Health & Human Performance Ph.D.
Single, College-Wide Ph.D. Program
The HHP Ph.D. is a single college-wide Ph.D. program, with distinct concentrations housed and administered by the four departments. Ph.D. appplicants eligible for admission must have:
- Earned a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university at the time of matriculation into the graduate program.
- Hold a minimum 3.0 GPA in their final 60 semester hours of undergraduate study (junior and senior year).
- No GRE score is required.
- English Language Proficiency (for applicants from countries where English is not the official language).
- Some concentrations require additional materials, please check you specific program’s admission page for more information.
- Note: HEB requires a 3.5 GPA on all graduate coursework.
Components of the Ph.D. application include:
- Three (3) letters of recommendation
- Statement of purpose
- Resume
- UF application (transcripts included)
- TOEFL scores (if applicable)
- Some concentration require additional materials, please check your specific program’s admission page for more information.
- Note: HEB requires an additional writing sample.
Available Areas of Concentration
APK Ph.D.
Ph.D. students in APK study the immediate and lasting effects of exercise and its use in disease prevention and rehabilitation as well as fundamental mechanisms within muscle biology, cardiovascular function, motor neuroscience, biomechanics, environmental physiology, sports medicine and emotion regulation.
The Ph.D. concentrations in APK include Exercise Physiology and Biobehavioral Science, with further specializations in biomechanics, motor control and learning, performance psychology and sports medicine/athletic training.
HEB Ph.D.
Ph.D. students in HEB investigate health promotion strategies aimed at modifying behaviors which will improve individual, family, workplace, and community health and well-being. The Ph.D. concentration in HEB is in Health Behavior.
SPM Ph.D.
Ph.D. students in SPM study the business of sport and the impact of sports on individuals and the industry. SPM improves the understanding of factors that help the sport industry thrive.
SPM students and faculty explore organizational and marketing theories, sociological concepts and sport consumption behaviors among sport organizations and sport consumers to improve the quality of the sport industry practices and the experiences of sport consumers and participants. The Ph.D. concentration in SPM is Sport Management.
THEM Ph.D.
Ph.D. students in THEM study the impact of tourism, recreation activities, professional and amateur sports, ecotourism, parks, and beaches on the personal, social, economic, environmental and resource infrastructures of society. The Ph.D. concentration in THEM is Recreation, Parks and Tourism.
Ph.D. Student Handbook
Review our HHP Ph.D. Student Handbook for detailed information about this doctoral program.
Alignment With College and University Missions
Integration of the College and University missions is reflected in the preamble to the HHP College Constitution: “serving our state, country, globe, and its citizens through teaching, research, creative scholarship and service for the purpose of helping people protect, maintain and improve their health, fitness and quality of life.”
In addition to the fine work that they do while at UF, our Ph.D. students extend the HHP and UF missions by leaving the university to obtain entry level professorial and post-doctoral positions at research intensive universities and federal agencies, as well as careers in the health, tourism and management industries.