Exercise Science
Exercise Science Major
The Exercise Science major is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs and endorsed by the American College of Sports Medicine. This curriculum covers the knowledge, skills, and abilities expected of an ACSM Certified Exercise Physiologist.
The Exercise Science major is designed to prepare students for entry-level positions in any of four health fitness settings: commercial, community, corporate, and clinical. Completion of the major will also act as a stepping stone to prepare the exceptional student for graduate education in exercise physiology/science, cardiac rehabilitation, physical therapy, sports nutrition, sports medicine, biomechanics, and other allied health professions.
The Exercise Science program includes a wide range of content from the study of physical activity and the associated acute and chronic physiological adaptations and responses to it, to health-fitness business management principles found in facilities worldwide. Majors are encouraged to select a minor in business, psychology, or other areas depending on their interests. Field experiences and a semester-long internship experience completed at the end of the Exercise Science major afford the student an opportunity to select an area of specialization in the field from sites available throughout the country.
Students are encouraged to pursue appropriate professional certification from the American College of Sports Medicine, The National Strength and Conditioning Association, or The American Council on Exercise.
Pre-Professional/Professional Emphasis
Students are admitted to the Pre-Professional emphasis in Exercise Science when declaring the major. The Pre-Professional emphasis encompasses the freshman year and fall semester of the sophomore year; transfer students are also placed in the Pre-Professional emphasis upon acceptance to the university. Entrance into the Professional Emphasis occurs during the third semester of attendance for students who entered as freshmen; for transfer students, entrance occurs after the first semester of attendance.
Application guidelines are provided during HNES 170 Introduction to Exercise Science and during advising sessions with freshmen, as well as on the Exercise Science web site. The following requirements must be met before beginning the professional course (sophomore, junior and senior level courses with prefix HNES) of study:
- Successful completion of HNES 170 Introduction to Exercise Science with a grade of 'B' or better
- Successful completion of BIOL 220 Human Anatomy and Physiology I/BIOL 220L Human Anatomy and Physiology I Laboratory with a grade of 'B' or better
- Successful completion of MATH 103 College Algebra or MATH 104 Finite Mathematics or higher with a grade of 'B' or better
- Successful completion of CHEM 121 General Chemistry I/CHEM 121L General Chemistry I Laboratory with a grade if 'B' or better
- Minimum NDSU cumulative GPA of 3.00 or higher
Retention Standards
Students must meet the following retention standards (per semester) in order to maintain their status in the Exercise Science professional phase.
- No more than two 'C' and no 'D' or 'F' grades may be earned in Exercise Science major classes.
- Maintain a NDSU cumulative GPA of 3.00 on a 4.00 scale.
Exercise Science Major/Master of Athletic Training Program
Students who wish to attend NDSU for athletic training are advised to pursue this five-year program. The students will major in Exercise Science for their undergraduate degree and apply to the Master of Athletic Training (MATrg) graduate program to complete this program. Upon completion, the graduates will be able to take the Board of Certification (BOC) exam, earn the ATC credential and pursue employment as an athletic trainer.
Major Requirements
Major: Exercise Science
Degree Type: B.S.
Required Degree Credits to Graduate: 120
General Education Requirements for Baccalaureate Degree
- A list of approved general education courses is available here .
- General education courses may be used to satisfy requirements for both general education and the major, minor, and program emphases, where applicable. Students should carefully review the major, minor, and program emphases requirements for minimum grade restrictions, should they apply.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Communication (C) | 12 | |
| College Composition I | ||
| College Composition II | ||
| Fundamentals of Public Speaking | ||
Upper Division Writing † | ||
| Quantitative Reasoning (R) † | 3 | |
| Science and Technology (S) † | 10 | |
| Humanities and Fine Arts (A) † | 6 | |
| Social and Behavioral Sciences (B) † | 6 | |
| Wellness (W) † | 2 | |
| Cultural Diversity (D) *† | ||
| Global Perspectives (G) *† | ||
| Total Credits | 39 | |
| * | May be satisfied by completing courses in another General Education category. |
| † | May be satisfied with courses required in the major. Review major requirements to determine if a specific upper division writing course is required. |
Major Requirements
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Exercise Science Requirements | ||
| BIOL 220 & 220L | Human Anatomy and Physiology I and Human Anatomy and Physiology I Laboratory (May satisfy general education category S) * | 4 |
| BIOL 221 & 221L | Human Anatomy and Physiology II and Human Anatomy and Physiology II Laboratory | 4 |
| CHEM 121 & 121L | General Chemistry I and General Chemistry I Laboratory (May satisfy general education category S) * | 4 |
| CHEM 122 & 122L | General Chemistry II and General Chemistry II Laboratory (May satisfy general education category S) | 4 |
| CSCI 114 | Microcomputer Packages (May satisfy general education category S) | 3 |
| or MIS 116 | Business Use of Computers | |
| HNES 170 | Introduction to Exercise Science * | 2 |
| HNES 250 | Nutrition Science (May satisfy general education category W) | 3 |
| HNES 365 | Kinesiology | 3 |
| HNES 368 | Biomechanics of Exercise | 3 |
| HNES 370 | Exercise and Disease | 3 |
| HNES 371 | Worksite Health Promotion | 3 |
| HNES 374 | Methods in Resistance Training and Cardiovascular Conditioning | 3 |
| HNES 375 | Research Methods and Design in Exercise Science | 3 |
| HNES 465 | Physiology Of Exercise | 3 |
| HNES 466 | Physiology Exercise Laboratory | 1 |
| HNES 472 | Exercise Assessment and Prescription | 3 |
| HNES 475 | Exercise Science Internship | 12 |
| HNES 476 | Exercise Testing Laboratory | 2 |
| HNES 491 | Seminar | 1 |
| HNES 496 | Field Experience | 1 |
| HNES 496 | Field Experience | 1 |
| PHYS 211 & 211L | College Physics I and College Physics I Laboratory | 4 |
| PSYC 111 | Introduction to Psychology (May satisfy general education category B) | 3 |
| PSYC 211 | Introduction To Behavior Modification (May satisfy general education category B) | 3 |
| STAT 330 | Introductory Statistics (May satisfy general education category R) | 3 |
| Total Credits | 79 | |
| * | Requires a grade of ‘B’ or better. |
Degree Requirements and Notes
- A cumulative GPA of 3.00 is required for graduation. No more than two grades of ‘C’ and no grades of 'D' or 'F' may be used to satisfy Exercise Science major courses.
- With the exception of field experiences, seminar, and internship, courses under the Exercise Science requirements may not be taken Pass/Fail.
- Department Requirements:BIOL 220 Human Anatomy and Physiology I, BIOL 220L Human Anatomy and Physiology I Laboratory, CHEM 121 General Chemistry I, PSYC 111 Introduction to Psychology and PSYC 211 Introduction To Behavior Modification, and HNES 250 Nutrition Science are listed within the General Education categories of Science & Technology, Social & Behavioral Sciences, and Wellness.
Plan of Study
The following combinations of courses are suggested semester schedules that allow the student to complete his/her major/option degree program in a four year span. The arrangement of courses is based on which semesters the course is offered, the classification and the prerequisites or co-requisites required for successful completion of the course. The Plan of Study should be used with the curriculum guide. Remember, this is only a guide and circumstances may change the plan.
| Freshman | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| ENGL 110 or 120Placement applies. | 3-4 | COMM 110 | 3 |
| HNES 170 | 2 | CSCI 114 or MIS 116 | 3 |
| PSYC 111 | 3 | Humanities/Global | 3 |
| Electives | 6 | Electives | 6 |
| 14-15 | 15 | ||
| Sophomore | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| ** See note below | BIOL 221 | 3 | |
| BIOL 220 | 3 | BIOL 221L | 1 |
| BIOL 220L | 1 | CHEM 122 | 3 |
| CHEM 121 (pre or co-requisite: MATH 103) | 3 | CHEM 122L | 1 |
| CHEM 121L | 1 | HNES 365 | 3 |
| PHYS 211 (pre-requisite: MATH 105) | 3 | STAT 330 | 3 |
| PHYS 211L | 1 | Electives | 3 |
| HNES 250 | 3 | ||
| 15 | 17 | ||
| Junior | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| PSYC 211 | 3 | HNES 368 | 3 |
| HNES 374 | 3 | HNES 370 | 3 |
| HNES 375 | 3 | HNES 371 | 3 |
| HNES 496 | 1 | HNES 465 | 3 |
| Humanities/Diversity | 3 | HNES 466 | 1 |
| Elective | 1 | HNES 491 | 1 |
| Electives | 3 | ||
| 14 | 17 | ||
| Senior | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| Upper Division Writing | 3 | HNES 475 | 12 |
| HNES 472 | 3 | ||
| HNES 476 | 2 | ||
| HNES 496 | 1 | ||
| Electives | 7 | ||
| 16 | 12 | ||
| Total Credits: 120-121 | |||
| ** | Students apply for Exercise Science Professional Status during fall semester of sophomore year. |
| † | Consult your advisor for suggested electives for certain Graduate and Professional programs. |
