Students may choose from two concentrations offered in the Major in Health and Exercise Science: Exercise Science or Health Promotion.
Learning Objectives
Students will:
- Demonstrate critical thinking and the ability to apply knowledge related to the key concepts, issues, and tools fundamental to health and exercise science.
- Understand the importance of physical activity in optimizing physical and mental health and preventing/treating disease and disability in people of all ages and provide a detailed explanation of physical activity guidelines and recommendations.
- Develop and demonstrate practical knowledge and understanding in human anatomy and physiology through active classroom learning, laboratory, supervised college teaching, capstone projects, research involvement, practicums, and/or internship experiences.
- Demonstrate the ability to communicate effectively through writing and oral presentations. Writing skills will focus on the ability to synthesize and apply health and exercise science disciplinary knowledge. Presentation skills will focus on the ability to find and summarize scientific information, develop complementary visual aids, and speak with confidence.
- Exercise Science Concentration: demonstrate the ability to design and implement a novel scientific experiment.
- Health Promotion Concentration: demonstrate the ability to design and implement a comprehensive community-based health promotion program.
- Develop a depth of knowledge that enables them to critically evaluate health-related programs and products and distinguish between evidence-based facts and popular fads.
- Develop collaborative skills necessary to work as a cooperative, productive, and accountable team member while working with individuals of diverse backgrounds.
Potential Occupations
The United States and other developed countries are struggling with an aging and increasingly unhealthy population. Understanding the role of physical activity in preventing and treating disease and disability, and maintaining optimal health at any age is critical. There is high demand for graduates trained in the foundations of human movement such as anatomy, physiology, public health, exercise prescription, and health behavior change AND the ability to apply this knowledge to enhance the health, well-being, and functional performance of humans at every age.
We take pride in training students in Health and Exercise Science to be strong critical thinkers who can express themselves clearly in written and oral form, view the world from multiple perspectives, and are models of professional behavior and citizenship: qualities that will serve them well in any career they choose to pursue.
In the Exercise Science concentration, students acquire additional scientific training in biomechanics, neurophysiology, and human nutrition as well as an opportunity to use their capstone class for real-world experiences in laboratories, clinics, etc. This training provides excellent preparation for graduate studies in medicine, occupational therapy, chiropractic, physician assistant, physical therapy, and exercise science research.
Students who choose the Health Promotion concentration also acquire theoretical and hands-on training that makes them competitive for career opportunities in a wide variety of areas including, but not limited to: corporate fitness/wellness, community health/wellness, public health, health behavior change, occupational or physical therapy, cardiac rehabilitation, personal training, group exercise/fitness instructors, and recreation directors.