Kinesiology
Examining Human Movement — and Its Powerful Impact on Health and Well-being
The Department of Kinesiology in Penn State's College of Health and Human Development has built a long-standing reputation of excellence in the study of physical activity, from the basic mechanisms of human movement to the complex dynamics of physical activity in society as a whole.
Undergraduate Program
Undergraduate Program
The central focus of the undergraduate kinesiology program is examining physical activity — ranging from the basic mechanisms of human movement to the complex dynamics of physical activity in the context of human health and well-being.
Learn moreGraduate Program
Graduate Program
The graduate program in kinesiology has been ranked as one of the top three programs in the United States by the National Academy of Kinesiology for the last 15 years. Our research and scholarship is internationally prominent in a broad range of research areas within the broader field of kinesiology.
Learn moreResearch
Research
Kinesiology has a rich history of research, scholarly accomplishments, and scientific training in a wide array of specializations. Our scholarship is pursued from multiple perspectives, i.e., cells to communities, using basic, clinical, social sciences, and humanities methodologies.
Learn moreCenter for Fitness and Wellness
Center for Fitness and Wellness
Our Center provides health and fitness assessments and wellness education for thousands of Penn State students each year. Assessments include: aerobic capacity, muscle strength and endurance, body composition, flexibility, blood lipid profiles, blood glucose, and blood pressure.
Learn more
Robert Sainburg, Dorothy F. and J. Lloyd Huck Distinguished Chair in Kinesiology and Neurology, and Xiaogang Hu, associate professor of Mechanical Engineering, Kinesiology, and Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, is working with Penn State researchers from the College of Engineering and College of the Liberal Arts and a surgeon from Penn State Health to develop smart prosthetic hands. The team was recently awarded a four-million-dollar grant by the U.S. National Science Foundation for this research.