There’s more to fitness than working out. Learn how exercise connects to physical and mental wellness with a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology (B.S.K.) with a major in Exercise Science from Georgia Southern University.
Locations
- Statesboro Campus (In Person)
Why Earn a Bachelor’s in Exercise Science at Georgia Southern?
- 100+: Onsite partnerships where you can complete clinical rotations.
- Learn while doing through internships, job shadowing and other opportunities.
- 124 credit hours to completion.
Get moving. That sounds easy — but it takes a trained exercise scientist to understand how exercise relates to the body anatomically, biomechanically, neurologically, physiologically and psychologically. Georgia Southern’s B.S.K. Exercise Science major focuses on each of these factors. That perspective gives you a holistic view of the way exercise affects not just physical well-being but mental health as well.
When you graduate, you’ll be poised to claim a wide range of career opportunities or continue your education with a graduate degree in a movement-based field, medicine or one of the allied health professions.
Ready to Apply?
What Can You Do With a B.S. in Kinesiology, Exercise Science?
Increasingly, health care providers recognize the value of exercise in maintaining wellness. And in response, the need for qualified exercise science professionals is growing. A bachelor’s in exercise science from Georgia Southern prepares you for careers in a range of settings: Our graduates go to work in fitness centers and cardiac rehabilitation clinics and serve as strength and conditioning assistants for athletes, the military, law enforcement agents and others.
Where our graduates work:
- 180 Fitness
- AdvoCare
- Athenahealth
- Atlanta Public Schools
- Benchmark Physical Therapy
- Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta
- Drayer Physical Therapy Institute
- Emory Healthcare
- Memorial Health
- Northside Hospital
- Optim Healthcare
- Shepherd Center
- St. Joseph’s/Candler
- Wellstar Health System
What our graduates do:
- Cardiac Rehabilitation
- Corporate Fitness
- Exercise Physiologist
- Fitness Instructors
- Industrial Fitness
- Personal Trainer
- Private/Commercial Fitness
- Research Specialist
- Sport Performance
- Strength and Conditioning Coach
- Wellness Coordinator
What You’ll Learn
Our exercise science curriculum centers around kinesiology, the science of body movement. Required courses establish a foundation in subjects including human anatomy, sports psychology, biomechanics, physiology and more.
Electives give you the opportunity to focus on individual topics of interest, such as physical activity, fitness and wellness management, sport performance, or tactical strength and conditioning. Based on how you intend to support populations through fitness and body mechanics, you’ll have the chance to align your course selection with your career aspirations and related graduate program requirements.
In addition to understanding the science behind movement, you’ll also complete required internships and job-shadowing experiences. During these assignments, you’ll work directly with clients — refining the skills to help people thrive.
Many of our graduates put their knowledge to work right away or pursue professional degrees in medicine, physical therapy, occupational therapy, kinesiology or another movement-based field.
See the CurriculumBuild Your Experience
Clinical experiences, job-shadowing opportunities and thoughtfully designed campus labs give you real-world experiences that set a Georgia Southern degree apart.
In the Lab
Our human performance and body composition laboratories give exercise science students the opportunity to see the effect of physical activity at work. You’ll use a range of monitoring equipment, including ECGs and other gear.
Internships
Every exercise science student needs to complete an internship before graduation. In the past, students have worked in gyms, hospital wellness centers, physical therapy clinics and more.
Clubs and More
Looking for networking and professional opportunities? Join the Southern Exercise Science Club, get a part-time job at the Recreation Activity Center (RAC), train to be a personal trainer, or, if you’re interested in physical therapy, occupational therapy or physician assistant studies, shadow a professional on the job.
“What an incredible experience and perspective [Blaze Day] was. To be in someone else’s position for an hour and be provided with a glimpse of his or her adaptations and physical requirements in the game was truly incredible.”
Want to Learn More?
Explore essential information about our B.S. in Kinesiology, Exercise Science program, including application details, accreditation status, and licensing disclosures. Gain insight into the program’s credibility and requirements to help you start your journey toward success with the knowledge you need.
Follow these steps to complete the Georgia Southern application:
- Create an application account.
- Complete our online application using the PIN you received after creating your application account.
- Once complete, pay the $30 application fee or upload a valid fee waiver. Previous Georgia Southern applicants and dual enrollment students do not need to pay the fee.
You can check your application status at My.GeorgiaSouthern.edu/admissions three days after completing your application. This page contains live information about your admission status, including a checklist of missing documents we need to make a decision.
To enter the Exercise Science program, students must meet these criteria:
- Admission to Georgia Southern University.
- A total institution GPA of 2.0 or better on all coursework attempted (transfer coursework and work completed at Georgia Southern University are considered). All transfer credits must be evaluated by the Undergraduate Office of Admissions and posted on the Georgia Southern transcript upon official acceptance to the University.
- Completed a minimum of 30 credit hours.
- A minimum grade of “C” in all Area D and F coursework attempted.
The program is currently going through the process of becoming accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs; Standards and Guidelines for the Accreditation of Educational Programs in Exercise Sciences (CAAHEP CAES, 2017), including competencies in health and fitness assessment, exercise prescription, behavior modification, psychology of physical activity and exercise, and risk management in exercise science disciplines. These foundational competencies are the cornerstones of our program and are the benchmarks for the success of our students.
The Department of Health Sciences and Kinesiology anticipates that graduates of this program will be eligible to seek professional certification by the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) as a Certified Exercise Physiologist (EP-C) plus additional certification(s): ACSM/NCHPAD – Certified Inclusive Fitness Trainer (CIFT); ACSM – Certified Personal Trainer (CPT) and ACSM Group Fitness Instructor; NSCA – Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS), USA Weightlifting Level 1 Certification, ASEP – Coaching Principles Certified and/or ASEP – Sport First Aid Certified; NSCA – Tactical Strength and Conditioning Facilitator (TSAC-F).
The Department of Health Sciences and Kinesiology has determined the required classes and educational activities of this academic program will qualify a graduate of this program to take the exam for the ACSM as a Certified Exercise Physiologist certificate in Georgia. The department has not determined whether this program satisfies the requirements of all states and territories for the ACSM as a Certified Exercise Physiologist certificate. Visit the American College of Sports Medicine to determine the requirements of your state or territory.
The Department of Health Sciences and Kinesiology has not determined whether this program satisfies the license requirements of all states and territories for the ACSM/NCHPAD – Certified Inclusive Fitness Trainer (CIFT). Visit the American College of Sports Medicine to determine the requirements of your state or territory.
The Department of Health Sciences and Kinesiology has not determined whether this program satisfies the license requirements of all states and territories for the ACSM – Certified Personal Trainer (CPT). Visit the American College of Sports Medicine to determine the requirements of your state or territory.
The Department of Health Sciences and Kinesiology has not determined whether this program satisfies the license requirements of all states and territories for the ACSM Group Exercise Instructor. Visit the American College of Sports Medicine to determine the requirements of your state or territory.
The Department of Health Sciences and Kinesiology has not determined whether this program satisfies the license requirements of all states and territories for the NSCA – Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS). Visit the National Strength and Conditioning Association to determine the requirements for your state or territory.
The Department of Health Sciences and Kinesiology has not determined whether this program satisfies the license requirements of all states and territories for the NSCA-USA Weightlifting Level 1 Certification. Visit the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee to determine the requirements for your state or territory.
The Department of Health Sciences and Kinesiology has not determined whether this program satisfies the license requirements of all states and territories for the ASEP – Coaching Principles Certified. Visit the Human Kinetics Coach Education Center to determine the requirements for your state or territory.
The Department of Health Sciences and Kinesiology has not determined whether this program satisfies the license requirements of all states and territories for the ASEP – Sport First Aid Certified. Visit the Human Kinetics Coach Education Center to determine the requirements for your state or territory.
The Department of Health Sciences and Kinesiology has not determined whether this program satisfies the license requirements of all states and territories for the NSCA – Tactical Strength and Conditioning Facilitator (TSAC-F). Visit the National Strength and Conditioning Association to determine the requirements of your state or territory.
Many of the clinical programs offered by the Waters College of Health Professions (WCHP) require a clinical internship or practicum experience to fulfill degree requirements. Pursuant to the University’s legal agreements, participants in clinical experiences are required to abide by the workplace rules of the clinical site. The University is aware of recent federal requirements that would mandate vaccination against COVID-19 for those working in certain settings, including health care. At this time, we expect that these new requirements may significantly impact our ability to locate a placement for students who remain unvaccinated. As always, WCHP will continue to make every effort to place students at clinical sites. However, please be aware that we may be unable to locate a site to accept unvaccinated students, which may cause a delay or inability to progress and complete the program of study.
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Take the Next Step
Exercise science does more than help people boost their physical fitness — it also improves their health, longevity and outlook on life. Learn more about the Exercise Science program at Georgia Southern.