Ph.D. in Kinesiology - New Mexico Tech

Concurrent with this emergence of the physical inactivity epidemic, the HPDR department has
experienced a dramatic increase in the number of majors and overall student enrollment,
particularly over the past eight years. In 2003, the department was home to 228 majors, but now
accommodates over 500. The increase in enrollment is to a significant extent due to the increased
opportunities for employment in the fields of medicine and disease prevention, and the excellent
foundation students receive prior to enrolling in professional and graduate programs in medicine
and the allied health sciences. In addition, the department continues to experience a consistent and
significant interest from students who are pursuing careers as physical educators in K-12 school
settings, as well as from students who have an interest in and aptitude for the art of human
movement and therefore enroll in what is one of the most well-respected dance programs in the
country.
The department currently offers undergraduate degrees in several content areas within the scope of
Kinesiology, including Exercise Science, Physical Education Teacher Preparation, Athletic
Training, and Dance. In recent years, the department of HPDR has attracted highly productive and
well-seasoned scholars who are strengthening the national visibility and reputation of the
department and therefore, the university. Since 2003 the department has added four very
productive scholars who are at different points in their careers. These hires have been made
specifically to strengthen the department’s research contributions to the university and to establish
sustainable lines of inquiry for which the department will develop a strong reputation.
Two of the these recent hires (Oliver, 2003; Wood 2009) are “full” professors and have obtained
well in excess of $1million from agencies such as the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the United States Department of Education
(DoE). Furthermore, these scholars have mentored dozens of Master’s and Doctoral students, some
of whom now hold faculty positions at Highly Active Research Universities and have significant
NIH funding. The other two recent hires (Post, 2010; Keeley, 2011) are Assistant Professors with
excellent track records in research and instruction, despite the fact that they are early career faculty.
These young scholars have been mentored at excellent graduate programs (University of Tennessee
and University of Arkansas, respectively) and have great promise for developing into excellent
academic leaders.
Thus, the department of HPDR has now evolved to a point where it is well-positioned to fully
contribute to the research mission of NMSU. The strong external demand and internal demand
for a PhD program in Kinesiology, the capacity of HPDR, given their faculty and resources
provided by the College of Education and University, and the research and land-grant missions of
NMSU, clearly justify the need for the proposed program.
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