Applications for 2025 Summer WIL courses have now closed.
Stay tuned for information on upcoming 2025 Winter WIL courses leading up to Winter session registration.
As you progress further in your BKIN degree and look to develop working skills while having experienced-based learning, you have the opportunity to apply for Work-Integrated Learning courses that are only available to BKIN students. You will earn credit for these upper-level courses and can have them count towards your BKIN degree as KIN elective courses.
How it works
Each Work-Integrated Learning course will consist of class meetings, the work experience, and independent learning activities. It is an opportunity to engage in a process of direct experience, reflection, critical analysis, and experimentation to integrate academic learning with applied experience. Work-Integrated Learning is also an opportunity to develop professional interpersonal relationships in community settings and/or work environments.
Students will be able to take a maximum of 2 Work-Integrated Learning courses, not to exceed a total of 9 credits. These courses can count towards your BKIN degree as KIN upper-level elective courses, but not as stream-specific KIN upper-level courses. Note that these courses are not intended to provide academic credit for volunteer and/or work experiences that students are already participating in.
Pass/Fail grading
Students in Work-Integrated Learning courses will be assessed using Pass/Fail scale. You will be assigned a grade for each of the course assessments and will be required to achieve a final grade of 70% or higher to be assigned ‘Credit’ (pass) for the course. This is different from Credit/D/Fail since students will not have the option to receive a course mark upon completion of the course. Note that Work-integrated Learning courses can count towards the overall 48 credits total of upper-level courses required for your BKIN degree.
Eligibility
You will need to apply for entry into a Work-Integrated Learning course. Admissions will be broad-based and course dependent. While GPA will not be considered within the admissions process, students must be in good academic standing with a sessional average of 60% or greater and fail no more than 6 credits. Students are expected to be aware of prerequisites to the course(s) that they are applying for and plan accordingly.
Students will need to complete the application process provided on this page during the application period.
Facilitators will make offers to students leading up to the registration period for the upcoming session. By providing you with advance notice if you are successfully selected for a Work-Integrated Learning course, you are expected to plan around your WIL schedule.
2025W WIL courses
KIN 471 – Exercise Management of Chronic Neurological Balance and Mobility Conditions
Instructors: Dr. Mark Carpenter and Sally-Anne Stelling
Offered in: Term 1 (September 2025 – December 2025) or Term 2 (January 2026 – April 2026)
Credits: 3 credits
Enrollment: 15 students will be selected per term
Opportunity to gain hands-on experience working within an inter-professional health team to assess and rehabilitate neurological balance and mobility deficits using evidence-based group, and individualized, exercise programming. Students will have the opportunity to assist in the delivery of in-person exercise-based rehabilitation through the Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Clinic (PTRC) and/or the BC Brain Well Program (BWP). In the PTRC students will be trained to deliver the Fitness and Mobility Exercise Program (FAME), a group exercise program for people after Stroke. In the BWP, students will assist with in-person exercise classes for individuals with acquired or degenerative neurological disorders targeting in the areas of aerobic, agility, strength, and balance. To compliment the practical experience, students will be required to complete training modules in a) motivation/behaviour modification and motivational interviewing skills, b) balance and mobility outcome measures and c) evidence-based best practices for exercise-training for neurological balance and mobility deficits.
Prereqs: All of KIN 320, KIN 411.
Recommended courses: KIN 413 (previously KIN 482A), KIN 313.
Required availability: Minimum of 8-9 hours of placement time, divided over 3-4 different time blocks, that will be scheduled throughout the week.
Questions for this course can be directed to Dr. Mark Carpenter at mark.carpenter@ubc.ca.
KIN 475 – Physical Activity Counselling and Prescription for People with Spinal Cord Injury
Instructors: Dr. Jasmin Ma
Offered in: Term 1 – Term 2 (September 2025 – April 2026)
Credits: 6 credits
Enrollment: 10 students will be selected
This course will provide hands-on experience working with members of the Yuel Family Physical Activity Research Centre (PARC) at the Blusson Spinal Cord Centre. PARC provides accessible physical activity opportunities for people with spinal cord dysfunction including drop-in gym hours and exercise classes (in-person and online). Students in this course will apply skills in exercise testing, prescription, and physical activity counselling as an opportunity for students and PARC members to learn reciprocally from one another. The long-term aim is for students to leave the program demonstrating confidence and competence to work with people with disabilities in their future careers and beyond.
Prereqs: KIN 320.
Co-requisite: KIN 351.
Meeting times (tentative):
Term 1: Wednesdays 10:30am – 12:00pm
Term 2: Wednesdays 12:30pm – 2:00pm
Placement hours are determined based on your availability.
Application materials:
1) Updated resume
2) 450-word text response OR 2-minute video in MP4 format responding to the question below:*Please name your file as “[first name] [last name] PARC WIL Application”
Question: What experience do you have working with people with disabilities and why is a placement at PARC with a focus on inclusive physical activity counselling and prescription important to you?
Tips for a successful application:
- While the option for a video or a text submission is given, video submission is preferred as it allow us the ability to better appraise your communication skills
- In your application, show that you:
- Have the ability or potential to communicate respectfully, engage meaningfully, and be a good fit for the PARC environment
- Have the experience or potential to work in exercise prescription and counselling with people with disabilities
- Can demonstrate critical reflection and thoughtfulness of how the PARC experience will benefit you and/or how you will contribute to the PARC experience
Note: To keep your audience in mind, the selection committee is comprised of the faculty supervisor, PARC management, and PARC participants.
Questions for this course can be directed to Dr. Jasmin Ma at jasmin.ma@ubc.ca.
KIN 479 – Scientific Communication and Research Skills in Neuromechanical Kinesiology
Instructors: Dr. Jean-Sébastien Blouin
Offered in: Term 1 – Term 2 (September 2025 – April 2026)
Credits: 9 credits total
Enrollment: up to 6 students will be selected
Opportunity to gain hands-on research experience in neuromechanics. Students will learn diverse research methods, computational skills and scientific dissemination related to neuromechanics research in Kinesiology. They will have the opportunity to assist with state-of-the-art research and gain experience with innovative technology while working with graduate students or post-doctoral fellows. They are expected to assist with all aspects of a research project, including ethics application (or amendments), recruitment of participants, data collection and data analysis. Depending on the lab they work in, undergraduate students may be encouraged to participate in scientific outreach activities to disseminate what they learned to members of the larger community. To complement the practical research experience, students will learn the principles underlying scientific communication and apply these principles in the form of an oral dissemination of scientific results.
Students should apply if they are looking for a unique research learning experience that exposes them to state-of-the-art neuromechanics research in Kinesiology and if they desire an experience similar to graduate training to enable them to explore research as a potential career path.
Prereqs: Two of KIN 310, KIN 311, KIN 313, KIN 316, KIN 411, KIN 413, KIN 415, KIN 419.
Meeting times: Mondays 2:00pm – 5:00pm
Questions for this course can be directed to Dr. Jean-Sébastien Blouin at jean-sebastien.blouin@ubc.ca.
KIN 482K – Exercise Training for Healthy Aging
Instructors: Dr. Cameron Mitchell and André Pelletier
Offered in: Term 1 – Term 2 (September 2025 – April 2026)
Credits: 3 credits (across two terms)
Enrollment: up to 30 students will be selected
Opportunity to gain hands-on experience working with qualified exercise professionals to assess and improve cardiovascular and musculoskeletal fitness in healthy middle aged and older adults using evidence-based group exercise programming.
This course is an opportunity for students to develop practical kinesiology skills, interact with healthy exercisers of all ages, and observe the benefits of exercise on musculoskeletal function and quality of life. Students will assist in the delivery of exercise programming under the supervision of Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology(CSEP) certified trainers and a certified exercise physiologist.
Prereqs: KIN 120. Must have First Aid + CPR-C and Criminal Record check with Vulnerable Sector before starting, but not before applying.
Meeting times: Thursdays 3:00pm – 5:00pm
Questions for this course can be directed to André Pelletier at andre.pelletier@ubc.ca.
2025S WIL courses (closed)
KIN 471 – Exercise Management of Chronic Neurological Balance and Mobility Conditions
Instructors: Dr. Mark Carpenter and Sally-Anne Stelling
Offered in: Term 1 – Term 2 (May – August)
Credits: 3 credits
Enrollment: 12 students will be selected
Opportunity to gain hands-on experience working within an inter-professional health team to assess and rehabilitate neurological balance and mobility deficits using evidence-based group, and individualized, exercise programming. Students will have the opportunity to assist in the delivery of in-person exercise-based rehabilitation through the Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Clinic (PTRC) and/or the BC Brain Well Program (BWP). In the PTRC students will be trained to deliver the Fitness and Mobility Exercise Program (FAME), a group exercise program for people after Stroke. In the BWP, students will assist with in-person exercise classes for individuals with acquired or degenerative neurological disorders targeting in the areas of aerobic, agility, strength, and balance. To compliment the practical experience, students will be required to complete training modules in a) motivation/behaviour modification and motivational interviewing skills, b) balance and mobility outcome measures and c) evidence-based best practices for exercise-training for neurological balance and mobility deficits.
Prereqs: All of KIN 320, KIN 411.
Recommended courses: KIN 413 (previously KIN 482A), KIN 313.
Required availability: Minimum of 8-9 hours of placement time, divided over 3-4 different time blocks, that will be scheduled throughout the week.
Placement times:
Regular placement times must include:
- Monday & Wednesday afternoons from 12:30pm-2:00pm or 2:00pm-3:15pm
and at least two of either:
- Tuesday & Thursday mornings from 8:45am-12:00pm or 10:30am-1:15pm
- Tuesday or Thursday afternoons from 12:30pm-2:00pm or 2:00pm-3:30pm
- Fridays from 9:00am-12:00pm
Questions for this course can be directed to Dr. Mark Carpenter at mark.carpenter@ubc.ca.
KIN 473 – Kinesiology in Primary Care Medicine
Instructors: Dr. Robert Boushel
Offered in: Term 1 – Term 2 (May – August)
Credits: 6 credits (3 credits per term)
Enrollment: 4 students will be selected
This course will focus on exercise prescription and programming in team-based primary care practice, working with Canadian Health Advanced by Nutrition and Graded Exercise (CHANGE) BC through collaboration with the Pacific Northwest Division of Family Practice, and the School of Kinesiology. The experiential part of the course entails working with an interprofessional primary care team including family physicians, kinesiologist, practice support coaches and dieticians to implement exercise testing, prescription and programming as a cornerstone of chronic disease prevention and health promotion primarily focused on patients at risk for metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes.
Prereqs: KIN 320. CPR-C is required.
Recommended courses: KIN 235, KIN 335, KIN 420.
Required availability: Must be available to move to Northern BC (Terrace or Houston) from May 5th – August 15th, 2025
Questions for this course can be directed to Vienna Nguyen at vienna.nguyen@ubc.ca.
FAQ
No, students do not get paid for their work in a WIL course as it is done as part of academic coursework and credit that you are receiving towards your BKIN degree. It is important to recognize that skills gained during WIL can give students opportunities to acquire paid jobs in the future.
GPA will not be considered within the admissions process, but students must be in good academic standing with a sessional average of 60% or greater and fail no more than 6 credits.
WIL courses are graded as Pass/Fail, and would not have a percentage-grade associated with it on your transcript. You may be able to use the skills and experience that you have gained in a WIL course towards your application or interview processes, depending on the program(s) that you are applying to.
Prerequisite courses must be successfully completed before placement into the WIL course. If you have a prerequisite course currently in progress, you may still be able to apply, but will need to have the course successfully completed before placement into the WIL course.
Taking a WIL course would need to fall within your regular limits as a BKIN student, which would be up to 12 credits in a summer session, or up to 33 credits in a winter session with up to 18 credits in one term. With that being said, we encourage you to carefully consider the time commitment and flexibility that you will need for your WIL course and factor this in to your course planning accordingly.
References are not required in the application process. However, instructors reserve the right to request this from applicants or may require a brief interview to get to know the student if they are shortlisted.
Preference will be given to those with prior experience. Depending on the number of applicants and/or availability of each applicant, your application may still be considered. Make sure to share any relevant experience so that evaluators can see what you can bring to the WIL course.
The intention of having the WIL Info Session and application process earlier is so that you are able to have your WIL courses confirmed before registration and be able to plan around this commitment. Please ensure that if you are applying to a WIL course, you are ready to commit to the hours and schedule involved for the entire duration of the course.
You can re-submit the application form with your updated WIL preference ranking or changes. IMPORTANT: Please make sure to clearly indicate that you are re-submitting by adding "RE-SUBMIT" wording along with inputting your first name in the form.