Earn a degree in exercise science

Receiving a bachelor's degree (B.S.) in exercise science at SBU will prepare you to pursue any allied health career as you learn how to deal with people who need injury rehabilitation. A combination of coursework in sciences and human development will equip you with the skills needed for a variety of professions.

The exercise science major is designed for students interested in a career in personal training, biomechanics, or those students who intend to pursue post-graduate schooling/certification in physical therapy, athletic training, or exercise physiology.

Choose from two majors:

Exercise Science - Rehabilitative Sciences — For students who intend to pursue post-graduate schooling/certification in physical therapy, athletic training, or exercise physiology. This concentration is great preparation for career success and advanced education in a variety of fields such as physical therapy, occupational therapy, physician's assistant, personal training, and more. Your faculty advisor will work with you to ensure your course plan includes all prerequisites needed for any graduate degree program you wish to pursue.
Exercise Science — For a career in personal training or coaching. Courses will prepare you to take the American College of Sports Medicine Personal Training certification exam if you wish to become a certified personal trainer.

Hands-on practicum experiences, small class sizes and dedicated faculty will prepare you to either pursue graduate school or enter the workforce immediately after graduation.

The Exercise Science degree is offered through SBU's College of Natural and Applied Sciences.

Resources

Degree Plan

95%
placement
rate

(Percentage of May 2020 exercise science graduates placed in employment or graduate school within three months of graduation)

The SBU Advantage

You will gain beneficial real-world experience through a required practicum completed during the B.S. in Exercise Science program and a required internship completed at the end of the program.

Faculty will work with you one-on-one to help find the practicums and internships that best fit your interests and desires.

Most allied health career paths require additional graduate or professional school programs, but the exercise science faculty will work with you individually to help set you up for success at the next level.

Faith Integration

The integration of Christian faith and academic discipline distinguishes SBU's exercise science degree program. While receiving an academically rigorous exercise science education, you also will be intentionally challenged to consider how your faith will influence your interaction with patients and clients. Faculty are committed to producing graduates who will be servant leaders in their chosen professions in line with SBU's mission to "prepare students to be servant leaders in a global society."

Within the Rehabilitative Sciences concentration, you will learn skills for allied healthcare professions from the perspective of a Christian worldview. For example, you will be challenged to consider how an injury affects the whole person — body, mind and soul — and then learn how to work with the injured person and the emotions they are experiencing due to the injury.

Careers

Exercise science majors have pursued a variety of kinesiology and allied health careers including:

Cardiac Rehab Nurse

Nutritionist

Occupational Therapist

Personal Trainer

Physical Therapist

Physician's Assistant

Strength and Conditioning Coach

Graduate Schools

Many B.S. in Exercise Science graduates go on to pursue further education in subjects such as:

Physical therapy (many stay at SBU for our Doctor of Physical Therapy program)

Occupational therapy

Nursing

Education (SBU offers several graduate education programs)

Full-Time Faculty

Articulation agreement for Master of Athletic Training

Southwest Baptist University has established an articulation agreement with Culver-Stockton College beginning fall 2019. Students graduating from SBU's Bachelor of Science in Exercise Science program will receive priority consideration for Culver-Stockton College's Master of Athletic Training (MAT) degree program.

This strategic partnership will provide an avenue for a quality educational experience for SBU students wishing to pursue athletic training certification. The Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education (CAATE) requires a graduate degree for athletic training certification, effective in 2022.

Exercise Science Major