Discover the science of human movement.
Help an Olympic hopeful recover from a torn ligament. Prevent workplace injuries by improving a company’s ergonomic standards. Give a child with cerebral palsy a better quality of life. In Kinesiology, you’ll learn to prevent and treat movement-related illness and injury.
In addition to traditional science courses in biomechanics, neuroscience, and physiology, you’ll have 4 kinesiology-related minors and dozens of campus-wide minors to choose from. You can also include courses to prepare you for professional health programs such as medicine and physiotherapy.
Whatever direction you choose, Waterloo equips you with the tools you need to get there.
More than just lectures
Over half of the required Kinesiology courses include a lab component. You’ll gain the practical skills to understand movement problems that occur in sports, industry, rehabilitation, and fitness.
Study anatomy in depth
Waterloo is one of Canada’s first non-medical schools to house a School of Anatomy — giving you the chance to study anatomy on real human cadavers right in your first year.
About the Kinesiology program
Apply directly to this program on your application
Earn a Bachelor of Science degree in Kinesiology
Department of Kinesiology in the world
Offered by the Faculty of Applied Health Sciences
Kinesiology and lab courses for you to broaden your knowledge
Kinesiology admission requirements
- Ontario students: 6 Grade 12 U and/or M courses including
- Advanced Functions (minimum final grade of 70%)
- Chemistry (minimum final grade of 70%)
- Physics or Biology (minimum final grade of 70%)
- Admission averages: Regular: low 80s, Co-op: mid-80s
- Not studying in Ontario? Search our admission requirements.
- We recommend completing the Admission Information Form once you've applied.
Careers in kinesiology
Waterloo Kinesiology graduates often pursue careers where they can help people, such as ergonomics, health and safety, exercise management, nutrition, education, research, and by working in clinical settings such as hospitals or health centres.
- Ergonomics & Safety Officer, Canada Post Corporation
- Science Teacher, Thames Valley District School Board
- Fitness Coordinator, City of Pickering
- Ergonomics Consultant, Human Factors North Inc.
- Chiropodist, Danforth Foot Clinic
- Ergonomist, Occupational Health Clinic for Ontario Workers Incorporated
Further education
While the full range of further education depends on your individual interests, graduates often choose professional and graduate programs in medicine, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, chiropractic, biomechanics, anatomy, and neuroscience.
First-year Kinesiology courses
September to December
January to April
After first year
About half of the classes you’ll take for your degree will be Kinesiology courses. With your remaining classes, you can choose electives from many of the 100 subject areas at Waterloo.
View all the courses required for your degree.
Sample upper-year Kinesiology courses
Customize your Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology degree
At the end of first year, you can choose to start one of the minors available within Kinesiology, such as
- Ergonomics and Injury Prevention
- Human Nutrition
- Medical Physiology (a great choice if you’re thinking of medical school)
- Rehabilitation Sciences (a great choice for physiotherapy, chiropractic, or other rehabilitation professional programs)
You can also add other areas of interest by adding minors available to all Waterloo students.
Gain relevant work experience through co-op
By alternating school terms and paid co-op work terms throughout your degree, you can explore different career areas in Kinesiology and types of employers as your interests evolve.
Sample co-op job titles
- Student Ergonomist
- Physiotherapy Internship
- Kinesiologist Assistant
- Co-op Exercise Therapist
- Personal Trainer
- Clinical Research Assistant
Sample co-op employers
- Hamilton Health Sciences
- Centre for Orthopaedic Surgery
- Platinum Family Fitness
- Elina Rehab Centre
- University of Waterloo
- Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre
Learn more about Kinesiology
- Email Pamela Hurvid, our Applied Health Sciences recruitment co-ordinator, who can answer any questions about Kinesiology
- Department of Kinesiology website
- Related programs: Health Studies, Therapeutic Recreation, Careers in medicine and health
