By Kaylee Alivo
The Department of Health, Sport, and Human Physiology (HSHP) in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences has earned a top five national ranking in the 2026 National Academy of Kinesiology Doctoral Program Evaluation.
Iowa’s doctoral program ranked fifth out of 39 participating universities in the evaluation's adjusted rankings, which account for differences in faculty and program size.
The evaluation examined data from 2023 through 2025, assessing the HSHP doctoral program across several areas, including faculty research productivity, research funding, professional visibility, doctoral student scholarship and support, and graduate employment outcomes.
Iowa demonstrated particularly strong results in several areas. The program ranked in the 95th percentile for doctoral student journal publications and faculty invited or keynote presentations, and in the 97th percentile for graduates entering postdoctoral positions.
“This is outstanding news and reflects the strong commitment to high-impact research of our tenure-track faculty and doctoral students, as well as the continued support from the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences over the past three years,” Department Executive Officer, Gary Pierce, said.
The National Academy of Kinesiology conducts periodic evaluations of doctoral programs across the country, providing institutions with benchmarks to assess research activity, student outcomes, and program performance.
The department’s fifth place finish in the adjusted rankings highlights HSHP’s ongoing contributions to kinesiology research and impact of doctoral education at the University of Iowa.