MA in Kinesiology, Financial Aid & Scholarships

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Saint Mary's MA in Kinesiology is designed to help you learn valuable skills, network, and find opportunities that will help you in your current or future career.

Our Graduate Coordinator Fellowships provide opportunities for our students to gain real-world, hands-on experience working in an NCAA Division I Athletic Department—in fact, many of our Coordinator Fellowship graduates have gone on to work at other universities and athletic departments in their field. In addition, our Leadership and Engagement scholarships give students the chance to turn their experience and contributions to the classroom into extra funding for their degree.

    Financial Aid Opportunities

    Each year the Graduate Kinesiology program offers different opportunities for students to gain hands-on experience. To learn more about these positions, please click the links below.

    Graduate Student Coordinator Fellowships:

    The students hired for these positions will be eligible to receive an academic scholarship (up to $2,500), in addition to being paid hourly.

    Athletic Compliance - Hiring for Spring 2024 (See Job Description)

    Supervisor: Irene Chavez, Associate Athletic Director for Compliance

    Athletics Events and Facilities

    Supervisor: Matt Buhler, Assistant Athletic Director for Facilities and Events

    Athletics Strength and Conditioning

    Supervisor: Cody Butcher, Assistant Athletic Director of Sports Performance

    Athletics Communications

    Supervisor: Tim Fitzgerald, Director of Communications

    Athletics Development - Hiring for Spring 2024 (See Job Description)

    Supervisor: Staci Byrne, Associate Athletics Director for Development  

    For consideration for the open Coordinator positions, please complete your SMC MA in Kinesiology application and email your cover letter to Collin Skeen at cas38@stmarys-ca.edu

    Graduate Student Teaching Opportunities

    Students enrolled in the Graduate Kinesiology Program are eligible to apply to teach one of the Undergraduate Physical Education courses. Courses in the past have included Weight Training, Body Conditioning, Tennis, Golf, and Archery. 

    Department of Kinesiology Student Employment Opportunities

    The students hired for these positions will be paid hourly throughout the year.

    • Human Performance Lab
    • Social Media Student Manager

    Graduate Kinesiology Leadership Scholarship

    The Graduate Kinesiology Leadership Scholarship is given to incoming students who have demonstrated academic excellence and engagement throughout their undergraduate and/or professional career.

    To be considered for the Graduate Kinesiology Leadership Scholarship, please submit an additional essay of up to 1,000 words. In this essay, please explain how you would demonstrate leadership during your time in SMC's MA in Kinesiology program and afterwards in your professional career. Please consider the Lasallian principles (social justice, respect for all persons, and an inclusive community) upon which Saint Mary's is founded.

    This application essay may be uploaded in the "Additional Requirements" section of your SMC application or emailed directly to cas38@stmarys-ca.edu.

    Director's Engagement Scholarship

    The Graduate Kinesiology Director's Engagement Scholarship will be awarded to students who are engaged in the Graduate Kinesiology Program outside the classroom and actively build community among our students, alumni, faculty, and staff. Students awarded this scholarship will also exemplify academic excellence and contribute to the process of shared inquiry in the classroom.  

    Applicants should submit a 2-page statement that addresses the following: 1. The qualifications listed above, and 2. A proposal to foster community among Graduate Kinesiology current and future students, alumni, faculty, and staff.  

    Recipients of this award commit to implementing their proposal for building community during the term in which they receive the scholarship.

    Dr. Craig Johnson Scholarship (Coming Soon)

    Dr. Craig Johnson was the embodiment of a Lasallian educator at Saint Mary’s College for over four decades. He served as the Director of the Graduate Kinesiology Program for sixteen years and was integral in fostering its growth during and beyond his time in that role. Dr. Johnson is an inspirational and enthusiastic teacher who was always a strong advocate for students, athletics, the college, and community.

    His commitment and dedication to education has been passed on to MA Kinesiology students for over 40 years, and can be seen in their careers as they have epitomized the authentic, kind, and gracious person that Dr. Johnson is, as they lead their respective teams, departments and organizations. He lives the Lasallian principle of honoring and respecting humanity irrespective of social status, race, gender and class privilege.

    Dr. Johnson retired in 2022 and this scholarship was created in honor and recognition of his legacy.

    Private Scholarships

    Students may also apply for private scholarships through websites such as Fastweb.

    Graduate and Professional Student Development Funds

    Some funding is also available for independent research and professional development in the form of grants through the Graduate & Professional Student Research and Development Fund.

    Federal financial aid in the form of student loans is available for those who qualify. To learn more about the types of loans available please visit the Finanical Aid Office's website. To apply file a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) online at fafsa.ed.gov. The Saint Mary's College of California Title IV code is #001302.

    Kinesiology students in the Human Performance Lab.

    Tuition and Fees

    Tuition for the 2024-2025 academic year is $1139 per unit and the program is a total of 30 units, bringing the total cost of tuition for our MA to $34,170. 

    There are several types of financial assistance available for our students to help cover the cost of tuition including federal financial aid, scholarships, and student employment opportunities—see below for more details.

    Three photos of Dr. Craig Johnson: two faculty profile photos (one in an Indiana Jones-esque hat) and one of him posing with a Kinesiology department skeletal model.

    Dr. Craig Johnson Scholarship

    Saint Mary's Graduate Kinesiology program is excited to introduce our new Dr. Craig Johnson Scholarship, available to students starting in 2024. Dr. Johnson previously served as Program Director for the Kinesiology grad program and his commitment to education has been passed on to MA Kinesiology students for over 40 years. His lasting influence can be seen throughout the careers of his former students and we hope this new scholarship will epitomize the authentic, kind, and gracious presence Dr. Johnson has contributed to the SMC community.

    You can support our Graduate Kinesiology students by donating to the Craig Johnson Scholarship Fund.

    School and Department Information

    Derek Marks
    Program Director, Graduate Programs in Kinesiology
    dwm1@stmarys-ca.edu
    925-631-8834


    Collin Skeen
    Assistant Director of Admissions and Recruitment 
    cas38@stmarys-ca.edu
    925-631-4190