Exercise & Sport Science

Exercise and sport science is a degree focusing on the study of the human body and how it functions physically. An exercise and sport science degree will prepare you for careers that benefit from skills needed in exercising, personal training, and fitness activities.  

As an exercise and sport science major you’ll have a number of jobs awaiting you. Upon successful completion of your sport science degree coursework, you’ll be eligible to take a national certification examination from organizations such as the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), the American Council on Exercise (ACE), the National Council of Strength and Fitness (NCSF), or the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA). Some of the careers you could then pursue include fitness training, coaching, scouting, postsecondary teaching, and more! 

Whether it’s a bachelor’s or an associate, a degree in exercise and sport science will open doors to a number of job opportunities for you. The degree you choose will depend a lot on the specific jobs that interest you, as well as the time you are looking to put into it. An associate degree will be more focused on helping you develop specific industry skills and typically take two years to complete, while a bachelor's degree will cover a greater array of skills and take more time to complete.  

Your coursework as an exercise and sport science major will cover a broad range of topics, touching on essentials such as diet and nutrition, human anatomy and physiology, and first aid and safety. Lower-level classes will offer overviews of topics, and higher-level courses will give more depth into specialized areas.

There are a number of minors and other majors at UC that would complement the knowledge and skills you will gain as an exercise and sport science major. A few examples are biology, psychology, coaching, public health, business, applied physics, and human services. But don’t feel tied down to these choices; you have more than 40 other options to choose from!