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Chris_Sanders · 07-19-2009, 11:54 AM

If you are going to return to school, don't go back for a second bachelor's. You may as well get a master's degree. If you are not interested in doing a thesis, there are a lot of schools that offer programs that do not require a thesis - just additional classroom hours.

Despite having a degree in a different subject area, you do have a minor in kinesiology. Therefore, you've probably taken enough of the pre-requisite courses already. So, you could probably apply and start right into a master's program.

With that said, your best source of education is going to come from own your efforts. In all honesty, there is HUGE disconnect between the research community and the practitioner side of things for the most part. There are a few exceptions, but for the most part most universities offer very little on the application side of things.

I am not yet a trainer, myself. But, I do have a master's degree in phys ed (kinesiology) with a concentration in the exercise sciences (non-thesis) and I recently returned for a second master's in biomechanics (I'm dragging my heels on my thesis) and while I do have a lot of formal knowledge and am able to read research more effectively and understand what's going on from a methodology standpoint, none of my degrees have really met my needs. Kinesiology programs are very lacking when it comes to really teaching students what they need to know. There needs to be a little more of a PT component in kinesiology programs in my opinion. While every student takes basic anatomy, there is little functional anatomy that is taught. "The biceps flexes the elbow" (Duh...) How does the hip influence knee mechanics? How can poor hip mobility affect the shoulder? None of that integrative type of stuff is taught.

In all honesty, I think that having advanced degrees are good from a marketability standpoint and exposure to the research literature, etc. However, practical experience and being mentored is the best source of learning in my opinion. It sounds like you have the foundation. Looking back, I'd focus on finding a good mentoring opportunity first and foremost and go for the additional degree as a secondary thing.

If you really wanted to go back for an advanced degree, I think that PT school would probably be most useful. However, unless you're going to actually practice PT, it's far too expensive.

Unfortunately, I think that in order to be the best that you can be...it's much like that line in the movie Good Will Hunting that goes something like this (I don't recall exactly) - "You went and spent $150,000 on an education that you could've gotten with a $1.50 in library fines."

07-19-2009, 11:54 AM	#7 (permalink)
Chris_Sanders Junior Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Posts: 1	If you are going to return to school, don't go back for a second bachelor's. You may as well get a master's degree. If you are not interested in doing a thesis, there are a lot of schools that offer programs that do not require a thesis - just additional classroom hours. Despite having a degree in a different subject area, you do have a minor in kinesiology. Therefore, you've probably taken enough of the pre-requisite courses already. So, you could probably apply and start right into a master's program. With that said, your best source of education is going to come from own your efforts. In all honesty, there is HUGE disconnect between the research community and the practitioner side of things for the most part. There are a few exceptions, but for the most part most universities offer very little on the application side of things. I am not yet a trainer, myself. But, I do have a master's degree in phys ed (kinesiology) with a concentration in the exercise sciences (non-thesis) and I recently returned for a second master's in biomechanics (I'm dragging my heels on my thesis) and while I do have a lot of formal knowledge and am able to read research more effectively and understand what's going on from a methodology standpoint, none of my degrees have really met my needs. Kinesiology programs are very lacking when it comes to really teaching students what they need to know. There needs to be a little more of a PT component in kinesiology programs in my opinion. While every student takes basic anatomy, there is little functional anatomy that is taught. "The biceps flexes the elbow" (Duh...) How does the hip influence knee mechanics? How can poor hip mobility affect the shoulder? None of that integrative type of stuff is taught. In all honesty, I think that having advanced degrees are good from a marketability standpoint and exposure to the research literature, etc. However, practical experience and being mentored is the best source of learning in my opinion. It sounds like you have the foundation. Looking back, I'd focus on finding a good mentoring opportunity first and foremost and go for the additional degree as a secondary thing. If you really wanted to go back for an advanced degree, I think that PT school would probably be most useful. However, unless you're going to actually practice PT, it's far too expensive. Unfortunately, I think that in order to be the best that you can be...it's much like that line in the movie Good Will Hunting that goes something like this (I don't recall exactly) - "You went and spent $150,000 on an education that you could've gotten with a $1.50 in library fines."