Healthy Active Lifestyles, Ph.D.

To enhance well-being through optimal movement, physical activity, tourism and leisure experiences, environments and policies.

The doctorate program at the University of Idaho College of Education prepares students for research, teaching and service in academia. The focus is to develop independent researchers in Healthy Active Lifestyles (HAL) that enhance well-being. Collaborations in teaching, research and service are required, and an independent research focus should be established within program faculty research lines.

Wellness through movement, physical activity and leisure is an active process through which people become aware of, and make choices toward, a more physically active life. This active integration of the mind, body and spirit results in the overall feeling of well-being. HAL programs are designed to help achieve a state of well-being by providing movement, physical activity, tourism and leisure services focused on the promotion or maintenance of good health rather than the correction or treatment of poor health.

In the HAL program, students apply principles of pedagogy, moral and ethical reasoning, psychology to movement, physical activity, tourism and leisure sciences to examine how experiences, relationships and organizations help people and communities thrive. Accordingly, HAL pillars of well-being include positive emotion, relationships, engagement, meaning and accomplishment in relation to movement, physical activity, tourism and leisure sciences.

Within the context of HAL, the student will be able to: 

• Critically analyze, apply and disseminate research

• Develop skills and knowledge in effective teaching and learning

• Apply principles of ethical leadership and collaborative engagement, and service-oriented commitment to advance sustainability in communities

• Apply programming and policy principles

• Develop a specialized and expert knowledge base

• Engage in professorial responsibilities commonly expected in academia

A master’s degree with thesis or project related to movement sciences/recreation/physical education/kinesiology/exercise science*, or a bachelor’s degree and a professional presentation or published work in a peer reviewed journal*. Minimum of two years of field* experience (public or private sector) is recommended and this experience is required before graduation. *Discretion of advisor.

• Students must have a designated major professor to be admitted into the program. 

• This program of study reflects the minimum credit requirements in each area, however, depending on the specific specialization of study, students may need to complete additional requirements as stipulated by their major professor in the study plan. 

• Students must file their study plan and committee form after successful completion of 24 credits. These forms can be found at www.uidaho.edu/cogs/forms. Please type all forms and submit a hard copy with original signatures to the HPERD Department Chair in PEB 101.

• Students must gain approval of proposals for PEP 502 and 599 coursework from two program faculty members.

• 30 overaged (taken more than 8 yrs ago) credits are allowed

• 48 credits must be current

• Up to 45 credits dissertation allowed

• 39 credits are required at University of Idaho

• 52 credits must be 500 or higher (26 credits can be 400 level; 300 level permitted outside of major)

• The study plan must have at least 84 (Ph.D.) credits beyond the bachelor's degree

• Credit for courses numbered 599 cannot be counted in meeting the core or elective research requirements

• ED 604: Grant-Writing and External Funding (3 cr)

• ED 604: Writing for Publication (3 cr)

• ED 611: Doctoral Seminar (1 cr)

• ED 612: Doctoral Seminar (1 cr)

Students should select at least 18 credits of research design, statistics, and directed research, in consultation with their major professor and committee. 

Core (9 credits)

• ED 680: Philosophies of Research (3 cr)

• ED 574: Introduction to Qualitative Research (3 cr)

• ED 571: Introduction to Quantitative Research (3 cr)

Electives (9 credits minimum)

• ED 589: Designing and Conducting Qualitative Research (3 cr)

• ED 584: Intermediate Quantitative Analysis in Education (3 cr)

• ED 590: Qualitative Research: Writing, Critiquing, Practice, and Application (3 cr)

• ED 587: Advanced Quantitative Analysis in Education (3 cr)

• ED 685: Instrumentation Design and Survey Research (3 cr) 

OR:

• Statistical Research Certification (15 cr)

A minimum of 39 credits are required for the specialization, cognate and academic immersion areas combined.

Students must complete the 9 credits of HAL core courses from the University of Idaho in the specialization listed below. In addition, students will take elective courses as identified by the major professor and committee.

Healthy Active Lifestyles Core Courses

• PEP 530: Contemporary Issues in Health and Activity (3 cr)

• PEP 523: Physical Activity Assessment (3 cr)

• PEP 570: Ethical Practice and Communication in Physical Activity (3 cr)

Choose from the following choices:

Students should select 24 credits of theory and applied coursework that supports the area of specialization in consultation with the major professor and committee. 

Physical Activity Pedagogy  

• PEP 522: Pedagogy Applied to HPERD (3 cr)

• PEP 544: Program Development (3 cr)

• PEP 563: PA, Health and Metabolic Disease (3 cr)

Plus an additional 15 credits

Character Development

• PEP 475: Moral Reasoning (3 cr) 

• PEP 501: Neuroscience and Ethics (3 cr) 

• PEP 501: Readings in Moral Reasoning/Moral Development (3 cr) 

• PEP 501: History of Sport (3 cr)

• PEP 591: Moral Development (3 cr)

Plus an additional 9 credits

Recreation

• REC 575: Leadership, Programming and Marketing (3 cr) 

• REC 585: Policy Analysis and Historical Perspectives of Leisure (3 cr)

• REC 595: Budgeting, Financing and Managing Recreational Facilities (3 cr)

• PEP 561: Motivation in Sport and Recreation (3 cr)

Plus an additional 12 credits

May also include PEP 501, 502, 599 courses and courses from other departments.

Student immersion experiences will consist of activities for academia preparation (i.e., teaching, research, and outreach/engagement).

• PEP 604: Teaching Immersion (3 cr)

• PEP 604: Research Immersion (3 cr)

• PEP 604: Outreach/Engagement Immersion (3 cr)

• PEP 600: Dissertation (18 cr)