University of Florida Online Master of Science in Applied Physiology and Kinesiology (Human Performance Concentration)

UF's online M.S. in Applied Physiology and Kinesiology is a 30-credit, fully online master's aimed at sport, strength and human performance work, not clinical rehab. It costs $17,572.50 in total, starts three times a year and lets you add one of five specializations, from strength and conditioning to tactical operations.

It doesn't carry CAAHEP accreditation, so it isn't a clean path to the ACSM exercise physiologist exams after August 15, 2027. Pick it if you coach, train athletes or want a science-heavy degree from a flagship.

The University of Florida is a large public flagship in Gainesville, and this master's lives in the College of Health and Human Performance. It's a non-thesis degree. You complete 18 credits of concentration courses and 12 credits of electives, and you must take at least one course from each core area, from exercise physiology to sport nutrition and research.

No GRE is required, and your bachelor's can be in any major. UF asks for a 3.0 GPA over your last 60 semester hours, a statement of purpose, a resume, three recommendation letters (two from academic sources), official transcripts and a $30 fee.

If your degree isn't in a STEM field, show math and science coursework or years of certified work in the field. UF's federal graduation rate is 91 percent, a whole-university figure.

The full rubric is on the methodology page. A factor marked Peer Median had no published input, so it counts at half weight.

Courses run in Canvas, and UF calls them asynchronous, meaning no set class time. Some courses present live, but sessions are recorded, and you'll occasionally join Adobe Connect webinars to talk with an instructor or watch a classmate present. Fall and spring courses run 15 weeks, including a week for finals, and summer courses run 12 weeks.

UF says to plan eight to ten hours per week for each course. Full time is three courses a semester, about a year. Part time is 1.5 years, and the average student takes about five semesters. Coursework expires after seven years.

Who It Fits

• Coaches and strength staff who want the science behind their work. The Integrative Strength and Conditioning Science path leans on bioenergetics, corrective exercise and athlete nutrition, and APK 6176 is written as the next step after the CSCS credential. UF's internship list includes Cressey Sports Performance, EXOS and college strength programs.
• Military and tactical professionals. The Tactical, Flight and Space Operations specialization covers people who work in extreme environments, and APK 6124 looks at altitude, deep-water diving, microgravity and high-stress settings. UF also participates in the Yellow Ribbon program.
• Career changers with a non-science degree and some proof of readiness. UF says it doesn't require an exercise science major. A completed math or science course, a personal trainer certification or military training can carry your application.

Who Should Skip It

• Anyone aiming at clinical exercise physiology, meaning cardiac and pulmonary rehab. UF has no CAAHEP accreditation and only one clinical course, APK 5171 Clinical Exercise Prescription. Compare the online clinical exercise physiology master's programs instead.
• Students who need a hands-on lab. Every course is delivered online, and the only supervised practice is an optional internship you arrange yourself.
• Anyone who wants a set class schedule. Most classes are asynchronous with recorded sessions, so you'll work mostly on your own.

UF lists dozens of courses, and you choose among them. The exercise physiology group includes APK 5133 Human Pathophysiology for the Exercise Sciences, APK 5620 Genetics in Human Performance and APK 6170 Advanced Exercise Physiology. Assessment covers APK 5102 Kinetic Anatomy, APK 6226C Biomechanics of Human Motion, APK 6320C Corrective Exercise and APK 6725 AI for Sport and Movement Sciences, which includes programming and machine learning.

Behavioral courses run from APK 5404 Sport Psychology to Attention and Emotion in Tactical Athlete Populations. Conditioning adds strength courses for beginning and advanced professionals, nutrition includes a sports supplements course, and research means APK 5702 Applied Sport Science and HLP 6535 Research Methods. Electives add sport law, sport sociology and sport finance, so you can bend the degree toward business.

Courses the School Names

• APK 5133 Human Pathophysiology for the Exercise Sciences
• APK 5620 Genetics in Human Performance
• APK 6124 Extreme Environment Physiology
• APK 6170 Advanced Exercise Physiology
• APK 6226C Biomechanics of Human Motion
• APK 6320C Corrective Exercise
• APK 6725 AI for Sport & Movement Sciences
• APK 6176 Strength & Conditioning for Advanced Professionals
• APK 6611 Tactical Strength & Conditioning
• APK 5171 Clinical Exercise Prescription

Standout Features

• Five optional specializations including AI and Sport Science and Tactical, Flight and Space Operations
• Courses such as Extreme Environment Physiology, Genetics in Human Performance, AI for Sport & Movement Sciences and Corrective Exercise
• STEM-designated degree per the school; No. 1 public university per WSJ as stated by the program
• Program states it is the only graduate program offering online courses dedicated to athlete development, ergogenic aids and corrective exercise training

UF prices this degree at $585.75 per credit with fees included, or $17,572.50 for 30 credits. Textbooks and materials cost extra and vary by course. UF's own pages don't agree with each other. The tuition page shows $550 per credit beside the same $17,572.50 total, but 30 credits at $550 is only $16,500, so the $585.75 figure is the one that adds up. The $1,072.50 difference is fees.

Employers in UF's AllCampus Workplace Network give eligible students a 5 percent tuition discount. Yellow Ribbon covers up to $6,500 per academic year from UF, matched by the VA, but only 10 graduate spots exist. Graduate PLUS loans ended July 1, 2026 for new borrowers, so plan on unsubsidized federal loans, employer help or savings. A four-payment plan costs $15.

30 credits at $585.75 a credit comes to $17,573 in tuition, before fees.

The program lists no CAAHEP accreditation, and it isn't on the CAAHEP list we pulled on September 29, 2026. That matters because ACSM candidates for the Certified Exercise Physiologist (ACSM-EP) and Certified Clinical Exercise Physiologist (ACSM-CEP) credentials must graduate from a CAAHEP-accredited program, or one in the process, starting August 15, 2027. UF says graduates have become ACSM-certified exercise physiologists, but its courses aren't built around one certification.

The strength side looks better. NSCA's CASCE list, the accreditation behind the CSCS rule that starts January 1, 2030, shows a UF graduate strength and conditioning concentration at Initial Accreditation. That rule is about the bachelor's degree, and the list doesn't say whether the online version counts. APK 6320C prepares you for the NASM Corrective Exercise Specialist exam, and APK 6167 prepares you for the CISSN sports nutrition exam.

Where this degree can lead: Exercise Science Jobs, ACSM Exercise Physiologist Certification.

• The tuition page lists $550 per credit and a $17,572.50 total that only works at $585.75, so read the fee line before you budget.
• The internship, PET 6947, is optional, worth 3 to 9 credits and described as on-site and full-time. If you work full time, that's hard to fit unless your employer approves it.
• There's no CAAHEP accreditation, so this isn't the degree for the ACSM clinical route after August 15, 2027.
• The class profile lists an average student age of 29, and 80 percent of students have 0 to 4 years in the industry, so a seasoned clinician may find the group young.

• Is the per-credit rate $550 or $585.75, and what is the full fee schedule for an online student?
• Does the online strength and conditioning specialization fall under the graduate concentration NSCA lists on its CASCE page?
• Can the graduate internship be part time or done at my current employer, and how many hours does each credit require?
• If I want the ACSM-EP or ACSM-CEP after August 15, 2027, does UF have a CAAHEP pathway or plan for this program?
• My degree isn't in STEM. What kind of coursework or certification has won admission for career changers?
• Do the AllCampus discount and Yellow Ribbon seats still apply to my start term?

Large public flagship research university in Gainesville, Florida. The College of Health & Human Performance houses the Department of Applied Physiology & Kinesiology (APK) and its Center for Exercise Science laboratories.

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