PhD in Kinesiology, Sport and Recreation is a doctorate in Sport and Exercise Science programme taught at University of Alberta in Edmonton, Canada. The programme runs for 3 years, delivered on campus. Tuition for international students is CAD 10,519 per year (CAD 5,022 per year for local students).
Also offered as: Master's Degree
At a glance
Degree:Doctorate
Field:Sport and Exercise Science
Duration: 3 years
Delivery: On Campus
Local tuition: CAD 5,022 / year
International tuition: CAD 10,519 / year
Last checked September 2026 · Source: ualberta.ca ·
Program details
Overview
This Doctor of Philosophy in Kinesiology, Sport and Recreation at the University of Alberta offers specialization in one of seven areas: adapted physical activity, coaching studies and sport psychology, health psychology and behavioural medicine, neuroscience and movement, physiology, recreation, sport and tourism, or sociocultural studies. It is a thesis-based research degree, though specific courses may be required depending on the chosen specialization, and students complete two ethics courses, professional development activities and typically a seminar course in their second year. The program runs a minimum of three years and a maximum of six from initial registration; while there is no formal residency requirement, some research, teaching, funding arrangements or supervisors may call for an in-person presence on campus in Edmonton. Applicants normally hold a thesis-based master's degree, or its academic equivalent, in a related field such as physical education, kinesiology or recreation, with a minimum GPA equivalent to a B grade. The program suits students pursuing advanced research careers in sport, recreation or kinesiology-related academic and applied fields.
Requirements
Minimum GPA:3.00 / 4.0
Admission Requirements: Applicants need a master's degree, or its academic equivalent, with thesis, in physical education, kinesiology, recreation or another related field, with a minimum admission GPA of 3.0 on a 4-point grading scale (or B on a letter-grading scale), calculated over the most recent two years of full-time study. English language proficiency follows the minimum standard set by the Faculty of Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies, for example IELTS Academic 6.5 overall with no band below 6.0 or TOEFL iBT 90 overall with no section below 21. Specific courses may be required depending on the area of specialization, subject to approval by the Faculty of Kinesiology, Sport and Recreation; second-year students must complete KSR 685, and all students must fulfil ethics and professional-development requirements.
Application Details
Application Deadline:Domestic applicants apply directly to the University of Alberta, not through a provincial service: for Fall 2027 entry the application window opens 1 October 2026 and the deadline for most programmes is 1 March 2027, though several limited-enrolment programmes close earlier (Juris Doctor, 1 December 2026; Dental Hygiene, 1 November 2026) or later (Bachelor of Design and BFA programmes, 1 May 2027); Spring and Summer 2027 admission also opens 1 October 2026, while Winter intake is limited to a few programmes. International applicants use the identical published dates and online application; the university states no separate international closing date. The 1 March deadline is firm and late applications are not accepted, but admission decisions are then issued on a rolling basis, and offers made before 1 April must be accepted by 1 May 2027. These are institution-wide dates; this programme publishes no deadline of its own.
