PhD Program

Minimum Admission Requirements

• Applicants are admitted under the General Regulations of the School of Graduate Studies. Applicants must also satisfy the Graduate Department of Kinesiology's additional admission requirements stated below.

• A master's degree from the University of Toronto or a recognized university. Formal graduate training in kinesiology is preferred.

• Successful defence of a master's thesis at a recognized university.

• An academic standing equivalent to a University of Toronto A– (80% to 84%) in the master's degree completed.

• A potential supervisor identified from the Faculty of Kinesiology and Physical Education. A supervisor is not required at the time of application, but applicants are encouraged to begin their search early. See the full list of faculty members. Only applicants who have a supervisor will be admitted to the program.

• Proficiency in the English language must be demonstrated by all applicants educated outside Canada whose primary language is not English and who graduated from a university where the language of instruction and examination was not English. The Faculty prefers the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) with the following minimum scores:

  • paper-based test: 600 with 5 on the Test of Written English (TWE) and 50 on the Test of Spoken English (TSE)

  • Internet-based test: 100/120 overall and 22/30 on the writing and speaking sections.

Completion Requirements

• Full-time registration (Fall, Spring, Summer sessions) throughout the entire doctoral program.

• Coursework. Students must successfully complete a total of 1.5 full-course equivalents (FCEs) as follows:

  • 1.0 FCE from either Kinesiology or another department

  • 0.5 FCE Statistics or Methodology course

• SRD4445H Doctoral Seminar Series — Compulsory Attendance, a graduate seminar in Kinesiology.

• All courses must be approved in advance by the student's supervisor.

• The student's annual program plan must be approved by the supervisor.

• Successful completion of a comprehensive examination.

• Writing of a thesis under the supervision of a thesis committee (supervisor plus at least three additional faculty members) and its defence before an examination committee appointed by the Graduate Department of Kinesiology.

• Oral defence of the thesis before an examination committee approved by the School of Graduate Studies.

Mode of Delivery: In person
Program Length: 4 years full-time (typical registration sequence: Continuous)
Time Limit: 6 years full-time

 

PhD Program (Direct-Entry)

Minimum Admission Requirements

• Applicants are admitted under the General Regulations of the School of Graduate Studies. Applicants must also satisfy the Graduate Department of Kinesiology's additional admission requirements stated below.

• An appropriate Bachelor of Kinesiology degree or its equivalent from the University of Toronto or from another recognized university.

• A background in kinesiology or a discipline compatible with the research interests and interdisciplinary nature of the Faculty of Kinesiology and Physical Education is preferred.

• An academic standing equivalent to a University of Toronto A– (80% to 84%) in the last five full-course equivalents of relevant, senior-level courses.

• A potential supervisor identified from the Faculty of Kinesiology and Physical Education. A supervisor is not required at the time of application, but applicants are encouraged to begin their search early. See the full list of faculty members. Only applicants who have a supervisor will be admitted to the program.

• Proficiency in the English language must be demonstrated by all applicants educated outside Canada whose primary language is not English and who graduated from a university where the language of instruction and examination was not English. The Faculty prefers the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) with the following minimum scores:

  • paper-based test: 600 with 5 on the Test of Written English (TWE) and 50 on the Test of Spoken English (TSE)

  • Internet-based test: 100/120 overall and 22/30 on the writing and speaking sections.

Completion Requirements

• Full-time registration (Fall, Spring, Summer sessions) throughout the entire doctoral program.

• Coursework. Students must successfully complete a total of 2.5 full-course equivalents (FCEs) as follows. All courses must be approved in advance by the student's supervisor.

  • 2.0 FCEs from either Kinesiology or another department

  • 0.5 FCE Statistics or Methodology course

• SRD4445H Doctoral Seminar Series — Compulsory Attendance, a graduate seminar in Kinesiology.

• All courses must be approved in advance by the student's supervisor.

• The student's annual program plan must be approved by the supervisor.

• Successful completion of a comprehensive examination.

• Writing of a thesis under the supervision of a thesis committee (supervisor plus at least three additional faculty members) and its defence before an examination committee appointed by the Graduate Department of Kinesiology.

• Oral defence of the thesis before an examination committee approved by the School of Graduate Studies.

Mode of Delivery: In person
Program Length: 5 years full-time (typical registration sequence: Continuous)
Time Limit: 7 years full-time

 

PhD Program (Flexible-Time)

Minimum Admission Requirements

• Applicants are admitted under the General Regulations of the School of Graduate Studies. Applicants must also satisfy the Graduate Department of Kinesiology's additional admission requirements stated below.

• A master's degree from the University of Toronto or a recognized university. Formal graduate training in kinesiology is preferred.

• Successful defence of a master’s thesis at a recognized university.

• An academic standing equivalent to a University of Toronto A– (80% to 84%) in the master's degree completed.

• A potential supervisor identified from the Faculty of Kinesiology and Physical Education. A supervisor is not required at the time of application, but applicants are encouraged to begin their search early. See the full list of faculty members. Only applicants who have a supervisor will be admitted to the program.

• Proficiency in the English language must be demonstrated by all applicants educated outside Canada whose primary language is not English and who graduated from a university where the language of instruction and examination was not English. The Faculty prefers the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) with the following minimum scores:

  • paper-based test: 600 with 5 on the Test of Written English (TWE) and 50 on the Test of Spoken English (TSE)

  • Internet-based test: 100/120 overall and 22/30 on the writing and speaking sections.

Completion Requirements

• With the approval of the Director, Graduate Studies, some applicants may be admitted to a flexible-time PhD program. This program will benefit mature students with career and/or familial obligations.

• Degree requirements for the flexible-time program are identical to those listed above for the full-time PhD program; however, students have up to eight years to complete the program.

• Coursework. Students must successfully complete a total of 1.5 full-course equivalents (FCEs) as follows:

  • 1.0 FCE from either Kinesiology or another department

  • 0.5 FCE Statistics or Methodology course

• SRD4445H Doctoral Seminar Series - Compulsory Attendance, a graduate seminar in Kinesiology.

• All courses must be approved in advance by the student's supervisor.

• The student's annual program plan must be approved by the supervisor.

• Successful completion of a comprehensive examination.

• Writing of a thesis under the supervision of a thesis committee (supervisor plus at least three additional faculty members) and its defence before an examination committee appointed by the Graduate Department of Kinesiology.

• Oral defence of the thesis before an examination committee approved by the School of Graduate Studies.

• Flexible-time students must register full-time for the first four years of the program. Thereafter, they may register part-time.

• A plan of study and research activities will be negotiated at initial registration, to be reviewed and updated annually.

Mode of Delivery: In person
Program Length: 6 years full-time (typical registration sequence: Continuous)
Time Limit: 8 years full-time