Graduate Application Info

Application Process

You can access the application materials at the Wake Forest University Graduate School website.

Graduate students are selected based on undergraduate academic performance, statement of interest, letters of recommendation, special background experiences or abilities, and scores on the verbal and quantitative parts of the Graduate Record Examinations (GRE).

Please note that GRE scores are optional. 

To have GRE scores reported to the graduate office prior to the January 15 deadline, the exams must be taken no later than November 1. Therefore, applicants are strongly urged to take the GRE as early as possible and to have their graduate file completed before January 15.

Your application will include:

• Three letters of recommendation from individuals who can attest to your academic qualifications
• GRE scores (optional)
• Official university transcripts
• 1-2 page résumé

In addition, all applicants include a 1-2 page personal statement detailing their qualifications, reasons for applying to our program, and a description of their future goals.

Applicants with a file that is incomplete on January 15 will not be considered for admission. Applicants should contact the graduate school once all materials have been sent in to verify receipt of those materials by the graduate school.

Please visit the WFU Graduate School website for specific information regarding application requirements.

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Requirements & Prerequisites

Candidates for the Health and Exercise Science program are encouraged to have an undergraduate major or minor in exercise science and an undergraduate concentration in the sciences. The prerequisites for this program include course work in:

• Human Physiology
• Physiology of Exercise
• Anatomy
• Biomechanics or Physics

These courses should be completed before admission to the program. None of the prerequisites may apply toward the graduate degree.

As a guide for applicants, our students have GRE scores of 300 and above with a balance between the verbal and quantitative score, e.g., 150 verbal, 150 quantitative. Please note that the GRE is optional. If you choose to submit GRE scores, we recommend that you take the GRE early in the process so that you have time to retake the test should you not achieve this score.

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Financial Assistance

Admission to the graduate program is very competitive as only 6-8 students are selected for admission each year. The department of Health and Exercise Science has 6 full-time Teaching Assistantships and 2 Graduate Assistantships (in partnership with Campus Recreation) for well-qualified applicants. The assistantships include a complete tuition waiver and a stipend of $17,000 each year. Partial scholarships are also available that reduce the cost of tuition.

All admitted students will receive financial support during the summer months (June and July) as well as support to attend a professional conference (i.e. Southeast ACSM) each year.

Furthermore, funds are available for HES graduate students to present research findings at professional conferences as well as obtain professional certifications (i.e. ACSM Clinical Exercise Specialist).

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Interview

If logistics prevent an on-campus interview, arrangements can be made to conduct the interview by phone/Zoom.

To make arrangements for an interview, contact Dr. Jeffrey Katula, the HES Director of Graduate Studies, at 336.758.3612 or katulaj@wfu.edu.