It is interdisciplinary with a unique focus on the study of human movement. In turn, the courses that kinesiologists teach and the research that they produce can contribute to many professions-besides physical education, as well as many disciplines. Example professions could be medicine and health and the work of exercise physiologists, biomechanists, and motor control specialists. Example disciplines could be chemistry, physics, physiology, and psychology. The major fall-out, however, is the declining interest at major research universities to produce physical educators with doctorates.
Physical education is a low probability area for external funding.
Thus, decreasing numbers of Ph.D. physical educators are being hired in major research universities and decreasing numbers of such students are being prepared. There is less interest in bonding with colleges of education unless a kinesiology department is housed in a college of education at a particular university. Non-major research universities may do a better job in the preparation of physical education majors than major research universities because faculty are not typically under so much pressure to attain grants and to publish. Furthermore, the movement scientists in this situation are more likely to be tuned in to the needs of physical education and should teach accordingly, as well as produce scholarly substance more in line with physical education. Faculty expertise and objectives of academic programs should be in line with the mission of the college and university in which these programs are housed.