Coursework in Exercise Science: The BS in Exercise Science Online CurriculumCoursework in Exercise Science: The BS in Exercise Science Online CurriculumCoursework in Exercise Science: The BS in Exercise Science Online Curriculum

Maryville’s online BS in Exercise Science comprises 128 credit hours, including general education courses, exercise science major courses, a choice from two industry-relevant concentrations, and electives that let you tailor your degree to your interests or career aspirations. The program is designed to build your foundation in exercise science concepts like movement, nutrition, exercise program design, counseling and coaching, behavioral strategies, and business. Our flexible exercise science program allows you to tailor your education to your goals with concentrations focused in strength and conditioning or wellness management.

Coursework in Exercise Science: The BS in Exercise Science Online Curriculum

The field of exercise science is expanding rapidly as the demand for fitness and wellness services grows. Athletes and the public are increasingly aware of the benefits of healthy and active lifestyles, driving the evolution of exercise professional careers.

Exercise science professionals focus on improving the physical performance and resiliency of those they serve, from athletes, to employees, to the chronically ill. They lead fitness assessment, strengthening, rehabilitation, and corporate wellness programs, with the overall goal of inspiring healthy lifestyle behaviors.

A Bachelor of Science in Exercise Science includes coursework in anatomy, kinesiology, injury prevention, community health, and nutrition. By gaining a strong background in general education and exercise science courses, students are prepared to take on exciting and diverse careers such as strength and conditioning coach, health and wellness coordinator, personal trainer, and fitness center manager.

Exercise Science Core Courses (54 Credit Hours)

  • The course provides an overview of the exercise science profession to include the history of exercise science, career opportunities, and certifications available. The concepts of basic physiological, neurological, and biomechanical processes associated with physical activity and human movement will be discussed. Students will be given the opportunity to meet with experts in the field and learn about the various career opportunities. Content based on guidelines published by the American College of Sports Medicine and the National Strength and Conditioning Association.

  • The course provides a comprehensive approach to stress management that is proactive and motivating. Topics include physical, emotional, intellectual, social, spiritual, and environmental wellness. Emphasis is given to the conceptual frameworks and the applied aspects of sport performance enhancement and mental skills, exercise behavior and motivation, sociological factors, and health and well-being. Applications are made to future practitioners of coaching, teaching, sports medicine, counseling, sport management, and fitness instruction.

  • The course is designed to provide entry level knowledge in the field of sport-related injuries. This course includes units dealing with basic anatomy of common injuries, evaluation techniques, and preventive measures to reduce the incidences of injuries and a knowledge of basic treatment procedures to be used after injuries occur. Legal and ethical issues will also be discussed. This course includes adult CPR, child CPR, and first aid. In addition, OSHA recommendations, blood borne pathogen precautions, and injuries are discussed.

  • The course emphasis is on positive lifestyle practices to reduce one’s risk for disease and for the maintenance of health and vitality. Topics include health behavior, stress, psychological health, chronic diseases, sexually transmitted infections, immunology, and psychoactive substance use and abuse. Community and Population health will also be examined.

  • The course includes aspects of psychology for understanding and explaining behavior in the context of exercise and sport. Discussions of identifying high-risk individuals, counseling and referring individuals for help are emphasized. The course will also examine the relationships between psychological factors and human physical activity while obtaining peak performance. Evaluating published research, particularly theory and research methodology practices will be required. Motivational interviewing and behavioral change theory will be briefly discussed.

  • The course provides an introduction to exercise physiology and preparation for progression into Exercise Physiology 2. Topics include: bioenergetics, energy expenditure, functions of the cardiovascular, pulmonary, neuromuscular and neuroendocrine systems, muscle, renal function, training, environmental influences, ergogenic aids, nutrition, weight control, and body composition.

  • The course discusses physiological principles of exercise. Topics include: bioenergetics, energy expenditure, functions of the cardiovascular, pulmonary, neuromuscular and neuroendocrine systems, muscle, renal function, training, environmental influences, ergogenic aids, nutrition, weight control, and body composition. (Lab required)

  • The course introduces basic physical concepts as they apply to human movement. Emphasis is placed upon structural anatomy, neuromuscular physiology, and biomedical principles as they apply to sport skills, injury assessments, fitness activities, and rehabilitative exercises. Applies fundamental biomechanical principles to the human musculoskeletal system. Topics include musculoskeletal mechanics, and quantitative analysis of human movement. (Lab required).

  • The course focuses on age-related changes in human movement. Changes in the sensory, neuromuscular, and central neural systems will be addressed, as well as the development of adaptive strategies and the application of various therapeutic techniques to enhance motor performance. Recent experimental findings will be incorporated where appropriate.

  • The course covers topics involving the development of motor learning and control systems, as well as introductory concepts in program design for speed, strength, power, and endurance, and explores specific methods of strength and conditioning through the anatomical, neural, and physiological systems.

  • The course discusses the study of body mass regulation, including the understanding of food, digestion, metabolism and different intervention strategies such as a diet and exercise. Students learn assessment and prescription principles and techniques.

  • The course discusses concepts and application of fitness, health and wellness principles in a digital world. Topics include online fitness consultations, motivational interviewing, video analysis of exercise prescription, and blogging/vlogging. Common smartphone applications, website and social media usage is discussed to enhance accountability and education for online training clients.

  • The course provides a culminating experience for the BS in Exercise Science program. Students complete 120 supervised contact hours in a setting of their choice, from a list of designated university partners. Supervised field experiences may include fitness, wellness, sports training, exercise physiology and/or motor control. Students may also choose to include research, management or community fitness projects.

  • The course examines techniques of evaluation for physical fitness and health with a particular emphasis on aerobic capacity, flexibility, strength, and body composition and to design, implement, and administer programs for developing physical fitness and lifestyle changes. (Lab Required) The course provides a hands-on practical application of basic principles and skills learned in EXSC 410 Exercise Testing and Prescription. Emphasis is placed on the proper techniques associated with assessing health-related components of physical fitness for the development of appropriate exercise prescriptions for individuals.

  • The course discusses general terminology, concepts and principles of pharmacology in the field of exercise science. Topics include relevant drug categories, common dosage, ranges and routes of drug administration with an understanding of the pharmacological mechanisms of action and interaction (contraindications, side effects and implications) of various pharmacological agents. Emphasis will range from drugs used for hypertension, diabetes, epilepsy, asthma, cardiac abnormalities, CVD, cardiac arrhythmias, orthopedic problems and common illnesses.

  • The course examines management principles relating to facility design, budgeting, purchasing, marketing, fitness center program development (front-end & back-end offers, special promotions), and personnel issues in the field of exercise and wellness.

  • The course addresses issues relevant to exercise science, wellness and sports medicine. The course provides a broad overview of the many dimensions exercise plays on health promotion, wellness, and sport. Topics covered include health organizations, communicable and chronic diseases, socioeconomic issues, environmental issues, and other topics related to epidemiology, as well as a review of program planning, development of interventions, and implementation of programs.

  • The course provides a culminating experience for the BS in Exercise Science program. Students complete 200 supervised contact hours in a setting of their choice, from a list of designated university partners. Supervised field experiences may include fitness, wellness, sports training, exercise physiology and/or motor control. Students may also choose to include research, management or community fitness projects.

  • The senior capstone course integrates the knowledge, concepts and professional skills gained from prior coursework in exercise science. Students choose between two different option: (1) an applied project in which the student develops a hypothetical applied case and intervention program for a client or team in order to synthesize and demonstrate the ability to understand, develop, and advance the principles of exercise science or (2) conduct a research project in which the student displays the development of research techniques, including the ability to define a research problem, write hypotheses, review the literature, apply a research design, collect and analyze data, and interpret the results.

Strength and Conditioning Concentration (21 Credit Hours)

This concentration is designed to prepare students for a career in strength and conditioning in all levels of athletics, private performance centers, or military and first responder tactical performance. Coursework is focused on applying the principles of exercise science to human performance with a focus on evidence-based practice in performance coaching, tactical strength and conditioning, and program planning.

  • The course will expose students to methods in various venues of strength and conditioning. Current research and practice are examined for both basic and advanced training strategies in use at different levels of competition. Students will examine different methods currently in use in the field and discussed in the literature on selected topics and demonstrate appropriate implementation of training methods. Additionally, this course will refine the students’ ability to construct an advanced training program designed to enhance performance in specific ways. The student will demonstrate the ability to critically analyze and alter a training program. This course includes a hands-on exercise component. Students must be medically cleared to participate in a moderate-intensity, physical exercise program, or request an accommodation. Submit PAR-Q: Physical Activity Readiness – Questionnaire, medical clearance paperwork, and any accommodation requests to EXSC Program Director. Appropriate gym attire is required.

  • The course will offer foundational underpinnings that will help tomorrow’s practitioners better learn the skills necessary to successfully lead and interact with clients and athletes from diverse backgrounds and upbringings. It will draw upon a combination of research and strategies derived by coaches worldwide who use these very practices every day when leading either recreational athletes or some of the world’s elite to the pinnacle of human performance. Achieving success in the realm of fitness, sport or human performance is not only dependent on a deep understanding of the physiology and biomechanics of the human body, but also that of the mind, emotions and behavioral economics. We may live in the age of technology, but people are not robots, and connecting with them is dependent on not only identifying and refining your own coaching and communication style, but learning how to attune that with those that we lead.

  • The course will explore the exciting world of multi-directional speed and how it opens up doors to understanding athletic movement. Study the various models of athletic movement patterns such as; linear acceleration and max velocity speed, lateral shuffle and lateral run, backpedal variations and hip turns, and jumping. Gain and keen understanding of how mass and momentum play a huge role in change of direction mechanics. Discover how biomechanics, laws of motion, and motor learning allow a mastery of understanding and teaching multi-directional speed from a scientific standpoint, and how using these three areas to drive the assessment process when identifying functional patterns.

  • The course provides an overview of the principles and practices of promoting, marketing and budgeting in the sports and fitness industries. Topics include market analysis and segmentation, marketing planning, target market identification and analysis, sponsorship, fundraising, and budgeting for sports & fitness centers. Budgeting topics cover both for profit and non-profit organizations.

  • The course outlines the various disciplines that play important roles in sports performance enhancement. Course topics include practical application of relevant research in sports biomechanics, motor learning, exercise physiology, sociology, and sports psychology. Students are required to apply foundational knowledge to real world sports scenarios to solve problems, enhance training, reduce injuries, or improve performance.

  • The course outlines metabolism, thermodynamics and nutritional requirements associated with the performance of exercise. Course emphasis is on maximizing physical performance through nutrition periodization. Course topics include in-depth coverage of nutrient quantities and qualities, and the timing of nutrient consumption as they relate to exercise performance and training adaptations. This course will involve a comprehensive case analysis and evidence based practice to develop appropriate nutrition recommendations for athlete/client populations. The course will also delve into the efficacy and relevance of supplementation.

Choose one course:

  • The course builds upon program design principles and periodization. Emphasis will be placed on examining outcomes associated with various resistance training programs. A strong application of acute program variables (frequency, intensity, tempo, rest, volume) will be analyzed through case studies. Principles of precision, progression and integration are discussed and applied.

  • This course will introduce students to the various methods and strategies for improving performance in military, law enforcement, and fire department venues. Topics such as injury prevention and tactical job preparation will be discussed with students completing applied projects in selected tactical operations. Tactical fitness research and literature Content and dates are subject to change. 28 will serve as the content for developing professionals capable of supporting the tactical field with evidence-based practice.

Wellness Management Concentration (21 Credit Hours)

This concentration is designed to prepare students for a career in corporate or community wellness, health coaching, or personal training. Coursework is focused on applying the fundamentals of exercise science to health and wellness management with a focus on evidence-based practice in nutrition, health program planning, and health-behavior change management.

  • The course will present theories/models for health promotion program planning and implementation in community health settings. Steps to program planning include a needs assessment, logic models, community organizing, program evaluation and social marketing will be addressed.

  • The course provides an overview of the principles and practices of promoting, marketing and budgeting in the sports and fitness industries. Topics include market analysis and segmentation, marketing planning, target market identification and analysis, sponsorship, fundraising, and budgeting for sports & fitness centers. Budgeting topics cover both for profit and non-profit organizations.

  • The course outlines the various disciplines that play important roles in sports performance enhancement. Course topics include practical application of relevant research in sports biomechanics, motor learning, exercise physiology, sociology, and sports psychology. Students are required to apply foundational knowledge to real world sports scenarios to solve problems, enhance training, reduce injuries, or improve performance.

  • The course outlines metabolism, thermodynamics and nutritional requirements associated with the performance of exercise. Course emphasis is on maximizing physical performance through nutrition periodization. Course topics include in-depth coverage of nutrient quantities and qualities, and the timing of nutrient consumption as they relate to exercise performance and training adaptations. This course will involve a comprehensive case analysis and evidence based practice to develop appropriate nutrition recommendations for athlete/client populations. The course will also delve into the efficacy and relevance of supplementation.

  • The course discusses the personal, cultural and environmental factors affecting participation in health promotion, disease and disability prevention activities; examining the application and relevance of the concepts of health, wellness, health promotion, and health education. The importance of providing appropriate, individualized health and wellness care that is sensitive to the ethnic, racial, gender, and age differences within and across diverse populations is stressed and the role of the wellness practitioner is emphasized.

Exercise Science Elective Courses

Choose 2 exercise science elective courses from the below options.

  • The course will expose students to methods in various venues of strength and conditioning. Current research and practice are examined for both basic and advanced training strategies in use at different levels of competition. Students will examine different methods currently in use in the field and discussed in the literature on selected topics and demonstrate appropriate implementation of training methods. Additionally, this course will refine the students’ ability to construct an advanced training program designed to enhance performance in specific ways. The student will demonstrate the ability to critically analyze and alter a training program. This course includes a hands-on exercise component. Students must be medically cleared to participate in a moderate-intensity, physical exercise program, or request an accommodation. Submit PAR-Q: Physical Activity Readiness – Questionnaire, medical clearance paperwork, and any accommodation requests to EXSC Program Director. Appropriate gym attire is required..

  • This course will discuss the integration of the four EXOS pillars of mindset, nutrition, movement, and recovery as they pertain to coaching general population clients. A key component to this course is understanding the EXOS Behavior Upgrade Model which is an amalgamation of several prevailing theories in behavior change. Ultimately, this model helps shed light on how mindset is coached and provides strategies for coaching “the person within the body.” Once behavior upgrade is clearly defined, this course will introduce the “X’s and O’s” of program design for general population clients, highlight 5 components of the EXOS training system – Pillar Preparation, Movement Preparation, Strength/Power, Energy Systems Development, and Regeneration.

  • The course will offer foundational underpinnings that will help tomorrow’s practitioners better learn the skills necessary to successfully lead and interact with clients and athletes from diverse backgrounds and upbringings. It will draw upon a combination of research and strategies derived by coaches worldwide who use these very practices every day when leading either recreational athletes or some of the world’s elite to the pinnacle of human performance. Achieving success in the realm of fitness, sport or human performance is not only dependent on a deep understanding of the physiology and biomechanics of the human body, but also that of the mind, emotions and behavioral economics. We may live in the age of technology, but people are not robots, and connecting with them is dependent on not only identifying and refining your own coaching and communication style, but learning how to attune that with those that we lead.

  • The course details the study of exercise testing and prescription for all age groups at every athletic level, including special needs and at-risk athletes/clients. Exercise prescription, testing for optimal performance and wellness, demonstrations, a practical component, and review of the current literature are featured. Field Experience I requires 50 contact hours in an operational or clinical setting.

  • Personal Trainer Track: The course studies general topics in sports science including youth, adolescent, and adult participation assessments, assessment of upper and lower extremities in relationship to injury and performance, return to play criteria and management, and common injuries involving musculoskeletal systems. Demonstration, a practical component, and a review of current literature are featured. Field Experience II requires 50 contact hours in an operational or clinical setting. Wellness Management Track: The course studies general topics in health promotion and wellness including youth, adolescent, and adult participation assessments, community/public health program design and operation. Field Experience II requires 50 contact hours in an operational or clinical setting.

  • The course provides hands-on demonstration and practical application of Strength Training & Conditioning concepts. Students apply exercise science principles to develop an 8 to 12 week strength and conditioning program. Students design programs based on personal or client goals and a need’s analysis. Appropriate gym attire is required.

  • This course will discuss the integration of the four EXOS pillars of mindset, nutrition, movement, and recovery. Emphasis will be placed on the testing, theory, and program design behind the EXOS training system and will focus on providing practical, real-world application of the material. There will be a strong focus on coaching and motivational science, movement instruction, feedback, error identification and correction, as well as cueing. We will examine the outcomes associated with differential resistance training regimens. Emphasis is placed on training principles centered on periodization, variation, and progression of the acute program variables of frequency, intensity, volume, and rest across cycles of training to prevent overtraining and promote optimization of performance in various areas. This course will include an extensive hands-on instruction component.

  • The course will explore the exciting world of multi-directional speed and how it opens up doors to understanding athletic movement. Study the various models of athletic movement patterns such as; linear acceleration and max velocity speed, lateral shuffle and lateral run, backpedal variations and hip turns, and jumping. Gain and keen understanding of how mass and momentum play a huge role in change of direction mechanics. Discover how biomechanics, laws of motion, and motor learning allow a mastery of understanding and teaching multi-directional speed from a scientific standpoint, and how using these three areas to drive the assessment process when identifying functional patterns.

  • The course builds upon program design principles and periodization. Emphasis will be placed on examining outcomes associated with various resistance training programs. A strong application of acute program variables (frequency, intensity, tempo, rest, volume) will be analyzed through case studies. Principles of precision, progression and integration are discussed and applied.

  • This course will introduce students to the various methods and strategies for improving performance in military, law enforcement, and fire department venues. Topics such as injury prevention and tactical job preparation will be discussed with students completing applied projects in selected tactical operations. Tactical fitness research and literature Content and dates are subject to change. 28 will serve as the content for developing professionals capable of supporting the tactical field with evidence-based practice.

To ensure the best possible educational experience for our students, we may update our curriculum to reflect emerging and changing employer and industry trends. Undergraduate programs and certificates are designed to be taken at a part-time pace. Please speak to your advisor for more details.

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A Closer Look at the BS in Exercise Science Curriculum

The curriculum of a BS in Exercise Science program includes a number of core and elective courses designed to give students the foundations for a career in the health and fitness industry. Here are a few examples of courses in the curriculum:

Core Courses

  • Personal and Community Health. Students will look at how an individual’s lifestyle can impact their risk of illness and level of vitality. The course explores health behaviors, mental health, diseases and infections, substance abuse, and other topics. It also introduces the concepts of community and population health.
  • Biomechanics/Kinesiology. This course examines the basic physical concepts of human movement and the biomechanics of the human musculoskeletal system. It emphasizes structural anatomy, biomedicine, neuromuscular physiology, musculoskeletal mechanics, and human movement analysis.
  • Fitness Management. Students develop a general understanding of how to manage a fitness center or other wellness facility. Topics covered range from design, marketing, and purchasing to budgeting, personnel, and program development.
  • Stress Management. This course takes a comprehensive approach to physical, emotional, intellectual, social, spiritual, and environmental wellness of a person. It also emphasizes the conceptual and applied aspects of sport performance enhancement from a sociological and health perspective.
  • Nutrition for Exercise Management. Students will learn the assessment and prescription principles and techniques of exercise management. An emphasis will be placed on mass regulation and the understanding of human digestion, metabolism, diet, and exercise.

Elective Courses

  • General Fitness Training. This course will examine the four EXOS pillars of mindset, nutrition, movement, and recovery for coaching the general population. Students will receive special emphasis on the EXOS Behavior Upgrade Model and theories in behavior change.
  • Human and Sport Performance Training. Students will examine the EXOS training approach, which is based on the pillars of mindset, nutrition, movement, and recovery. The course focuses on applying the EXOS framework to coaching, motivation, movement instruction, and error correction.
  • Tactical Strength and Conditioning. This course will cover the various methods and strategies for improving performance in military, law enforcement, and fire department occupations. Students will complete applied operations projects and study injury prevention and tactical job preparation.

Choosing Between Concentrations

The BS in Exercise Science curriculum offers two major areas of focus. The Strength and Conditioning concentration prepares students for occupations in peak performance coaching for athletes, from professional athletes to amateur fitness enthusiasts. The Wellness Management concentration targets students looking for a career in fields such as personal training, health coaching, and corporate wellness. Here are a few of the courses offered under each concentration:

Strength and Conditioning Offerings

  • Methods and Programming in Strength. This course introduces students to a variety of strength and conditioning strategies, from basic to advanced programs. It also teaches students how to develop advanced training programs for performance enhancement.
  • Performance Coaching Strategies. This course helps students build the skills to connect and communicate with clients from different backgrounds and upbringings. Students will explore how mental, emotional, and behavioral characteristics impact performance.
  • Multi-Directional Speed. Students will explore multi-directional speed and athletic movement with a focus on linear and lateral acceleration, max velocity speed, backpedal variations, jumping, and more. Courses will also cover biomechanics, the laws of motion, and motor learning.

Wellness Management Offerings

  • Health Program Planning and Evaluation. Students will learn how to plan and implement health promotion programs in community health settings. Topics covered include assessing population needs, program evaluation, and social marketing.
  • Health Promotion, Disease and Disability Prevention. A discussion of how cultural and environmental factors affect participation in wellness activities, the course covers the importance of individualized care that is sensitive to personal client characteristics.

How the BS in Exercise Science Curriculum Prepares Students for Certifications

Once a student earns a bachelor’s degree in exercise science, they may choose to pursue a number of optional certifications to enhance their job prospects. The BS in Exercise Science curriculum gives students the competencies they need to pursue the following certifications, for example:

  • Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS)
  • Certified Personal Trainer (NSCA-CPT)
  • Tactical Strength and Conditioning Facilitator (TSAC-F)
  • EXOS Performance Specialist (XPS)
  • EXOS Fitness Specialist (XFS)

Further Your Education in Exercise Science

By pursuing a bachelor’s degree in exercise science, students will gain a solid foundation in concepts including movement, nutrition, coaching, wellness behaviors, program design, and business management. Exercise science professionals have the skills and knowledge to help individuals and communities live healthier, more fulfilling lives.

Learn more about how Maryville University’s online Bachelor of Science in Exercise Science can help you pursue your professional goals. Maryville’s 100% online degree program is recognized by the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) and features remote and interactive access to Maryville’s state-of-the-art human performance lab.

Recommended Readings:
Turn Your College Experience into Employability: Practical Career Advice for New Graduates
4 Ideas for Personal Growth This Summer
Benefits of Budgeting for Millennials and Gen Zers

Sources:
American College of Sports Medicine, Careers in Exercise Science
Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs, Exercise Science: Occupational Description
Maryville University Academic Catalog, Exercise Science
Maryville University, Online Bachelor’s in Exercise Science
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook, Athletic Trainers
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook, Exercise Physiologists

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