Curriculum Mapping the Sequence of Biomechanics and Motor Learning Courses to Maximize Success for Undergraduate Kinesiology Students

Kinesiology, as a major, is an interdisciplinary field with somewhat distinct areas of study. However, motor control/learning (MCL), and biomechanics (BIO-M) courses overlap considerably in their area of study, human movement. These courses are often taken later in an undergraduate curriculum plan of study as they have different pre-requisites. The purpose of the present study was to determine if the sequence in which MCL and BIO-M classes were taken influences student success in each course, as determined by final grades. We hypothesized that students would score better when the two classes were taken together. Data was included for 195 students that completed upper-level courses in both MCL and BIO-M for 6 continuous semesters, between the fall of 2022 and spring of 2025. Three course sequences were examined: 1.) BIO-M taken first, 2.) MCL taken first, 3.) courses taken together. The results showed that grades were slightly higher overall for the BIO-M class than the MCL class. Overall, grades were lower in both classes when the MCL course was taken first, despite both classes requiring higher-order thinking and learning, and the assessments being similar. The BIO-M class does provide more specific, individualized feedback early in the class, as well as a potential for re-taking the first exam. We posit that students are not used to free response assessments and that taking the BIO-M class first prepares them better for both classes.