Exercise Science (BS)

This program provides a challenging educational experience for students who wish to pursue health/fitness careers. The major provides hands on experience in the health/ fitness industry tied to core academic preparation in the science of exercise and health. Students of exercise science will have the requisite coursework for graduate programs in Physical Therapy, Exercise Physiology, Kinesiology, and Exercise Science. Graduates of an exercise science program may work in community, retail, or medical fitness centers, hospital-based clinical exercise rehabilitation, clinical research, corporate wellness programs, and nonprofit health promotion organizations.


Program Requirements

Majors will complete four prerequisite courses, a core consisting of ten courses plus two electives spread out across their four years. All Majors are required to have CPR and First Aid Certifications by March 1 of the senior year. 3+3 Exercise Science/DPT students should refer to the undergraduate DPT course sequence in the course catalog. The suggested four-year sequence for core courses is:

First Year

BIOL 113General Biology

4

OR

BIOL 115Advanced General Biology

4

CHEM 111Principles of General Chemistry

4

CHEM 112Principles of Organic Chemistry

4

BIOL 113, BIOL 115, CHEM 111, CHEM 113, and CHEM 112 include labs

BIOL 113 or BIOL 115, and STAT 118 or STAT 227: prereq. for BIOL 246

CHEM 111, CHEM 112: prereq. for BIOL 231

Students may complete BIOL 113 or BIOL 115 to fulfill Introductory Biology requirement.

Students may complete CHEM 111 or CHEM 113 to fulfill Introductory Chemistry requirement.

First Year or Sophomore Year

STAT 118Introductory Statistics

4

OR

STAT 227Intermediate Statistics: Design & Analysis

4

PSYC 101Introduction to Psychological Science

4

NUTR 112Introduction to Nutrition Science

4

EXSC 100Introduction to Exercise Science

2

EXSC 110Form and Function in Resistance Exercise

2

EXSC 100 and EXSC 110: Required for Class of 2023+. Each counts as .5 ExSci elective for Class of 2022.

Sophomore Year

BIOL 231Anatomy and Physiology I

4

BIOL 232Anatomy and Physiology II

4

BIOL 246Foundations of Exercise and Health

4

BIOL 231, BIOL 232, and BIOL 246 all include labs.

Junior Year

BIOL 332Exercise Physiology

4

PSYC 232Health Psychology

4

EXSC 361Exercise Assessment & Prescription

4

CPR with AED Training -offered during DPT orientation-junior year summer

BIOL 332 and EXSC 361 include labs

BIOL 332: prereq. for EXSC 361

First Aid Certification offered during EXSC 361 lab at cost

Senior Year

PHYS 110Introductory Physics I

4

BIOL 362Kinesiology

4

BIOL 370Internship

Variable

PHYS 110 and BIOL 362 include labs

PHYS 110: optional for class of 2023+. Class of 2022 can opt to take EXSC 100 and EXSC 110 instead of PHYS 110

BIOL 370: 8 credits (4 credits in Fall and 4 credits in Spring)

Courses in DPT curriculum that satisfy Exercise Science degree requirements:

 
DPT 612Professional Seminar

1.00

DPT 672Frameworks of Physical Therapy: Musculoskeletal I

7.00

DPT 613Professional Seminar

1.00

DPT 673Frameworks of Physical Therapy: Musculos keletal II

7.00

DPT 621Human Anatomy

7.00

DPT 622Movement Science I

3.00

DPT 652Evidence Based Practice I

2.00

DPT 612 and DPT 672: Serves as a replacement for BIOL 370 (Fall)
DPT 613 and DPT 673: Serves as a replacement for BIOL 370 (Spring)  
DPT 621 and DPT 622: Serves as a replacement for BIOL 362
DPT 652: Serves as a replacement for 2nd EXSC  elective (1st met by PHYS 110)

Exercise Science Electives:

AST 232/SOCI 232/WGST 232Race, Gender & Health

4

EXSC 233Strength and Conditioning

4

CHEM 223Principles of Biochemistry

4

SOCI 241Health, Illness & Society

4

SOCI 345Health Systems & Policy

4

SOCI 266Sociology of Sports

4

NUTR 110Sociocultural Implications of Nutrition

4

NUTR 215Sports Nutrition

4

NUTR 311Nutrient Metabolism

4

NUTR 360Lifestyle Rx

4

PHYS 111Introductory Physics II

4

MCPHS BEH 405A
Mind-Body Medicine

NUTR 311: CHEM 223 prereq.

SOCI 345: SOCI 101 prereq.