Exercise Science
Explore careers in personal training, health promotion, and fitness and health management with a bachelor's degree in exercise science from the ÌÇÐÄVloge. The growing major will prepare you for success in a variety of fields, including those related to worksite wellness, strength and conditioning, recreation, coaching, sport science, and community health education.
Pursue Your Dream Career
Curriculum within the exercise science program is designed to provide you with a strong understanding of human anatomy and its relationship to human movement. Through real-world, experiential learning, you'll gain expertise in areas like exercise physiology, biomechanics, and motor development. Unique coursework, presentations, and projects will keep you up to date on the industry's latest techniques, recommendations, and best practices.
Professional development is a key focus of the major. Prior to graduation, you will complete a capstone experience, which requires you to lead and participate in professional discussions, present a project, and develop your portfolio. A six-credit, 400-hour exercise science internship will challenge you to integrate and apply what you've learned in the classroom to a real-world, professional setting. These career-preparation courses not only provide you with firsthand professional experience but also give you the expertise and confidence to pursue your goals.
Our 4+1 Master of Science in Athletic Training program as well as our 4+1 Master of Science in Exercise Physiology option lets you earn both your bachelor’s degree in exercise science (pre-athletic training concentration or pre-exercise physiology concentration) and a master’s degree in only five years. This accelerated format allows you to start your master's level coursework in your fourth year, saving you time and money and getting you into the field more quickly.
The Kinesiology Department prides itself on providing students with opportunities to apply what they've learned in the classroom to real-world situations. As part of the program's curriculum, you'll participate in various practica at local hospitals, clinics or with Blugold athletics, gaining real, professional experience along the way. Work with P.R.I.D.E (Physical Activity and Recreation for Individuals with Disabilities in the Eau Claire Area), Community Fitness, Parkinson’s Exercise Program, or Cancer Recovery and Fitness outreach programs offered on campus will further provide you with critical skills and valuable connections.
With expert faculty from a variety of backgrounds and countless opportunities to learn outside the classroom, an exercise science bachelor's degree from ÌÇÐÄVlog will prepare you well for your chosen career. Graduates go on to motivate, inspire, and empower others to make healthy choices in every aspect of their lives.
Program Details
Coursework within the exercise science program prepares students for professional certification in the fields of health, fitness, disease management, or strength and conditioning. Students typically pursue certifications from the American College of Sports Medicine, National Strength and Conditioning Association, National Academy of Sports Medicine, or American Council on Exercise.
Take your studies to the field — literally. The McPhee Physical Education Center is an outstanding facility with three regulation-sized hardwood courts, a competition-size swimming pool, a 30-foot climbing wall, a wresting room, an indoor 200-meter track, seven racquetball courts, a spacious weight-training and fitness center, and group-exercise classrooms. Outdoor facilities include a 400-meter track, football field, tennis courts, and jogging and fitness trails.
A new master collaborative research agreement between UW-Eau Claire and Mayo Clinic Health System provides unique research opportunities for exercise science majors. Previous students have gone on to submit their findings to scholarly journals, like the International Journal of Research in Exercise Physiology — a peer-reviewed journal founded for the purpose of publishing undergraduate student research and providing undergraduates with valuable experience in the peer-review and publication process.
Meeting potential employers and gaining a better understanding of the different types of careers available to you is a critical component of all kinesiology programs. To help you explore career paths, we host an annual Nursing and Health Care Professional Fair, an on-campus career fair specific for those looking to enter the healthcare field. This event is an excellent opportunity to make connections and submit your resume for current and future job openings.
Blugold Stories
From fascinating courses to volunteering with children and adults with disabilities to lab work, there are countless opportunities to grow and make a positive impact on others. And it's experiences like these that have helped Jenna to feel like she has changed lives.
Athletic training at ÌÇÐÄVlog — and as a career path — is so much more than you'd expect. It's more than taping ankles and monitoring athletes. It's a holistic approach to medicine. It's preparedness to do extreme interventions. It's a commitment to activate emergency plans. And it's a promise to deliver top-notch, frontline healthcare.
Justthe
facts
Where can the exercise science program lead me after graduation?
Typical job responsibilities for graduates with an exercise science degree include personal training at fitness centers; performance training for athletes and teams; promoting worksite wellness; conducting research related to kinesiology; and leading exercise programs at hospitals, gyms or nursing homes. The program is also excellent preparation for graduate school and is an ideal major for those wishing to pursue a master's degree in athletic training.
As an exercise science student, you'll find that ÌÇÐÄVlog's strong partnerships with local schools, fitness centers, healthcare providers and other health organizations connect you directly with internship and job opportunities, giving you an advantage over other applicants. Graduates are also prepared for a variety of professional and national certifications, which are required for some career paths.
Example Careers
- Personal trainer
- Sports coach
- Recreational therapist
- Activity specialist
- Sports nutritionist
- Athletic director
- Strength and conditioning coordinator
- Wellness coach
- Exercise physiologist
Varied and comprehensive courses within the exercise science program will help you to learn the foundational concepts associated with physical activity, fitness, and health — and how they all relate to exercise prescription and programming. Flexible electives allow you to expand your studies in areas that interest you, including nutrition, business, environmental public health, and psychology. Opportunities to make valuable connections by working with the Community Fitness, Homeschool Physical Education, PRIDE (Physical activity and Recreation for Individuals with Disabilities in the Eau Claire area) and Cancer Recovery and Fitness outreach programs also are available to you.
Those wishing to declare a pre-athletic training career path may find that majoring in exercise science is an excellent fit.
Here are a few courses in Exercise Science at UW-Eau Claire.
KINS 309
Introduction to Exercise Science
Introduction to the foundational concepts associated with physical activity, fitness, and health that underlie the advanced study of exercise prescription and programming.
KINS 200
Orientation to Kinesiology
Introduction to disciplines and professions in Kinesiology. Students will become familiar with the possible options available for majors and minors as well as potential careers compatible with a Kinesiology degree.
KINS 308
Exercise Physiology
The physiological basis of human movement and the functional changes in body systems as a result of exercise.
Get More Info
Sign up to receive additional information about our campus.
Meet the Faculty
What's Next?
