Welcome to the Department of Exercise and Sport Sciences

Through the theory and practical application of exercise science principles, the Department of Exercise and Sport Sciences prepares students to address the growing societal concerns about -- and interest in -- fitness, wellness, sport, injury prevention, and rehabilitation. We accomplish this mission by offering three majors:

• Athletic training: This major emphasizes the prevention, care, management and rehabilitation of athletic injuries; it therefore addresses the national need for better health care of athletes and the physically active. Certified athletic trainers work under the direction of physicians in many settings, including high schools, colleges, professional sports programs, hospitals, fitness centers, industry, and sports medicine clinics.

• Clinical exercise science: This major provides students with the knowledge and skills to assess physical function and to prescribe exercise for athletes, healthy individuals, and/or those with functional deficits that persist following illness, injury, or postsurgical rehabilitation. In a variety of settings (e.g., athletic, clinical, private, corporate, hospital), a CES-trained exercise professional will use exercise as a modality to help prevent or address chronic lifestyle diseases, such as cardiovascular or pulmonary disease, diabetes, and hypertension. Graduates may also choose to work with athletes to improve fitness and performance.

• Exercise science: This major gives students a theoretical understanding of the physiological, neuromuscular, psychological, and biomechanical effects of exercise stress on the human body. Graduates are well positioned to pursue advanced study in these areas, as well as in medicine and allied health, or to use their knowledge to interpret scientific information on physical activity for the lay public through such means as educational forums (e.g., fitness/wellness seminars, website development, public speaking, public health initiatives), journalism or writing, or sales (e.g., medical equipment, pharmaceuticals).