Master of Science Program
Clinical Track
The Clinical Track Master of Science program in exercise physiology provides course work and laboratory experience that prepares students for careers in adult fitness, hospital or corporate-based wellness programs, or cardiac rehabilitation. Students will complete clinical internship training as part of the course and laboratory requirements. This is a two-year program, which will qualify students to sit for the national certification examination for a "Registered Clinical Exercise Physiologist" of the American College of Sports Medicine.
Thesis Track
The Thesis Track Master of Science program in exercise physiology is intended to give exceptional students knowledge in basic medical and scientific areas to prepare them for entry into advanced research intensive or professional careers (e.g., Ph.D., MD/Ph.D.; PT, OT, dentistry, pharmacy, etc). Students in the thesis track will typically take 2 academic years to complete the course work and research thesis. Graduate work involves a program of study and research individually designed to utilize the abilities and strengths of the faculty and accommodate the needs of the student within an area of specific interest. Although there are common goals, expectations, and courses that will be universal for all masters' graduate students, the exact content of a program of study may differ from one student to another. The handbook and course selections are detailed in the
"Policies and Procedures" Handbook.
Admission Requirements
Approximately 12 students are accepted into the clinical track and 5 students are accepted into the thesis track once a year on a competitive basis. Applicants must have a baccalaureate degree in an allied field from an accredited institution with a minimum undergraduate grade-point average of 3.0 (based on A = 4.0 grade points). Three letters of reference and GRE scores are required. Applicants are selected for admission on the basis of scholastic standing (special attention is given to science grades), and recommendations. The graduate application, three letters of reference, GRE scores and college transcripts must be submitted by February 15th. ALL immunization forms and records must be submitted prior to starting classes in the Fall semester. Immunization forms can be found on the
Health Forms Page.
Preferred prerequisite requirements for admission:
- Completion of a baccalaureate degree in exercise science or other health and/or science related field
- Human anatomy
- Human physiology
- Exercise Sciences courses
- Biology with lab
- Inorganic chemistry with lab
- Organic chemistry
- Introductory Psychology
- Physics with lab (4 credits)
- Introductory Statistics / Economics
Aplication Process:
There are six (6) basic steps that you will need to complete before February 15, 2010 if you would like to apply to our graduate program. (Late applications will be considered, but we anticipate that all of the offers of admission will be sent by March 15, 2010).
A. Download and Complete the Application for Graduate Admission
- DOWNLOAD and MAILGraduate Admission Application: http://www.arc.wvu.edu/admissions/forms/Graduate_Application.pdf
or, DOWNLOAD the same file here: Graduate-Application.pdf
International applicants download: http://www.arc.wvu.edu/admissions/forms/International_Application.pdf
or, DOWNLOAD the same file here: International-Application.pdf
- The code for Exercise Physiology is 8335.
- Under point 16, "Areas of Concentration/Teaching Certification" indicate if you are seeking a
Thesis track (T) or Clinical track (C) degree.
Note: This is point 12 for international applications.
B. Complete the Application for Graduate Assistantship
DOWNLOAD: Application Graduate Assistantship.pdf
C. Complete a letter (not to exceed 2 pages) indicating why you want to obtain a masters degree from Exercise Physiology at West Virginia University, School of Medicine, and indicate your career goals. (No special form for this.) Include in your letter why you are selecting the clinical or the thesis track.
D. Take GRE and arrange to have scores sent to Admissions and Records.
E. Arrange to have a minimum of 3 letters of reference sent to Admission and Records. A form letter is below that you can download and print out and give to your references. However, your references can write a letter on their own letter head and not use this form, as long as their letter contains the information identified in this form.
DOWNLOAD: Graduate-Program-Recommendation-Form-2008.pdf
F. Double check that you have everything completed (including your interest in the clinical or thesis track) and send all of the materials above (A - E) by February 15, 2010.
Clinical Track Program Requirements
This is a two year program. The following courses or equivalents are required. Typically ~ 70% of the students admitted to the Masters clinical track receive graduate assistantships (teaching or clinical laboratory assistantships). Funding is dependent upon availability of departmental resources and departmental needs.
| MASTERS OF SCIENCE COURSES - CLINICAL TRACK |
|---|
| PSIO 743 | Fundamentals of Physiology | Fall | | 4 |
| EXPH 670 | Lab Techniques & Methods II (ECG) | Fall | | 3 |
| STAT 511 | Statistics (or another approved statistics) | Fall | | 3-4 |
|
| EXPH 567 | Exercise Physiology 2 | Spring | | 4 |
| PCOL 693 | Pharmacology: Drugs and Medicines | Spring | | 3 |
| EXPH 693A | Research Methods & Design | Spring | | 3 |
| Elective** | Spring | | 0-4 |
|
| EXPH 693B | Clinical Lab 1 (stress testing) | | Summer | 3 |
| Elective** | | Summer | 3 |
|
| EXPH 693C | Exercise Prescription & Testing I | | Fall | 4 |
| EXPH693D | Clinical Lab 2 (cardiovascular & metabolic) | | Fall | 3 |
| EXPH 460 | Pathophysiology | | Fall | 3 |
| Elective** | | Fall | 2-4 |
|
| EXPH 693E | Clinical Lab 3 (neuro & immune) | | Spring | 3 |
| EXPH 693F | Exercise Prescription & Testing II | | Spring | 4 |
| Elective** | | Spring | 3 |
** Recommended Electives
| EXPH 691 G | | Anatomy – 3 credits (Summer) |
| HN&F 619 | | Nutrition and Disease – 3 credits (Spring) |
| EXPH 697 | | Research 1-4 (Fall, Spring, Summer) |
| AGBI 610 | | General Biochemistry – 4 credits (Fall) |
Thesis Track Program Requirements
This is a two year program. The following courses or equivalents are required. Typically 90% of the students admitted to the Masters track receive graduate assistantships (teaching or clinical laboratory assistantships). Funding is dependent upon availability of departmental resources. For a list of eligible faculty mentors for students enrolled in the Masters Thesis track please contact Dr. Alway (
salway@hsc.wvu.edu).
| MASTERS OF SCIENCE COURSES - THESIS TRACK |
|---|
| PSIO 743 | Fundamentals of Physiology | Fall | | 4 |
| AGBI514 | Animal Biotechnology (or equivalent) | Fall | | 4 |
| EXPH 697 | Research | Fall | | 2 |
| |
| EXPH 567 | Exercise Physiology-2 | Spring | | 4 |
| EXPH 697 | Research | Spring | | 2-5 |
| EXPH 693 | Research methods** | Spring | | 1-4 |
| EXPH 799 | Graduate colloquium | Fall | | 1 |
| |
| EXPH 697 | Research | | Summer | 3 |
| STAT 511 | Statistics | | Summer | 3 |
| |
| EXPH 697 | Research | | Fall | 3-6 |
| EXPH 799 | Graduate colloquium | | Fall | 1 |
| Electives** | | Fall | 3-6 |
| |
| EXPH 799 | Graduate colloquium | | Spring | 1 |
| EXPH 697 | Research | | Spring | 5-8 |
| | Elective** | | Spring | 1-3 |
* Or other suitable course as approved by the student’s advisor and thesis committee
** Elective courses may be appropriate graduate level courses as recommendation by the Chair of the student’s thesis committee and with approval of the members of the thesis committee.
Recommended Electives
AG610 General Biochemistry (Fall) 4 credits
EXPH 791B Advanced Muscle Physiology, (Spring) 3 credits
EXPH 791A Advance Cardiovascular Physiology, Fall (3 credits)
HN&F 619 Nutrition in the Prevention of Human Diseases (Spring) - 3 credits
SEQUENCE FOR PROGRESSION THROUGH MASTERS THESIS TRACK
Academic Year 1:
May – Thesis advisor is assigned at point of acceptance to the masters program
October 1 - Identify thesis committee
November 1 - Meet with thesis committee and student. Committee review’s student’s progress. Establish and sign off on the Plan of study.
June-July – Student provides written proposal, a minimum of 2 weeks before an oral defense of proposal. The proposal will be advertised and departmental/divisional faculty and students invited.
July-August 1 – Student begins thesis work
Academic Year 2:
Prepare abstracts from data for NSCA, MARC (October) and/or ACSM (November)
April–May - student defends thesis, submits manuscripts with mentor for publication. Goal for one publication in a peer reviewed journal.
Although it is expected that most students will complete their work by the end of the Spring Semester (two academic years), on a case-by-case basis, student’s may continue their work between May-August with the approval of the thesis committee.
NOTES
Divisional funding is not guaranteed for any thesis track student. The number of students funded will be budget dependent. Students selected for funding may receive funding for up to two academic years, dependent upon satisfactory progress (maintaining GPA of 3.0 or greater; satisfactory progress in research as determined by the thesis committee). Funding for the first year does not imply automatic funding for a second year. Many students will be on teaching GA’s and some will not receive funding at all. Faculty advisors are however encouraged to seek funding for their graduate students.
Admissions and curriculum requirements are subject to change without prior notice.
Policy for Grades and Academic Standards in Graduate School
Masters students in both clinical and thesis tracks must achieve
a grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 or better to graduate.
Any letter grade less than a "B" is considered unsatisfactory because it is "Substandard for graduate students"
at West Virginia University (pp. 30 of the West Virginia University Graduate Catalogue).
ALL graduate courses should have a letter grade of "B" or better and
ALL EXPH courses
must have a letter grade of "B" or better to graduate.
The graduate policy for Exercise Physiology is that for graduation, students can obtain a maximum of one (1) "C"
in a non-EXPH course that is considered non-essential (i.e., of an elective nature). If a student obtains a "C" in an EXPH or
an essential course, the student must retake that course and/or take another appropriate replacement course as approved by
the student’s advisor and graduate committee, and obtain a grade of "B" or better in that course before being certified for graduation.
For example, if a student obtained a "C" in EITHER (not both) STAT 511 or PHARM 559 in the masters curriculum and the student's cumulative GPA was 3.0 or above, the student could still graduate.
If the student obtained a letter grade of "C" in EXPH 693, he/she must retake the class even if their GPA is above 3.0. Students who are not sure if a "C" that they obtained is in an essential course should contact their academic advisor for clarification.