Exercise Physiology

M.S. in Exercise Physiology

Today’s interest in healthy lifestyles is translating into a remarkable range of career opportunities related to diet, fitness, and health.

Our exercise physiology programs are cutting-edge and fully prepare students to pursue a wide variety of health-related careers. We offer courses that provide a firm foundation in essential scientific methods, technical knowledge, and practical skills.

It’s our mission to increase conducted research; teach students to investigate, apply, and contribute knowledge; and to benefit the community through work in exercise and human performance.

If you meet the below requirements, we encourage you to apply to the program.

  1. An upper-division undergraduate GPA of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale. The same scale applies for graduate-level work.
  2. A bachelor’s degree or equivalent from an accredited university.  Questions about degree equivalency should be directed to graduateadmissions@fsu.edu.
  3. The GRE general test requirement is waived for MS applicants to our college programs through the fall 2026 admission cycle. Master’s applicants may choose to take the Graduate Record Examination General Test (GRE) and submit scores. We recommend a score of above the 50th percentile (approximately 150) in both verbal and quantitative sections with a 4.0 or higher on the writing section. Please note that it can take up to ten (10) days after sitting for the GRE for an official score report to be sent to the university.
  4. International students: Applicants must submit an  English Proficiency Score Report. A TOEFL iBT® score of at least 80 (iBT) or 550 (paper-delivered) or an IELTSTM Academic score of at least 6.5 is required. Our department does not accept other English proficiency examinations.

Attainment of these minimum requirements does not guarantee admission to the program. Admission decisions are based on assessments of all aspects of the student’s application materials. The department reserves the right to increase standards if warranted by enrollment limitations and by the number and quality of applicants. Financial aid is a separate process from the admission to a graduate program.

Before you submit your online application and pay the application fee, please carefully review the required documentation on the Application Process tab.

In order to be successful in the major, background knowledge in related sciences should be obtained. Students have the option to take the undergraduate courses prior to the start graduate program or as leveling courses during their graduate program. If electing to take these courses while in the graduate program (leveling courses), it may take additional time to complete the other degree requirements due to sequencing of classes.

Undergraduate courses recommended for the Master’s in Exercise Physiology program are:

  • Science of Nutrition (B minus or better)
  • Chemistry I + Lab (C or better)
  • Anatomy & Physiology I + Lab (C+ or better)
  • Exercise Physiology with Lab, upper-division course (C or better)

All items below must be on file, and the fee paid, before an application is considered complete and ready for review. We encourage you to submit and complete your application early. The graduate admissions committee reviews completed applications throughout the open application period, which allows you to receive an admissions decision more quickly.

1. Apply Online, submit the admissions application and pay the application fee.

2. Once you have submitted your application:

    • Upload a Statement of Purpose outlining your research interests and career goals. We want to know how your background and prior training make you the right candidate and why Florida State University is a good fit for you. Please indicate up to three FSU faculty members with whom you would like to work and why. We strongly encourage applicants to familiarize themselves with the research interests of the HNFS faculty.
    • Upload a resume or vita (information should be current).
    • Submit contact information for two recommenders. The recommenders should be professionals you have worked with who are familiar with your academic performance and can speak directly about your qualification for this degree. Please list a work/business email address for each recommender. Academic recommendations are preferred, but relevant professional recommendations will be accepted. No personal recommendations or letters from peers will be accepted.
    • The GRE general test requirement is waived for MS applicants to the Nutrition and Food Science major through the fall 2026 admission cycle. Master’s applicants may choose to submit GRE test scores to the FSU Office of Graduate Admissions. The school reporting code for test scores is 5219; no department code is required.

4. Submit transcripts to the FSU Office of Graduate Admissions. Even if courses are posted to another institution’s transcript, we require transcripts from EVERY post-secondary institution you attended. Please have transcripts sent directly from your institution to the FSU Office of Graduate Admissions. If you are a domestic student that attended an institution outside of the U.S., you will be required to provide a credential evaluation for that transcript (please see below regarding credentialing).

Send electronic transcripts to: graduateadmissions@fsu.edu

Send paper transcripts to:

Florida State University

Office of Graduate Admissions

222 S. Copeland St., 314 Westcott Bldg.

Tallahassee FL 32306-1410

USA

 

International Students:

1. Submit an English Proficiency Score Report:

  • TOEFL test scores electronically from ETS.org to the FSU Office of Graduate Admissions. The university’s reporting code for test scores is 5219; no department code is required.
  • IELTS Academic test scores in physical (paper) form directly from IELTS.org to:

Florida State University

Office of Graduate Admissions

222 S Copeland St., 314 Westcott Bldg.

Tallahassee, FL 32306-1410

USA

2. Florida State University (FSU) requires a course-by-course credential evaluation for all applicants who have taken courses at non-U.S. institutions. International and domestic applicants must submit their official transcripts from international institutions through a NACES-approved evaluator. SpanTran has created a custom application for FSU that will make sure you select the right kind of evaluation at a discounted rate. This link is found in the application checklist. Please also see the “Transcript Requirement” section on the Graduate School website, https://gradschool.fsu.edu/admissions/graduate-admissions, for detailed information on university transcript requirements for graduate students.

Please allow the Office of Graduate Admissions time to process your incoming materials.

For questions about the application process:

CEHHS Office of Academic Services and Intern Support – HNFS Grad Admissions
HNFS-grad@fsu.edu
850-644-1117

Deadlines

Master’s program admission application
Fall April 1
Spring October 1

This program admits in the fall and spring semesters only. All application materials must be received by the deadline posted and only complete applications will be reviewed.

Additionally, admission to the graduate program is term specific. If you decide to apply for a different semester or major, you will need to start a new application. If you are unable to attend the semester for which you were admitted, you will need to reapply for a future term.

The mission of the graduate Exercise Physiology program at Florida State University is to provide advanced training to students in the fields of both basic and applied physiology.  We prepare students to generate and apply research-based knowledge and provide public service in exercise, health, and human performance.  Resources for the Exercise Physiology program include applied electrophysiology physiology laboratories, cardiovascular laboratories, skeletal muscle laboratories, and the Institute of Sports Sciences and Medicine (ISSM).  Individually and collectively, the resources enable the rigorous study of human performance, exercise metabolism, sports nutrition, cardiovascular, and muscle physiology at the cellular and molecular levels in humans and animals.  The laboratories contain necessary equipment for biochemical and both in vivo and in vitro cellular/molecular analyses.  The Exercise Physiology laboratories have an environmental chamber, a BodPod®, and a micro-computed tomography 3D scanner (micro-CT).  The laboratories also have DEXA units, Biodex™ dynamometers, electrocardiography machines, metabolic carts, and fluorescent microscopes.

Research Focus Tracks

Exercise Physiology pcartAll admitted M.S. students are assigned to the non-thesis track. To apply for the thesis track, students must be in good academic standing after the first semester and have the support of graduate faculty.

For exemplary master’s students, a bypass to the Ph.D. degree may be possible after the first year.  Among other things, the decision is based on the student’s academic performance during the first year of study.  A GRE score will be required for students applying to the doctoral program via bypass.

Ph.D. in Exercise Physiology

The doctoral program in Exercise Physiology prepares students for careers in academia and professions which enhance physical well-being, health, and human performance.

It provides a firm foundation in essential scientific knowledge, technical know-how, and practical skills through teaching, research, publication, and service. Current research includes cardiovascular, neuromuscular, metabolic, hormonal, and body composition/functionality responses to acute and chronic physical activity (exercise) in association with various factors such as nutrients, environmental stress, and chronic diseases by utilizing both human and animal models.

If you meet the below requirements, we encourage you to apply to the program.

  1. An upper-division undergraduate GPA of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale. The same scale applies for graduate-level work.
  2.  A bachelor’s degree and master’s degree, or post-baccalaureate professional degree, from an accredited university. Questions about degree equivalency should be directed to graduateadmissions@fsu.edu.
  3. A competitive Graduate Record Examination revised General Test (GRE) score. We recommend a score of above the 50th percentile (approximately 150) in both verbal and quantitative sections with a 4.0 or higher on the writing section. Please note that it can take up to ten (10) days after sitting for the GRE for an official score report to be sent to the university.
  4. International students: Applicants must submit an English Proficiency Score Report. A TOEFL iBT® score of at least 80 (iBT) or 550 (paper-delivered) or an IELTSTM Academic score of at least 6.5 is required. The department recommends 600 (paper-based) or 100 (internet-based) TOEFL for a competitive application to the doctoral program. Our department does not accept other English proficiency examinations.
  5. A visit to the department is strongly encouraged. Please contact the HNFS Graduate Admissions Representative to schedule your visit. Also, applicants should directly contact the graduate faculty member(s) in their specific area of interest to see if he/she is accepting new students.

Attainment of these minimum requirements does not guarantee admission to the program. Admissions decisions are based on assessments of all aspects of the student’s application materials. The department reserves the right to increase standards if warranted by enrollment limitations and by the number and quality of applicants. Financial aid is a separate process from the admission to a graduate program. Other requirements, outside of the admissions application, may be required to qualify for an assistantship.

Before you submit your online application and pay the application fee, please carefully review the required documentation on the Application Process tab.

All items below must be on file, and the fee paid, before an application is considered complete and ready for review. We encourage you to submit and complete your application early. The graduate admissions committee reviews completed applications throughout the open application period, which allows you to receive an admissions decision more quickly.

    1. Apply Online, submit the admissions application and pay the application fee.
    2. Once you have submitted your application:
      • Complete the Faculty Preference list – in order of preference, select three faculty members you would like to work with throughout your graduate program.
      • Upload a Statement of Purpose outlining your research interests and career goals. We want to know how your background and prior training make you the right candidate and why Florida State University is a good fit for you. Please indicate up to three FSU faculty members with whom you would like to work and why. We strongly encourage applicants to familiarize themselves with the research interests of the HNFS faculty.
      • Upload a resume or vita (information should be current).
      • Submit contact information for three recommenders. The recommenders should be professionals you have worked with who are familiar with your academic performance and can speak directly about your qualification for this degree. Please list a work/business email address for each recommender. Academic recommendations are preferred, but relevant professional recommendations will be accepted. No personal recommendations or letters from peers will be accepted.
    3. Submit GRE scores to the FSU Office of Graduate Admissions. The school reporting code for test scores is 5219; no department code is required.
    4. Submit  transcripts to the FSU Office of Graduate Admissions. Even if courses are posted to another institution’s transcript, we require transcripts from EVERY post-secondary institution you attended. Please have transcripts sent directly from your institution to the FSU Office of Graduate Admissions.  If you are a domestic student that attended an institution outside of the U.S., you will be required to provide a credential evaluation for that transcript (please see below regarding credentialing).
      1. Send electronic transcripts to: graduateadmissions@fsu.edu.
      2. Send paper transcripts to:
        Florida State University
        Office of Graduate Admissions
        222 S. Copeland St., 314 Westcott Bldg.
        Tallahassee FL 32306-1410
        USA

 

International Students:

  1. Submit an English Proficiency Score Report:
    • TOEFL test scores electronically from ETS.org to the FSU Office of Graduate Admissions. The university’s reporting code for test scores is 5219; no department code is required.
    • IELTS Academic test scores in physical (paper) form directly from IELTS.org to:
      • Florida State University
        Office of Graduate Admissions
        222 S Copeland St., 314 Westcott Bldg.
        Tallahassee, FL 32306-1410
        USA
  1. Florida State University (FSU) requires a course-by-course credential evaluation for all applicants who have taken courses at non-U.S. institutions. International and domestic applicants must submit their official transcripts from international institutions through a NACES-approved evaluator. SpanTran has created a custom application for FSU that will make sure you select the right kind of evaluation at a discounted rate. This link is found in the application checklist. Please also see the “Transcript Requirement” section on the Graduate School website, https://gradschool.fsu.edu/admissions/graduate-admissions, for detailed information on university transcript requirements for graduate students.

Please allow the Office of Graduate Admissions time to process your incoming materials.

A related degree is required and the completion of core coursework for the associated master’s degree program offered at FSU (or the equivalent) is highly recommended.

For questions about the application process:

CEHHS Office of Academic Services and Intern Support – HNFS Grad Admissions
HNFS-grad@fsu.edu
850-644-1117

Deadlines

For graduate teaching assistantship eligibility
Fall February 1
Spring July 1
Summer No admission

In order to apply for a graduate teaching assistantship (TA), you must be a current doctoral student or have been formally admitted to the program.

Please see the TA application button in the finances tab on our Graduate Resources page.

Deadlines

Doctoral program admission application
Fall April 1
Spring October 1
Summer No admission

This program admits in the fall and spring semesters only. All application materials must be received by the deadline posted and only complete applications will be reviewed.

Additionally, admission to the graduate program is term specific. If you decide to apply for a different semester or major, you will need to start a new application. If you are unable to attend the semester for which you were admitted, you will need to reapply for a future term.

Deadlines

 For graduate teaching assistantship eligibility
Fall February 1
Spring July 1
Summer No admission

In order to apply for a graduate teaching assistantship (TA), you must be a current doctoral student or have been formally admitted to the program.

Please see the TA application button in the finances tab on our Graduate Resources page.

Combined Bachelor's/Master's Pathway (B.S./M.S.)

Our exercise physiology programs are cutting-edge and fully prepare students to pursue a wide variety of health-related careers. We offer courses that provide a firm foundation in essential scientific methods, technical knowledge, and practical skills.

FSU’s combined bachelor’s/master’s pathways provide academically talented undergraduate students an opportunity to complete both a bachelor’s and a master’s degree.

The exercise physiology combined pathway allows for 11 graduate hours to be shared with, or double-counted toward, an undergraduate degree program. A student enrolled in the pathway will earn the baccalaureate degree upon completion of the undergraduate program and master’s degree upon completion of the pathway.

Only current undergraduate students majoring in exercise physiology at FSU may apply to the combined bachelor’s/master’s pathway.

Shared Credits

Graduate Course Enrollment
11 graduate credit hours will double-count toward the bachelor’s degree. The following courses are taken during the last semester (spring only) of the undergraduate program:

Graduate Course Course # Undergrad Requirement Met Credit Hrs
Cardiorespiratory Evaluation PET5553 PET4551 3
Physical Dimensions of Aging PET5077 PET4076 4
Seminar PET5930 General Elective 1
Select one of the following: Sports Fitness Testing Exercise or Disease PET5751
PET6388
2nd Human Sciences Core 3

Note: Students that have already completed any of the undergraduate requirements listed in the table above (third column) are ineligible for the pathway.

Deadlines

Spring Semester October 1

This pathway only admits in the spring semester.  Only current FSU undergraduate students majoring in Exercise Physiology may apply to the combined pathway.  All application materials must be received by the deadline posted and only complete applications will be reviewed.

Please note that admissions are not deferred.

  1. Must be currently enrolled at Florida State University (FSU) as an undergraduate student in the exercise physiology major with 90 credit hours; transfer students should have completed 24 credit hours at FSU.
  2. An upper-division undergraduate GPA of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale.
  3. Prerequisites must be completed before you enter the program; applicants that have not completed all prerequisites, as per transcripts submitted (or cannot prove that he/she will complete the courses prior to the start of the graduate program), will be denied admission. Please see individual program prerequisite courses in the appropriate tab.
  4. The GRE general test requirement is waived for MS applicants to our departmental programs through the fall 2026 admission cycle. Master’s applicants may choose to take the Graduate Record Examination General Test (GRE) and submit scores. We recommend a score of above the 50th percentile (approximately 150) in both verbal and quantitative sections with a 4.0 or higher on the writing section. Please note that it can take up to ten (10) days after sitting for the GRE for an official score report to be sent to the university.
  5. International students: Applicants must submit an English Proficiency Score Report. A TOEFL iBT score of at least 80 (iBT) or 550 (paper-delivered) or an IELTSTM Academic score of at least 6.5 is required. Our department does not accept other English proficiency examinations.
  6. Before submitting the application, confirm your eligibility with the college’s mapping coordinator.

Attainment of these minimum requirements does not guarantee admission to the program. Admission decisions are based on assessments of all aspects of the student’s application materials. The department reserves the right to increase standards if warranted by enrollment limitations and by the number and quality of applicants.

Note: Bypass to the Ph.D. degree is not allowed for students enrolled in the combined pathway.

The required prerequisite undergraduate courses, and the associated minimum grades to be earned, for consideration to the BS/MS Pathway in Exercise Physiology are:

  • APK 3110C – Exercise Physiology with lab included (4hrs), B
  • PET 3322 – Anatomy and Physiology I (3hrs), B
  • PET 3322L – Anatomy and Physiology I Lab (1hr), B
  • HUN 3224 – Metabolism of Nutrients I (3hrs), B
  • HUN 1201 – Science of Nutrition (3hrs), B
  • CHM 1045 – Chemistry I (3hrs), C+
  • CHM 1045L – Chemistry I Lab (1hr), C+

Prerequisites must be completed before you enroll in the pathway; applicants that have not completed all prerequisites as per transcripts submitted (or cannot prove that he/she will complete the courses prior to the spring semester) will be denied admission.

Attainment of these minimum requirements does not guarantee admission to the program. Admission decisions are based on assessments of all aspects of the student’s application materials. The department reserves the right to increase standards if warranted by enrollment limitations and by the number and quality of applicants.

All items below must be on file, and the fee paid, before an application is considered complete and ready for review. We encourage you to submit and complete your application before August. The graduate admissions committee reviews completed applications throughout the open application period, which allows you to receive an admissions decision more quickly.

  1. Apply online to the master’s program (M.S., Exercise Physiology), submit the admissions application and pay the application fee.
  2. Once you have submitted your application:
    • Upload a Statement of Purpose outlining your research interests and career goals. We want to know how your background and prior training make you the right candidate and why Florida State University is a good fit for you.  You must clearly state that you wish to be considered for the combined bachelor’s/master’s pathway. If you have an interest in research, we encourage you to familiarize yourself with the research conducted by our Exercise Physiology faculty and indicate your top choices of faculty members with whom you would like to work.
    • Upload a resume or vita (information should be current).
    • Submit contact information for two recommenders. The recommenders should be professionals you have worked with who are familiar with your academic performance and can speak directly about your qualification for this degree. Please list a work/business email address for each recommender. Academic recommendations are preferred, but relevant professional recommendations will be accepted. No personal recommendations or letters from peers will be accepted.
  3. The GRE general test requirement is waived for MS applicants to the Exercise Physiology BS/MS pathway through the spring 2026 admission cycle.  Applicants may choose to submit GRE test scores to the FSU Office of Graduate Admissions. The school reporting code for test scores is 5219; no department code is required.
  4. International Students: Submit an English Proficiency Score Report:
    • TOEFL test scores electronically from ETS.org to the FSU Office of Graduate Admissions. The university’s reporting code for test scores is 5219; no department code is required.
    • IELTS Academic test scores in physical (paper) form directly from IELTS.org to the FSU Office of Graduate Admissions at:

Florida State University
Office of Graduate Admissions
222 S. Copeland St. , 314 Westcott Bldg.
Tallahassee, FL 32306-1410
USA

  1. Florida State University transcripts and any other transcripts previously submitted to FSU are already available to our review committee; you do not need to upload transcripts. However, if you previously attended a non-U.S. institution and have not already submitted a credential evaluation through a NACES-approved company, you will be required to do so.  For more information, please see the “Transcript Requirement” section on the Graduate School website, https://gradschool.fsu.edu/admissions/graduate-admissions.

Please allow the Office of Admissions time to process your incoming materials.

To find out if you’re eligible to apply:

 CHHS Academic Advising & Student Success
  chhs-advising@fsu.edu
 850.644.5279

For questions about the application process:

CEHHS Office of Academic Services and Intern Support – HNFS Grad Admissions
HNFS-grad@fsu.edu
  850-644-1117