UW–Madison’s doctoral program in kinesiology is ranked eighth in the nation according to the latest review and evaluation by the National Academy of Kinesiology (NAK).
The No. 8 ranking in the NAK 2020 Review and Evaluation of Doctoral Programs in Kinesiology marks a significant jump from the most recent program ratings released by NAK in 2015, when UW-Madison’s program was 23rd. This doctoral program is housed in the School of Education’s Department of Kinesiology.
“This is a remarkable improvement over the last five years, and is a testament to the quality of our faculty and students,” says UW–Madison Professor Gary Diffee, who chairs the Department of Kinesiology. “One of the biggest drivers of our jump in rankings from five years ago was a tremendous improvement in research funding. This reflects the high-quality, groundbreaking research that is being done by our faculty. We think it is especially important that this significant recognition of the quality of our doctoral program is happening at a time when we are also expanding our undergraduate program.”
The 2020 NAK rankings represent data collected over each of the previous five calendar years. This review is the fourth one conducted by NAK, with each evaluation representing five years of data.
According to the report, these “ranking reflect data collected on program faculty (productivity, funding, and visibility), and program students (admissions, support, publications, and employment).”
In all, 74 kinesiology doctoral programs were identified in the United States and were invited to participate in the review; with 43 institutions submitting the required data to be included in the evaluation.
The American Academy of Kinesiology and Physical Education was formed in 1930. In 2010, the organization voted to change its name to the National Academy of Kinesiology. The purpose of the NAK is to encourage and promote the study and educational applications of the art and science of human movement and physical activity.