Can an Online PhD in Exercise Science Lead to a Tenure-Track Position? What CUC’s Program Is Built to Do

If you’re considering an online PhD in exercise science, you’re not asking a casual question. You’re evaluating whether this degree will actually move you into a faculty role. You’re weighing your current career, your time and a major financial commitment against one outcome: a tenure-track position.

And there’s one concern sitting at the center of that decision: Will “online” count against me when a search committee reviews my CV?

That’s the right place to start. Because if an online doctorate isn’t taken seriously in academic hiring, the rest of the program details don’t matter. Concordia University Chicago (CUC) addresses that concern directly, not by avoiding it, but by building a program around what faculty search committees evaluate.

Is an Online PhD in Exercise Science Taken Seriously in Academic Hiring?

Search committees don’t make decisions based on delivery format alone. They evaluate candidates based on three core areas:

• Teaching experience and preparation
• Research output and scholarly focus
• Service to the field and academic community

CUC’s online PhD in exercise science is structured around those exact criteria. The program doesn’t ask a search committee to rethink how it hires. It prepares you to meet the standards already in place.

Institutional credibility also matters. CUC is a regionally accredited university founded in 1864. Regional accreditation is the credential that hiring committees recognize when evaluating academic degrees. That distinction places the degree within the same accreditation framework as traditional residential PhD programs.

The format is online because the audience is working professionals, not because the expectations are lower. This program is designed for someone who cannot step away from their career yet needs to build a competitive academic profile.

How CUC’s Curriculum Aligns with Faculty Hiring Expectations

Not all exercise science PhD programs are structured with faculty hiring in mind. Some emphasize theory without building a teaching portfolio. Others focus on coursework without developing a sustainable research agenda.

CUC’s approach is different. The curriculum is intentionally aligned with the three pillars used in faculty hiring decisions:

Teaching Readiness

You’re preparing for a role where you’ll be responsible for instruction from day one. That means understanding curriculum design, student engagement and assessment strategies, not just content expertise.

Research Development

Your ability to produce and communicate research is central to tenure-track hiring. The program emphasizes applied research tied to real-world outcomes, allowing you to build a body of work that extends beyond coursework.

Academic Service

Faculty roles include contributions beyond teaching and publishing. The program incorporates expectations tied to professional engagement and service, ensuring your experience reflects the full scope of an academic position.

This alignment reduces one of the biggest risks in pursuing a PhD in exercise science: finishing the degree without having built the profile a hiring committee expects.

Who Will Mentor You: Faculty with Active Research Agendas

Because this is a newer program without doctoral alumni yet, the most important question becomes: Who is preparing you for the career you want?

At CUC, mentorship sits at the center of the program’s design. You’ll work directly with faculty who are active in research and understand what it takes to succeed in academic hiring.

Dr. Jason Winchester

Associate Professor of Health and Human Performance, Dr. Jason Winchester, holds a Ph.D. in Exercise Physiology from Louisiana State University. His research spans biomechanics, musculoskeletal rehabilitation and strength and conditioning.

His recognition by the National Strength and Conditioning Association, including the JSCR Editorial Excellence Award, signals credibility within the field. More importantly for you, it reflects active engagement in the type of scholarly work that hiring committees evaluate.

Dr. Karrie Curry

Affiliate Assistant Professor of Health and Human Performance, Dr. Karrie Curry earned her Ph.D. in Health Studies from Texas Woman’s University. Her research focuses on ethnic and racial health disparities, mental health outcomes and the role of exercise in preventing chronic illness.

Her work connects exercise science to broader public health outcomes, expanding the range of research directions and applications you can explore.

Together, these faculty members provide more than instruction. They offer mentorship grounded in active research, publication and professional networks. In a program without alumni placement data yet, this mentorship structure is the strongest indicator of how you’ll be prepared for the job market.

How the Research and Dissertation Model Builds Your Academic CV

A key differentiator in any exercise science PhD program is how research is developed over time. If your dissertation is treated as a final requirement rather than a multi-year process, you risk graduating without a clear research identity.

CUC emphasizes applied research with real-world relevance. That means:

• Your research questions are tied to practical challenges in exercise science
• You’re building a portfolio that demonstrates depth, not just completion
• Your dissertation contributes to a broader research trajectory you can carry into your academic career

This approach matters during the hiring process. Search committees are not simply reviewing whether you completed a dissertation. They’re evaluating whether your research shows potential for continued publication and contribution to the field.

The goal is not just to finish the degree. It’s to leave the program with a clear research direction and the foundation of a scholarly identity.

What the Path Looks Like: From Enrollment to Faculty Job Search

One of the biggest concerns for working professionals is whether completing a PhD in exercise science is realistic alongside a full-time career.

CUC’s structure is designed with that constraint in mind. The online format allows you to maintain your professional role while progressing through the program, but the expectations remain consistent with doctoral-level work.

Here’s what that path typically involves:

Early Coursework

You begin by developing a foundation across teaching, research methods and disciplinary knowledge. This phase establishes the baseline for your academic work.

Research Development

As you move deeper into the program, your focus shifts toward defining your research interests and beginning the work that will lead to your dissertation.

Dissertation Phase

Your dissertation becomes the central focus, supported by faculty mentorship. This is where your academic identity takes shape.

Transition to the Job Market

As you approach completion, the emphasis turns toward positioning your experience for faculty roles, aligning your teaching experience, research output and professional engagement with the expectations of hiring committees.

Throughout this process, the structure is designed to keep you moving forward without requiring you to step away from your current role.

Is This the Right Online PhD in Exercise Science for You?

A program like this isn’t the right fit for everyone. It’s designed for a specific kind of professional:

• You already hold a master’s degree in exercise science or a related field
• You’re prepared to balance doctoral-level work with your current professional responsibilities
• You want a program that builds toward faculty expectations, not just degree completion

If that describes where you are right now, the next step isn’t to gather more general information. It’s to look closely at how the program aligns with your goals.

You can explore the curriculum and program expectations on the CUC PhD in Exercise Science program page and review cost considerations through the tuition and fees page.

Take the Next Step

An online PhD in exercise science can lead to a tenure-track position, but only if the program is built around what academic hiring actually requires.

Concordia University Chicago designed the program with that end goal in mind: aligning curriculum to hiring standards, providing mentorship from active researchers and structuring the experience for working professionals who are serious about stepping into faculty roles.

If you’re ready to evaluate whether this path fits your career trajectory, start by reviewing the program details and faculty backgrounds. The decision isn’t just about earning a doctoral degree. It is about whether that degree positions you for the job you want next.