“As I worked with clients and listened to their experiences, I realized what a unique, positive, and client-centered approach to health care the career had to offer.”

My name is Rebecca and I graduated from McMaster University in 2019 with a BSc Honours Kinesiology. The fall after my graduation, I returned to McMaster to begin my master’s degree in Occupational Therapy. I am now in my final year of the program, due to graduate in 2021.

I chose McMaster’s Kinesiology program for my undergraduate degree because it allowed me to get right into the courses that I was most interested in. While a general first year is a great opportunity to explore your options, I knew that I wanted a career in health care, so I appreciated diving right into learning about what I love. One of my favourite things about the Kinesiology program is the flexibility that you have in your third and fourth year courses. There are many compelling classes to choose from and you can cater your course load to reflect your interests and career aspirations.

During my undergraduate degree I was fortunate to volunteer at the McMaster Physical Activity Centre of Excellence (PACE) which led me to pursue my degree in Occupational Therapy. As I worked with clients and listened to their experiences, I realized what a unique, positive, and client-centered approach to health care the career had to offer. As I transitioned from an undergraduate level to a master’s level program, I felt that my degree in Kinesiology provided me with a strong understanding of anatomy, good critical thinking skills, and a passion for providing care.

If I could give one piece of advice to incoming Science students, it would be to discover how you best study and learn. Adjusting to university courses and expectations can feel overwhelming. I think it is important to take the time to explore what works best for you. Whether it is going to the library, studying with friends, using flashcards, or writing your notes by hand, find what makes you feel confident in your learning – and be sure to find time to take breaks!

I wish you the best in your bright futures in the Faculty of Science at McMaster University!

“I was able to apply the knowledge I learned in my lectures right here on campus... ...[aiding] individuals with spinal cord injuries and multiple sclerosis with their prescribed exercise programs.”

My name is Marium and I am in my fourth year of Honours Kinesiology. I started off my undergraduate career in the Honours Kinesiology program as it is direct-entry where we learned program specific information right from the beginning. I chose Kinesiology at McMaster as I wanted to pursue an application based program that focused on human anatomy and physiology while exploring physical activity and its effect on health. The Kinesiology program also gives lots of freedom to explore other disciplines with a large number of electives which I enjoyed taking advantage of by exploring other science, social science and humanities courses.

Kinesiology really opened my eyes to real-life health problems experienced by people in society. I was able to apply the knowledge I learned in my lectures right here on campus at the Physical Activity Centre of Excellence. As a volunteer I aid individuals with spinal cord injuries and multiple sclerosis with their prescribed exercise programs. This experience has allowed me to see the difference the information learned through my program can have on the lives of others.

My advice to incoming Science students is to research the programs you are interested in and look at their upper year courses to help you decide what it is you are passionate about. Doing your homework right now will help put you ahead when it comes to making final selections of first year programs and choosing majors. I wish you all the best of luck at McMaster and I can’t wait for you to see how incredible the Science programs are!