UBC Kinesiology: Overview

Written by Stephanie Pugh and Matthew Tran

The study of human movement, physical exercise, and sport, as well as their effects on health, performance, society, and quality of life, is known as kinesiology.

Human movement is studied in kinesiology from a variety of perspectives, including anatomy, physiology, biomechanics, sports medicine, psychology, society, and the humanities. Through its community outreach activities, UBC Kinesiology promotes lifelong engagement in physical exercise and fosters a diverse, holistic, and active lifestyle in support of the development of healthy individuals, groups, and society.

Do you want to be a part of the UBC Kinesiology community? Continue reading to learn more!

Why Choose UBC Kinesiology?

The School of Kinesiology is a large and complex organization consisting of four departments, two schools, academic and administrative units, and research centres and institutes. At UBC Kinesiology you can prepare for your professional practice in a wide range of education-related fields with programs offered both on-campus, off-campus, and online!

Kinesiology at UBC is an excellent place to begin a professional career in kinesiology, active health, research, education, recreation, or sports. A bachelor’s degree in kinesiology (BKin) is also a good first step toward a second degree in medicine, rehabilitation sciences, education, or dentistry, among other fields.

The School of Kinesiology’s undergraduate BKin degree programme includes a core curriculum that includes courses in active health, biomechanics, anatomy, physiology, motor learning, psychology, and sociology. Beginning in the second year, students will specialize in one of three streams: Neuromechanical and Physiological Sciences (NPSC), Social and Behavioural Sciences (SBSC), or Multidisciplinary Science (MDSC).

UBC Kinesiology Highlights:

  • Ranked #1 in Canada and North America for sports-related subjects
  • Ranked #4 in the world for sports-related research and teaching

Admission Requirements

Before you apply for the program, you’ll need to see if you meet the admission requirements first!

Admission to UBC is competitive, all applicants must meet UBC’s general admission requirements and English Language Admission Standard.

General admission requirements

  • Graduation from high school
  • Minimum of 70% in Grade 11 or Grade 12 English (or their equivalents). Keep in mind that the higher your average, the more competitive of an applicant you are for the program!
  • At least six academic/non-academic Grade 12 courses (recommended, but not required)

Now, to join UBC Kinesiology, you must fulfill these Degree-specific requirements:

Grade 12 requirements

  • ENG4U (English)
  • One of MHF4U (Advanced Functions), SBI4U (Biology), SCH4U (Chemistry), or SPH4U (Physics)
  • Related courses The following subject categories are particularly relevant for this degree. Consider taking courses in these areas in Grade 11 and Grade 12.
    • Language Arts
    • Mathematics and Computation
    • Sciences
    • Social Studies

UBC Kinesiology Scholarships

Worried about tuition costs? Don’t worry about these costs just yet — UBC has a multitude of scholarships available for UBC students!

Students in the School of Kinesiology are eligible to apply for many scholarships and awards, some of these are applied from the School and others from the College of Health Disciplines.

The School of Kinesiology offers a number of scholarships, awards and prizes “to reward undergraduate students in the Bachelor of Kinesiology program who have displayed achievement, leadership and competency”.

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