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Health and Exercise Science

Become a leader in the continually evolving healthcare field with one of our highly respected programs.

Student exercising

Whether you are interested in administration, clinical management, or research, you will be on the path to helping individuals achieve optimal levels of health and well-being.

Our bachelor’s degree program gives you the flexibility to take your education straight into a career in health promotion or gets you ready to move into advanced training in related healthcare fields.  If you enjoy science courses and are passionate about helping people optimize their health, this is the major for you.

The curriculum within the Health and Exercise Science Program is designed to provide you with a strong understanding of human anatomy, biomechanics, exercise physiology, sports psychology, nutrition, and assessment and screening.  Professional development is a key focus, with the completion of a Health and Exercise Science internship that challenges you to integrate and apply what you have learned in the classroom to real-world, professional settings giving you the expertise and confidence needed to pursue your goals.

health/exercise science

Future opportunities

There are several concentration areas an undergraduate student can pursue within the Health and Exercise Science major. They will prepare you to go on to graduate or professional studies in athletic training, physical therapy, occupational therapy, medicine, chiropractic, or other allied health fields.

The Health and Exercise Science student examines all aspects of human performance including a background in natural sciences, human physiology, anatomy, metabolic and muscular systems, and research and testing protocols. There are four concentrations available for this program.

Health & Exercise Science

This general Health and Exercise Science track prepares students with a solid foundation to serve as leaders of fitness, health promotion,  and conditioning programs, in corporate, commercial, university, and clinical settings that provide health and wellness programming for apparently healthy individuals and those with chronic disease.

Health & Exercise Science Pre-MBA

While gaining experience with and understanding of the physiological, mechanical, and psychological aspects of physical activity and health-related behavior, students enrolled in this track have the option to progress to the Healthcare Management track within the MBA program at Waynesburg University, which has grown to be one of the most successful of its kind in Pennsylvania.  This option is ideal for students who want to pursue a career in an administrative or managerial position within the health, wellness, and fitness professions.

Health & Exercise Science Pre-Physical Therapy

This track will engage students interested in becoming a Physical Therapist.   Physical Therapists (PTs) are healthcare professionals who diagnose and treat people of all ages with medical problems or health-related conditions that limit their ability to perform functional activities in their daily lives.  Through comprehensive curriculum grounded in scientific principles and its practical application, students will gain the skills, training, and necessary pre-requisite course requirements needed for application into a graduate physical therapy program.

Health & Exercise Science Pre-Athletic Training

The Pre-Athletic Training curriculum offers in-depth study into human anatomy, nutrition, biology, wellness, health science, and chemistry. With this foundation, students enrolled in this track are provided with the critical knowledge to pursue graduate study to become Certified Athletic Trainers. Currently, Waynesburg University offers an innovative entry-level Master of Science in Athletic Training (MSAT) program. Students, who complete required pre-requisite courses via the Exercise Science Pre-Athletic Training track, can apply to the fully CAATE accredited MSAT program during their junior year.  Once accepted, students combine rigorous academic study with supervised clinical experiences in a variety of healthcare settings to achieve a balance between academic scholarship and the acquisition of critical skills necessary for a successful career as a Certified Athletic Trainer.

Coursework

View the academic catalog to further explore the curriculum.

Health and Exercise Science Mission, Purpose, Goals and Outcomes

Mission

The Health and Exercise Science major will provide quality undergraduate education that integrates the principles of evidence-based practice, critical-thinking, faith, ethics and communication competences to meet the diverse needs of an evolving health industry.