USC ranks No. 1 nationally in exercise science Ph.D. programs

COLUMBIA, SC – The University of South Carolina’s Department of Exercise Science doctoral program has earned a No. 1 ranking from the National Academy of Kinesiology. The national rankings are based on a comprehensive information package that evaluates the quality of both the faculty and the doctoral students in the program over a five-year period.

The quality of a program’s faculty is considered by reviewing metrics on productivity (e.g., publications, presentations), funding (particularly federal grants) and visibility (e.g., service and leadership roles). Student measures include entrance exam (GRE) scores, graduate assistantship support, doctoral publications and post-graduation employment (post-doc positions, employment in the field).  Approximately 40 students are in the exercise science doctoral program at UofSC, with nearly 1,200 undergraduate students and 100 more in the master’s and doctor of physical therapy programs. It is the largest department in the Arnold School of Public Health.

“This is a huge honor from one of the most important professional organizations —certainly the most important in terms of doctoral reviews—connected to the field of exercise science,” says Jim Carson, chair of the exercise science department. “They know the science and they know the programs; they know what they are looking for.”