This course is the first half of the human cadaveric anatomy experience for students in the KPE program. Students will explore gross anatomy of the thoracic, abdominal, pelvic and nervous systems with focus on the structure, function, innervation and blood supply. Students will be introduced to implications of function and dysfunction or disease within these systems. Students will learn through theory and practice including in-class lectures, asynchronous learning modules and digital resources, active learning tasks and hands-on practice in the anatomy laboratory.

This course is the second half of the human cadaveric anatomy experience for students in the KPE program. Students will explore musculoskeletal anatomy, including in depth investigation of the upper and lower limb bones, joints, ligaments, muscles, blood and nerve supply. Functional application of musculoskeletal anatomy with respect to movement will be introduced with real-life examples of exercise, injury and disease. Students will learn through theory and practice including in-class lectures, asynchronous learning modules and digital resources, active learning tasks and hands-on practice in the anatomy laboratory.

This course is an invitation and introduction to the social study of kinesiology, physical education, sport, health, the body and bodies, etc. The goal is to explore and discuss society and culture, particularly as it is stratified along lines of ability, race, gender, class, and sexuality, and to study social issues in kinesiology like violence and performance enhancing drugs. Overall, students are encouraged to use course concepts in developing their own assessments of the social world of kinesiology and physical education.

This is an introductory level course that will aid students’ familiarisation with psychological concepts and applications in sport, exercise, and health settings. This course will introduce students to some of the core topics, underlying theories and basic psychological skills within the area of sport, exercise, and health psychology. Throughout the course, emphasis will be placed on practical familiarisation with the basic psychological concepts common to both sporting and exercise contexts.

This course provides an inter-disciplinary introduction to biomechanics and neuro-motor behaviour. It describes how humans control the position and movement of their bodies in 3-dimensional space given the physical realities of gravity, inertia, contact-reaction, and friction. This includes systems for description, measurement and development of healthy posture, movements, flexibility, and stability, and the production of force by muscles. The central role of the nervous system in sensation, perception, and the control of motor behaviour, along with introductory principles of motor learning and motor development are also considered. This course will be integrated with KPE182H1.

An introduction to the components of physical fitness and fitness itself from physiological, behavioural and physical culture points of view. Strength, endurance, flexibility and speed will be examined from their biological basis, their importance to human movement and how each of these components can be altered with appropriate training. 

This course focuses on the central role of physical activity in combination with other lifestyle choices in determining health. The inter-relationships among lifestyle choices and between them and the most common major health disorders are explored, with consideration of the social context in which these choices are made. In addition to physical activity, sedentarism and fitness, topics covered include: nutrition; immunity and infectious disease; substance use and abuse; sex and reproduction; cardiovascular diseases; cancer; psycho-social health and mental health  disorders; sleep; trauma; environmental health; and health care/self-care practices. Students will develop an understanding of how important lifestyle choices are, how they affect health and wellness, and the factors that affect these choices, as well as an awareness of how they might alter fundamental aspects of their environment to make healthy choices easier.

Students will apply their knowledge of biomechanics, motor learning, psychology and exercise science to practical settings. Through the investigation of joint range of motion, fitness, stability, and various types of feedback, students will develop the skills needed to observe and critically evaluate movement patterns that commonly occur in sport, clinical, workplace and recreational settings, and to design and implement relevant exercise sessions. Students will also be encouraged to develop self-awareness of their own fitness and movement patterns.

Inquiry is the process of trying to come to an understanding about a problem, an issue or a phenomenon. In this course students develop the foundational skills necessary to critically consider and challenge the ways in which questions and problems are formulated, the purpose and use of research, and the manner in which conclusions are reached, and used, across the range of fields of inquiry in Kinesiology. Particular attention is given to experiential learning processes to generate robust understandings of the philosophical foundation of research as a way to understand how modes of inquiry are shaped and undertaken.

This course examines the ways in which physical culture and kinesiology are organized and experienced in society. Attention is given to how physical culture studies can provide answers to questions such as; what does it means to engage in physical culture and kinesiology which are products of power relations that privilege some people and forms of knowledge, while reproducing injustice and exclusion for others? A range of sociological, philosophical, humanities and cultural theories are employed to illustrate how physical culture and kinesiology are products of hegemonic historical, political and social structures, that have reproduced systems of gender normativity, colonialism, racism, ableism, capitalism, neoliberalism, speciesism, ecocide, and scientization. We will discuss ways in which hegemonic systems can be resisted and challenged to open up spaces for reflexivity, freedom and social transformation in physical culture, sport and kinesiology.

Psychosocial domains of human development and optimal functioning over the lifespan are considered in this course. Developmental psychology, positive psychology, health psychology, behavioural medicine, and performance psychology theory and research provide students with foundational knowledge and lifelong skills for personal growth and development, and for diverse roles as kinesiology graduates. Theories of psychosocial development and behaviour change provide frameworks for exploring topics such as health and wellbeing, resilience, love, relationships, enjoyment, meaning and fulfillment, flourishing, happiness, personal growth, and positive aspects of human functioning. Students will be encouraged to think and apply how psychosocial development, personal experiences, culture, and physical activity influence health and well-being across the lifespan.

This course will explore Indigenous and Black histories and experiences in Canada before and after colonization, highlighting remarkable triumphs and legacies amidst enduring, oppressive practices. The past and current impact of these histories on people, relationships, health sciences practices and the environment as related to health and physical activity will be examined. Drawing on diverse knowledge practices, this course will advance a basis for understanding how the intersections of histories, health and physical activity might support holistic healing, improved relationships and opportunities for a healthier society. Students will be encouraged to reflect on strategies to achieve these goals in health and physical activity settings. Course topics as related to health and physical activity may include: Indigenous and Black leaders and innovation; self-determination; intersectionality and impact of oppressive, racist practices on diverse identities; scientific racism; impact of residential schools on Indigenous Peoples, history of science and technology, and practices for reconciliation.

Shaped by societal, generational and technological influences, the workplace is rapidly changing around us, and the field of kinesiology and related professions is no exception. In this introductory course, students will be introduced to the diverse career paths of BKin graduates. Workplace trends and expected future workplace literacies will be critiqued and applied to kinesiology, and various work-integrated learning experience pathways will be shared with students to support their authentic workplace engagement and preparation throughout their undergraduate studies in kinesiology. This course includes an embedded career chat experience within the Faculty of Kinesiology & Physical Education.

While the course is recommended for 1st and 2nd year BKin students as a precursor to upper-year in-field learning courses, it is applicable to BKin students of all years of study.

This course is an introduction to essential aspects of human physiology. Emphasis will be placed on the physiological systems most relevant for the kinesiologist/physical educator and the most likely to be discussed in detail in upper level courses. This course will cover the following units: homeostasis, cell physiology, the nervous system, skeletal muscle, the heart, blood and the circulatory system, and the respiratory system.

This course is designed to acquaint the student with the principles associated with the acquisition of motor skills. These principles and theories will provide the student with selected concepts of perceptual-motor behaviour and a framework for their application in physical education, sports, and rehabilitation. The main objective of the course is to become aware of and understand motor skill acquisition principles, procedures, and theories that can help optimize the acquisition, retention, and transfer of motor skills in different types of physical activity programs.

Students will be introduced to basic biomechanical concepts used in human movement analyses. Fundamental laws and principles of motion will be covered in the first half of the course; biomechanics of the musculoskeletal system will be covered in the second half. Examples will be provided throughout to demonstrate how knowledge of anatomical and mechanical factors that affect movement is applicable to the restoration, enhancement, and maintenance of health, fitness, and performance. Related professional and research opportunities will also be highlighted.

Exercise provides a critical stimulus that results in both structural and functional adaptations. This course is designed to provide students with a broad understanding of the human body’s physiological response to exercise, including both acute adjustments and chronic adaptations that occur in response to physical training. Special attention will be given to the skeletal muscle metabolic and cardiorespiratory systems, and the integrative manner in which these systems adapt to maintain cellular homeostasis during exercise. This course will apply this knowledge in the context of both sport performance and human health.

Physical activity is a critical component to health and wellness throughout the lifespan. During this course an emphasis will be placed on the application of physical activity beyond an exercise setting to include workplace wellness, youth physical literacy, and physical activity for life. Case studies will be used to shape the design and implementation of physical activity programs for a range of populations, and to further develop students’ leadership skills.

This course provides students with an introduction to quantitative research methodology and statistical analysis as it applies to the study of human behaviour and physical activity. Emphasis is on conceptual understanding and practical applications related to Kinesiology and Health Sciences. Key topics include understanding the research process, different types of research designs, types of variables, descriptive and inferential statistics.

The provision of opportunities for physical activity is profoundly affected by the social structures of Canadian society, and persistent inequalities. An increasing number of Canadian institutions in physical and health education have now committed themselves to policies of social equity. This course enables students to study the effects of class, gender, race, and sexuality upon opportunities, programs and practices, and the means by which social equity might be more effectively pursued.

NOT OFFERED IN 2026-27

This course draws upon critical media studies, health communication studies, political economy, and semiotic fields to examine the ways in which meanings about science, physical activity and health are produced, distributed and consumed. The symbolic and material effects of this circuit of cultural media production on bodies and populations will be scrutinized. Modules of study will address the social marketing of health in kinesiology and allied health fields, risk communication, health literacy, journalistic craft, media ethics, the commodification of physical culture, and interprofessional issues in affecting the exercise sciences.

NOT OFFERED IN 2026-27

This course exposes students to a range of sociological, philosophical social psychological and human rights oriented theories of violence, abuse and suffering in/as physical culture. In the course, we examine not only those forms of physically, emotionally and psychologically damaging instances of interpersonal aggression commonly found in and around physical cultures, but also forms of violence and abuse implicitly connected to the production, performance and maintenance of specific physical cultures. Over the course of the semester we deconstruct manifestations of physical cultural violence in a variety of settings in Canada and elsewhere, discuss embodied experiences with violence, and abuse, examine the ubiquity and ethics of suffering in human physical cultures, question the health-related outcomes of violence in physical cultures, and inspect the ideological and institutional systems supporting the performance of violence in physical cultures.

NOT OFFERED IN 2026-27

The course will examine the importance of space, place and the environment in social life. Drawing from health, medical and socio-cultural geographies, architectural, feminist, and anti-oppression theories/film/research, as well as in-person spatial analysis of local geographies, we will identify and assess how 'place matter' physical culture, kinesiology, and health. We will examine how experiences and representations of space and place are mediated by systemic oppressions and differences in power relations. To do this, we will explore how social injustice, settler-colonial relations, environmental racism, consumption and the Anthropocence's impact physical culture, sport, and health. We will interrogate how our practices in sport, physical culture and kinesiology have profound implications for the health and ecological geographies of humans, ‘more-than-human’ species, ecosystems, and all life on earth. The course takes a social and environmental justice and anti-oppressive approach towards interrogating historical, political, local and global disparities in the governance of space, place and Land. We will consider the possibilities for enacting democratic, caring, and responsible ethical relations to enact preferred futures where ecocentric, equity-based, and sustainable geographies and environment flourish.

NOT OFFERED IN 2026-27

This course examines the cultural significance of ice hockey in historical and contemporary Canadian society. Topics include the link between hockey and Canadian identity; race in hockey cultures; the commercialism of the sport; hockey-related violence; and the impact of mass and new media on the sport. Students will engage with a wide range of sociocultural research on hockey, and will also be expected to critically engage with contemporary issues relating to the sport at the professional and amateur levels. This course will equip students to critically assess the social and political implications of Canada’s national winter sport and will help develop their writing, presenting, and critical thinking skills.

This course examines the aspirations, achievements, problems and prospects of the modern Olympic and Paralympic Movements and their implications for physical activity and health. The modern Olympic Movement, initiated by Pierre de Coubertin, has outlasted all rivals -- notably the Women’s Olympics, Workers’ Olympiads and the Games of the Emerging Forces -- and won the allegiance of virtually the entire world. It now enjoys enormous influence over the development of sports and other forms of physical activity and now incorporates the Paralympic Games.

NOT OFFERED IN 2026-27

This course provides an in-depth review of the multidirectional relationship between sports and the natural environment, including the shifting seasonality of the sports calendar, the impacts of climate change on sport organizations and participants, and sustainable practices in the sports industry. Students will gain practical skills in sport ecology through climate risk assessments, examinations of the ecological footprint of sports events, facilities, and activities, and critical discussions of environmental issues in sport. Through case studies, practical examples, and hands-on projects, students will develop a comprehensive understanding of sport ecology and the role of sports professionals in promoting environmental sustainability.

NOT OFFERED IN 2026-27

This course explores the relationships between health, physical activity, sport, the mass media, and popular culture in North America. We will examine the ways in which meanings about science, physical activity and health are produced, distributed and consumed within allied health fields and the wider population. The first half of the course will be devoted to media, health, and physical activity, while the second half will cover media and (mostly elite) sport. Throughout, we will look at all sorts of media - newspapers, websites, books, advertisements, TV and film, social media and new technologies.
Course topics will address a variety of approaches to health literacy and media studies, the social marketing of health, risk communication in kinesiology, media advocacy, new social media, health technology, media framing, the commodification of physical culture, and media ethics. During this course, you will also be asked to consider how the relationship between sport and the mass media reflects the broader culture of a society, as well as the ways that professional sport media interacts with and supports the professional sport industry, (re)produces inequality and harm, and contributes to important discourse around sport, health, and society more broadly.

This course provides an introduction to unique blend of administrative theory in the field of kinesiology. Technical skills covered include planning, goal setting, management by objectives, organizing tournament draws, budget making and financial management, fund raising, legal liability and decision making. These technical skills are examined with special attention given to the impact of traditional organizational factors such as personality, motivation, leadership, power and politics, and communication. Cutting-edge issues including emotions, trust, work-life balance, stress in the workplace, globalization, diversity and ethical decisions are interwoven throughout the course rather than presented as stand-alone topics. Case studies and problem-based learning exercises are used extensively to provide the student with a conceptual understanding of real-life administration.

This course explores patterns of health and illness among groups (populations) of people. Emphasis is on the determinants of health (social political, economic and environmental etc.). Students will learn about basic research methods and issues in the field. Current examples of major local and global health concerns will be used to illustrate key concepts.

Psychosocial aspects of physical injury are often overlooked. They are important considerations for understanding the experience of injury and also for enhancing rehabilitation. This course focuses on theory, research, and practical applications related to psychological and psychosocial variables of injury and rehabilitation of athletes and dancers. Prevention, management, performance, and ethical issues relevant to sport/performance psychology, rehabilitation psychology as well as sport/dance science and medicine across a broad spectrum of health care professions are addressed. Empirical work and case studies are used to explore methods and strategies for research, assessment, intervention and best practices across injuries, populations, genres and professions. Students take an active role in the learning process with on-line learning activities and weekly class discussion-based meetings.