Balancing Full-Time Work and an Online PhD
For many professionals, balancing a doctoral program with career demands is a primary concern. CSP Global’s fully remote and online PhD in Kinesiology allows students like Dr. Brennan Sweet to maintain full-time employment and gain valuable clinical experience while completing their degree.
“I selected CSP for completing my doctoral program because of the ability to complete the degree fully remote and online,” Dr. Sweet explains. “This allowed time for working full-time and gaining valuable experience in the field.”
Defending Research and Advancing Kinesiology
Because CSP Global’s PhD in Kinesiology is delivered fully online, Dr. Sweet was able to immediately apply his dissertation research on power potentiation to his work with tactical athletes at his own business, Struggler Strength. His dissertation focused specifically on improving power potentiation in powerlifters, a subject closely tied to his personal and professional life.
“This population was near and dear to me as I am a member of a powerlifting gym and most of the study participants belonged to the same gym,” he shares. “Most of the participants became my friends and training partners because of the study so the dissertation gave me more than just a PhD.”
Dr. Sweet identifies his dissertation defense as a defining moment in his academic journey. “My favorite part of the experience was being able to defend against world class people within my field. Not only did my dissertation board teach me how to interpret scientific data but they also disagreed on some of the points I was making. Part of being a PhD is being able to properly defend the knowledge you have as well as being able to admit that you’re wrong or that you don’t know so that you can keep on learning. It was really humbling and gave me a new frame of mind when trying to decide what is right or not within the kinesiology field.”
Applying Kinesiology to Clinical Rehab and Strength Training
Since graduating, Dr. Sweet has continued to grow his business, Struggler Strength, with a desire to help tactical athletes, including military servicemembers, firefighters, and police officers. Inspired by the idea of the “struggler”—one who faces challenges head-on and refuses to give in—he provides evidence-based strength and conditioning training alongside physical therapy rehabilitation. His guided sessions combine science, grit, and compassion to help clients overcome pain, restore motion, and build lasting strength so they can perform optimally in their demanding roles.
In addition to his entrepreneurial pursuits, Dr. Sweet applies his expertise at a pulmonary rehab facility. There, he provides one-on-one support to patients, ensuring they are strong enough to survive major surgeries.
“I have been working on developing new protocols for improved patient outcomes,” he notes. “I am proud of this work because I feel there is a lot of improvement that can be completed to significantly improve the quality of life for these patients.”
Advice for Future Kinesiology Scholars
Reflecting on his time at CSP Global, Dr. Sweet offers practical guidance for incoming doctoral candidates looking to maximize their success in the program.
“Start your research early and make sure to plan ahead to not be stressed by impending deadlines. Also, read – majority of my knowledge in the field is from keeping current with popular research journals and textbooks written by people in the field I admire like Mel Siff.”
Ready to advance your career, clinical practice, or entrepreneurial goals? Explore the online PhD in Kinesiology at CSP Global and discover how you can balance your professional ambitions with world-class doctoral research.