ACADEMICS

The Department of Health, Sport, and Exercise Sciences offers undergraduate and graduate programs in the following specific areas:

Athletic Training B.S.

The Athletic Training program is a three-year prepares students for a career as an allied-health professional and prepares them for the BOC examination, the examination leading to certification and the credential of a certified athletic trainer.

Community Health BSE

Community health majors will learn both the methods and materials of health education, and gain the skills necessary to enter the field of health and wellness upon graduation. Over the course of the program, students will learn both to assess community needs and to design, implement, and evaluate health education programming appropriate to settings such as schools, hospitals, and community-based organizations. Coursework includes classes on health topics as well as health education methods. The flexibility of the curriculum allows majors to focus on the area of health that most interests them, such as physical activity, gender and health, or chronic illness. An internship during the last semester allows students to apply what they have learned to a specific health-related setting.

Sports Science BSE

Exercise Science Emphasis

Students who complete the Exercise Science program are prepared to apply for admission to most physical therapy (PT) schools. (The requirements of the Exercise Science program meet the prerequisites of the Kansas University Medical Center Physical Therapy Program. Additional courses may be necessary to fulfill admission requirements for other PT programs.) They may also work in agencies that dispense health- and fitness-related programs, such as commercial or private health and fitness centers, hospital exercise and cardiac rehabilitation programs, and corporate fitness centers or apply for graduate study in exercise physiology. This program is capped with a limited number of students admitted each semester.

Sport Management Emphasis

The undergraduate program in sport management builds on general education and introductory courses through 7 core courses and an 18-semester hour business minor. Students complete courses in sociology of sport, sport ethics, sport facilities and event management, sport law, sport finance and economics, sport marketing, and personnel management. The culminating experience is a semester-long internship working in a student-selected area of sport management. This degree program prepares graduates for entry-level positions in intercollegiate athletics, professional sports, recreational programs, and the fitness industry.

Health & Physical Education: BSE

The Health and Physical Teacher Education program prepares students to teach both health and physical education in grades pre-kindergarten through 12th. The last semester of the two year programs is devoted to student teaching with placements at both elementary and secondary schools.

Graduate Study:

MSE

Exercise Physiology Specialization

The Masters program with an Exercise Science specialization provides students with a comprehensive overview of the variables that affect humans during exercise. This program will prepare students for clinical applications, coaching, sports physiology, or for a Ph.D. program. Students may choose between a thesis and non-thesis option, with the thesis option designed for students who are more interested in research and the non-thesis option designed for students interested in the clinical and coaching settings.

Health & Psychology of Physical Activity Specialization

Students in this emphasis develop research and applied skills in health education and/or the psychology of sport and exercise. Students can emphasize one of these areas or blend their coursework across the two. Thesis and non-thesis options are available at the Master's level.

Physical Education Pedagogy Specialization

Sport Management Specialization

The master's degree program in sport management prepares students to manage and lead intercollegiate athletics, professional sports, and recreational programs through the study and application of sport ethics, sport facilities, sport finance, sport law, sport marketing, and sport sociology.

PhD

Exercise Physiology Specialization

The Exercise Physiology specialization in the Ph.D. program prepares students to understand the acute and chronic effects of exercise on skeletal muscles and metabolism. Students interested in researching applied muscle physiology are particularly encouraged to apply. Graduates from this program typically assume positions as post-doctorates, faculty in higher education, or researchers in corporate and industry settings.

Health & Psychology of Physical Activity Specialization

The PhD in Health and Psychology of Physical Activity is a research degree, preparing students to become independent researchers and skilled in developing, conducting, and assessing research in the area. Students can focus on health education or sport and exercise psychology. Faculty in Health Education specialize in sexuality and gender studies, and childhood obesity. Faculty in the Psychology of Physical Activity specialize in creating a positive and supportive environment in physical activity settings for individuals of all ages and skill levels. Students completing this degree work in a variety of health, research, and academic positions.

Sport Management Specialization

The Ph.D. program prepares future faculty and leaders in sport management through study, research, scholarly writing, and professional development of the theoretical and applied aspects of competitive and recreational sports. Program graduates may specialize in sport ethics, sport facilities, sport finance, sport law, sport marketing, and sport sociology as well as leadership and management in intercollegiate athletics, professional sports, or the fitness and leisure industry.