What can you realistically do with a KINESIOLOGY degree??

I am studying Kinesiology and some jobs you can do are:

1. Physical Therapist

2. Physical Therapist Assistant

3. Occupational Therapist

4. Coach

5. Gym Teacher

6. Athletic Trainer

7. Manage your own gym

8. Manage your own clinic

Here is a website with many options of what you can do with a kinesiology degree. Obviously, most of the people replying to you have no sense past their own fields. Don't let them discourage you. There are many opportunities in this field. Just to let you know, you could always work with professional teams in any sport. If you're interested in the science this would be a great option. I could write all day on this subject, but I'll just give you this list to research yourself. Don't trust other people's opinion. Do the research on your own. http://www.calpoly.edu/~pek/students/jobs/index.html

I'm going to be super honest with you and I'm not quite sure where abouts your from but anything you want to do in the science side you're going to need more than an undergrad and you're going to actually have to try in school. Cause as much as we're just bunch of gym teachers its a competitive market. Some things you can do if you take your career further are cardiac perfusionist, Diagnostic cytology and ultrasound, chiropractor, x-ray and radiation tech. You can also do Strength and conditioning labs and research focusing on the tech needed for top performance athletes. Some jobs in hospital is rehab specialist including, neural, cardiac and respiratory. and anything else with a science core the kin program can set you up for. I'm from Canada though I don't know if that makes a difference.

Why pick a major before you know what you want to do?

Work backwards. Spend Freshman (and maybe Sophomore) year figuring out what you like and may want to do in the future by taking classes in Kinesiology and other areas that may lead to what you want to do in the future. Once you figure out what you want to do, declare your major and focus on those classes over your final 2-3 years.

Most work at a cell phone store.

Your money order is messed up. CSCS positions pay squat, as do ATC positions. You will likely make more money teaching HS than either of these. OT'S employed by others make more than PTs typically. Doesn't matter because these all require more schooling. With a kinesiology degree you can get a health club job, maybe if lucky, get a cardiac rehab job, sell fitness equipment, be a personal trainer or go to more school. If you can't see yourself going past a BS degree, please choose another major.

Kinesiology is basically a gateway degree. You can't really do anything with it, that you can't do without it.

But it allows you to 1. get into grad school for medical/therapist types of degrees. 2. stay will kinesiology and get you PhD and teach (significant need right now). I've had friends that have become professors, physicians assistants, physicians, coaches and personal trainers.

It is a pretty worthless degree. Get a degree in STEM, accounting, medical, or law (if you can get into a top 14 law school, otherwise don't).

Would you like room for cream?

There's also a stigma attached to a kinesiology degree.

dear seriously man,

you are a serious man. i appreciate this logic. we need more people like you. you are on the pathway to more success. you got it. don't forget to surround yourself with angels. u are a young mogel. i feel you man. on point.

Winx wrote:

I am studying Kinesiology and some jobs you can do are:

1. Physical Therapist

2. Physical Therapist Assistant

3. Occupational Therapist

4. Coach

5. Gym Teacher

6. Athletic Trainer

7. Manage your own gym

8. Manage your own clinic

1, 2, and 3 all require different degrees than a BS in Kinesiology.

1 - 3 year Doctor of Physical Therapy degree

2 - 2 year Associate Degree

3 - 2 year Masters Degree, and it is transitioning to a Doctoral level.

6 - if you want to work in an area other than the local high school or physical therapy clinic (as a tech), requires an advanced degree.

8 - not sure what this is... own clinic? Doing what?

Kinesiology itself isn't worth much, but it can open doors to other professions/degree options.

physical therapist wrote:

Winx wrote:

I am studying Kinesiology and some jobs you can do are:

1. Physical Therapist

2. Physical Therapist Assistant

3. Occupational Therapist

4. Coach

5. Gym Teacher

6. Athletic Trainer

7. Manage your own gym

8. Manage your own clinic

1, 2, and 3 all require different degrees than a BS in Kinesiology.

1 - 3 year Doctor of Physical Therapy degree

2 - 2 year Associate Degree

3 - 2 year Masters Degree, and it is transitioning to a Doctoral level.

6 - if you want to work in an area other than the local high school or physical therapy clinic (as a tech), requires an advanced degree.

8 - not sure what this is... own clinic? Doing what?

Kinesiology itself isn't worth much, but it can open doors to other professions/degree options.

Like telemarketing or fast food service.

If you don't mind me asking, how did you get into the more business side of it? Or in other words, what type of business courses did you take during your kin courses?

keeping perspective wrote:

"I actually have a masters in kinesiology. I've worked more on the sports marketing and management side. I sold exercise equipment for five years after college and dealt with a lot of great people in the fitness area and made better than average money. One of my classmates now has personal training facility and another is the marketing director for a minor league baseball team. There are a lot of possibilities, especially if you want to start your own business. My best advice to you is to take some business classes along with the kinesiology classes so that you have some business background in case you want to start your own fitness related business during or after college."

Don't do kinesiology as a major !!!!! My son just graduated from college majoring in kinesiology anf unless you want to work at a training center or or some type of gym then I would defiantly think about another major. My son is about to go back to school just so he can get an actual job

This is pretty accurate in my experience and opinion.

Something about kinesiology bachelors degree programs that's both a strength and a weakness is that they are very broad. You learn a little about a lot of things but not a lot about any one thing.

Because of this I think students with backgrounds in other fields are often better prepared for graduate programs in kinesiology than students with kinesiology degrees (e.g. biochem for exercise physiology, engineering for biomechanics, neuroscience or computer science for motor control, etc.).

There's also a lot of variance between programs at different schools in terms of how rigorous the degree program is. Getting a 4.0 in kines is hard but getting a 3.0 I think is easier than most STEM fields.

I got into selling medical devices with mine. Own a small business doing training, and work for acsm on the side. The degree isn't worthless you just have to get out there and work hard

Winx wrote:

I am studying Kinesiology and some jobs you can do are:

1. Physical Therapist

2. Physical Therapist Assistant

3. Occupational Therapist

4. Coach

5. Gym Teacher

6. Athletic Trainer

7. Manage your own gym

8. Manage your own clinic

Background:

My undergrad is in Kinesiology (Sport Management option) from A&M. I have an MS in Exercise Science from UH that was a thesis degree designed to go further down the research road. I applied and got into grad school at UT, A&M, and UH and chose the one that offered the best employment for $$$ purposes.

My degree required an internship and I turned down one that was a strength and conditioning job (I already had CSCS and NSCA-CPT certification at time of graduation) for a job with ClubCorp. Personal trainers CAN make a lot of money. I was charging $50-60 per hour and bringing home 65% as my supplemental job. Some of the trainers I worked with were wealthy - 6 figures and driving BMW type of lifestyles and that was 10+ years ago.

Anyway, I got into a Ph.D. program and did one year and then quit. I did not like the route I had taken and woke up one day wondering why I was working with rats and beheading them and shredding flesh from their bones and making slides out of it.

I was interested in performance and went down a science-related route in grad school because I was told it was better money. Bad decision. Ph.D. and being a prof is a great gig, but you MUST love what you are researching to be successful and enjoy the lab. Do not do it because your parents are OK with kinesiology as long as you're called "Dr. Lastname" for purposes of respect.

I got into teaching and coaching (which is where my heart is) and I love it. We're not wealthy, but we clear north of $125k as a two-teacher family and we can afford to live in a nice neighborhood and take big vacations every year.

As for what you can do...

-Coach and teach (this is obvious)

-grad school in several disciplines; precursor to Exercise Physiologist/prof

-PT (although this isn't the easiest degree to get into PT school with)

-OT (not truly necessary or even helpful to major in Kinesiology)

-S&C coach (degree is very useful in this career path. Get NSCA certification and other certifications for sports you are most interested working with.)

-Personal trainer (get some sort of certification while you're an undergrad so you have work experience.)

-Professional or collegiate sports (if Sport Management)

-Gym ownership (this is where the money is if you know what you're doing)

-Event management (races, etc.)

-Cardiac rehab (I didn't have many friends do this)

You are limited by your own creativity. I do think the degree is very well rounded and prepares you to gain entry into a field that you're interested in.

I recommend attaching a business minor if you can. Take accounting, finance, marketing, management, business law, etc.

I had several classmates who opted out of Kinesiology careers make killings in the oil/energy and corporate real estate fields.

Gym teacher my ass, it is PHYSICAL EDUCATION SPECIALIST