Exercise Science - Sports Conditioning Concentration (B.S.)

This concentration will be closed as of Spring 2025.

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 Sports Conditioning

The objective of the Sports Conditioning concentration within the Exercise Science major is to train undergraduate students to work in the area of sports conditioning and fitness training. The Sports Conditioning concentration focuses on developing knowledge and skills that are required for various sub-disciplines within the fitness field.

Admission Requirements

  • Incoming freshman may declare the Sports Conditioning concentration upon admission.
  • Students with fewer than 60 credits may declare the Sports Conditioning concentration at any time.
  • Students with more than 60 credits may be admitted into the Sports Conditioning concentration by departmental permission.

Program Requirements Overview

General Education Requirements30
World Languages and Cultures Requirements3-9
Major Requirements74-75
Free Electives13-6
Total Credits120

Major Requirements

Required Theory Courses
HLTH 101Personal Health Issues3
HPEM 150Principles and Practice of Emergency Care3
HPEM 199Freshman Seminar in Health and Physical Education1
EXSC 255Research Methods and Data Interpretation3
EXSC 300Seminar I in Exercise Science2
PEMJ 320Physiology of Exercise4
PEMJ 321Kinesiology3
PEMJ 324Basic Motor Learning3
Required Activity Courses
PEMJ 131Fitness Activities3
EXSC 151Yoga, Relaxation and Stress Reduction1
EXSC 233Leadership in Aerobic Exercise3
EXSC 234Leadership in Anaerobic Exercise3
EXSC 331Exercise Assessment and Prescription4
Theory Specialization Courses
HPEM 356Management of Health, Physical Education, Athletics and Fitness Programs3
EXSC 420Theoretical Foundations of Sports Conditioning3
EXSC 476Seminar in Exercise Science3
EXSC 480Cooperative Exercise Science Field Experience8-9
Collateral Courses
PSYC 101Introduction to Psychology3
CHEM 113Fundamentals of Chemistry4
NUFD 182Nutrition: A Socioecological Perspective3
BIOL 244Anatomy and Physiology I4
BIOL 245Anatomy and Physiology II4
STAT 109Statistics3
Total Credits74-75

General Education Requirements

Click here for a list of courses that fulfill General Education categories.

A. New Student Seminar
Freshman Seminar in Health and Physical Education (Fulfilled in the major.)
C. Communication
1. Writing 3
2. Literature3
3. Communication3
D. Fine and Performing Arts
Complete a 3 credit Fine and Performing Arts course.3
F. Humanities
1. Great Works and Their Influences3
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 Perspectives3
3. Social Science Perspectives
Introduction to Psychology (Fulfilled in the major.)
L. Interdisciplinary Studies
Complete a 3 credit Interdisciplinary Studies course.3
Total Credits30

World Languages and Cultures Requirements

Click here for a list of courses that fulfill World Languages and Cultures categories.

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 Credits3-9

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
FallCreditsSpringCredits
GENERAL EDUCATION: (C1) Writing3GENERAL EDUCATION: (C2) Literature3
GENERAL EDUCATION: (C3) Communication3BIOL 2454
BIOL 2444HLTH 1013
HPEM 1991HPEM 1503
PEMJ 1313STAT 1093
 14 16
Second Year
FallCreditsSpringCredits
World Language 13GENERAL EDUCATION: (F2) Humanities – Philosophical and Religious Perspectives3
CHEM 1134World Language 23
EXSC 2333EXSC 2343
EXSC 2553NUFD 1823
PSYC 1013PEMJ 3204
 16 16
Third Year
FallCreditsSpringCredits
GENERAL EDUCATION: (D) Fine and Performing Arts3GENERAL EDUCATION: (G) Computer Science3
GENERAL EDUCATION: (K2) Social Science – Global Cultural Perspectives3GENERAL EDUCATION: (K1) Social Science – American and European History3
GENERAL EDUCATION: (F1) Humanities – Great Works and Their Influences3World Cultures3
EXSC 3314HPEM 3563
PEMJ 3213PEMJ 3243
 16 15
Fourth Year
FallCreditsSpringCredits
GENERAL EDUCATION: (L) Interdisciplinary Studies3EXSC 4763
EXSC 1511EXSC 4808-9
EXSC 3002 
EXSC 4203 
Free Elective4 
Free Elective3 
 16 11-12
Total Credits 120-121