Exercise scientists study the relationship between exercise participation and human health, and research focuses on understanding why regular physical activity prevents disease and promotes health.
The mission of the Department of Exercise Science (EXSC) is to expand and disseminate the body of knowledge concerning the relationship between physical activity and human health.
Career opportunities exist in academic institutions, hospitals, medical clinics, research laboratories, physical therapy facilities, rehabilitation facilities, perceptual-motor development clinics, health and fitness centers, and public health agencies. Jobs in the field include clinical exercise physiologist, motor rehabilitation specialist, health fitness instructor, professor of exercise science, research scientist, physical therapist and cardiac rehabilitation program director.
The department’s Ph.D. program, which is ranked #1 in the United States by the National Academy of Kinesiology, prepares graduates for
entry into positions in universities, colleges, research institutes and research oriented clinical
settings. Areas of specialization are applied physiology, health aspects of physical
activity, and motor behavior/rehabilitation. Specific research emphases correspond
to those listed for the departmental faculty. The M.S. program allows students to
emphasize expansion of research competence (for those who plan on pursuing a Ph.D.
degree or further graduate study) or to focus on professional and clinical aspects of
the field with concentrations in cardiac rehabilitation corporate wellness, and motor
control/development.
The goal of the department’s Doctor of Physical Therapy program is to produce graduates
who possess the skills necessary to be reflective practitioners and who can conduct
clinical research and scholarly activity necessary for the advancement of physical
therapy as an evidence-based profession.
In addition to the bachelor degree in exercise science, we offer four advanced degrees. Each graduate degree has specific application deadlines and requirements.
Teresa Moore had been a competitive body builder and power lifter for a decade when she realized she could combine her personal interests of nutrition and exercise with her career.
Originally from Japan, Takeo Ichiyanagi moved to the U.S. after high school. He ended up staying for 15 years, amassing the knowledge and skills that would eventually land him the position of head athletic trainer for Japan’s Men’s National Basketball team.
Armstrong joined the Arnold School’s Department of Exercise Science as an assistant professor this fall, where she will continue her research into how heath behaviors unfold over time in increments that range from minute-to-minute/hour-to-hour to days, weeks or even years.
Researchers at the Arnold School and the University of Kansas have completed the first phase of a study examining the health effects of practicing or performing in high environmental temperatures among university marching band musicians.
The CDC has announced recipients of the 2019-2024 funding cycle for the Prevention Research Center network. UofSC was among the 25 academic institutions to receive the grants, which provide funding support to conduct applied public health prevention research.
