Movement Science and Education

Master of Arts

The M.A. program emphasizes bridging between the movement sciences and clinical or education practice. The objective is to develop a comprehensive and coherent view of theory and research that can be applied to practice within the student’s professional field. The program requires 32 points of study or comprehensive examination. Students are expected to make satisfactory progress toward the completion of degree requirements. Program faculty will annually review each student’s progress. Please note that satisfactory performance is defined at a minimum as no incomplete grades, and no BBSR or BBS courses in which the grade earned is lower than B-.

A final project is required for the M.A. and may involve one of four options:

1. A scholarly review of research and theory within a topical area drawing application to educational or clinical practice.
2. A basic or applied research.
3. An educational project including the development of an assessment instrument/method for clinical or educational practice or a presentation for a continuing education program.
4. An examination covering all core movement science courses, core specialization courses, research methods, and substantive study in movement sciences.
   

For initial advisement and approval of M.A. projects, students must consult with their academic advisor. The M.A. program can be completed in 12–18 months of full-time study or two to three years of part-time study (depending on the student’s other responsibilities).

Specific requirements for the Motor Learning and Control concentration include:

• BBS 5060         Neuromuscular responses and adaptation to exercise (2)
• BBS 5068         Brain and behavior I: Communication in the nervous system (1-2)
• BBSR 5582         Research design in the movement sciences (3)
• BBSR 4060         Motor learning (3)*
• BBSR 4161         Motor learning laboratory (2, co-requisite BBSR 4060)
• BBSR 4050         Biomechanical analysis of human movement (3)
  

• Substantive study: minimally 6 points in movement sciences (BBSR courses including offerings in physical education) beyond the above listed courses.
• Laboratory courses: one course of minimally 2-3 points in movement sciences (BBSR course).
• Seminars, tutorials or conferences: minimally 2-3 points in movement sciences (BBSR courses).
• Electives: minimally one additional non-BBSR course outside the program in Movement Sciences and Education (course at Teachers College for at least 2 points) besides BBS 5060 and BBS 5068. 
• Individual program: minimally 6 points in movement sciences (additional BBSR courses in substantive, laboratory, fieldwork or seminar study) and/or related areas outside of the program (including graduate courses at Columbia University).
  

BBSR 5504. Research training in motor learning (2)
Students will enroll in this competency based course during their last year of study to immerse themselves in current research in motor learning and control, as well as receive advisement of their final project. Note that if all coursework is complete but the student has not yet completed the final project, students must continue to enroll for 1 point (above and beyond the 32 points) each semester until the project is complete.

For the Applied Physiology Concentration, specific requirements (and points) include:

Required Core Courses (minimum 15 points):

• BBSR 4095         Applied physiology I (3)
• BBSR 4195         Applied physiology laboratory I (3)
• BBSR 5194         Applied physiology laboratory II (3)
• BBS 5060         Neuromuscular responses and adaptation to exercise (2)
• BBS 5068         Brain and behavior I: Communication in the nervous system (1-2)
• BBSR 5582         Research design in the movement sciences (3)
  

Substantive Study in Movement Sciences (minimum 6 points). These may include, but are not limited to:

• BBSR 5095         Exercise and health (3)
• BBSR 5596         Topics in applied physiology (3)
• BBSR 4060         Motor learning (2-3)
• BBSR 4005         Applied anatomy and biomechanics (3)
• BBSR 4055         Neuromotor processes
• BBSR 5028         Motor development
• BBS 5069           Brain and behavior II: Perception, emotion, 
memory and cognition (1-2)
• BBSQ 4043        The human nervous system
• BBSR 5057         Movement disorders
• BBSR 4070         Introduction to the psychosocial study of human movement (2-3)
• BBSR 5195         Advanced applied physiology laboratory (3)
• BBSR 4900         Research and independent study in movement science and education (1-3)
• BBSR 5595         Research seminar in applied physiology (1)
  

Elective Courses outside of Movement Sciences/Biobehavioral Sciences (a minimum of 2 courses for a total of 6 or more points). Electives may include, but are not limited to:

• MSTC 4054.        Human anatomy and physiology (2-3)
• HBSS 4100          Introduction to health    education (3)
• HBSS 4102          Principles of epidemiology in health promotion (3) 
• HBSS 4118          Relapse prevention for problem behaviors (3)
• HBSS 5110          Determinants of health behavior (3)
• HBSS 4114          Health promotion for multicultural populations (3)
• HBSS 4115          Health promotion for aging adults (3)
• HBSS 5111           Planning health education programs (3)
• HBSS 4140          Developing workplace health promotion programs (3)
• HBSS 4122          Women’s health (3)
• HBSV 4000          Introduction to nutrition: Facts, fallacies, and trends (3)
• HBSS 6145          Health psychology (3)
• HBSV 4010          Food, nutrition, and behavior (3)
• HBSV 4011          Women and weight, eating problems and body image (2)
• HBSV 4150.         Sports nutrition (3)
• HUDK 4015         Psychology of thinking (3)
• HUDK 5023         Cognitive development (3)
• HUDM 4120        Basic concepts in statistics (if no undergraduate statistics) (3)
• HUDM 4122        Probability and statistical inference (3)
• MSTC 4152         Modern concepts in genetics (2-3)
• MSTC 5052         Biochemistry and cell biology (2-4)
• ORLD 4051         How adults learn (3)
• ORLD 4053        Facilitating adult learning (3)
• ORLA 5017        Groups and interpersonal behavior (2-6)
• ORLA 4071        The leadership of private schools and non-profit organizations (3)
  

The M.A. program emphasizes bridging between the movement sciences and clinical or education practice. The objective is to develop a comprehensive and coherent view of theory and research that can be applied to practice within the student’s professional field. The program requires 32 points of study or comprehensive examination. Students are expected to make satisfactory progress toward the completion of degree requirements. Program faculty will annually review each student’s progress. Please note that satisfactory performance is defined at a minimum as no incomplete grades, and no BBSR or BBS courses in which the grade earned is lower than B-.

A final project is required for the M.A. and may involve one of four options:

1. A scholarly review of research and theory within a topical area drawing application toeducational or clinical practice.
2. A basic or applied research.
3. An educational project including the development of an assessment instrument/methodfor clinical or educational practice or a presentation for a continuing education program.
4. An examination covering all core movement science courses, core specialization courses,research methods, and substantive study in movement sciences.
   

For initial advisement and approval of M.A. projects, students must consult with their academic advisor. The M.A. program can be completed in 12–18 months of full-time study or two to three years of part-time study (depending on the student’s other responsibilities).

Specific requirements for the Motor Learning and Control concentration include:

• BBS 5060               Neuromuscular responses and adaptation to exercise (2)
• BBS 5068               Brain and behavior I: Communication in the nervous system (1-2)
• BBSR 5582             Research design in the movement sciences (3)
• BBSR 4060             Motor learning (3)*
• BBSR 4161             Motor learning laboratory (2, co-requisite BBSR 4060)
• BBSR 4050             Biomechanical analysis of human movement (3)

• Substantive study: minimally 6 points in movement sciences (BBSR courses includingofferings in physical education) beyond the above listed courses.

• Laboratory courses: one course of minimally 2-3 points in movement sciences(BBSR course).

• Seminars, tutorials or conferences: minimally 2-3 points in movement sciences(BBSR courses).

• Electives: minimally one additional non-BBSR course outside the program in MovementSciences and Education (course at Teachers College for at least 2 points) besides BBS 5060and BBS 5068.

• Individual program: minimally 6 points in movement sciences (additional BBSR coursesin substantive, laboratory, fieldwork or seminar study) and/or related areas outside of theprogram (including graduate courses at Columbia University).

BBSR 5504. Research training in motor learning (2) Students will enroll in this competency based course during their last year of study to immerse themselves in current research in motor learning and control, as well as receive advisement of their final project. Note that if all coursework is complete but the student has not yet completed the final project, students must continue to enroll for 1 point (above and beyond the 32 points) each semester until the project is complete.

For the Applied Physiology Concentration, specific requirements (and points) include:

Required Core Courses (minimum 15 points):

• BBSR 4095             Applied physiology I (3)
• BBSR 4195             Applied physiology laboratory I (3)
• BBSR 5194             Applied physiology laboratory II (3)
• BBS 5060                Neuromuscular responses and adaptation to exercise (2)
• BBS 5068                Brain and behavior I: Communication in the nervous system (1-2)
• BBSR 5582             Research design in the movement sciences (3)

Substantive Study in Movement Sciences (minimum 6 points). These may include, but are not limited to:

• BBSR 5095             Exercise and health (3)
• BBSR 5596             Topics in applied physiology (3)
• BBSR 4060             Motor learning (2-3)
• BBSR 4005             Applied anatomy and biomechanics (3)
• BBSR 4055             Neuromotor processes
• BBSR 5028             Motor development
• BBS 5069                Brain and behavior II: Perception, emotion, memory and cognition (1-2)
• BBSQ 4043            The human nervous system
• BBSR 5057             Movement disorders
• BBSR 4070             Introduction to the psychosocial study of human movement (2-3)
• BBSR 5195             Advanced applied physiology laboratory (3)
• BBSR 4900             Research and independent study in movement science and education (1-3)
• BBSR 5595             Research seminar in applied physiology (1)

Elective Courses outside of Movement Sciences/Biobehavioral Sciences (a minimum of 2 courses for a total of 6 or more points). Electives may include, but are not limited to:

• MSTC 4054.             Human anatomy and physiology (2-3)
• HBSS 4100             Introduction to health education (3)
• HBSS 4102             Principles of epidemiology in health promotion (3)
• HBSS 4118             Relapse prevention for problem behaviors (3)
• HBSS 5110             Determinants of health behavior (3)
• HBSS 4114             Health promotion for multicultural populations (3)
• HBSS 4115             Health promotion for aging adults (3)
• HBSS 5111             Planning health education programs (3)
• HBSS 4140             Developing workplace health promotion programs (3)
• HBSS 4122             Women’s health (3)
• HBSV 4000             Introduction to nutrition: Facts, fallacies, and trends (3)
• HBSS 6145             Health psychology (3)
• HBSV 4010             Food, nutrition, and behavior (3)
• HBSV 4011             Women and weight, eating problems and body image (2)
• HBSV 4150.             Sports nutrition (3)
• HUDK 4015             Psychology of thinking (3)
• HUDK 5023             Cognitive development (3)
• HUDM 4120             Basic concepts in statistics (if no undergraduate statistics) (3)
• HUDM 4122             Probability and statistical inference (3)
• MSTC 4152             Modern concepts in genetics (2-3)
• MSTC 5052             Biochemistry and cell biology (2-4)
• ORLD 4051             How adults learn (3)
• ORLD 4053            Facilitating adult learning (3)
• ORLA 5017            Groups and interpersonal behavior (2-6)
• ORLA 4071            The leadership of private schools and non-profit organizations (3)