School of Health Sciences - Department of Kinesiology and Human Performance

School of Health Sciences

Graves Pierce, 101
Office: (432) 837-8120
Fax: (432) 837-8234
E-mail: kinesiology@sulross.edu
Chair, Graduate Program Coordinator, Assistant Professor: Billy Jack Ray, Ed.D.
Associate Professor: Christopher Herrera, Ph.D., M.B.A.
Undergraduate Program Coordinator, Assistant Professor: Shanna Moody, Ed.D.
Assistant Professors: Julianna M Dean, Ph.D., M.S., C.S.C.S., Hugh Morrissey, Ed.D.
Instructor: Doug Renshaw

Lecturer: Mary Powers

Kinesiology and Human Performance at Sul Ross State University provides professional training with a broad application to the physical education, sport, fitness, health and recreation fields. It prepares students for several careers and educational endeavors, including public school teaching and coaching, pre-physical therapy, athletic training, personal training, strength and conditioning specialist, campus recreation, fitness and recreation management, health promotion, and several other related areas that lead into graduate school.

The Department of Kinesiology and Human Performance is located within the Graves-Pierce Complex, which houses facilities for academic program as well as recreation, wellness and intramurals including an indoor swimming pool, two collegiate size gymnasiums, an aerobics/dance room, a wellness room, a free weight room, racquetball courts, a sauna and a whirlpool. There are also tennis courts, a football stadium, an all-weather track, baseball fields, softball fields and intramural fields for soccer, and disc golf on campus.

Several scholarships are awarded to outstanding students in Kinesiology each year. The students must apply for the scholarships before March 1st each spring. The scholarships are awarded for one year, divided into two equal semesters.

Bachelor of Science

Kinesiology and Human Performance - Athletic Training Concentration
Kinesiology and Human Performance - Pre-Professional Concentration
Kinesiology and Human Performance - Sport and Recreation Management Concentration
Kinesiology and Human Performance - All-Level Physical Education Teacher Certification

Course descriptions can be found here. The degree plans can be found here.

The Bachelor of Science with a major in Kinesiology and Human Performance offers three concentrations and a teacher certification track:

Athletic Training Concentration
Pre-Professional Concentration
Sport and Recreation Management Concentration
All-Level Physical Education Teacher Certification

The Athletic Training Concentration provides the required coursework and the 1800 apprenticeship hours required to sit for the Texas Athletic Trainers licensure exam. Licensed Athletic Trainers (LATs) specialize in the prevention, evaluation, care and rehabilitation of athletic injuries.

The Pre-Professional Concentration is designed for students interested in applying for admission to Physical Therapy School and therefore requires several courses (prerequisites) for the pre-physical therapy student to consider taking as part of their chosen degree plan. Recommended courses for pre-physical therapy students may include: Anatomy/Physiology, Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics, Physics and Statistics. Information and specific prerequisite course work for each physical therapy school can be obtained from your adviser. Students should also contact the physical therapy school of choice for the most up-to-date information on entrance requirements to ensure that the courses taken at Sul Ross State University will be accepted.

The Sport and Recreation Management Concentration consists of an applied curriculum that provides the knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to pursue a career in a variety of sport and recreation professions, including personal training, strength and conditioning, campus and outdoor recreation. The program merges several experiential learning opportunities with leadership development to support career development.

The All-Level Physical Education and Teacher Certification program is designed for career preparation, enabling the student to take the State of Texas licensure exam (TExES) in K-12 physical education. In addition to teaching, the program also prepares students who are planning to engage in a coaching career at the public school level.

The professional Teacher Certification program can be altered by the State at any time. Therefore, it is the student’s responsibility to stay up to date on any changes to the certification requirements.

Students may be admitted to the Teacher Education Program and begin Education classes when the following requirements have been met:

Completed a minimum of 75 semester credit hours
Minimum overall G.P.A. of 2.75
Completed a minimum of 12 semester credit hours in Kinesiology
Minimum Kinesiology G.P.A. of 2.5
Meet minimum requirements for Texas Success Initiative in: Reading, Writing & Mathematics. Requirements may be met through ACT, SAT or THEA exams OR through grades in lieu of testing
Completed COMM 1311 or THEA 2304 with a “C” or higher
Completed 9 semester credit hours of English with a “C” or higher

Complete information on the Teacher Education Program may be obtained from the Sul Ross State University Department of Education. Contact the Education Department at (432) 837-8170 or see the information available on the department website at www.sulross.edu/section/205/department-education.

Students interested in becoming certified teachers in Texas may apply to the program midway through their junior year (after at least 75 semester credit hours college coursework).

Admission Requirements:

Minimum of 75 semester credit hours applicable to degree
Cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.75 or better
Completion of 6 hours of required English courses with a C or better
No incomplete grades or grades lower than a “C” in teaching field(s) or areas of specialization. Overall GPA in teaching field(s) or areas of specialization must be 2.75 or better.
No incomplete grades or grades lower than a “C” in education courses required for certification. Overall GPA in education courses must be 2.75 or better.