This is a named option in the Kinesiology, PhD. For more information, please see our program website.

As occupational scientists, our faculty and graduate students explore theories of occupational engagement and conduct research to expand the body of knowledge supporting the practice of occupational therapy. Occupational Science integrates theories and practices from the disciplines of anatomy, biomechanics, motor control, neuroscience, psychology, and sociology to enhance our understanding of how engagement in the activities of daily life promotes human health and well-being. The Occupational Science named option of the Kinesiology PhD prepares occupational therapists to serve as researchers and educators who are able to contribute to the understanding of the theoretical and empirical relationships between occupation, physiological health, and psychological well-being. Graduate students work closely with their advisors to pursue research on issues that expand upon the current theory in occupational therapy and life-span development.

All faculty members have established laboratories for conducting research in Occupational Science, some of which are free-standing and others of which are located in research centers around campus. Opportunities abound for engaging in collaborative work with faculty from other disciplines such as kinesiology, biomedical engineering, psychology, nursing, population health, sociology, human ecology, special education, or rehabilitation psychology.  A full list and description of the research labs, hosted by the Occupational Therapy Program, can be found on the department’s research page.

Admissions

Please consult the table below for key information about this degree program’s admissions requirements. The program may have more detailed admissions requirements, which can be found below the table or on the program’s website.

Graduate admissions is a two-step process between academic programs and the Graduate School. Applicants must meet the minimum requirements of the Graduate School as well as the program(s). Once you have researched the graduate program(s) you are interested in, apply online.

Fall Deadline December 1
Spring Deadline September 1
Summer Deadline This program does not admit in the summer.
GRE (Graduate Record Examinations) Not required.
English Proficiency Test Every applicant whose native language is not English, or whose undergraduate instruction was not exclusively in English, must provide an English proficiency test score earned within two years of the anticipated term of enrollment. Refer to the Graduate School: Minimum Requirements for Admission policy: https://policy.wisc.edu/library/UW-1241.
Other Test(s) (e.g., GMAT, MCAT) n/a
Letters of Recommendation Required 3

For admission, the Graduate School requires, as does the Kinesiology department, a minimum 3.0 GPA (on a 4.0=A scale) on the last 60 semester hours (or equivalent) of undergraduate coursework. An applicant must submit academic transcripts from each institution attended, and a statement of reasons for graduate study. The statement should provide specific details on why the applicant names this named option.  If a professor in the area of specialization agrees to serve as the prospective student's advisor, then the department's graduate office recommends the applicant for admission to the Graduate School.  Please consult the Kinesiology website for further details of these requirements and procedures.

Funding

Graduate School Resources

Resources to help you afford graduate study might include assistantships, fellowships, traineeships, and financial aid. Further funding information is available from the Graduate School. Be sure to check with your program for individual policies and restrictions related to funding.

On This Page

Minimum Graduate School Requirements

Review the Graduate School minimum academic progress and degree requirements, in addition to the program requirements listed below.

Named Option Requirements

Mode of Instruction

Face to Face Evening/Weekend Online Hybrid Accelerated
Yes No No No No

 Mode of Instruction Definitions

Accelerated: Accelerated programs are offered at a fast pace that condenses the time to completion. Students typically take enough credits aimed at completing the program in a year or two.

Evening/Weekend: ​Courses meet on the UW–Madison campus only in evenings and/or on weekends to accommodate typical business schedules.  Students have the advantages of face-to-face courses with the flexibility to keep work and other life commitments.

Face-to-Face: Courses typically meet during weekdays on the UW-Madison Campus.

Hybrid: These programs combine face-to-face and online learning formats.  Contact the program for more specific information.

Online: These programs are offered 100% online.  Some programs may require an on-campus orientation or residency experience, but the courses will be facilitated in an online format.

Curricular Requirements

Minimum Credit Requirement 51 credits
Minimum Residence Credit Requirement 32 credits
Minimum Graduate Coursework Requirement 26 credits must be graduate-level coursework. Refer to the Graduate School: Minimum Graduate Coursework (50%) Requirement policy: https://policy.wisc.edu/library/UW-1244.
Overall Graduate GPA Requirement 3.00 GPA required. Refer to the Graduate School: Grade Point Average (GPA) Requirement policy: https://policy.wisc.edu/library/UW-1203.
Other Grade Requirements n/a
Assessments and Examinations PhD students must:
Language Requirements No language requirements.
Graduate School Breadth Requirement A doctoral minor or graduate/professional certificate is not required due to the broad areas of inquiry within Kinesiology. To ensure the breadth of study requirement is achieved, students are required to complete a minimum of two graduate level courses (at least two credits each) in Kinesiology, outside of their named option coursework.

 Required Courses

Core
Students must complete the following courses.
KINES 785 Human Occupation and Health3
KINES 885 Seminar in Occupation and Health (minimum of 2 semesters required)2
KINES 990 Research or Thesis4+
KINES 900 Seminar in Kinesiology 14
Research Content9
Students must complete 9 credits in Research Content, including the following course.
KINES 991
 Research in Physical Activity- Theory and Design
Research Methods and Ethics (minimum of 6 credits)
From the 9 credits of Research Content, students must complete at least 6 credits in Research Methods and Ethics.
General Field Requirements4-6
At least two graduate level courses of at least two credits each in Kinesiology, at UW-Madison, outside of Occupational Sciences area. The following courses will not be applied toward meeting the breadth requirement: KINES 699, 900, 990, 991, 999. See header below to learn which courses are in the Occupational Science area.
Suggested Electives
Students take as many electives as needed to reach the total credit minimum. Courses should be taken in a concentration area specific to research area. Suggestions may be the ICTR Clinical Trials, Global Health, Prevention Science, Aging, Lifespan Development, as well as others.
Total Credits51
1

All Kinesiology MS and PhD students must register for KINES 900 Seminar in Kinesiology for 1 credit each semester they are enrolled in the program, for a minimum of 4 credits.

Research Methods and Ethics Requirement

Examples of courses that fulfill this requirement include:

Ethics
NURSING 802 Ethics and the Responsible Conduct of Research1
SURG SCI 812 Research Ethics and Career Development2
ONCOLOGY 715 Ethics in Science1
Methods
ED PSYCH 760 Statistical Methods Applied to Education I3
ED PSYCH 761 Statistical Methods Applied to Education II3

General Field Requirements

The courses within the Occupational Sciences area include: KINES 785 Human Occupation and Health and KINES 885 Seminar in Occupation and Health.

Graduate School Policies

The Graduate School’s Academic Policies and Procedures provide essential information regarding general university policies. Program authority to set degree policies beyond the minimum required by the Graduate School lies with the degree program faculty. Policies set by the academic degree program can be found below.

Named Option-Specific Policies

Prior Coursework

Graduate Credits Earned at Other Institutions

With program approval, students are allowed to transfer no more than 18 credits of graduate coursework from other institutions. Coursework earned ten years or more prior to admission to a doctoral degree is not allowed to satisfy requirements.

Undergraduate Credits Earned at Other Institutions or UW-Madison

No credits from other institutions or UW–Madison undergraduate degree are allowed to transfer toward the degree.

Credits Earned as a Professional Student at UW-Madison (Law, Medicine, Pharmacy, and Veterinary careers)

Refer to the Graduate School: Transfer Credits for Prior Coursework policy.

Credits Earned as a University Special Student at UW-Madison

Refer to the Graduate School: Transfer Credits for Prior Coursework policy.

Probation

Refer to the Graduate School: Probation policy.

Advisor / Committee

Refer to the Graduate School: Advisor and Graduate School: Committees (Doctoral/Master’s/MFA) policies, except the dissertation committee must have a minimum of five members. 

PhD students work with two (or three) committees during their studies.

  1. Preliminary exams Committee (three graduate faculty members)
  2. Dissertation committee (five members)
    1. Proposal committee
    2. Defense committee

Ordinarily the proposal and defense committees have the same membership. Committee members are selected by the student in consultation with the faculty advisor.

Credits Per Term Allowed

15 credits

Time Limits

Refer to the Graduate School: Time Limits policy.

Within the Department, completion of required courses and passing preliminary exams within three years of starting the PhD program is considered satisfactory progress. See the Graduate Program Handbook link in Contact Information for more information. 

Grievances and Appeals

These resources may be helpful in addressing your concerns:

School of Education Grievance Policy and Procedures

The following School of Education Student Grievance Policy and associated procedures are designed for use in response to individual student grievances regarding faculty or staff in the School of Education.

Any individual student who feels they have been treated unfairly by a School of Education faculty or staff member has the right to file a grievance about the treatment and receive a timely response addressing their concerns. Any student, undergraduate or graduate, may use these grievance procedures, except employees whose complaints are covered under other campus policies. The grievance may concern classroom treatment, mentoring or advising, program admission or continuation, course grades (study abroad grade complaints are handled through International Academic Programs), or issues not covered by other campus policies or grievance procedures. 

For grievances regarding discrimination based on protected bases (i.e., race, color, national origin, sex, disability, age, etc.), contact the Office of Compliance (https://compliance.wisc.edu/eo-complaint/).

For grievances or concerns regarding sexual harassment or sexual violence (including sexual assault, dating/domestic violence, stalking, and sexual exploitation), contact the Sexual Misconduct Resource and Response Program within the Office of Compliance.

For grievances that involve the behavior of a student, contact the Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards in the Dean of Students Office at https://conduct.students.wisc.edu/).

For grievances about, or directed at, faculty or staff in a School of Education department, unit, or program, students should follow these steps:

  1. Students are strongly encouraged to first talk with the person against whom the concern is directed. Many issues can be settled informally at this level. If students are unable to resolve concerns directly or without additional support, step 2 or 3 should be pursued.
  2. If unresolved after taking or considering step 1:
    1. If the concern is directed against a teaching assistant (TA), and the student is not satisfied, the student should contact the TA's supervisor, who is usually the course professor. The course professor will attempt to resolve the concern informally.
    2. If the concern involves a non-TA instructor, staff member, professor, academic department, or School of Education office or unit, the student should contact the chair of the department or the director of the office or unit, or their designee. The chair or director, or their designee, will attempt to resolve the concern informally. If the concern is about the department chair or office/unit director, the student should consult the School of Education Senior Associate Dean for guidance.
  3. If the concern remains unresolved after step 2, the student may submit a formal grievance to the chair or director in writing within 30 business days1 of the alleged unfair treatment. To the fullest extent possible, a formal written grievance shall contain a clear and concise statement of the issue(s) involved and the relief sought.  
  4. On receipt of a written grievance, the chair or director will notify the person at whom the grievance is directed with a copy of the written grievance. The person at whom the complaint is directed may submit a written response, which would be shared with the student.
  5. On receipt of a written grievance, the chair or director will refer the matter to a department, office, or unit committee comprised of at least two members. The committee may be an existing committee or one constituted for this purpose. The committee, or delegates from the committee, may meet with the parties involved and/or review any material either party shares with the committee.  
  6. The committee will provide a written description of the facts of the grievance and communicate recommendations to the department chair or office/unit head regarding how the grievance should be handled.
  7. The chair or director will offer to meet with the student who made the grievance and also will provide a written decision to the student, including a description of any related action taken by the committee, within 30 business days of receiving the formal grievance.
    1

    For the purpose of this policy, business days refers to those days when the University Offices are open and shall not include weekends, university holidays, spring recess, or the period from the last day of exams of fall semester instruction to the first day of spring semester instruction. All time limits may be modified by mutual consent of the parties involved.

If the grievance concerns an undergraduate course grade, the decision of the department chair after reviewing the committee’s recommendations is final. 

Other types of grievances may be appealed using the following procedures:

  1. Both the student who filed the grievance or the person at whom the grievance was directed, if unsatisfied with the decision of the department, office or unit, have five (5) business days from receipt of the decision to contact the Senior Associate Dean, indicating the intention to appeal.   
  2. A written appeal must be filed with the Senior Associate Dean within 10 business days of the time the appealing party was notified of the initial resolution of the complaint.
  3. On receipt of a written appeal, the Senior Associate Dean will convene a sub-committee of the School of Education’s Academic Planning Council. This subcommittee may ask for additional information from the parties involved and/or may hold a meeting at which both parties will be asked to speak separately (i.e., not in the room at the same time).
  4. The subcommittee will then make a written recommendation to the Dean of the School of Education, or their designee, who will render a decision. The dean or designee’s written decision shall be made within 30 business days from the date when the written appeal was filed with the Senior Associate Dean.  For undergraduate students, the dean or designee’s decision is final.

Further appealing a School of Education decision – graduate students only

Graduate students have the option to appeal decisions by the School of Education dean or designee by using the process detailed on the Graduate School’s website.

Questions about these procedures can be directed to the School of Education Dean's Office, 377 Education Building, 1000 Bascom Mall, 608-262-1763.

Resources

Other

n/a

Professional Development

Graduate School Resources

Take advantage of the Graduate School's professional development resources to build skills, thrive academically, and launch your career. 

People

Faculty mentors in Occupational Science include:

Karla Ausderau
Dorothy Farrar Edwards
Beth Fields
Elizabeth Larson
Kristen Pickett
Brittany Travers

Contact information for faculty and lab information can be found on the Kinesiology website.