Undergraduate Studies
Students who complete the kinesiology program from ASU will receive a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in kinesiology. It is a discipline emphasizing the study of movement as it relates to physical activity, health and disease prevention, exercise and sport. Using both human and animal models and reflecting research ranging from basic to applied, it draws from an interdisciplinary body of knowledge grounded in the biological, psychological, physical and social sciences. Undergraduate students in the program gain disciplinary knowledge of anatomical, biomechanical, developmental, physiological, psychological and sociological aspects of human movement and physical activity. The department's graduate programs, at both the master's and doctoral levels, are highly regarded nationally and internationally and have a strong interdisciplinary emphasis.
Biomechanics: applying the laws of mechanics to the study of human movement, with special focus on kinematics and kinetic determinants of locomotion patterns in walking, running, cycling and swimming; neuromusculoskeletal modeling and computer simulation of locomotion in clinical and sport applications; ergonomics; and mechanisms underlying upper extremity repetitive strain injuries.
Exercise Physiology: the study of physiologic systems (cardiovascular, respiratory, muscular, endocrine and metabolic) under conditions of stress, particularly exercise stress, with special focus on how dietary nutrients influence resting and exercise metabolism; subcellular systems involved in the provision and regulation of energy transfer during exercise; and the interrelationships of exercise and training with stress, hormones, neurotransmitters and the immune system. The interaction between exercise and insulin action, and the effects of exercise on insulin sensitivity in Type 2 diabetes are major interests.
Motor Control: how movement is regulated and controlled via the nervous system in normal and pathological populations, especially those with motor deficits attributed to basal ganglia dysfunction and upper extremity coordination, particularly finger and hand posture, in reaching and prehensile movements.
Motor Development Studies: how human movement is generated and evolves throughout the life span, with special focus on learning and developing children, persons with Down's syndrome and adults, to investigate cerebral asymmetries and specificity of learning.
Sport and Exercise Psychology: the relationship between psychological constructs and physical activity and the influence of participation in physical activity on psychological phenomenon, with special focus on the influence of physical activity, fitness and particular sport practices on psychophysiological mechanisms and cognitive functioning; the effect of psychological skills for performance enhancement; motivational aspects of physical activity across the life span; and the effects of exercise on mental health.
