If you're passionate about enhancing human performance, preventing injury, and applying science-backed training strategies, PLNU’s M.S. in Kinesiology with a concentration in Strength and Conditioning equips you with the tools to lead in this specialized and growing field.

Earn your Master of Science in Kinesiology (MS-KIN) with a concentration in Strength and Conditioning through PLNU’s accelerated program in just one year. The program offers a flexible course load suited to your professional and academic goals, giving you the tools you need to pursue your calling in helping individuals improve their health and athletic performance.

This program equips you for impactful careers across a wide range of fields — including education, tactical professions (military, law enforcement, fire, and first responders), athletics, healthcare, sports administration, and business.

Strength and Conditioning concentration Outcomes:

• Understand the scientific principles that support  acute and chronic adaptations to strength training and conditioning, with a multidisciplinary approach that spans from sports biomechanics to exercise physiology
• Apply evidence-based practice in designing programs and periodization, including resistance training, endurance training, plyometric training, speed, power, and agility
• Develop an interdisciplinary,  structured, and well-integrated approach for athlete testing and monitoring to manage fatigue, decrease the risk of injury,  and optimize performance

The program will prepare students for careers in the fields of strength and conditioning working with collegiate and professional athletes, as well as practitioners in tactical strength and conditioning.

The Strength and Conditioning curriculum is designed to meet the standard for accreditation under the Council on Accreditation of Strength and Conditioning Education as approved by the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA).

Historically, our students have also performed exceptionally on the globally recognized Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) exam, with industry-leading pass rates.

PLNU Kinesiology Graduate Assistant and Teaching Assistant Positions

Each year, the program selects a number of highly motivated students for various graduate assistant and teaching assistant positions. The positions range from 5-20 hours per week and compensate students with a benefit comparable to 25%-50% of their tuition.  

Relevant Experience

Take courses that pair a functional, applied learning approach with the latest industry research and trends, giving you the real-world experience today to fulfill your potential tomorrow.

Professional Preparedness

Foster relationships with industry leaders, gain exposure to internship and job opportunities, and learn from faculty and professional colleagues through a robust, flexible, and customizable curriculum.

Pursue Your Purpose

Develop a deeper understanding of how to faithfully apply your work to the wellness of the whole person — body, mind, and spirit — in the context of your particular concentration.

Through a robust curriculum, collaborative group work, and direct professional experiences, you’ll be equipped to integrate the current best research evidence with your professional practice to solve relevant problems for clients, patients, or businesses related to the healthcare, sport, and fitness industries.

PLNU’s 12-month MS-KIN program offers flexibility, speed, and quality, making it ideal for working professionals and recent graduates with a four-year baccalaureate degree looking to advance quickly in their career. Graduates of undergraduate kinesiology programs such as exercise science, strength and conditioning, athletic training, physical education, sport management, exercise physiology, and pre-allied health are well-situated to pursue this master’s program.

The curriculum of the MS-KIN includes 30 total units. All students in the program will complete 18 units of core courses. Upon completion, students are required to follow a 12-unit concentration in Strength and Conditioning, Clinical Exercise Physiology, Biomechanics, or Sport Science.

Program Start Date(s):

• Fall 2025 — September 2, 2025

Application Deadline(s):

• Fall 2025 — August 15, 2025

If you are interested in applying to any of our Graduate Assistant (GA) or Teaching Assistant (TA) positions, please scroll to the Financial Aid & Student Support section for more information.

Start Application

The Selection Process

The educational context at PLNU will challenge you to live a full life that integrates the pursuit of knowledge with beliefs, values, and actions. While honoring diverse perspectives and beliefs, Christian values and principles are woven into the educational experience. We understand your application is not only a reflection of you as a student; it reflects you as a person. At PLNU, we holistically evaluate your academic history, work and life experience, background, and circumstances to determine admission into a graduate program. Your undergraduate GPA is an important piece of your application, but if you do not meet the minimum GPA requirement of a 3.0, you may still be eligible for admission based on your application package as well as the exceptions policy per your particular program.* Therefore, we strongly encourage you to contact your enrollment counselor, who will advise you regarding your qualifications and provide specific information about the admission-under-exceptions process.

To be admitted into PLNU's MS-KIN, you must have a baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited institution, as evidenced by an official transcript from that institution indicating the completion of an undergraduate degree.

If you have any questions about your qualifications or the program in general, we encourage you to contact your enrollment counselor.

*Exceptions Policy: If you have a GPA below 3.0 in your baccalaureate degree, you will need to speak with your enrollment counselor for more information on the exceptions materials needed for your particular program.

Program Prerequisites

Please refer to the program’s prerequisite course descriptions below for any concentration within the MS-KIN program that you’re considering. All prerequisite courses must be completed with a grade of B- or better. 

Application Checklist

Note: The application is completed entirely online with the exception of transcripts, which can be submitted electronically or directly to PLNU, and test scores, which should be submitted electronically.

1. Submit online application for admissions (including $50 non-refundable application fee, which is waived for PLNU alums, current or former military and their dependents, and PLNU employees).
2. Submit official transcripts with proof of earned baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited institution.* (If you are a PLNU alumnus, please notify your counselor to have your transcripts retrieved. You do not need to request transcripts from the PLNU Office of Records.)
   
   Official transcripts must be sent to:
   Point Loma Nazarene University
   Office of Graduate Admissions
   3900 Lomaland Dr.
   San Diego, CA 92106
   
   Official electronic transcripts must be emailed to:
   gradprocessing@pointloma.edu
   
   *Please note, official transcripts must be sent directly from the regionally accredited institution.
3. Submit personal essay. Specifically state how you would like to use your master’s degree from PLNU to further your career. Make sure you clearly touch on these three points:
   • Clarify what job setting you see yourself pursuing upon completing the MS-KIN and specify how this degree program will help you in that setting.
   • Describe how you will appraise, use, and integrate current evidence in kinesiology into your professional practice.
   • State how your previous education and work experiences have uniquely prepared you for success in this program.
4. Submit a resume/vita.
5. Three professional references.
6. Ensure undergraduate course prerequisites are met:
   • Clinical Exercise Physiology Concentration: Human Anatomy and Physiology, Exercise Physiology
   • Strength and Conditioning Concentration: Human Anatomy and Physiology, Structural Kinesiology, Exercise Physiology
   • Sport Science Concentration:
   • Biomechanics Concentration: Human Anatomy and Physiology, Statistics, Physics
   • Sport Management Concentration: No prerequisite other than those required for courses offered in the Fermanian School of Business

Start Application

Graduate Assistantships and Teaching Assistant Positions:

We offer a variety of paid Graduate Assistant and Teaching Assistant positions within our Kinesiology programs.

View Available Positions

You can indicate your interest in any of the positions during the application. If you have any questions, please contact your enrollment counselor.

Admission into a distance education program offered by Point Loma Nazarene University is granted at the time of initial acceptance into the program and is dependent on authorized program availability in the state where the student is physically located at the time of admission. If a student moves to another state after admission to the program, continuation within the program will depend on whether Point Loma Nazarene University is authorized to offer distance education courses in that state and/or whether Point Loma Nazarene University meets the professional licensure requirements for a specific program in that state. It is the student’s responsibility to notify the institution of a change in his or her physical presence.

State Authorization

State authorization is a formal determination by a state that PLNU is approved to conduct activities regulated by that state. PLNU is not required to obtain state authorization in every state, and the university has opted at this time not to seek authorization in some states. Additionally, PLNU meets the criteria for exemption from authorization in certain states.

At this time, PLNU does not have authorization in Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Georgia, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Mexico, New York, Rhode Island, and Wisconsin, which means residents of these states cannot enroll in any PLNU online program or course. For more information refer to our disclosures page.

Authorizations in specific states may change periodically. PLNU recommends individuals contact PLNU admissions at (800) 733-7770 for the latest information.

This degree provides invaluable knowledge and hands-on experience in coaching, conditioning, and training individuals and teams across a variety of settings. Strength and conditioning professionals and sport performance specialists work closely with individuals and communities to help them reach their physical goals. The profession is both mentally and physically rewarding, offering opportunities to grow alongside those you support. Career opportunities in strength and conditioning are diverse and expanding, with job growth projected to outpace the average for all occupations. A master’s degree furthers this field of opportunity and helps elevate graduates so they stand out and can secure high-paying and engaging jobs.

PLNU’s MS-KIN, Strength and Conditioning is designed to prepare you for careers in education, athletics, healthcare, sports administration, business, and many other specialized fields.

Strength and Conditioning Career Routes:

Director of Strength and Conditioning

Top athletes need athletic trainers to stay injury-free, but strength and conditioning coaches make sure they’re making their muscles stronger to prevent said injuries year-round. 

Yearly estimated total pay: $70,532 
Projected Growth: 39% from 2020 to 2030

Fitness Professional

Fitness professionals work with individuals or small groups to instruct and implement exercise and general fitness plans. Fitness professionals develop exercise regimens for clients, teach clients how to use complex equipment, and also help develop dietary plans for some clients with specific fitness goals in mind. 

Yearly estimated total pay: $85,665
Projected Growth: 39% from 2020 to 2030

Tactical Strength and Conditioning Specialist

These professionals develop strength and conditioning programs for law enforcement, firefighters, and military personnel to enhance job-specific performance and reduce injury risk.

Yearly estimated total pay: ~$70,000–$90,000/year (varies by agency and location)
Projected Growth: 20% from 2020-2030

Kinesiology Graduate Assistant and Teaching Assistant Positions are available.

Each year the M.S. Kinesiology program seeks highly motivated students for various graduate assistant (GA) and teaching assistant (TA) positions. Compensation for these positions is based on experience, work hours, and hourly rates. The positions range from 5-20 hours per week at a benefit comparable to 25% - 50% of tuition. 

Learn More

Questions About Financial Aid? Meet Your Advisor

If you have any questions about your student account balance, payments, financial aid, or just need to talk about all of your options, please feel free to contact your assigned student financial services advisor:

Office of Student Financial Services

For information about the courses required for the Kinesiology M.S., Strength and Conditioning program, view the PLNU Catalog. 

Course Information