Where is the MKin Program Now? Personal Experiences of 2023 Graduates

Dear future kinesiology graduate,

As a follow-up from our original blog post, Master of Kinesiology (MKin) Program: Reflecting on our Experiences as 2021 Graduates, we are excited to share some more up-to-date experiences from the University of Calgary MKin program. We have interviewed Julia Moorhouse (April 2023 MKin graduate) and Roxy Krankowski (December 2023 MKin graduate) who have shared their unique perspectives and experiences of the program since we’ve attended the program. Our hope is that you will gain a broader and more up-to-date perspective on what the MKin program is like now. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: Your Kines Mentor is in no way affiliated with the University of Calgary. The goal of this blog post is to provide you with a reflection of Julia and Roxy’s personal experiences. The MKin program is continually being redeveloped and may have more changes in the future. For the most up-to-date information on the program, please visit the University of Calgary’s website here or contact the graduate program administrator.

Tell us a little bit about yourself

Julia: I just finished my MKin degree in April and will be graduating in June! I graduated with Bachelor’s of Kinesiology in Mind Sciences at the University of Calgary in 2021 (during COVID) and immediately started the MKin program that September. I’ve always been interested in exercise physiology, and really wanted to use both my undergraduate and master’s degree to help clinical and elderly populations.

Roxy: I graduated from the University of Calgary in 2019 with a Bachelor of Science Major in Exercise and Health Physiology. In Fall 2019, I obtained my certification as an exercise physiologist with the Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology. I just completed my first two semesters of the MKin program and will be starting a Spring class as well as my first practicum placement. With the new structure of the MKin program, I will be graduating in December 2023. The whole field of exercise physiology is really interesting to me, and I love aspects of both high-performance sport and clinical, so it is challenging to narrow it down to a few passions. Being in a lab and completing testing is something that I have always been drawn towards.

What made you decide to apply to the MKin program? Did you consider any other masters programs?

Julia: What really made me want to apply to the MKin program was the fact that I would get to do two practicum placements in my second year. I was very interested in being able to practice practical skills and learn in a more hands-on way outside of the classroom. I also considered and was accepted to the University of Alberta’s Physiotherapy program, but ultimately, I couldn’t see myself doing physio for a career. The MKin program aligned more with my interests, and I felt it would provide me with more well-rounded skills that I could use in a professional career.

Roxy: I was always interested in completing the MKin program at the University of Calgary. When I was finishing up my undergrad, I knew I wanted to take some time to work and not be in academia. After about 2 years off, I decided to apply for the program as I was ready to further my knowledge in exercise physiology for both my practical and theoretical skills. I was ready to be a student again and challenge what I knew about the field of exercise physiology. I looked into a few other masters’ programs and even thought about an MSc, but the course base design and the broad skill set that you gain from the MKin program was really appealing to me.

What has been most valuable about the program? What could be improved?

Julia: The most valuable thing about the MKin program is the practicums. They really help get your name out there and help you network with people in the field. I know many people (myself included) who got a job through their practicum. The practicums are where you learn the most as you are interacting with the public instead of just your classmates. This is where you finetune your skills as an exercise physiologist and take what you learned in class into the real world. The only thing that could be improved on for the MKin program would be the organization of the capstone project. Not many people in my year completed their capstone project, so I believe they have to adjust the timeline to make it more doable for everyone to finish, especially if they are doing data collection.

Roxy: I think one thing that has been really valuable about the program is the broad skill set and knowledge that you gain from the program. With the design of the program, you learn a lot of different topics. There isn’t necessarily enough time to go really in-depth with them, but with this, you also learn the steps that you would take to go and dive deeper into a topic to enhance your understanding. Another valuable aspect of the program is that there is the opportunity to make good connections with your professors and other students that can be beneficial down the road.

How is the workload?

Julia: The workload was not too bad. There was more work to do in the first year of the program than the second year, to give you more time to finish your practicums and capstone project. There were times in my first year where I felt there was a lot to get done at once (papers, lab reports, practical exams) but I always felt that there was enough time to work on them and ask questions to my professors and Lab TAs. I would recommend starting on your assignments right away so that you don’t cram them in at the end. This will make your life easier! You do have to be self-disciplined when working on assignments as sometimes they give you an assignment with a far away due date, so you have to make sure you give yourself enough time to work on it!

Roxy: During the first year of the program the workload can be a lot to manage. The assignments are interesting and challenge your knowledge, but they are great learning opportunities. I would say that it is beneficial to have good time management skills when working on assignments. This will help as well if you have commitments outside of school. If you plan for things and work hard, it is all manageable.

What have you done for practicums thus far? If you haven’t yet, what are you interested in trying?

Julia: For my practicums I worked with clinical populations for both of them. My first practicum was at Total Cardiology, where I worked in the treadmill lab running exercise stress tests on patients. My second practicum was at LIVE WELL Exercise Clinic, where I helped members complete their exercise cards, and prescribed exercises to members. I loved working with these populations and found it very rewarding!

Roxy: I am going to be completing a practicum with the Canadian Sport Institute Calgary (CSI Calgary) in the Spring semester and undertaking a research-based project. For my second practicum placement, I have yet to decide where and what I was to do, but I am thinking of completing one with a clinical population.

Are you currently working any part time jobs while completing the program?

Julia: I worked as a TA for the fall and winter semester for both years of my program. I found it a great and easy way to make some money and would recommend it if you like teaching. You do have to be prepared to talk/teach in front of large groups, and you have to mark reports sometimes weekly, so it does take up some time. I decided not to work any other part time jobs during my master’s because I worked two jobs during my undergraduate degree and wanted to really focus on my schoolwork for my master’s degree.

Roxy: I had the opportunity to be a TA for both semesters. I was a TA for KNES 203 in the Fall and KNES 373 in the Winter. During my first year, I was also working part time with my role through CSI Calgary and assisting in the Human Performance Lab at University of Calgary as a Research Exercise Physiologist.

What is your biggest takeaway from the program so far?

Julia: My biggest takeaway from the program would be all the hands-on skills I learned through my classes and practicums. I learned how to set up ECGs, take body composition measurements, calibrate metabolic carts, run submax and max VO2 tests to just name a few.

Roxy: A big takeaway from the program so far is that you will get out of it what you are willing to put in. If you are willing to challenge your understanding of a topic and ask more questions, you’ll be able to learn a lot. It’s your education at the end of the day, so the more you are willing to dive into things, the most you’ll learn at the end of the day.

What are some changes to the program that you’ve noticed since you started?

Julia: The biggest change was that the MKin program went from a two-year program to a 16 month program this year. My degree was still two years, but the program now is only 16 months, so it is more fast paced. There are also talks of changing the way the capstone project works but I don’t have enough information on that.

Roxy: The biggest change is that the program is being condensed from 20 to 16-months. This means that the program will have courses during the Spring and Summer semesters to make up for the shortened time frame. With this new design, there is a shorter break that you get, but you also finish earlier so there are pros and cons with this change for the program.

Do you have any advice that you wish you would have given yourself when you first started the program?

Julia: I wish I would have really taken the time to enjoy my time as a student more because I was so focused and worried about finding a job after I was done. I really wish that I would have just focussed on enjoying the moment rather than the future, but everything worked out for me in the end!

Roxy: I think my advice to myself (which is easier said than done) is to try and stress less about things. Everything will always get done even when it feels impossible at times. There is no need to make things more stressful for yourself. Another piece of advice is that the learning is the most important thing. Even if you didn’t get a grade that you are really happy with, if you came away from an assignment or a course with a better understanding of the topic, that is the most important thing.

Is there anything you think current/future kinesiology students should know about the U of C MKin program?

Julia: I think the MKin program at the U of C is a great master’s program that will give you a lot of hands-on experience that can help you in your future career!

Roxy: This is more for incoming students, but don’t be afraid to ask your professors, the lab coordinators, and your classmates for help. The professors and lab coordinators are there to help you– use them as a resource! Go to them and talk about what you know about the topic and what you are struggling with. They will point you in the right direction to help answer your question which can help make an assignment a lot easier to complete. With your classmates, they may be struggling with the same things you are too, so talking over concepts and assignments in my opinion can be really helpful. Everyone in your class is learning the same content but everyone comes into the program with a different background and base knowledge. Your classmates can be a fantastic support system to help you during the program.

Conclusion

A big thank you to Julia and Roxy for sharing their perspective and experiences from the MKin program thus far! As always, if you have any questions or concerns don’t hesitate to reach out to myself or any of the other mentors with regards to the MKin program.

Sincerely,

Your Kines Mentor