Exercise Science (BS) - Wellness & Movement Sciences - College of Health Science & Public Health - EWU

What You'll Learn

The following information comes from the official EWU catalog, which outlines all degree requirements and serves as the guide to earning a degree. Courses are designed to provide a well-rounded and versatile degree, covering a wide range of subject areas.

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Exercise Science Major, Bachelor of Science (BS)

The Bachelor of Science in Exercise Science offers four tracks and prepares students to work in a variety of health, fitness, wellness, and sports performance environments. Our exercise science track prepares students to work with a range of populations including the general population (i.e., apparently healthy) in commercial fitness and corporate wellness centers, populations with chronic diseases in clinical facilities, and athletes in sports performance settings. Our pre-professional tracks prepare students to apply to graduate programs in allied health care. While our pre-professional tracks are specific to athletic training, occupational therapy, and physical therapy, an increasing number of students use the extensive science requirements to prepare for applications to other programs in allied health care including chiropractic, nursing, and physician’s assistant. The degree also lays a strong foundation for graduate degrees in kinesiology and related fields. The course work prepares students to pursue certifications from esteemed organizations in the industry including American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA), National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM), and the American Council on Exercise (ACE).

Declaration Requirements for Exercise Science and Pre-AT

must complete any two classes of required BIOL 232, BIOL 233, BIOL 234 or CHEM 161, CHEM 162, CHEM 163 series (or equivalent);
grade for each class must be ≥C.

Declaration Requirements for Pre-OT, and Pre-PT

must complete any two classes of required BIOL 232, BIOL 233, BIOL 234 or CHEM 161, CHEM 162, CHEM 163 series or PHYS 131, PHYS 132, PHYS 133 series (or equivalent);
grade for each class must be ≥B.

Note for all students

all four options require additional courses to complete the general education requirement;
completion of any one of the four options as shown will not guarantee completion of 60 credits of upper-division credits;
students should work with their advisor to select appropriate courses or minor.

Required Core Courses–minimum grade ≥C+ for each
EXSC 301	INTRODUCTION TO EXERCISE SCIENCE	1
EXSC 390	PRINCIPLES OF PROGRAM DESIGN	3
EXSC 420	PRINCIPLES OF PROGRAM DESIGN FOR SPECIAL POPULATIONS	4
EXSC 440	EXERCISE COUNSELING AND BEHAVIOR CHANGE	3
EXSC 460	PHYSIOLOGY OF EXERCISE	4
PHED 193	STANDARD FIRST AID AND SAFETY	2
PHED 349	FUNCTIONAL ANATOMY	4
PHED 350	EXERCISE TESTING AND PRESCRIPTION	4
PHED 352	BIOMECHANICS	4
PHED 360	HEALTH FITNESS MANAGEMENT	3
PHED 372	APPLIED NUTRITION AND PHYSICAL FITNESS	3
Required Supporting Courses		30
Pre-OT and Pre-PT require minimum average GPA ≥3.0 for each series listed below.
Exercise Science and Pre-AT require a minimum grade of ≥C for each course listed below.
BIOL 232 & BIOL 233 & BIOL 234	HUMAN ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY NON-BIOL MAJORS and HUMAN ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY NON-BIOL MAJORS and HUMAN ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY NON-BIOL MAJORS
CHEM 161 & 161L & CHEM 162 & CHEM 162L & CHEM 163 & CHEM 163L	GENERAL CHEMISTRY FOR THE HEALTH SCIENCES and GENERAL CHEMISTRY LABORATORY FOR THE HEALTH SCIENCES and ORGANIC CHEMISTRY FOR THE HEALTH SCIENCES and ORGANIC CHEMISTRY LABORATORY FOR THE HEALTH SCIENCES and BIOCHEMISTRY FOR THE HEALTH SCIENCES and BIOCHEMISTRY LAB FOR THE HEALTH SCIENCES
Choose one of the following		5
EXSC and Pre-AT–minimum grade ≥C
Pre-OT and Pre-PT–minimum grade ≥B
CSBS 320	STATISTICS FOR THE SOCIAL SCIENCES
MATH 380	ELEMENTARY PROBABILITY AND STATISTICS
PSYC 310	PSYCHOLOGICAL STATISTICS
Choose three from the following–minimum grade ≥C+ for each		7-9
EXSC 380	NUTRITION IN SPORT AND EXERCISE
EXSC 411	PHYSICAL ACTIVITY, MENTAL HEALTH, AND COGNITION
EXSC 455	RESEARCH AND ANALYSIS
EXSC 481	ELECTROCARDIOLOGY INTERPRET
PHED 333	GROUP EXERCISE INSTRUCTOR TRAINING
PHED 335	STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING PROLAB
Major Options–choose one of the four options to complete the BS degree		15-28
Exercise Science
EXSC 488	PROFESSIONAL INTERNSHIP (variable credit course–must complete 15 credits–minimum grade ≥B)
Pre–Athletic Training
EXSC 388	EXERCISE SCIENCE PRACTICUM (must complete 100 hours with Certified Athletic Trainer–must complete 8 credits–minimum grade ≥B required)
PHED 256	MEDICAL TERMINOLOGY (minimum grade ≥B required)
PHYS 131 & PHYS 161	INTRODUCTORY PHYSICS I and MECHANICS LABORATORY
or PHYS 100	PHYSICAL SCIENCE I
PSYC 302	ABNORMAL PSYCHOLOGY (minimum grade ≥B required)
Pre–Occupational Therapy
EXSC 388	EXERCISE SCIENCE PRACTICUM (must complete 8 credits–minimum grade ≥B required)
OCTH 101	INTRODUCTION TO OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY (minimum grade ≥B required)
PSYC 100	GENERAL PSYCHOLOGY
PSYC 201	LIFE-SPAN DEVELOPMENT (minimum grade ≥B required)
PSYC 302	ABNORMAL PSYCHOLOGY (minimum grade ≥B required)
Pre–Physical Therapy
EXSC 388	EXERCISE SCIENCE PRACTICUM (must complete 8 credits–minimum grade ≥B required)
Minimum average GPA ≥3.0 required for PHYS series (PHYS 131, PHYS 132, PHYS 133)
PHYS 131	INTRODUCTORY PHYSICS I
PHYS 132	INTRODUCTORY PHYSICS II
PHYS 133	INTRODUCTORY PHYSICS III
PHYS 161	MECHANICS LABORATORY
PHYS 162	HEAT AND OPTICS LABORATORY
PHYS 163	ELECTRONICS LABORATORY I
PSYC 302	ABNORMAL PSYCHOLOGY
Required Senior Capstone
EXSC 490	SENIOR CAPSTONE IN EXERCISE SCIENCE (minimum grade ≥C+)	4
Total Credits		96-111

The following plan of study is for a student with zero credits. Individual students may have different factors such as: credit through transfer work, Advanced Placement, Running Start, or any other type of college-level coursework that requires an individual plan.

Courses may be offered in different terms and not all courses are offered every term, checking the academic schedule is paramount in keeping an individual plan current. There may be some courses that have required prerequisites not listed in the plan, review the course descriptions for information. Students should connect with an advisor to ensure they are on track to graduate.

All Undergraduate students are required to meet the Undergraduate Degree Requirements.

First Year
Fall Quarter	Credits	Winter Quarter	Credits	Spring Quarter	Credits
CHEM 161 & 161L (Natural Science BACR 1)	5	CHEM 162 & 162L (Natural Science BACR 2)	5	CHEM 163 & 163L	5
ENGL 101	5	CSBS 320, MATH 380, or PSYC 310	5	Humanities & Arts BACR 1¹	5
MATH 107	5	ENGL 201	5	Social Science BACR 1¹	5
	15		15		15
Second Year
Fall Quarter	Credits	Winter Quarter	Credits	Spring Quarter	Credits
BIOL 232	5	BIOL 233	5	BIOL 234	5
EXSC 301	1	Diversity - graduation requirement¹	5	PHED 350	4
Humanities & Arts BACR 2¹	5	Global Studies - graduation requirement¹	5	PHED 372	3
Social Science BACR 2¹	5			Elective - certificate, minor, or general elective	5
	16		15		17
Third Year
Fall Quarter	Credits	Winter Quarter	Credits	Spring Quarter	Credits
PHED 349	4	EXSC 390	3	EXSC 420	4
PHED 352	4	PHED 193	2	EXSC 440	3
Exercise Science Elective²	3	PHED 360	3	Exercise Science Elective²	3
Elective - certificate, minor, or general elective	4	Exercise Science Elective²	3	Elective - certificate, minor, or general elective	5
		Elective - certificate, minor, or general elective	1
	15		12		15
Fourth Year
Fall Quarter	Credits	Winter Quarter	Credits	Spring Quarter	Credits
EXSC 455	3	EXSC 460	4	EXSC 488	5
EXSC 488	5	EXSC 488	5	EXSC 490 (Senior Capstone - graduation requirement)	4
Elective - certificate, minor, or general elective	5	Elective - certificate, minor, or general elective	5	Elective - certificate, minor, or general elective	5
Elective - certificate, minor, or general elective	4
	17		14		14
Total Credits 180

¹: University Graduation Requirements (UGR) and Breadth Area Course Requirements (BACR) courses may be less than 5 credits and additional credits may be required to reach the required 180 total credits needed to graduate. Students should connect with an advisor to ensure they are on track to graduate.
²: Elective–choose three from the approved list, minimum grade ≥C for each.

Students who earn a BS in Exercise Science from EWU should be able to:

demonstrate competence in first aid response to emergency situations;
explain core principles of nutrition for health;
identify musculoskeletal structures that enable human movement;
apply the principles of biomechanics to assess human movement;
assess health-related components of fitness for apparently healthy adults in accordance with all ACSM guidelines;
analyze health-related fitness assessments for apparently healthy adults;
design an exercise prescription to enhance health-related components of fitness;
apply principles of exercise management for persons with controlled disease;
explain physiological responses to exercise;
explain theories of behavior change;
identify an exercise professional's scope of practice;
demonstrate competence as an entry-level Exercise Science professional in the cognitive learning domain, in accordance with the Committee on Accreditation for the Exercise Sciences;
demonstrate competence as an entry-level Exercise Science professional in the psychomotor learning domain, in accordance with the Committee on Accreditation for the Exercise Sciences;
demonstrate competence as an entry-level Exercise Science professional in the affective learning domain, in accordance with the Committee on Accreditation for the Exercise Sciences.