Internationally Educated Applicants - Mature/Experienced

A four-year Bachelor's degree majoring in kinesiology in Canada or an equivalent discipline, which meets the following requirements (equivalency is determined during course review). The required core courses cannot also be be used to meet the elective course requirements.

1) Core Courses

• Satisfactory completion of the seven (7) courses listed below (satisfactory completion requires to a minimum C- (60% or greater) grade in each course - a grade of D or a percentage less than 60% is not accepted):
  • Human Anatomy
  • Human Physiology
  • Human Motor Control & Learning
  • Biomechanics of Human Movement
  • Exercise Physiology
  • Exercise Prescription
  • Research Methods
• The courses completed must include the specified course content.
• A list of accepted core courses for recognized BC post-Secondary institutions can be found here.

and

2) Elective Courses

• Satisfactory completion of a minimum of sixteen (16) additional elective courses, which also satisfy the elective category minimums outlined below, relating to the practice of kinesiology.
• Elective course grade requirements = A passing grade is required for all 16 elective courses and 14 of 16 elective courses must have minimum C- (60%) grade/score or greater (maximum of 2 D (<60%) grades will be accepted towards the 16 elective course total).

Categories

1. Special Populations, Disease Processes and Health Conditions (minimum 1 course)
2. Professional Practice, Assessment and Interventions (minimum 7 courses)
3. Foundational Sciences (no minimum requirement - up to 3 courses can be applied to meet the minimum 16 electives requirement if the minimum is not achieved through the other combined categories)
4. Physiologic Processes and General Health (minimum 5 courses)

NOTE: The membership review committee will assess each course on its merit during the course by course review phase of the assessment.

Full details on the elective course categories and subtopics can be found here.

Supporting Documents

Applicants must provide the following documentation.

1-Proof of Kinesiology (or Equivalent) Degree Completion

Application process for each kinesiology-related degree you have completed:

• A legible, high quality image (JPG or PDF) of your Degree certificate(s) for each kinesiology-related degree in the correct orientation showing all signatures and seals. Note: if your application has already been submitted, send additional kinesiology-related degree documents directly to the BCAK by email.

2-Proof of Education Program Completion and Courses and Assessment of International Degree Program and Coursework

Consisting of:

• A comprehensive International Credit Evaluation Service (ICES) report
  OR
• Course by course WES report ICAP Package for each international degree (or other Canadian issued equivalent)
  AND
• Professionally Translated (if not provided in English) and Notarized official transcripts
  (Contact office for additional information on when notarized copies are acceptable BEFORE requesting these documents)

Note:

• Physical Mail to BCAK, Room 323, #301 - 220 Brew Street, Port Moody, BC V3H 0H6
• Email to office@bcak.bc.ca

NOTE 1: If percent grades are provided, the review committee will assess marks on percent grades rather than letter grade equivalents - in these cases a C- starts at 60%.

NOTE 2: Applicants who have completed multiple degrees or attended multiple post-secondary institutions are required to submit notarized official transcripts (with official translations if not in English) and either an ICES report or WES and ICAP package for each institution where kinesiology- related coursework was completed.

3-Proof of Course Content

Provide course outlines/descriptions/syllabi in English for all relevant courses. This can be completed by:

• Official Course Outlines, or
• PDF course descriptions obtained through your educational institution's website, or
• Course descriptions prepared by the applicant*

NOTE 1: Official outlines and institutional descriptions are given more weight than applicant written descriptions.
NOTE 2: Course outlines need only be submitted for the 7 core and 16 elective courses.

4-Proof of Good Moral Character

Submit a criminal record check (CRC) clearance letter and declaration on past criminal convictions and regulatory discipline (PCCRD)

• A Criminal Record Check clearance letter obtained through the BC Criminal Record Review Program (CRRP) - note the BCAK does not accept CRCs from other jurisdictions or local police departments.

How to Complete a Criminal Record Check

• Complete, sign, scan and upload during the application process or return by email the form below (click the button):

Declaration on Past Criminal Convictions and Regulatory Discipline

5-Letters Required

Submit a Letter of Intent and Declaration of Practice Area detailing:

• Your reasons for seeking membership with BCAK and why it is important to you.
• The area(s) (see: Areas of Practice) in which you intend to practice, which should include details relating to your knowledge and skills related to the BCAK's scope of practice for kinesiologists.

Submit Professional Reference Letters:

• A maximum of two professional reference letters from persons known to you (but not related to you) for more than 1 year, who can attest to your professional acumen, clinical knowledge and interpersonal skills.

Submit Employment Reference Letter:

• At least one employment reference letter from an employer attesting to your professionalism, clinical knowledge/competency and communication skills must be provided.

Submit Volunteer/Mentorship Reference Letter:

• If part of your work experience/history includes volunteer (unpaid) hours of work, and/or work where you provided unpaid mentorship, please provide a letter of reference for that unpaid work.

6-Continuing Education since Graduation

• Continuing Education support documentation is required for applicants who applying more than 5 years after graduation.
• If a Master's degree or PhD in Kinesiology has been completed within the past 5 years, in addition to an undergraduate kinesiology degree, the educational coursework can be applied to meet the continuing education requirements provided the courses are not used to meet the primary academic requirements.
• Proof of continuing education may be in the form of course receipts or certificates of achievement issued by the course/education provider(s) and must include the date the coursework was completed, the number of contact hours and the course details.
• Continuing education must be specific to the field of kinesiology and should be submitted during the online application process.

Requirement

• A minimum of 100 hours of continuing education within the field of kinesiology, completed within the past 5 years. Forty (40) of the one hundred (100) hours must be directly related to the intended area of practiced indicated in the letter of intent provided.

7- Proof of English Language Proficiency

Internationally educated applicants who completed their education in a country where the national language is other than English must provide proof of English language proficiency

Either

• Proof of English language of instruction including:
  • A signed affidavit from your educational institution declaring English as the language of instruction
  • Official course outlines in the original English format as provided by the institution

OR

• Test Of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL)
  • IBT (internet based test) (~$225 depending on center)*
    • Listening - Minimum score of 20
    • Writing - Minimum score of 20
    • Reading - Minimum score of 20
    • Speaking - Minimum score of 20
    • Overall - Minimum score of 80
  • Paper delivered
    • Listening - Minimum score of 20
    • Writing - Minimum score of 20
    • Reading - Minimum score of 20
    • Overall - Minimum score of 60
• International English Language Testing System (IELTS)
  • In person ($320) & Computer delivered ($335)*
    • Listening - Minimum score of 6.5
    • Writing - Minimum score of 6.5
    • Reading - Minimum score of 6.5
    • Speaking - Minimum score of 5.5
    • Overall - Minimum score of 6.5

*Note: fees posted for testing English proficiency are estimates and may be changed by the testing facility at any time without notice

Requirements

1) Type of Experience

Kinesiology practice experience must be within the scope of practice as defined by the BCAK and should support your competencies and ability to perform tasks typically related to professional practice. For additional information please refer to: Professional Membership Work Experience Criteria.

Note: the work experience must be in the role of a kinesiologist and must include working with a variety of populations (both healthy and unhealthy).

2) Volume/Hours of Experience

• a minimum of 1500 work hours in the field of kinesiology in the past 2 years, with 300 of those hours in Canada ( the 300 hours can be as an employee or intern under the direct supervision of another BCAK practicing or non-practicing member (who must have a minimum of 2 years full time experience)) OR
• a minimum of 5000 work hours in the field of kinesiology in the past 5 years, with 300 of those hours in Canada in the past 2 years (the 300 hours can be as an employee or intern under the direct supervision of another BCAK practicing or non-practicing member (who must have a minimum of 2 years full time experience) ).

3) Proof of Experience/Employment (Paid and/or unpaid)

• A notarized work history/experience declaration list must be submitted by the applicant,
• All experience entries, including hours completed, must be verifiable through employment, service, payroll, or letter of reference (applies to volunteer work only) by BCAK,
• Tax records may be considered for work completed as an independent contractor, in the absence of other verifiable proof,
• Volunteer work cannot account for more than 300 hours of the total required work experience,
• The BCAK will determine at its sole discretion, whether the work experience meets its requirements.

Experience must be submitted on the following form and be notarized by a lawyer or notary public licensed to practice in the province of BC.

Contact the office for the Record of Work Experience form that must be completed and notarized as part of your application package.

Internationally educated applicants who do not complete a degree recognized by the BCAK are required to pass the BCAK's Core Course Composite Examination. This applies to internationally trained applicants regardless of whether they have completed work experience that meets the BCAK's requirements.

• Prior to being permitted to write the exam, applicants must meet all the General Requirements previously indicated.
• Effective July 2022 the Composite exam tests all 7 core courses.
• Exams must be written at an approved invigilation centre in BC.
• Applicants are permitted a maximum of 3 attempts (lifetime) to pass the examination. Those who do not pass (minimum overall mark of 60% - and minimum of 50% in each core subject) the exam by the third (3rd) attempt must complete approved courses in the subjects when a score of 65% has not been achieved in the applicable exam section.

Below are the steps for booking an exam

1. Follow the link to the BC invigilation service (Only in-person invigilation services may be selected) and choose a date and invigilation centre. Please ensure that the invigilation centre accepts online exams (i.e. the exam will be emailed to the invigilation centre and the centre must be able to provide a computer for your use for the exam).
2. Once your exam date and time are booked with the invigilator, provide the invigilator (service) with the BCAK's contact information or vice versa based on the testing centres policies, so that contact can be initiated between the invigilation centre and BCAK.
3. BCAK will confirm the invigilator meets the standards set by the BCAK following initial contact and advise you if there are any concerns.
4. We will send you an exam payment (invoice) link to complete payment of the exam fee.
5. Upon receipt of examination payment BCAK will deliver the exam to the invigilator.
6. After you have written the examination, the invigilator will notify the BCAK and return the exam to the BCAK for marking.
7. BCAK will mark the exam and report the resulting outcome to you. (This process can take 5 to 7 business days following receipt of the exam from the invigilator).