Graduate School and then sent to the faculty/program for an admission recommendation. The timing of the admission decision depends on each individual program’s deadline and review process.

International Applicants

International applicants (non-U.S. citizen/non-U.S. Permanent Resident) please refer to the International Admissions Requirements page for further information about submitting transcripts, English proficiency scores, passport copy and financial documentation.

For More Information 
For more information about the admission process, please email the Office of Admissions at grad.admissions@unco.edu or call 970-351-2881.

 

Degree Requirements — 64-67 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 Credits — 24 credits

SES 618Biomechanics of Locomotion

3

SES 619Advanced Biomechanics

3

SES 620Neuromuscular Structure and Function

3

SES 622Directed Studies

1- 4

SES 625Laboratory Techniques in Exercise Science Research

3

SES 627Muscle Physiology

3

SES 755Supervised Practicum in College Teaching

1- 6

SES 622: Take 6 hours

SES 625: Laboratory Techniques in Biomechanics

SES 755: Take 3 hours

Elective Credits (in consultation with advisor) — 12 credits

SES 550Neural Aspects of Kinesiology

3

SES 624Advanced Developmental Kinesiology

3

SES 626Metabolism

3

SES 635Exercise and Sports Psychology

3

SES 665Advanced Sociological Kinesiology

3

SES 692Graduate Internship in Sport and Exercise Science

1- 6

Research Core — 12 credits

SRM 602Statistical Methods I

3

SRM 603Statistical Methods II

3

SES 703Research Seminar in Sport and Exercise Science

3

SRM 610Statistical Methods III

3

or

SRM 680Introduction to Qualitative Research

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 the two following research tools listed below:

  1. Research Design. Applied Statistics/Quantitative Methods. Complete 9-12 credits (excluding SRM 600 and SRM 700).
  2. 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.

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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