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ACADEMIC REQUIREMENTS
A four-year Bachelor's degree majoring in kinesiology OR an equivalent discipline (equivalency is determined during course review), including
- satisfactory completion of the seven (7) specified core courses (minimum grade requirement = C- (>60%) in each course):
- Human Anatomy,
- Human Physiology,
- Human Motor Control & Learning,
- Biomechanics of Human Movement.
- Exercise Physiology
- Exercise Prescription
- Research Methods, and
- satisfactory completion of sixteen (16) additional elective courses, covering five (5) course categories specific to the practice of kinesiology (elective course grade requirements = A maximum of 2 D (<60%) grades will be accepted towards the 16 elective course total):
- Knowledge of Special Populations and Disease Processes
- Knowledge of Assessment and Interventions
- Knowledge of Professionalism and Ethics
- Knowledge of Foundational Sciences
- Knowledge of Physiologic Processes and General Health
NOTE 1: Do not contact the office to confirmation you meet the elective requirements prior to applying. This determination is made by the membership committee during course review (the final step of the application process)
NOTE 2: Applicants with three or more D grades in the elective courses may have difficulty meeting this requirement.
These Core courses must contain specific course content. The majority of BC Universities and Colleges have defined core courses in these subjects.
Definitions of the elective categories and subtopics can be found here.
SUPPORT DOCUMENTS REQUIREMENTS
Applicants must provide the following documentation. Additional requirements exist for those who graduated from an educational institution outside of Canada and in situations where more than 2 years has passed since graduation from their degree program.
1-Proof of Degree Completion
Consisting of:
- A legible, high quality image of your Degree certificate(s) submitted in the correct orientation showing all signatures and seals
OR - A proof of graduation or eligibility to graduate letter which includes:
- Your name
- Your student number
- Degree program and any sub-category you were/are enrolled in
- Confirmation you have applied to graduate if you have not already done so
- Date of degree conferral.
- A list of courses in progress that impact eligibility to graduate, if you have not yet graduated.
NOTE: Any courses in progress must show as completed on any official transcripts the BCAK office receives, otherwise you will need to order new transcripts once the final grades for the courses in progress are available
2-Assessment of Degree Program and Coursework
Consisting of:
- A comprehensive International Credit Evaluation Service (ICES) report
OR - course by course WES report for each international degree (or other Canadian issued equivalent)
AND - Professionally Translated and Notarized official transcripts
(Contact office for additional information on when notarized copies are acceptable BEFORE requesting these documents)
Important Note: Effective October 1st 2021, the BCAK will no longer be accepting WES reports. Any report that had been requested prior to October 1st, 2021 will be accepted, so long as it is received prior to December 31st, 2021. After December 31st 2021, WES reports will not be accepted, even if the report was requested prior to October 1st, 2021
3-Proof of Course Content
Consisting of:
- Official Course Outlines, or
- PDF course descriptions obtained through your educational institutions website
- 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.
NOTE 3: Course descriptions are typically not required for new BC graduates. However, if a seminar/special topics course or a semester abroad was completed, then this should be submitted along with your application.
4-Proof of Good Moral Character
Consisting of:
- A Criminal Record Check clearance letter obtained through the BC Criminal Record Review Program (CRRP)
- Online through the ministry website
OR - Manually through the BCAK (if the online process does not work for whatever reason)
- Online through the ministry website
Details on the process can be found here.
5-Proof of Continuing Education since Degree Completion/Graduation
Continuing Education support documents are required for applicants who graduated more than 2 years prior to their application date. The requirements are dependent on the number of years since graduation and explained below. If a Masters' or PhD in Kinesiology has been completed in addition to the undergraduate kinesiology degree, the date of the most recent kinesiology specific degree applies for continuing education requirements. Applicants needing to provide proof of continuing can submit at the time of application or will be informed of the requirements upon completion of the review and meeting all other requirements if no details have been provided.
Consisting of:
Course receipts or certificates of achievement issued by the course/education providers which confirm the date the coursework was completed and the number of contact hours.
The requirements are:
- >2 but <5 years since graduation - 20 credits per year minus the year of and the year after graduation
- Example: Degree completion in spring of 2017, application in spring of 2021:
2017 - 0 credits required
2018 - 0 credits required
2019 - 20 credits required
2020 - 20 credits required
TOTAL required = 40 credits (hours) required, since 2017
- Example: Degree completion in spring of 2017, application in spring of 2021:
- >5 but <10 years since graduation - 100 Credits completed in the last 5 years for any applicant who graduated over 5, but under 10 years ago.
- Example: Degree completion in 2015, applied in 2021:
Total required = 100 credits completed since 2016
- Example: Degree completion in 2015, applied in 2021:
- >10 but <15 years since graduation - 100 Credits completed in the last 5 years AND a 60% grade on the Composite Exam for any applicant who graduated over 10, but under 15 years ago.
- Example: Graduated in 2008, applied in 2021:
Total required = 100 credits
- Example: Graduated in 2008, applied in 2021:
- 15 years or greater since graduation and employed full time in the profession for the previous 5 years - Special Application Process Required
- 15 years or greater since graduation, not employed or marginally employed in the profession for the previous 5 years - INELIGIBLE FOR MEMBERSHIP
Contact the office for information additional information on eligibility or on how to proceed.
6-Letter of Intent and Declaration of Practice Area
(Applies only to applicants who graduated greater than 5 years ago)
Consisting of:
- A letter of intent detailing;
- The reasons for seeking membership with BCAK and why it is important to them.
- Evidence of relevant work and/or volunteer experience related to the field of kinesiology.
- The area(s) (see: Areas of Practice) which you intend to practice, which may include explaining subjectively how you meet the scope of practice, including coursework and experience.
- A maximum of two professional reference letters from persons known by the applicant for more than 1 year, who can attest to the applicant's professional acumen, clinical knowledge and interpersonal skills.
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 their original English format as provided by the institution
OR
- Test Of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL)
- IBT (internet based test) (~$200 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
- IBT (internet based test) (~$200 depending on center)
- International English Language Testing System (IELTS)
- In person ($319) & 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
- In person ($319) & Computer delivered ($335)
BCAK Core Course Composite Exam Completion (Demonstrate Mastery of Kinesiology Core Academic Knowledge)
Applicants completing their undergraduate kinesiology education outside of Canada are required to pass the BCAK Core Course Composite Examination.
Exams must be written at an approved invigilation centre in BC.
Below are the steps for booking an exam
- Follow the link to the BC invigilation service (Only in-person invigilation services may be selected) and choose a date and invigilation centre.
- Once your exam date and time are booked with the invigilator, provide them with our contact information or vice versa based on the testing centres policies, so that contact can be initiated.
- We will confirm the invigilator meets the standards set by the BCAK and upon verification.
- We will send you an invoice link to pay the exam fee and upon receipt of payment payment will send the exam to the invigilator.
- Upon your completion of the exam sitting and return from the invigilator, we will mark the exam and report the results to you. (This can take 5 to 7 business days following the exam sitting).
The BCAK office can provide practice problems and some information about content, but can't tell you the exact breakdown of topics covered on the exam or discuss specific questions. The Composite Exam can be written a maximum of 3 times. After this, the applicant must appeal to the board for any additional attempts.