Program Goals
Mission Statement
The mission of the Exercise Science Department is to foster professional preparation of students by incorporating theory, applied experiences, and research-based opportunities for scientific inquiry. We strive to academically prepare students to support the fitness, allied health, and performance industries.
Exercise Science Major
Our goals are to:
- Prepare competent entry-level Exercise Science professionals in the cognitive (knowledge), psychomotor (skills), and affective (behavior) learning domains.
- Students will be able to…
- Understand current theory, topics, and recommendations regarding physical activity and exercise in general, athletic, and clinical populations.
- Pre-screen, stratify, and assess individuals for exercise readiness to create individualized programming.
- Prepare students to work with a variety of people for internships, careers, and/or advanced study by creating collaborative, hands-on learning experiences.
- Students will be able to…
- Apply discipline-specific knowledge, skills, and abilities to lab-based and/or other applied experiences.
- Actively participate in and successfully complete an internship.
- Incorporate research and scientific literature throughout the curriculum to develop students’ ability to think critically about health, fitness, and performance.
- Students will be able to…
- Understand, analyze, and evaluate exercise science research and trends.
- Design and conduct a research project, including collection, analysis, and interpretation of data.
- Provide opportunities for the personal growth and professional development of students through engagement in extracurricular learning experiences.
- Students will be able to…
- Participate in service-learning or other volunteer projects that benefit the community through student club membership.
- Attend and/or present research at a local, regional, or national conference.
Exercise Science Minor
The primary goal of the Exercise Science Minor is to prepare students with the basic knowledge and skills of exercise science. This preparation should be particularly useful for individuals seeking advanced education in an allied health profession.
Upon successful completion of the Exercise Science Minor, students will be able to:
- Acquire discipline-specific knowledge, skills, and abilities about current theories and topics.
- Be prepared to review and critically evaluate current research topics and trends in exercise science.
- Apply knowledge, skills, and abilities in a variety of laboratory experiences.
Coaching Minor
The primary goal of the Coaching Minor is to develop students into competent coaches at any level of competition, including at the youth, interscholastic, and intercollegiate levels. We also prepare our students for field experiences that provide opportunities to apply knowledge learned in the classroom and engage with athletes, coaches, and teams.
Upon successful completion of the Coaching Minor, students will be able to:
- Acquire discipline-specific knowledge, skills, and abilities about current theories and topics through a sport-based curriculum.
- Apply their knowledge in various coaching scenarios
- Apply knowledge, skills, and abilities in a variety of laboratory and/or practical experiences.
- Be prepared to review and critically evaluate current research topics and trends in sport and coaching.
Power, Agility, & Group Exercise (PAGE) Certificate
The primary goal of the PAGE Certificate is to provide students the opportunity to learn applied skills that will prepare them to instruct in the areas of group exercise, and power and agility training.
Upon successful completion of the PAGE Certificate, students will be able to:
- Design short-term and long-term training programs based on current scientific guidelines.
- Demonstrate competence in and correct errors in power training and agility training techniques.
- Understand the principles of group exercise instruction to provide safe and effective group exercise leadership.
- Program group exercise activities for cardiorespiratory, muscular, and flexibility training.
