Ph.D. in Kinesiology - New Mexico Tech

A. PURPOSE OF THE PROGRAM
1. Primary Purposes of the Program:
• To provide potential PhD students with opportunities in an area of high academic
interest and relevance, for which limited opportunities exist, not only in New Mexico,
but also in the Western States and across the US.
• To enhance scholarship in areas of national, state, and local need; in particular, health
and physical activity promotion, as well as the biological and psychological bases for
physical activity in the prevention of disease and optimization of health and function
through the lifespan.
• To enhance the academic reputation of the department of HPDR through enriched
opportunities for scholarly productivity and development of future academicians,
clinicians, and scientists.
• To contribute to diversity in the professorate of Kinesiology by taking advantage of our
geographic position as there are few PhD programs in the border US-Mexico region, and
in fact no programs between Phoenix and Houston. Moreover, Hispanic and Native
Americans are among those populations who are at risk for certain Health Disparities.
Therefore, it is even more urgent that we prepare scientists and clinicians from these
underrepresented ethnicities.
• To impact the economic stability of the state of New Mexico by:
o Creating new knowledge, new technologies, and new approaches to managing
problems related to the health consequences of a sedentary lifestyle. In the case
of the PhD program in Kinesiology, the primary vehicle through which the
program will impact the economy of the state is by creating new and/or more
efficient methods of delivering health care programs to the people of the
state of New Mexico.
o Facilitating a culture of healthy behavior and reducing the prevalence of
obesity, diabetes, heart disease and other chronic diseases.
o Developing and participating in alliances with public and private agencies
(schools, health care agencies, community-service groups, etc.) to facilitate the
adoption, implementation, and maintenance of evidence-based best practices.
o Increasing the number of and quality of training for future academicians,
researchers, and practitioners who can serve New Mexico and the US within
the educational, healthcare, and public service structures of the state and nation.
o Strengthening academic preparation at all levels, including pre-professional
preparation of health care practitioners.
o Creating new revenue streams by securing federal funds dedicated to the
development and implementation of community-based initiatives aimed at
reducing the impact of chronic disease.
The impact on the economy will be discussed in greater detail in the justification section
of the proposal.
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