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.

The Exercise Science program is part of the School of Human Movement, Sport, and Leisure Studies in the BGSU College of Education & Human Development

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.

Sample Courses

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

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

Knowledge of the subdisciplines of exercise science is crucial. You will choose one of these specializations as your area of focus:

Exercise programming specialization

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.

Sports medicine specialization

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.

Required Courses

Admissions Information

Visit BGSU

Career Options

Physical therapy
Occupational therapy
Cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation
Athletic and elite sports training
Corporate or private fitness
Strength and conditioning
Personal training
Biomechanics

View average salaries - from the Bureau of Labor Statistics

Hands-on learning

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

Upon completion of the baccalaureate degree, students in the exercise science program are expected to:

Discuss the interdisciplinary nature of and primary concepts in exercise science;
Observe, analyze, and critique movement and physical activities and their outcomes, integrating the information and concepts from the subdisciplines of exercise science;
Apply the scientific bases of the care and prevention of injuries, safety and emergency procedures, and basic cardiopulmonary resuscitation and first aid to exercise settings;
Demonstrate proficiency in using technology utilization and in written and oral communication;
Explain the importance of an active and healthy lifestyle for maintaining a high level of physical well-being and personal excellence;
Demonstrate clear, logical thinking in professional decision-making.

Exercise Programming Specialization

Apply appropriate knowledge and skills to individually assess, evaluate, and intervene with muscular strength, endurance and cardiorespiratory training, or physical fitness and exercise programs for normal and special populations;
Transfer concepts from the scientific bases of exercise science (including exercise physiology, biomechanics, motor learning/development and human anatomy) to practices in exercise programming;
Relate administrative content, facilities and equipment information to practices in exercise programming.

Sports Medicine Specialization

Demonstrate appropriate knowledge and skills to perform examinations, assessments and diagnoses of orthopedic and musculoskeletal injuries;
Transfer concepts from the scientific bases of sports medicine to therapeutic interventions, health-related emergencies and clinical decision-making in the sports medicine setting.

Bowling Green State University [BGSU] is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. BGSU has been accredited by the Higher Learning Commission since 01/01/1916. The most recent reaffirmation of accreditation was received in 2012 - 2013. Questions should be directed to the Office of Institutional Effectiveness.

The Exercise Science Program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of the Allied Health Education Programs (Initial Accreditation: March 2013; Continuing accreditation; March 2018).

Bowling Green State University programs leading to licensure, certification and/or endorsement, whether delivered online, face-to-face or in a blended format, satisfy the academic requirements for those credentials set forth by the State of Ohio.

Requirements for licensure, certification and/or endorsement eligibility vary greatly from one profession to another and from state to state. The Criminal Justice program does not lead to professional licensure.

Under the Higher Education Act Title IV disclosure requirements, an institution must provide current and prospective students with information about each of its programs that prepares students for gainful employment in a recognized occupation.

The Criminal Justice program is not a recognized occupation that requires a Gainful Employment disclosure.

The Criminal Justice program is part of the Department of Human Services in the BGSU College of Health & Human Services.

* Job placement and salary information was compiled by the Office of Academic Assessment through the Graduation Survey from AY2015-2018. The data are gathered around the time of Commencement and a follow-up survey six months post Commencement. For the salary question, data for programs with fewer than fifteen responses are not included. Salaries for those programs are from the National Association of Colleges and Employers Summer 2019 Survey. For questions regarding the data, contact assessment@bgsu.edu.