2026 Scholary 10 Award
Best online kinesiology degrees: the Scholary 10
The Scholary 10 identifies ten online kinesiology and closely aligned movement-science programs worth a serious, source-led comparison. It gives you an answer first, while showing where a school’s published facts stop and a personal fit check begins.
Editorial award, not sponsored placement
Ten selections, no invented #1.
Mark Li and the Study Kinesiology research team created the Scholary 10 as an editorial award. We publish the selection lens and direct institutional links rather than turning uneven public facts into a false decimal leaderboard. A program’s place in this group is not a guarantee of admission, career outcomes, licensure, or fit.
How we evaluate
How do we evaluate online kinesiology programs?
Study Kinesiology combines public institutional data with movement-science-specific review. We use the same public records a generalist directory can access, then assess whether a program's curriculum and applied structure fit the credential or graduate pathway it claims to support.
- Career and pathway fitWhether the published curriculum gives a student a credible foundation for a stated next step, without treating the degree as a license or job guarantee.30%
- Curriculum and applied learningScience depth, visible applied-learning expectations, and clarity about internships, labs, or field experience.25%
- Cost and value transparencyPublished tuition information, required credits, fees, and the limits of any cost estimate.20%
- Student experience and flexibilityDelivery clarity, scheduling information, and the support questions a working student should ask.15%
- Accreditation and legitimacyPrimary-source institutional or programmatic accreditation information and honest delivery claims.10%
Every comparison shows a last-verified date and links each program record to its source set. We do not estimate tuition, format, or accreditation when the institution has not stated it.
Read the full ranking methodology and browse the wider source-linked program directory.
Which programs received the 2026 Scholary 10 online kinesiology selection?
How to read the Scholary 10: These are unranked editorial selections. The award identifies ten programs with enough source-linked evidence for a serious comparison. It does not predict admission, licensure, employment, or individual earnings.
| Scholary 10 selection | Program | Why it is here | Published structure | Format to confirm |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arizona State University | BS in Kinesiology | A broad online-option kinesiology route for students who will verify the current delivery plan and tuition with ASU. | Confirm current credits with the institution | Online option available |
| Oregon State University Ecampus | BS in Kinesiology | A fully online kinesiology program with a published 180-quarter-credit structure and explicit wellness-and-fitness orientation. | 180 quarter credits; 60 upper-division | 100% online |
| East Central University | BS in Kinesiology | A 120-credit online program that makes its 80 hands-on training hours visible rather than implying all preparation is remote. | 120 credits | 100% online with 80 hands-on training hours |
| University of North Dakota | BS in Kinesiology | An asynchronous online option with a published 120-credit, four-year structure and residency-neutral online-rate policy. | 120 credits | 100% online, asynchronous |
| Concordia University Chicago | BS in Kinesiology | A fully online kinesiology degree with a published credit total and tuition rate for comparison. | 120 credits; 36-credit core | 100% online |
| New Mexico State University | BS in Kinesiology, Applied Exercise Science concentration | A Global Campus kinesiology concentration with a published 120-credit structure and lab-delivery questions to take to the school. | 120 credits; 48 upper-division credits | NMSU Global Campus states 100% online |
| St. Francis College | BS in Exercise and Movement Science | A fully online movement-science program whose published curriculum spans biomechanics, exercise physiology, sport psychology, and kinesiology. | Confirm current credits with the institution | 100% online |
| University of Wisconsin-Superior | BS in Physical Education, Exercise Science concentration | An online-delivered exercise-science concentration that visibly includes an internship, a material applied-learning requirement. | 120 credits; 36 in the major | Offered through Universities of Wisconsin Online; required internship |
| Maryville University | BS in Exercise Science | A 120-credit online coursework option with named wellness and strength-and-conditioning concentrations plus a 400-hour practicum. | 120 credits | 100% online coursework |
| Franklin University | BS in Exercise Science | A 120-credit online-coursework program that is candid about its required on-site field experience. | 120 credits | 100% online coursework + required on-site field experience |
How should you use an online kinesiology ranking?
Use it to narrow a large market into a defensible first list, then make the decision at the curriculum level. Compare every candidate with the online kinesiology degree guide, online exercise science degree guide, and program-vetting research. A broad program name does not prove it includes the precise prerequisites, lab sequence, or local experience your plan requires.
What are the common mistakes when choosing an online kinesiology degree?
- Treating a degree title as evidence of clinical or certification eligibility.
- Comparing tuition per credit without credits, fees, travel, and required practical work.
- Assuming online delivery means every experience happens remotely.
- Ignoring faculty references, alumni relationships, and local experience while focusing only on the diploma.
- Using national occupation data as though it were a school-specific placement result.
What does the Scholary 10 not show?
It does not establish a universal best school, state authorization in your location, a program’s ability to place you in a local internship, or eligibility for a professional license. Those are direct questions for the school and, where relevant, the credentialing or licensing body.
Common questions
Frequently asked questions
What is the Scholary 10 Award for online kinesiology?
It is Study Kinesiology’s 2026 editorial selection of ten online kinesiology and closely aligned movement-science programs with enough published information to compare curriculum, applied learning, cost transparency, delivery, and legitimacy. It is not a paid placement or ordinal score.
Is the Scholary 10 a ranking from best to worst?
No. The selections are unranked because a precise numerical order would overstate differences that primary program pages do not establish. Use the evidence table and your pathway needs to decide fit.
Can an online kinesiology degree lead to physical therapy or occupational therapy?
It can be undergraduate preparation, but it does not confer clinical licensure. Map each target professional program’s science, lab, observation, and other prerequisites before choosing a bachelor’s curriculum.
Are all Scholary 10 programs fully online?
No. The selection distinguishes fully online programs, online coursework, and programs with hands-on, field, or internship requirements. Confirm the current delivery plan directly with the institution.
Which sources support the Scholary 10?
Each award selection links directly to the institution’s program page. Our methodology explains the selection criteria and limits of program-level comparisons.