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Students examine human anatomy

What is applied exercise science?

Apply research and theory-based fundamentals to study human movement as it relates to physical, psychological and social health for diverse populations. Subject areas include biomechanics, anatomy, exercise physiology, physics, motor control, exercise prescription and testing, athletic injury management, nutrition, sports psychology and strength training and conditioning.

Why applied exercise science at OSU?

Choose from three major options to fit your career goals: pre-professional, sport and coaching science or strength and conditioning. Our students are actively trained through hands-on learning and practical, real-world internship experiences that provide an exceptional foundation and pathway to becoming exercise physiologists, strength and conditioning coaches, physical or occupational therapists, athletic trainers, chiropractors, physicians, physician assistants, dentists and a variety of other allied health professionals.

Career Paths

Depending on the major option you choose, you will be prepared for entry-level health, exercise and athletic careers or further study in:

200HOURS OF EXPERIENCE

gained through supervised internships

Highlights

Pre-Professional Option

Complete prerequisite courses needed for graduate or professional school and sports medicine related professions. Graduates may go on to be physicians or chiropractors.

 

Strength and Conditioning Option

This option prepares you for entry-level health, exercise and athletic fields, such as clinical exercise physiology, personal training, coaching, fitness facility management, corporate wellness and tactical strength and conditioning (i.e. physical training for first responders and military personnel). You can also complete many of the prerequisites courses needed for professional school to become a physical or occupational therapist, athletic trainer and more.

Join the OSU Strength & Conditioning Club

 

Sport and Coaching Science Option

This option prepares you to work in a variety of settings, including professional, collegiate or secondary school sport organizations; elite training facilities; athletic league officiating; sports psychology; and sports management. The curriculum prepares graduates for sports and exercise-related certifications and for domestic and international graduate programs in coaching science and sport education.

 

Curriculum

Curriculum for all major options provides preparation for career-launching professional certification exams, including Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS), Certified Special Population Specialist (CSPS), Certified Exercise Physiologists (EP-C) and others.

 

Explore the School of Kinesiology, Applied Health and Recreation

 

Research Labs and Facilities

Students performing physical therapy on peerYou have the opportunity to perform clinical- and performance-based tests in the classroom as well as in our state-of-the-art labs and facilities. Faculty and students use advanced technology to investigate the neural and muscular changes associated with aging, exercise training, nutritional supplementation, fatigue, disease and much more.

 

Applied Neuromuscular Physiology Lab

Human Performance Lab

Musculoskeletal Adaptations to Aging and Exercise Lab

Tactical Fitness and Nutrition Lab

 

College of Education and Human Sciences

Student support

Scholarships

 

Explore related programs

Health & Medicine majors

Pre-Law, Pre-Med, Pre-Vet majors

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