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Division of Exercise Science
In exercise science, you can prepare for a career that may involve work in a variety of clinical or non-clinical areas, such as cardiopulmonary rehabilitation, cardiovascular diagnostic testing or general health-fitness settings. Our exercise science division is home to the exercise physiology graduate program, the undergraduate exercise major, and health fitness minor.
Master of Science in Exercise Physiology
Our exercise physiology graduate program is designed to prepare students for several professional avenues. Graduates from the exercise physiology program have pursued terminal doctoral degrees in the exercise sciences or used the master’s program as a launching point for admission to medical school or post-graduate allied health professions such as physician assistants and physical therapists.
Exercise science major
An exercise science major can prepare you for a career in a variety of clinical or non-clinical areas, such as cardiopulmonary rehabilitation, cardiovascular diagnostic testing or general health-fitness settings. Alternatively, you can use the exercise science major to prepare for application to graduate programs in exercise physiology, physical therapy, physician assistant, medical or dental school, nursing, pharmacy, or other areas of health care.
The exercise science major has three options for you to choose from: clinical exercise science, health fitness, and kinesiology.
- Clinical exercise science option: The clinical exercise science option prepares you for a career in the clinical aspects of exercise science: cardiopulmonary rehabilitation, diagnostic testing, or other related fields.
- Health fitness and performance option: The health fitness option prepares you for a career as a health fitness professional, personal trainer, or strength and conditioning coach. If you pursue the health fitness option, you cannot sign the health fitness minor.
- Kinesiology option: The kinesiology option is a broad-based exercise science option that prepares you for a graduate or professional degree in exercise physiology, kinesiology, physical therapy, physician assistant, occupational therapy, chiropractic, or other allied health fields.
Health fitness and performance minor
The health fitness and performance minor is designed for the exercise science major (clinical exercise science or kinesiology options) preparing to work in the fitness or sports performance industry and intending to obtain certifications available in the field of health fitness, e.g., personal training, health fitness professional and strength and conditioning. If you are an exercise science major (health fitness option), you cannot minor in health fitness and performance.
Undergraduate advising
If you are interested in an exercise science major or health fitness and performance minor, you are encouraged to meet with Dr. Wisner, the exercise science faculty advisor.
Exercise science and pre-health pathways
Do you plan on becoming a physician, physician assistant, physical therapist, or an occupational therapist? At CMU, we offer pre-health pathways to help guide you into graduate health schools. When following a pre-health pathway, you will need to choose an undergraduate major. Our exercise science major is a common undergraduate major for students following a pre-medicine, pre-physical therapy, pre-physician assistant, or pre-occupational therapy pathway.
