Bachelors
Bachelor of Science in Education (B.S.Ed.)
Exercise Science
BGSU’s nationally accredited bachelor’s degree program prepares you for a career in exercise science. Guide people to better health and help them recover from injury. This is a great major if you plan to pursue graduate school and a career as an athletic trainer, physical therapist, occupational therapist, physician assistant or doctor. Our graduates have a high acceptance rate into these professional programs.
Choose to specialize in:
- Exercise programming – testing patients and prescribing an exercise plan
- Sports medicine – take the courses you need to prepare for professional graduate programs such as athletic training, medicine and the like.
Interested in both? Choose one as your primary specialization and complete coursework in the other.
Our program’s greatest strength – opportunities for internships and undergraduate research. These hands-on experiences help you gain the real-world skills you need to succeed.
Why study exercise science at BGSU in Ohio?
- Small classes.
- Faculty mentorship.
- Flexible curriculum. Tailor your degree to your career goals.
- Real-world field experiences and internships. Enter the workforce with skills and confidence.
- Research opportunities. Work in our state-of-the-art laboratories with faculty who are renowned experts in their fields and publish in prominent journals
- Proven record of success. Our graduates have a high acceptance rate into graduate and health-related professional programs.
- Residential living community. Live with and learn from other science and health students. Faculty help you in and out of the classroom. Your experiences give you an advantage when applying to competitive grad programs
- Active student organization. Network and help raise health awareness on campus by joining the Student Exercise Science Association.
Curriculum
Foundational and professional courses prepare you to:
- Understand human movement
- Recognize and treat injuries
- Think critically and understand current topics and issues in the field
- Appreciate human diversity
You’ll take classes in:
- Human anatomy
- Biomechanics
- Biology
- Psychology
- Nutrition
Enroll in courses like
- Biomechanics of Human Movement
- Designing and Directing Exercise Programs
- Care and Prevention of Sports Injuries
- Human Anatomy and Physiology
- Group Exercise Instruction
- Therapeutic Exercise
- Lifetime Fitness
- Sport Conditioning
Knowledge of the subdisciplines of exercise science is crucial. You will choose one of these specializations as your area of focus:
- Take courses that give you the skills to prescribe:
- Exercise programs of muscular strength and endurance
- Cardiorespiratory training
- Other physical fitness and lifestyle programs
- Complete two field experiences, including a capstone internship where you will be mentored by professionals in the field.
- Complete required prerequisite courses for admittance into graduate degree programs.
- Learn how to provide assessments and diagnosis of orthopedic and musculoskeletal injuries.
- Gain an understanding of therapeutic interventions and health-related emergencies.
- Gain clinical decision-making skills for the sports medicine setting.
- Complete a capstone internship and be mentored by a professional in the field.
- Complete required prerequisite courses for admittance into graduate degree programs.
Research. Our core curriculum has a strong focus on sports exercise research. Evidence-based practice – applying that research to the way we practice and make care decisions – is a theme of all our courses.
- Work with faculty as an undergraduate on research projects.
- Gain marketable research skills and learn how to evaluate future research.
You’re highly encouraged to consult with a faculty member if their area of research interests you:
- Clinical exercise physiology – Dr. Lynn Darby or Dr. Todd Keylock
- Sport and human performance – Jessica Kiss or Nathan Peters
- Biomechanics – Dr. Adam Fullenkamp
Lab experiences. Put your classroom knowledge to work in our state-of-the-art exercise physiology lab. Our biomechanics and motor behavior laboratory is one of the premier biomechanic labs in the country. You’ll have the chance to work with collegiate athletes and community members as you learn to test, program, assess and evaluate, as well as collect data for research studies.
Internships. Our students regularly intern in professional exercise or health science settings focused on collegiate strength and conditioning, cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation, athletic training, physical therapy and occupational therapy. They work with top-tier employers such as:
- Verizon
- Owens Corning
- Progressive Insurance
- USAA Insurance
- University of Toledo Medical Center
- Blanchard Valley Hospital, Findlay
- St. Rita’s, Lima
- Cleveland Clinic hospitals
Career - what can you do with an exercise science degree?
100% of BGSU exercise science graduates report they're employed, in graduate school or starting a business within six months of graduation.
An exercise science degree can lead to dynamic careers in:
- Health and wellness centers
- Sport medicine clinics
- Senior/retirement centers
- Research laboratories
- Sport and Olympic training facilities
- Fitness and exercise facilities
- Cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation programs
- Other health and wellness-related careers in corporate, private and public settings
An exercise science degree also is good preparation for graduate school. Most BGSU exercise science graduates pursue advanced degrees. They have high acceptance rates into professional programs and master’s and doctoral degree programs in:
- Physical therapy
- Occupational therapy
- Athletic training
- Orthotics and prosthetics
- Chiropractic practice
- Medicine or physician assistant studies
Continue your studies at BGSU in our:
- Doctor of Physical Therapy program – Earn your doctorate in two years in Ohio's first and only public, hybrid, accelerated D.P.T. program.
- Master of Athletic Training program
- Master of Education program with specializations in sport administration, kinesiology and leisure and tourism
Sample jobs
| Physical therapy | Occupational therapy |
| Cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation | Athletic and elite sports training |
| Corporate or private fitness | Strength and conditioning |
| Personal training | Biomechanics |
Quick Facts from the Bureau of Labor Statistics
View Average Salaries
Natural and Health Science Residential Community
Live in BGSU’s Natural and Health Science Residential Community with other students majoring in science, health and pre-professional programs. Share information and ideas and receive guidance from dedicated faculty who help you in and out of class.
Students who live in the community say the academic support they receive gives them a significant advantage when applying to science- and health-related programs with highly competitive entrance requirements.
Additional Resources
100% of BGSU exercise science graduates report they're employed, in graduate school or starting a business within six months of graduation.
The criminal justice program is part of the Department of Human Services in the BGSU College of Health & Human Services.