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.
Chih-Hsiang (Jason) Yang has been selected as the inaugural recipient of the Office for the Study of Aging Research Fellowship, which is designed to support Arnold School faculty and professional staff to conduct research in the multidisciplinary field of aging. Samaneh Nemati and Katherine DeVivo were named Graduate Scholars in Aging.
Stacy Fritz, professor of exercise science and director of the Doctor of Physical Therapy program, is a co-investigator on a $500K National Science Foundation grant to bring and Omnipercipient Chamber to UofSC.
Physical therapy appealed to Kelly Shepherd, who had always been physically active and appreciated the opportunity to work in a variety of settings. She also liked getting to know patients as individuals with specific goals.
After seven years at the Arnold School, Reed Handlery is leaving UofSC with the two highest degrees offered by the Department of Exercise Science: a Doctor of Physical Therapy and a Ph.D. in Exercise Science.
SmartState Endowed Chair Jamie Lead (ENHS; CENR) and Distinguished Professor Emeritus Steven Blair (Epidemiology and Biostatistics; EXSC) have once again been included in the Clarivate Analytics’ Highly Cited Researchers List.