Degree Offered
- Doctor of Philosophy
Nature of the Program
The Ph.D. program in Sport, Exercise, and Performance Psychology at WVU is recognized as among the premier training programs in the discipline globally. To train highly competent and well-rounded future professionals, this program provides students with a comprehensive experience that combines academic rigor, extensive engagement in research and teaching, and opportunities in applied practice settings. Students work with our nationally- and internationally-recognized faculty to make meaningful contributions to the science and practice of the field.
Importantly, plans of study are designed in collaboration with each student to meet their unique needs toward a range of career goals, including those in research, teaching, and applied practice. Beyond coursework, students in this program complete several benchmarks in research leading to the dissertation and garner experience in teaching, often as the primary instructor. Students may choose to additionally engage in supervised applied experiences in a range of sport, exercise, and performance settings toward credentialing in mental performance consulting. For students further interested in applied practice, a concurrent completion of a master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling is an option that qualifies them to sit for counseling licensure upon graduation. Alternatively, students may opt to place greater emphasis on research output and teaching experience to prepare for a career in higher education or another setting.
Admissions for 2027-2028
Applicants can seek admission to the doctoral program in Sport, Exercise and Performance Psychology with a master's degree. Starting with Fall 2027 admissions, we no longer consider BA/BS applicants for direct admit to the PhD program. [Note: The online M.S. program in Sport and Performance Psychology does offer direct admission at this time]. To be considered for PhD admission, applicants must upload the following documentation within the graduate application:
- Resume or curriculum vitae
- Transcripts from all previous institutions. This program utilizes the University GPA requirement for entry to the program. International applicants will not be reviewed with unofficial transcripts.
- Official GRE scores
- The general test is required with scores for verbal reasoning, quantitative reasoning and analytical writing, within the last five years. Applications will not be reviewed without a current GRE score. Waivers will not be granted.
- Personal statement - The personal statement must be 1-2 written pages that addresses:
- A short introductory paragraph regarding your interest in the field
- The most important professional experiences that have prepared the applicant for pursuing the doctoral degree in sport, exercise, and performance psychology at WVU. The admissions committee is particularly interested in any substantial research experiences or outputs and any relevant applied or clinical experiences. Applicants with master's degrees in related fields beyond sport psychology or counseling should describe their psychology training.
- The applicant's fit with WVU's program and alignment with faculty research.
- All personal statements must include written indication that AI was not used to generate or improve the contained text. Consistent with our professional and ethical responsibilities, the personal statement and any other written material submitted as part of the applications must be the work of the individual, unassisted by AI. This policy includes using AI to generate or improve the personal statement. Applications that do not meet this requirement will not be screened.
- Two (2) Letters of recommendation
Applicants will not be able to submit their application until the above documents are uploaded. Only completed applications submitted by the deadline will be considered. Prospective students should NOT apply to the dual master's program in Counseling at this time; if accepted into the PhD program, admission fees will be waived.
Applications close December 1. Please contact the Office of Student Success at 304-293-4800 or CAHSInfo@mail.wvu.edu for more information about the application process.
PhD Major Code: 5540
Degree Requirements
For the Ph.D. in Sport, Exercise, and Performance Psychology, students will work directly with their plan of study committee to determine the specific courses included. Doctoral plans of study are differentiated based on the student’s academic background, work experience, research interests, and career goals. Students must also complete a series of research benchmarks beyond the required coursework: essential readings, qualifying project, dissertation proposal and defense, and multiple peer-reviewed manuscript submissions and/or presentations. It is expected that all students will meet their respective research benchmarks in accordance with the timelines described by their doctoral advisor (chair) and plan of study committee.
Curriculum Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| A minimum grade of B- is required unless otherwise noted. | ||
| Disciplinary Core | 9 | |
| Select three of the following: | ||
| Social and Psychological Foundations of Performance | ||
| Psychological Sport Performance Enhancement | ||
| Counseling College Student-Athletes | ||
| Ethical/Legal Issues in sport Psychology | ||
| Special Topics (3 to 6 credits) | ||
| Professional Practice Core * | 12 | |
| Supervision Sport Psychology (Repeated; 3-9 credits) | ||
| Teaching Practicum (Repeated; Required 3 to 6 credits) | ||
| Statistics and Research Design Disciplinary Core | ||
| SEP 615 | Research Methods in Sport, Physical Activity, and Performance | 3 |
| Select three of the following: | 9 | |
| Statistical Methods 1 | ||
| Statistical Methods 2 | ||
| Survey Research Methods | ||
| Mixing Research Methodologies | ||
| Multivariate Methods 1 | ||
| Qualitative Research Methods | ||
| Advanced Qualitative Research | ||
| Research Practice Core | ||
| SEP 797 | Research | 9 |
| SEP 765 | Dissertation and Thesis Seminar | 3 |
| Research Benchmarks | ||
| Complete essential readings as part of the plan of study process | ||
| Submit a first-author, data-based manuscript for publication in a peer-reviewed journal ** | ||
| Submit a first-author, data-based or conceptual manuscript for publication in a peer-reviewed journal OR present a first-author data-based study at a national or international conference | ||
| Submit a first-author, data-based manuscript for publication in a peer-reviewed journal as the Qualifying Project AND pass the Qualifying Project defense | ||
| Pass dissertation proposal | ||
| Pass dissertation defense and ETD submission and approval | ||
| Submit a first-author, data-based manuscript for publication in a peer-reviewed journal based on the dissertation findings | ||
| Total Hours | 45 | |
- *
SEP 647 repeated for 3 to 9 credits; SEP 690 repeated for 3 to 6 credits.
- **
A first-author data-based article submitted prior to the student’s first year can count towards this benchmark only if the submission occurred after their official admission into the program and is approved by the doctoral chair as meeting minimum quality standards.
Program Standards
Student research will be graded by program faculty each semester. Research grades will be awarded satisfactory or unsatisfactory (S/U). Additionally, doctoral student performance will be evaluated annually. Students who do not meet their research benchmarks by the prescribed deadlines could receive probation notification due to lack of progress. Failure to meet benchmark requirements beyond that point could result in suspension or dismissal from the program.
Major Learning Outcomes
Sport, Exercise and Performance Psychology Ph.D.
Following the completion of this program, graduates will be able to:
-
Adhere to the principles and standards for ethical research in the social sciences.
-
Critique and synthesize the literature in their primary field of study for the purpose of identifying gaps in the knowledge base and formulating new research questions.
-
Apply theories, methodologies, and data analysis approaches to answer research questions of conceptual significance.
-
Demonstrate skills in oral and written communication enough to publish and present peer-reviewed research in their primary field of study.
-
Initiate an independent line of research that represents a significant contribution to the literature base in their primary field of study.
Degree Progress
All graduate students enrolled in at least one credit hour during the academic year must be provided with a written evaluation from their program following the end of each spring term. This requirement may be waived for students in good standing who are expected to graduate in spring or summer. Specific processes and timelines for each program’s evaluation can be found in the graduate handbook. Annual evaluation may result in probation for students either not making adequate degree progress or failing to uphold professional standards. At the end of each academic year, students are evaluated by the faculty to ensure timely progress in their degree programs. Each year, no later than the first day of classes of the Fall semester, the College will distribute an updated version of the CAHS Graduate Student Handbook, which includes links to program specific handbooks.
Benchmarks
- By the end of Year 1, students should have signed the Advisor-Advisee Agreement form (1st semester) and negotiated a doctoral plan of study that includes a list of essential readings (2nd semester).
- By the end of Year 2, students should have completed and submitted their first data-based benchmark (Manuscript 1) to an academic journal and presented their work at a national or international conference.
- By the end of Year 3, students should have completed and submitted their qualifying manuscript (Manuscript 2) and defended it in front of a majority of program faculty.
- By the start of Year 4 (7th semester), students should have passed their dissertation proposal and been admitted to candidacy.
- By the end of Year 4, students should have defended their dissertation project and submitted Manuscript 3 to a peer-reviewed journal.
- Finally, students should complete their ETD submission following the oral defense and submission of Manuscript 3.