Tag: #careersinkinesiology

Katherine “Katie” Alexander
Location: Logan, Utah
Louisiana Tech Degree and Graduation Date: BS in Kinesiology & Health Sciences and BA in Psychology, November 2020
Other Degrees: PhD in Human Development & Family Studies, in progress at Utah State University since 2021-2022 academic year with current estimated graduation of Spring 2026

I’m currently a PhD student and am planning to become a college professor. I decided to become a college professor because I love learning, researching, teaching, and mentoring students. I have always been interested in sport psychology but wasn’t sure how I wanted to get there. Sport psychologists are a diverse group, and most pathways are either more applied or more research based. More applied sport psychologists often work on performance consulting and/or become a licensed counselor, social worker, psychologist, or psychiatrist. More research-based sport psychologists predominantly work as professors but may also take jobs as data scientists at sports-based companies. During my undergrad at Tech, I participated in research with Dr. Jordan Blazo, Dr. Andrew Parks, and others to gain research experience and also worked at the Children’s Methodist Home in order to gain clinical experiences. I did not enjoy my clinical experience and loved participating in research, so this led me to ultimately decide to become a professor.

What was I looking for in a graduate program?
I applied to graduate programs that would help me gain the necessary knowledge around sport psychology, teaching, and researching. In general, each graduate program is unique, and students that are applying should look into applicant requirements (often including GRE scores, GPA requirements, prior experiences, required course prerequisites, and whether/not a master’s is required for a PhD program), along with broad philosophies, objectives, and outcomes associated with the department/program and any funding and/or scholarship opportunities. Most PhD programs that are geared towards research also require a dissertation, and it is VITAL that you connect with a good academic advisor that can positively mentor you throughout the program. Academic advisors help mentor and guide you through graduation requirements, general research, teaching, and just life. Students should email potential academic advisors to inquire about their research and how you might fit with this research trajectory, to determine whether or not spots are available to work with them, to better understand their advising/mentoring philosophies, and to find out about funding and scholarship opportunities.

When I was looking at various graduate programs, I wanted to ensure that there was a good and positive culture in the department, that I was able to occasionally do my own research projects (instead of simply following what my advisor said to do), that I had supports in Utah, and that there was funding available to me. I was willing to explore broader programs, including kinesiology, psychology, and human development programs, because I wanted a wider breadth of knowledge around social science (rather than focusing on just kinesiology or psychology). I was especially interested in the Human Development & Family Studies program at Utah State University because it could allow for exploration of biological, psychological, and social factors as they relate to development and relationships over time. My potential advisor at this university also seemed very supportive and kind. I chose to attend Utah State University because the program most closely matched my criteria, and attending the program also allowed me to skip my master’s degree, which saved me money and allowed me to start on my own independent research earlier than if I would have attended a master’s program.

What is needed to become a college professor?
Requirements depend on position and university/college type. Instructors, those that serve in more applied departments (such as business or nutrition & dietetics), and those that teach at community colleges might only need a master’s degree and relevant teaching and/or applied experience. A master’s degree is not really needed in order to become a professor at 4-year colleges and universities, but a PhD is needed. Students that are interested in becoming a professor should progress through school and should look to gain experience in teaching, research, and service to the community throughout their graduate school experiences in order to be a competitive job candidate. The job market for going into academia is highly competitive, and some people choose to also participate in a post-doc after graduating with their PhD in order to gain even more relevant research experiences. The process of becoming a professor looks differently, too, depending on whether or not the position is tenured (full-time position with full job security) or non-tenured (including all other positions). Those professors that are on a tenured track complete regular reviews of progress towards aspects of teaching, research, and community/other service and must often move from assistant to associate to full professors over the span of years.

As a PhD student-
What is a typical day like for you? My typical day varies a lot across the week because I have less set hours and more freedom in how I choose to set up my schedule. I am responsible for coordinating and completing various research projects, serving as an instructor for one course in my department, and managing my course load of about 3 to 4 courses a semester. My research lab is called the Families in Sport Lab, so most of my research relates to sport involvement. I am currently working on projects related to youth sport participation in Western states; athlete trauma, abuse, and mental health symptoms; peer bullying and hazing in sport; and examining biological, psychological, and social factors that relate to youth substance abuse. In my role as an instructor, I teach one undergrad introductory course on couple and family relationships and am responsible for creating course materials, lecturing, communicating with students, upholding university policies, and grading. I also serve as an academic mentor for student-athletes at the university and enjoy powerlifting, so I stay very busy!
Additional information: I went to a research conference for NASPSPA (North American Society for the Psychology of Sport and Physical Activity) in 2022 in Hawaii with other members of my lab. While there, I was able to give a verbal presentation about experiences of emotional abuse in intercollegiate sport and was also able to present a poster on a research project that was initiated at Tech with Dr. Blazo and Dr. Parks. I am grateful for this wonderful experience and the fact that the conference was in Hawaii!