Health and Exercise Science (BS)
This program provides a challenging educational experience for students who wish to pursue careers in healthcare, fitness and wellness. 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 health and exercise science will have the requisite coursework for graduate programs in Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Athletic Training, Physician's Assistant, Chiropractic Medicine, Optometry, Podiatry, Nutrition, Public Health, Strength & Conditioning, Exercise Physiology, Kinesiology, Health Education, Health Administration, and much more. 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 one elective spread out across their four years. All Majors are required to have CPR and First Aid Certifications by March 1 of their senior year. 3+3 Health and 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 113, CHEM 111, CHEM 113, and CHEM 112 include labs
BIOL 113, and STAT 118 or STAT 227 or STAT 239: prereq. for BIOL 246
CHEM 111, CHEM 112: prereq. for BIOL 231
First Year or Sophomore Year
STAT 118 | Introductory Statistics | 4 |
PSYC 101 | Introduction to Psychological Science | 4 |
NUTR 112 | Introduction to Nutrition Science | 4 |
EXSC 100 | Introduction to Exercise Science | 2 |
EXSC 110 | Form and Function in Resistance Exercise | 2 |
Sophomore Year
BIOL 231, BIOL 232, and BIOL 246 all include labs.
Junior Year
BIOL 332 | Exercise Physiology | 4 |
PSYC 232 | Health Psychology | 4 |
EXSC 361 | Exercise 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
BIOL 362 includes lab
BIOL 370: 8 credits (4 credits in Fall and 4 credits in Spring)
**Students in the 3+3 Health and Exercise Science/DPT program require 2 semesters of physics prior to entering the grad program:
PHYS 110 Introductory Physics I
PHYS 111 Introductory Physics II
PHYS 110 & PHYS 111 include labs
In addition, students on the 3+3DPT track do NOT complete BIOL362 or BIOL370.
Courses in DPT curriculum that satisfy Health and Exercise Science degree requirements:
DPT 612 | Professional Seminar | 1 |
DPT 672 | Frameworks of Physical Therapy: Musculoskeletal I | 7 |
DPT 613 | Professional Seminar | 1 |
DPT 673 | Frameworks of Physical Therapy: Musculos keletal II | 7 |
DPT 621 | Human Anatomy | 7 |
DPT 622 | Movement Science I | 3 |
DPT 652 | Evidence Based Practice I | 2 |
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)
Health and Exercise Science Electives:
NUTR 311: CHEM 223 prereq.
SOCI 345: SOCI 101 prereq.