Ph.D Program Overview
Welcome to the Division of Exercise Physiology at West Virginia University School of Medicine. This is an exciting time for Biomedical research. Public awareness in the importance of research for understanding health, disease and the environment is increasing, providing exciting opportunities for well-trained scientists. We believe that we are striving to train the best scientists in exercise physiology to meet the challenges of our post-genomic era.
The Division of Exercise Physiology offers a program leading to the Doctor of Philosophy degree (Ph.D.) in the School of Medicine through the university’s graduate program. The program is intended to give exceptional students knowledge in basic medical and scientific areas to prepare them for careers as effective and knowledgeable researchers and teachers in the broad field of Exercise Physiology/Kinesiology. In the Division of Exercise Physiology these goals are achieved by several means. Formal course work in the sub-disciplines of Exercise Physiology, Physiology, Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, Pharmacology and Neuroscience provides the student with the opportunity to develop a solid foundation in basic subject matter of medical sciences that can be applied to aspects of exercise and disease. The student's knowledge base will be further strengthened by participation in elective courses offered within the Division, selected courses offered by other departments within the School of Medicine and by departments in other colleges of West Virginia University.
The faculty in the Division of Exercise Physiology views the Ph.D. primarily as a research degree. Research training and experience are provided under the guidance and supervision of the graduate faculty. The aim of this effort is to promote attitudes, habits, skills and abilities that will enable the student to grow and develop as an independent scientist.
In our Division, the graduate program is designed to foster the student's ability for independent thought and research. For the first year, all graduate students enrolled in the school of medicine will participate in the "undifferentiated curriculum" which provides a strong background in basic cellular function and whole organism dynamics. At the end of the first year of enrollment, graduate students choose their department/division or program in which they will conduct their dissertation and specialize. Students who choose to specialize in Exercise Physiology will therefore enter our graduate program at the end of the first year by choosing an advisor from our faculty. The students will work with that advisor and learn techniques, collect pilot data etc. leading towards the dissertation research.
Graduate work involves a program of study and research individually designed to utilize the abilities and strengths of the faculty and accommodate the needs of the student within an area of specific interest. The exact content of a program of study for a particular student usually will differ from another student.
Advanced courses provide a comprehensive exploration of topics in exercise physiology utilizing systems biology, and molecular biology tools to understand and interpret data. Through the choice of advanced courses and electives, each student, with the help of their advisor, designs a program to suit individual research needs and career objectives.
Please take some time to peruse our web site. By clicking on "Curriculum" you can see a sample plan of study and the courses that you can expect, as well as how our curriculum meshes with the undifferentiated first year curriculum. Click on "Faculty" to see a description of each faculty member's research program. Each semester we offer a seminar series/graduate colloquium and invite scientists from other institutions to the Department.
What you can't see from our Web site is perhaps more important. At West Virginia University we offer our graduate students significant amounts of individual attention. We pride ourselves on the friendly atmosphere in our Division and throughout the Health Sciences Center. Students receive both academic and professional development via courses in the sciences and training in seminar presentation, manuscript writing, writing grants and professional ethics. The graduates of our program can be found in academic research positions in medical schools, industry positions, at the Center for Disease Control, in teaching positions and throughout the academic research community. We also can't show you the beauty of West Virginia, the convenience of life in the small town of Morgantown, or the ease of reaching Pittsburgh for major league sports, excellent museums, arts, restaurants and cosmopolitan ambiance.