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School of Kinesiology & Health Science Faculty of Health

Career Paths

You can also take a look at the Career Centres list of Career Options in Kinesiology and Health Science to find out more information on what you can do with your degree.

Kinesiology and Health Science graduates have a wide range of career options in the following fields:

  • Occupations in Kinesiology and Health Science;
  • Occupations in Physical Education;
  • Occupations in Recreation and Leisure;
  • Occupations in Health Education;

with careers in:

  • Fitness and wellness;
  • Rehabilitation;
  • Sports science;
  • Teaching and research;
  • Coaching;
  • Non-profit agencies and government departments

By using their Kinesiology and Health Science degree as the first step, many of our graduates have entered professional schools to pursue careers in a diverse array of fields, including:

  • Athletic therapy;
  • Chiropractic;
  • Dentistry;
  • Medicine;
  • Occupational therapy;
  • Optometry; physical therapy;
  • Pharmacy;
  • Speech-language pathology;
  • Registered Kinesiologist (R. Kin)

Examples of the many careers available to Kinesiology and Health Science graduates are listed below.

You can find more information on possible career choices in the following videos:

Fitness and Wellness

  • Registered Kinesiologist (R. Kin) (More detail found at College of Kinesiologists of Ontario (CKO)
  • Personal trainer
  • Wellness coordinator
  • Health club director
  • Fitness consultant
  • Strength & conditioning coordinator
  • Fitness club manager

Sport Science

  • University professor
  • Insurance investigator
  • Equipment designer
  • Fitness appraiser
  • Exercise prescription counselor
  • Private industry researcher (equipment and footwear)
  • Ergonomist

Rehabilitation

  • Worker’s compensation rehabilitation
  • Athletic injury rehabilitation
  • Cardiac rehabilitation
  • Work hardening
  • Vocational rehabilitation
  • Functional abilities evaluator
  • Work site analyst
  • Special population adaptive specialists and designer

Teaching

  • Primary/elementary school teacher
  • Junior high school teacher
  • Senior high school teacher
  • Junior college teacher
  • University professor
  • Private school/college teacher
  • Outdoor education teacher/coordinator
  • Private school/college teacher
  • Educational consultant
  • Educational administrator
  • Principal/vice principal
  • Program coordinator

Coaching

  • School university coach
  • Community club coach
  • National team coach
  • Professional team coach
  • Coaching certificate stream instructor

Research

  • University professor
  • Sport equipment designer
  • Consultant to private health clubs and organizations
  • Research associate, ergonomics
  • Research associate, adaptive equipment

Administration

  • National sport/active living organization
  • Provincial sport/active living organization
  • Marketing agent
  • Program coordinator
  • Athletic director
  • Government sport/active living consultant

Municipal Parks & Recreation

  • Sport coordinator
  • Services/programs for individuals with disabilities
  • Fitness programs
  • Services/programs for individuals with disabilities
  • Seniors’ program
  • Children’s day camp
  • Summer camps
  • Aquatic activities
  • Swimming pool, rink or other facility manager
  • Community developer facilitator
  • Special event coordinator

Youth Service Agencies (Not-for-Profit)

  • YMCA/YWCA youth program manager
  • Recreation manager with youth correction agencies
  • After school program coordinator
  • Scouts/guides/ cadets recreation programmer
  • Church sponsored programs
  • Education sponsored programs

Commercial recreation

  • Corporate fitness centres
  • Oil rig recreation
  • Mining camp recreation
  • Factory recreation programs
  • Hotel recreation
  • Fitness centre management
  • Racquetball sport club manager
  • Golf club manager
  • Cruise ship recreation
  • Entrepre-neurial recreation

Provincial/Federal government

  • Sport consultant
  • Fitness/wellness consultant
  • Facility design
  • Programming consultant
  • Program evaluation consultant
  • Consultant for cultural activities
  • Tourism promotion
  • National and provincial park employee

Institutions (including education)

  • Senior citizens home recreation coordinator
  • Hospitals therapeutic recreation
  • Prisons recreation program coordinator
  • Universities/ colleges
  • Rehabilitation centres
  • Leisure educator universities/ colleges
  • Recreation leisure researcher

Camping and outdoor

  • Outward bound schools
  • Ski instructor
  • Ecotourism
  • Adventure tourism
  • Ski hill manager
  • Water safety instructor
  • Camp adminis-trator

Teaching

  • Junior High, High School
  • College, University
  • Private health wellness club

Government

  • Public health agencies
  • Hospitals
  • Rehabilitation units
  • School boards
  • Worker’s compensation

Volunteer sector

  • Disease specific agencies
  • Wellness program special populations
  • Smoking/AIIDS etc. organizations
  • Fund raising
  • Special projects coordinator
  • Rehabilitation program
  • YMCA/YWCA

Some Helpful Resources

York Student Clubs & Services

Kinesiology and Health Science Student Organization (KAHSSO).
For more help planning your career contact York’s Career Centre.