About the Graduate Program
Program Description
There are three specialties in Movement Sciences:
The Applied Physiology concentration focuses on the study of the physiological effects of acute and chronic exercise, how exercise influences health, and on the promotion of physical activity in community, clinical and public health settings. The effects of exercise training on physiological processes, neuromuscular and biomechanical function, health, and physical well-being are emphasized. Students can apply their academic work to jobs that involve exercise testing and training, including programs designed to improve health and physical fitness in healthy individuals and in people with or at risk for chronic illness or disability, and in community, clinical, research, and public health settings.
Motor Learning and Control study focuses
on the behavioral, biomechanical, and neural bases of development, acquisition, and performance of functional movement skills. Acquisition of skill is examined over the life-span in typically developing and impaired individuals. Movement analysis is used to elucidate the neuromotor control processes underlying skilled performance in everyday functional behaviors, sport, and dance. The teacher or therapist’s role in facilitating skill learning and performance is emphasized.
Health and physical education has a long and distinguished history at Teachers College. Teachers College offered one of the first graduate degrees in health and physical education and continues to offer a wide array of opportunities for graduate study. In addition to courses in curriculum and teaching in physical education, there are a variety of other courses in the movement science, health studies, curriculum and teaching, and other areas that provide students with many opportunities for course options. All programs are designed to allow flexibility in program planning.
Each of these specialties has five components:
1. Substantive study of theory and research as embodied in lecture and laboratory courses.
2. Development of clinical or educational skills in laboratory and fieldwork courses.
3. Research training to enable students to read and interpret original research and to carry out educational, clinical, or laboratory research.
4. Seminars to discuss theory and research, identification of research problems, and clinical/educational applications.
5. Elective courses to meet specific student needs which may be taken throughout the College and University in such areas as Anatomy, Biology, Business, Chemistry, Com-puter Science, Health Education, Higher and Adult Education, Neurosciences, Nutrition, Physiology, Psychology, Public Health, and Science Education. A list of recommended elective and related courses is available to students in the Movement Science office. At least 2 courses (of at least 2 points each) outside of the program area are required.
We are pleased to welcome a new addition to our faculty, Dr. Carol Ewing Garber.