Exercise Science Degree

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Program Overview

A Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Exercise Science is focused on the study of physical activity and its impact on health, wellness, and athletic performance. This multidisciplinary field combines biology, physiology, psychology, and nutrition to understand how exercise affects the human body and mind.

Students learn to design effective exercise programs for a wide range of populations, including athletes, individuals with chronic diseases, and those seeking to improve their overall health and fitness. Graduates with a B.S. in Exercise Science are prepared for careers in fitness and wellness coaching, strength and conditioning, rehabilitation, and health education. They may also pursue further education in physical therapy, occupational therapy, exercise physiology, medicine, and other health-related professional programs.

King’s College's Exercise Science program in Wilkes-Barre, Pa., is one of the first in the United States, and the first undergraduate program in Pennsylvania, to receive accreditation from both the Council on Accreditation of Strength and Conditioning Education (CASCE) and the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA).

professor using exercise science equipment, an example of exercise science major jobs

What Can You Do with an Exercise Science Degree?

A B.S. in Exercise Science opens the door to many career paths centered around health, fitness, and wellness. Graduates can become fitness trainers and instructors, where they design personalized exercise programs for individuals or lead group fitness classes in gyms and health clubs. Graduates also become strength and conditioning coaches, working with athletes to enhance their performance and reduce the risk of injury.

For those interested in the clinical world, an exercise physiologist career allows you to work in a variety of healthcare settings, developing exercise programs for patients with chronic diseases or conditions. Additionally, exercise science majors can pursue roles in corporate wellness, creating and managing programs that promote healthy lifestyles among employees.

With further education, graduates can enter specialized fields such as physical therapy, occupational therapy, and sports medicine, providing rehabilitative services to help individuals recover from injuries or manage health conditions.

student weight training in the gym questioning what can I do with an exercise science degree

What Makes King’s College's Exercise Science Program Different?

Here's what makes our Exercise Science program unique:

Dedicated Faculty: Our faculty members are experts and dedicated mentors who prioritize your growth and success, no matter your chosen career path.
Unique Flexibility: Our flexible exercise science program allows you to select a second major or minor in another related field to maximize your future opportunities.
Pathways to Success: A degree in exercise science from King’s College will give you multiple options for internships, post graduate degrees, and direct entry to careers in the field.
Small Class Sizes: We offer small class sizes that help foster close relationships between students and professors.
Distinguished Accreditation: Our accreditation from both the Council on Accreditation of Strength and Conditioning Education (CASCE) and the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) ensures that our program meets the highest standards of academic and professional excellence, preparing students to excel in the rapidly growing field of exercise science.

"The Greeks understood that mind and body must develop in harmonious proportions to produce a creative intelligence. And so did the most brilliant intelligence of our earliest days—Thomas Jefferson— when he said that not less than two hours a day should be devoted to exercise. If the man who wrote the Declaration of Independence, was Secretary of State, and twice President could give it two hours, our children can give it ten or fifteen minutes."

John F. Kennedy

Exercise Science Program Details

Our curriculum includes comprehensive coursework in anatomy and physiology, biomechanics, strength and conditioning, exercise physiology, nutrition, and health promotion. We also offer six unique tracks within the exercise science major to ensure your studies match your future career goals:

The Strength and Conditioning Track
The Exercise Physiology Track
The Pre-Athletic Training Track (3+2 Master of Science in Athletic Training Program)
The Exercise Science & Chiropractic Track (3+4)
The Exercise Science Occupational Therapy Track (3+3 Occupational Therapy Doctorate track)
The Exercise Science and Nutrition Science Track (3+2)

Both the strength and conditioning and exercise physiology tracks prepare students to enter the field of exercise science directly. However, these two tracks differ in terms of their preparation of students for varying post-graduate degree programs.

The pre-athletic training track is for students who wish to pursue the 3+2 Master of Science in Athletic Training (MSAT) Program, an exciting, innovative, accelerated program that allows students to obtain a Bachelor of Science in Exercise Science and a Master of Science in Athletic Training in five years.

The exercise science & chiropractic track allows students to achieve a Bachelor of Science Degree (B.S.) in Exercise Science at King’s College, as well as a Doctor of Chiropractic (D.C.) degree at New York Chiropractic College. This unique track allows qualified students to complete both degrees in a total of seven years (3+4) instead eight (4+4).

The exercise science occupational therapy track (3+3 O.T.D. track) B.S./O.T.D. program requires six years of academic studies, including six months of clinical fieldwork and a 14-week doctoral capstone experience. This accelerated degree program leads to an entry-level clinical doctorate after graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Exercise Science with a Minor in Neuroscience.

Visit Us

We welcome all potential students and their families to visit our beautiful campus and get a taste of the King’s College experience. Feel free to schedule a personal visit or register for one of our upcoming admission events.