Exercise Science is a multi-disciplinary program that applies scientific knowledge from anatomy, physiology, biology, chemistry, psychology, motor control, and biomechanics to understand how the human body functions during physical activity, and how the body adapts to exercise training. The Exercise Science program prepares students to acquire skills in fitness evaluation, exercise program design, and instructing functional movement patterns. Students who want to enter the undergraduate Exercise Science degree must choose one of two concentrations, Sports Conditioning or Clinical and Pre-Professional Studies.
About the Concentration in Clinical and Pre-Professional Studies
The objective of the Clinical and Pre-Professional Studies concentration within the Exercise Science major is to prepare students for entry into clinical fields and/or graduate education. The Clinical & Pre-Professional Studies concentration focuses on developing knowledge and skills that are required for allied health professionals and professional degree graduate education.
Admission Requirements
- Incoming freshman may declare the Clinical and Pre-Professional Studies concentration upon admission.
- Students with an established GPA at Montclair State University or another institution must have a minimum GPA of 2.75 to be admitted into the Clinical and Pre-Professional Studies concentration.
Students with more than 60 credits may be admitted into the Clinical and Pre-Professional Studies concentration by departmental permission
Program Requirements Overview
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| General Education Requirements | 30 | |
| World Languages and Cultures Requirements | 3-9 | |
| Major Requirements | 67 | |
| Free Electives | 20-14 | |
| Total Credits | 120 | |
Major Requirements
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Required Theory Courses | ||
| HLTH 101 | Personal Health Issues | 3 |
| HPEM 150 | Principles and Practice of Emergency Care | 3 |
| HPEM 199 | Freshman Seminar in Health and Physical Education | 1 |
| EXSC 255 | Research Methods and Data Interpretation | 3 |
| EXSC 300 | Seminar I in Exercise Science | 2 |
| PEMJ 320 | Physiology of Exercise | 4 |
| PEMJ 321 | Kinesiology | 3 |
| PEMJ 324 | Basic Motor Learning | 3 |
| Required Activity Courses | ||
| PEMJ 131 | Fitness Activities | 3 |
| EXSC 234 | Leadership in Anaerobic Exercise | 3 |
| EXSC 331 | Exercise Assessment and Prescription | 4 |
| Theory Specialization Core | ||
| EXSC 430 | Exercise for Special Populations | 3 |
| EXSC 475 | Foundations and Practices in Cardiac Rehabilitation | 3 |
| Exercise Science Collateral Courses | ||
| BIOL 112 | Principles of Biology: Introduction to the Cell | 4 |
| BIOL 244 | Anatomy and Physiology I | 4 |
| BIOL 245 | Anatomy and Physiology II | 4 |
| CHEM 120 | General Chemistry I | 4 |
| NUFD 182 | Nutrition: A Socioecological Perspective | 3 |
| PHYS 193 | College Physics I | 4 |
| PSYC 101 | Introduction to Psychology | 3 |
| STAT 109 | Statistics | 3 |
| Total Credits | 67 | |
All students must also fulfill the university general education requirements and complete 120 credits. Recommended free electives for those interested in PA, PT and OT: General Chemistry II CHEM 121 (4), College Physics II PHYS 194 (4), Principles of Biology II BIOL 113 (4). For AT programs: ATTR 101(3), ATTR 402 (3). Other recommendations for free electives will be advised (e.g. EXSC 476 and EXSC 480). Those who do not pass the math readiness exam and chemistry readiness exam must take MATH 100 as prerequisite for BIOL 112, CHEM 120, and PHYS 193. Those who do not pass the chemistry readiness exam must take CHEM 106 before CHEM 120.
General Education Requirements
Click here for a list of courses that fulfill General Education categories.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| A. New Student Seminar | ||
| Freshman Seminar in Health and Physical Education (Fulfilled in the major.) | ||
| C. Communication | ||
| 1. Writing | 3 | |
| 2. Literature | 3 | |
| 3. Communication | 3 | |
| D. Fine and Performing Arts | ||
| Complete a 3 credit Fine and Performing Arts course. | 3 | |
| F. Humanities | ||
| 1. Great Works and Their Influences | 3 | |
| 2. Philosophical and Religious Perspectives | 3 | |
| G. Computer Science | ||
| Complete a 3 credit Computer Science course. | 3 | |
| H. Mathematics | ||
| Statistics (Fulfilled in the major.) | ||
| I. Natural Science Laboratory | ||
| Anatomy and Physiology I (Fulfilled in the major.) | ||
| J. Physical Education | ||
| Fulfilled by PEMJ 131 in the major. | ||
| K. Social Science | ||
| 1. American and European History | 3 | |
| 2. Global Cultural Perspectives | 3 | |
| 3. Social Science Perspectives | ||
| Introduction to Psychology (Fulfilled in the major.) | ||
| L. Interdisciplinary Studies | ||
| Complete a 3 credit Interdisciplinary Studies course. | 3 | |
| Total Credits | 30 | |
World Languages and Cultures Requirements
Click here for a list of courses that fulfill World Languages and Cultures categories.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| World Languages | ||
| Based on language placement exam, complete one or two sequential courses in the same language. Requirement is automatically fulfilled by language major courses. | 3-6 | |
| World Cultures | ||
| Requirement may be fulfilled by course selected in General Education - Social Science: Global Cultural Perspectives. Requirement may also be fulfilled by major coursework. See list of courses. | 0-3 | |
| Total Credits | 3-9 | |
Recommended Roadmap to Degree Completion
This four-year plan is provided as an outline for students to follow in order to complete their degree requirements within four years. This plan is a recommendation and students should only use it in consultation with their academic advisor.
| First Year | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| GENERAL EDUCATION: (C1) Writing | 3 | GENERAL EDUCATION: (C2) Literature | 3 |
| GENERAL EDUCATION: (C3) Communication | 3 | BIOL 245 | 4 |
| BIOL 244 | 4 | HLTH 101 | 3 |
| HPEM 199 | 1 | HPEM 150 | 3 |
| PEMJ 131 | 3 | MATH 100 (or Free Elective) | 3 |
| STAT 109 | 3 | ||
| 14 | 19 | ||
| Second Year | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| GENERAL EDUCATION: (F2) Humanities – Philosophical and Religious Perspectives | 3 | World Language 2 | 3 |
| World Language 1 | 3 | NUFD 182 | 3 |
| EXSC 255 | 3 | PEMJ 320 | 4 |
| PHYS 193 | 4 | CHEM 106 (or Free Elective) | 3 |
| PSYC 101 | 3 | Free Elective1 | 3 |
| 16 | 16 | ||
| Third Year | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| GENERAL EDUCATION: (D) Fine and Performing Arts | 3 | GENERAL EDUCATION: (G) Computer Science | 3 |
| CHEM 120 | 4 | GENERAL EDUCATION: (K1) Social Science – American and European History | 3 |
| EXSC 331 | 4 | World Cultures | 3 |
| PEMJ 321 | 3 | PEMJ 324 | 3 |
| Free Elective1 | 3 | ||
| 14 | 15 | ||
| Fourth Year | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| GENERAL EDUCATION: (K2) Social Science – Global Cultural Perspectives | 3 | GENERAL EDUCATION: (F1) Humanities – Great Works and Their Influences | 3 |
| GENERAL EDUCATION: (L) Interdisciplinary Studies | 3 | EXSC 430 | 3 |
| BIOL 112 | 4 | EXSC 475 | 3 |
| EXSC 300 | 2 | Free Elective | 2-0 |
| EXSC 234 | 3 | Free Elective1 | 3 |
| 15 | 14-12 | ||
| Total Credits 123-121 | |||
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Recommended free electives for those interested in PA, PT and OT: General Chemistry II CHEM 121 (4), College Physics II PHYS194 (4), Principles of Biology II BIOL 113 (4). For AT programs: ATTR 101(3), ATTR 240 (3). Other recommendations for free electives will be advised (e.g. EXSC 476 and EXSC 480). Those who do not pass the math readiness exam and chemistry readiness exam must take MATH 100 as prerequisite for BIOL 112, CHEM 120, and PHYS 193. Those who do not pass the chemistry readiness exam must take CHEM 106 before CHEM 120.