Ways Your Exercise Science Degree Takes You Where You Want to Go

How the body moves and performs fascinates you, and learning more about its possibilities and limits is the career direction you’re looking to find. You see yourself becoming the “go-to” expert that companies and agencies seek to bring the hidden gems behind exercise to light. You’ll find all that and much more when you begin exploring the benefits of an exercise science degree.

What Exercise Science Means in Today’s Wellness World

 The study of exercise science goes well beyond the limited applications of becoming a personal trainer or conditioning coach. Exercise scientists and exercise physiologists explore a spectrum of subjects, from cardiac rehabilitation to the benefits of exercise for Parkinson’s patients to researching best practices used in wellness in corporate environments.

The Framework of an Exercise Science Degree

Every exercise science degree program is different, so examine each program you consider. Make sure your program goes deep into science subjects, features plenty of classes and experiences in a dedicated campus lab, and offers flexibility to explore the exercise science perspectives that interests you.

Expect a top-flight exercise science degree program to contain multiple components, such as 

• 30 or more credit hours of general education 
• 25+ credit hours of physical science (physiology, anatomy, etc.) and mathematics courses
• At least 40 credit hours of core courses (Communications, psychology, sociology, etc.)
• Flexibility to choose elective classes that match students’ interests
• At least 9 credit hours through an internship experience.

Exercise Science: Where it can Take You

One of the reasons this specialty science degree is becoming more popular is how well it fits other allied health professions. Allied health refers to practitioners who use scientific principles and evidence-based practices to diagnose, evaluate, and treat acute and chronic diseases and promote wellness.

From the intensive focus on how the human body works, students with an exercise science degree can make an easier transition to a “practitioner doctorate degree,” such as chiropractic, physical therapy, and medical school. Many exercise science grads continue their education and earn a master’s degree in exercise physiology. Others might become a healthy living director at a YMCA or a city’s community center.

There’s certainly never been a better time to be interested in a career that looks into the many aspects of exercise. Physical fitness, proper nutrition, and healthy habits reduce the likeliness of poor health, and the healthcare industry is responding. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects that 2.4 million new healthcare jobs will be added from 2019-2029.

To find your “fit” in this active, exciting field, ask yourself these questions:

• Do you have an appreciation for physical activity, exercise, and sports?
• Do you enjoy coursework in biology, chemistry, math, nutrition, physiology, and physical fitness?
• Are you willing to commit to the necessary investment in education, academic training, and professional education required of working exercise science and allied health professionals?
• Have you thought about the type of professional employment setting you wish to work in (hospital, clinic, school, fitness facility, industrial setting, corporate setting, outpatient clinic, university)?
• Do you enjoy working with all types of people, or are you interested in specific populations (athletes, children, elderly, or patients with a chronic disease or condition)?
• Do you want to work with people to prevent disease and injury or with patients desiring treatment and rehabilitation?

Answering “yes” to any of these questions means it’s worth your time to look into a B.S. in Exercise Science degree. The next step is to find a university that’s designed a program that fits your expectations. 

The B.S. in Exercise Science Degree at Cleveland University-Kansas City (CUKC)

Cleveland University-Kansas City (CUKC) is a nonprofit, private, healthcare-focused university offering a B.S. in Exercise Science degree that studies the physiological, scientific, and psychological concepts related to physical activity. Our exercise science program provides individualized study in a student’s area of interest through our College of Health Sciences.

Our B.S. in Exercise Science graduates are eligible to sit for many nationally recognized certifications, including a Certified Exercise Physiologist (ACSM-CEP) from the American College of Sports Medicine.

Our year-round program consists of 124 credit hours, including:

• 31 credit hours of general education 
• 27 credit hours of physical science and mathematics
• 41 credit hours of core courses
• 25 credit hours of electives of distinction
• 9 credit hours through an internship experience.

The CUKC electives of distinction provide exercise science students with opportunities such as:

• Clinical education experiences
• Independent study options
• Individual research
• Course selections based on personal education and professional goals.

When you’re ready to start changing lives for the better, click here for more information on the CUKC exercise science degree. When you’re considering any college degree, get fully informed about options in funding your education by getting this free eBook: Your Guide to Navigating College Financial Aid.