To qualify for the Bachelor of Human Kinetics (B.H.K.) degree, students must:
- satisfy all the B.H.K. program requirements by completing studies whether at the UBC Okanagan campus or elsewhere;
- satisfy at least 50% of the credits for the B.H.K. program while registered in the program1;
- complete a minimum of 30 upper-level (300/400) credits in HMKN_O courses;
- complete 48 credits at the 300/400 level, of which 12 credits must be 300/400 level outside of HEAL or HMKN;
- 30 of these 48 credits1 must be completed at UBC; and
- complete 120 credits.
Note: Students may complete HMKN_O 401 (Community Placement Experience), HMKN_O 402 (Advanced Placement Experience), or HMKN_O 499 (Project in Human Kinetics) while studying at another institution on a Senate-approved exchange program.
Students must pursue one of two areas of concentration - Clinical Exercise Physiology or Health Promotion - and satisfy the course requirements of the area of concentration.
Non-Human Kinetics Electives
Many 300/400-level courses require 100/200-level prerequisites, and therefore all non-HMKN electives should be selected carefully.
Overloading
A student must apply in writing to the Faculty of Health and Social Development for permission to register in more than 36 credits in a Winter Session or 12 credits in a Summer Session.
1Courses taken while studying at another institution on a Senate-approved exchange program may satisfy this requirement.
Areas of Concentration
Clinical Exercise Physiology
This concentration focuses on the role of exercise in health and physical activity in the prevention, rehabilitation, and management of chronic disease. Students will study a variety of aspects of healthy aging as well as cardiovascular, respiratory, neurophysiology and muscular physiology, and pathology. Potential occupations include: kinesiologist, clinical exercise physiologist, rehabilitation specialist, exercise therapist, and personal trainer, among others. Graduates of the clinical exercise physiology concentration often work in conjunction with other health care providers such as physicians, cardiac rehabilitation specialists, and nutritionists, and also progress into professions such as medicine, physiotherapy, respiratory therapy, and occupational therapy. Many of the courses offered in the other concentration, Health Promotion, also provide knowledge and skills beneficial to this area.
Students in the Clinical Exercise Physiology concentration are required to complete a total of 66 credits of electives of which:
- 33 must be at the 300- or 400-level;
- 15 must be within Human Kinetics and
- 12 credits must be outside Health Studies and Human Kinetics.
- 6 credits can be coursework from any discipline.
Required courses for the Health Promotion concentration are also eligible electives.
| First Year | Credits | |
| 3 credits of 100-level English | 3 | |
| HMKN_O 105 or HES_O 108 | Canadian Health Care System | 3 |
| HMKN_O 100 or HES_O 100 | Health, Fitness, and Lifestyle | 3 |
| HMKN_O 101 or HES_O 102 | Biomechanics | 3 |
| HMKN_O 190 or HES_O 101 | Functional Anatomy and Applied Physiology I | 3 |
| HMKN_O 191 or HES_O 111 | Functional Anatomy and Applied Physiology II | 3 |
| 12 credits of electives | 12 | |
| Total Credits | 30 | |
| Second Year | ||
| HEAL_O 200 or HES_O 130 | Determinants of Health | 3 |
| HMKN_O 200 or HES_O 105 | Exercise Physiology I | 3 |
| HMKN_O 201 or HES_O 131 | Exercise Psychology I | 3 |
| HMKN_O 202 or HES_O202 | Human Motor Behaviour I | 3 |
| HMKN_O 203 or HES_O 203 | Lifespan Physical and Motor Development | 3 |
| HMKN_O 205 or HES_O 340 | Methods of Data Analysis | 3 |
| HMKN_O 206 or HES_O 240 | Health Research Methods | 3 |
| 9 credits of electives | 9 | |
| Total Credits | 30 | |
| Third Year | ||
| HMKN_O 310 or HES_O 305 | Exercise Physiology II | 3 |
| HMKN_O 311 or HES_O 201 | Exercise Prescription | 3 |
| One of HMKN_O 312 or HES_O 321 | Laboratory Techniques in Exercise Science | |
| or HMKN_O 315 | Laboratory Techniques in Sensorimotor Neuroscience | 3 |
| HMKN_O 335 or HES_O 311 | Pathophysiology | 3 |
| 18 credits of electives | 18 | |
| Total Credits | 30 | |
| Fourth Year | ||
| Electives | 30 | |
| Completion of HES_O 401, HES_O 402 or HES_O 490 is highly recommended | ||
| Total Credits | 30 | |
| 1 Permission of the School of Health and Exercise Science in required. Students may take no more than 9 credits combined of HMKN_O 401 or HES_O 401, HMKN_O 402 or HES_O 402 and HMKN_O 499 or HES_O 490. | ||
Health Promotion
This concentration examines health from a multi-disciplinary perspective, including the physical, social-cultural, and psychological components of health, and the associated impact an individual’s health has on the public health care system. This concentration teaches students how to promote a healthy lifestyle and improve many aspects of health throughout the lifespan using individual, community, and population level approaches. Health and exercise psychology, behavioural physical activity, health promotion, disease, health policy, health care systems, and nutrition are some of the topics included within this concentration. Potential occupations include: health services/policy worker, health promotion programmer, corporate/occupational health coordinator, active living coordinator, and social/health marketer, among others. These professionals work in a variety of health care and government organizations, and recreation and business centres in addition to schools. Many of the courses offered in the other concentration, Clinical Exercise Physiology, also provide knowledge and skills beneficial to this concentration.
Students in the Health Promotion concentration are required to complete a total of 66 credits of electives of which:
- 33 must be at the 300- or 400-level;
- 15 must be within Human Kinetics;
- 3 credits must be from Health Studies;
- 12 credits must be outside Health Studies and Human Kinetics.
- 3 credits can be coursework from any discipline.
Required courses for the Clinical Exercise concentration are also eligible electives.
| First Year | Credits | |
| 3 credits of 100-level English | 3 | |
| HMKN_O 105 or HES_O 108 | Canadian Health Care System | 3 |
| HMKN_O 100 or HES_O 100 | Health, Fitness, and Lifestyle | 3 |
| HMKN_O 101 or HES_O 102 | Biomechanics | 3 |
| HMKN_O 190 or HES_O 101 | Functional Anatomy and Applied Physiology I | 3 |
| HMKN_O 191 or HES_O 111 | Functional Anatomy and Applied Physiology II | 3 |
| 12 credits of electives | 12 | |
| Total Credits | 30 | |
| Second Year | ||
| HEAL 200 or HES_O 130 | Determinants of Health | 3 |
| HMKN_O 200 or HES_O 105 | Exercise Physiology I | 3 |
| HMKN_O 201 or HES_O 131 | Exercise Psychology I | 3 |
| HMKN_O 202 or HES_O 202 | Human Motor Behaviour I | 3 |
| HMKN_O 203 or HES_O 203 | Lifespan Physical and Motor Development | 3 |
| HMKN_O 205 or HES_O 340 | Methods of Data Analysis | 3 |
| HMKN_O 206 or HES_O 240 | Health Research Methods | 3 |
| 9 credits of electives | 9 | |
| Total Credits | 30 | |
| Third Year | ||
| 15 credits of the following courses: | ||
| HMKN_O 303 or HES_O 333 | Health Program Evaluation | 3 |
| HEAL_O 305 or HES_O 384 | Socio-Cultural Aspects of Healthy Aging | 3 |
| HEAL_O 307 | Global Health | 3 |
| HMKN_O 316 or HES_O 231 | Laboratory Techniques in Exercise Psychology | 3 |
| HMKN_O 421 or HES_O 332 | Advanced Theories of Health Behaviour Change | 3 |
| HMKN_O 322 or HES_O 322 | Health Promotion I | 3 |
| HMKN_O 323 or HES_O 200 | Introduction to Nutrition | 3 |
| HMKN_O 495N or HES_O 331 | Motivational Interviewing | 3 |
| 15 credits of electives | 15 | |
| Total Credits | 30 | |
| Fourth Year | ||
| Electives | 30 | |
| Completion of HES_O 401, HES_O 402/or HES_O 490 is highly recommended | ||
| Total Credits | 30 | |
| 1 Permission of the School of Health and Exercise Science in required. Students may take no more than 9 credits combined of HMKN_O 401 or HES_O 401, HMKN_O 402 or HES_O 402 and HMKN_O 499 or HES_O 490. | ||
Promotion Requirements
Promotion to Second Year
Successful completion of 24 or more credits which must include first-year Human Kinetics core courses: HMKN_O 190 or HES_O 101 (3), and HMKN_O 191 (3) or HES_O 111 (3).
Promotion to Third Year
Successful completion of 48 or more credits which must include 3 credits of first-year English and second-year Human Kinetics core courses: HMKN_O 200 (3) or HES_O 105, HMKN_O 201 (3) or HES_O 131, HMKN_O 202 (3) or HES_O 202, and HMKN_O 203 or HES_O 203 (3).
Promotion to Fourth Year
Successful completion of 78 or more credits.
Minor Programs
Students who wish to focus their non-Human Kinetics electives may undertake an optional minor program in conjunction with the B.H.K. degree. All courses in the minor must be taken outside of Human Kinetics.
Students completing the B.H.K. may complete a Minor in Arts (e.g., Gender and Women’s Studies, Indigenous Studies, Psychology, Sociology, etc.) or Science (e.g., Biology, Chemistry).
Students must pay particular attention to the number of upper-level credits required for a minor versus the number of credits available in their upper-level non-HMKN/HES electives. Careful planning is required. Students are advised to seek assistance from Academic Advising to ensure appropriate program planning.
Minor in Arts
An acceptable program must comprise courses in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences or the Faculty of Creative and Critical Studies that are for credit toward a B.A. degree, and consists of 18 upper-level credits in a single subject field or specialization. Students should design a coherent, academically sound course of studies for their minor. All courses must be acceptable for a B.A. major in the subject area or field, but a student is not bound by the other requirements that the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences or the Faculty of Creative and Critical Studies sets for a major or minor in the field. Students who wish to pursue a minor in Arts should be aware of the prerequisites for many of the upper-level courses in Arts.
Upon successful completion of the minor program, the notation "Minor in [Name of single subject or specialization]" will be denoted on the student's transcript.
Minor in Science
An acceptable program must comprise courses in the Faculty of Science that are for credit toward a B.Sc. degree, and consists of 18 upper-level credits in a single subject field or specialization. Students should design a coherent, academically sound course of studies for their minor. All courses must be acceptable for a B.Sc. major in the subject area or field, but a student is not bound by the other requirements that the Faculty of Science sets for a major or minor in the field. Students who wish to pursue a Minor in Science should be aware of the prerequisites for many of the upper-level courses in Science.
Upon successful completion of the minor program, a notation "Minor in [Name of single subject or specialization]" will be denoted on the student's transcript.
Bachelor of Human Kinetics Honours Program
The B.H.K. Honours Program will enable high-achieving students in Health and Exercise Sciences to gain additional research experience through the completion of an Honours thesis. Honours students will be required to complete a substantive research project and to prepare a thesis based on that project under the supervision of a faculty member.
Admission Requirements
Admission of students to the Honours Program will be on a competitive basis. A limited number of students will be accepted each year based on compatibility with research interests of potential supervisors and supervisor availability. Students interested in being admitted into the Honours Program should formally apply in Term 2 of their 3rd year and must meet the following requirements:
- Third year standing at application time and fourth-year standing by the fall term when commencing the Honours Program;
- Minimum weighted average of 80% from all second and third year Human Kinetics courses*;
- Minimum weighted average of 80% over the last 60 credits*;
- Acceptance by a supervisor approved by the Director;
- Completion of HMKN_O 205 or HES_O 340, HMKN_O 206 or HES_O 240 with a minimum grade of 80% in each.
*In courses taken twice, the higher grade only will be calculated into the weighted average.
Graduation Requirements
- All general program requirements for the B.H.K. degree;
- Satisfy all course requirements for chosen area of concentration;
- Minimum weighted average of 80% over the last 30 credits;
- Completion of HMKN_O 449 or HES_O 492 (Honours Thesis)
Upon successful completion of the Honours Program, the notation "Research Honours" will be denoted on the student's transcript.