Exercise Science (BS)
Pursue a career in fitness, exercise, and physical performance, working with athletes, individuals, or people with health challenges.
Whether it is fitness training at a gym or exercise physiology in a health care setting, an exercise science graduate helps people improve their health and wellness with physical activity. Through coursework and hands-on experience, students in the Loyola Exercise Science program will develop skills to evaluate health behaviors and risk factors, conduct fitness assessments, write exercise prescriptions, and motivate individuals to practice positive health behaviors.
Exercise science majors at Loyola can enroll in the five-year combined bachelor's/master's degree program and earn both degrees in only five years.
Curriculum
Learn more about the Exercise Science laboratories that offer the latest health and exercise science technology to students and faculty.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Exercise Science Prerequisites (Not including elective CORE classes) | ||
| BIOL 101 & BIOL 111 | General Biology I and General Biology I Lab | 4 |
| BIOL 102 & BIOL 112 | General Biology II and General Biology II Lab | 4 |
| CHEM 160 & CHEM 161 | Chemical Structure and Properties and Chemical Structure and Properties Laboratory | 4 |
| CHEM 180 & CHEM 181 | Chemical Reactivity I and Chemical Reactivity I Lab | 4 |
| MATH 118 | Precalculus II | 3 |
| STAT 103 | Fundamentals of Statistics | 3 |
| PSYC 101 | General Psychology | 3 |
| PSYC 273 | Developmental Psychology | 3 |
| EXCM 155 & 155L | Anatomy and Physiology I and Anatomy and Physiology I Lab | 4 |
| EXCM 156 & 156L | Anatomy and Physiology II and Anatomy and Physiology II Lab | 4 |
| PHYS 111 & 111L | College Physics I Lec / Dis and College Physics Laboratory I | 4 |
| PHYS 112 & 112L | College Physics II Lec/Disc and College Physics Lab II | 4 |
| EXCM 101 | Introduction to Exercise Physiology | 3 |
| EXCM 201 | Physiology of Exercise | 4 |
| Exercise Science Major Course | ||
| EXCM 210 | Program Design in Exercise | 2 |
| EXCM 301 | Advanced Physiology of Exercise | 3 |
| EXCM 342 | Physical Growth, Development and Nutrition | 3 |
| EXCM 345 | Therapeutic Exercise and Rehabilitation | 3 |
| EXCM 364 | Intro to Clinical Exercise Testing and Prescription | 3 |
| EXCM 368 | Advanced Clinical Testing and Prescriptions | 3 |
| EXCM 375 | Special Populations in Exercise Science | 2 |
| EXCM 382 | Clinical Research: Methods, Design and Ethics w/Lab | 3 |
| EXCM 385 | Kinesiology and Sports Biomechanics w/Lab | 4 |
| EXCM 387 | Movement Anatomy in Exercise | 3 |
| EXCM 390 | Psychology of Health and Exercise | 3 |
| EXCM 395 | Clinical Internship and Patient Management | 6 |
| Total Hours | 89 | |
Suggested Sequence of Courses
EXCM students must complete this list of core areas:
- Artistic Knowledge (1 course/3 credit hours)
- Historical Knowledge (2 courses/6 credit hours)
- Literary Knowledge (2 courses/6 credit hours)
- Societal & Cultural Knowledge (1 course/3 credit hours)
- Theological Knowledge (2 courses/6 credit hours)
- Philosophical Knowledge (2 courses/6 credit hours)
- Ethics (1 course/3 credit hours)
The below sequence of courses is meant to be used as a suggested path for completing coursework. An individual student’s completion of requirements depends on course offerings in a given term as well as the start term for a major or graduate study. Students should consult their advisor for assistance with course selection.
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Hours | |
| BIOL 101 & BIOL 111 |
General Biology I and General Biology I Lab |
4 |
| EXCM 155 & 155L |
Anatomy and Physiology I and Anatomy and Physiology I Lab |
4 |
| CORE | 3 | |
| CORE | 3 | |
| UNIV 101 | First Year Seminar | 1 |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| UCWR 110 | Writing Responsibly | 3 |
| BIOL 102 & BIOL 112 |
General Biology II and General Biology II Lab |
4 |
| EXCM 156 & 156L |
Anatomy and Physiology II and Anatomy and Physiology II Lab |
4 |
| CORE | 3 | |
| CORE | 3 | |
| Hours | 17 | |
| Second Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| PSYC 101 | General Psychology (Fulfills Tier II Societal & Cultural CORE) | 3 |
| CHEM 160 & CHEM 161 |
Chemical Structure and Properties and Chemical Structure and Properties Laboratory |
4 |
| EXCM 101 | Introduction to Exercise Physiology | 3 |
| CORE | 3 | |
| CORE | 3 | |
| Hours | 16 | |
| Spring | ||
| EXCM 201 | Physiology of Exercise | 4 |
| CHEM 180 & CHEM 181 |
Chemical Reactivity I and Chemical Reactivity I Lab |
4 |
| CORE | 3 | |
| STAT 103 | Fundamentals of Statistics (Fulfills Quantitative Knowledge CORE) | 3 |
| CORE | 3 | |
| Hours | 17 | |
| Third Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| PSYC 273 | Developmental Psychology | 3 |
| CORE | 3 | |
| CORE | 3 | |
| PHYS 111 & 111L |
College Physics I Lec / Dis and College Physics Laboratory I |
4 |
| EXCM 364 | Intro to Clinical Exercise Testing and Prescription 2 | 3 |
| Hours | 16 | |
| Spring | ||
| EXCM 375 | Special Populations in Exercise Science 2 | 2 |
| EXCM 301 | Advanced Physiology of Exercise 2 | 3 |
| PHYS 112 & 112L |
College Physics II Lec/Disc and College Physics Lab II |
4 |
| EXCM 368 | Advanced Clinical Testing and Prescriptions 2 | 3 |
| CORE | 3 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Fourth Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| EXCM 382 | Clinical Research: Methods, Design and Ethics w/Lab 2 | 3 |
| EXCM 210 | Program Design in Exercise 2 | 2 |
| EXCM 385 | Kinesiology and Sports Biomechanics w/Lab 2 | 4 |
| EXCM 342 | Physical Growth, Development and Nutrition 2 | 3 |
| EXCM 345 | Therapeutic Exercise and Rehabilitation 2 | 3 |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| EXCM 395 | Clinical Internship and Patient Management 2 | 6 |
| EXCM 387 | Movement Anatomy in Exercise 2 | 3 |
| EXCM 390 | Psychology of Health and Exercise 2 | 3 |
| Hours | 12 | |
| Total Hours | 123 | |
- 1
Prerequisite: MATH 117 Precalculus I or equivalent. Co-requisite: CHEM 161 Chemical Structure and Properties Laboratory and MATH 118 Precalculus II.
- 2
Prerequisite: EXCM 156 Anatomy and Physiology II/EXCM 156 Anatomy and Physiology II
Additional Undergraduate Graduation Requirements
All Undergraduate students are required to complete the University Core, at least one Engaged Learning course, and UNIV 101. SCPS students are not required to take UNIV 101. Nursing students in the Accelerated BSN program are not required to take core or UNIV 101. You can find more information in the University Requirements area.
Learning Outcomes
- Demonstrate proficiency in exercise and fitness screening, health appraisal and risk stratification, fitness assessment and evaluation, and exercise techniques.
- Communicate effectively and collaboratively with clients and the interprofessional team in exercise and fitness settings.
- Integrate values, ethics, and client preferences into exercise science practice
- Participate in activities to promote lifelong learning and professional development in exercise science.
- Demonstrate proficiency in critical thinking and evidence-based decision making in Exercise science.
- Synthesize knowledge from the arts, sciences and exercise sciences as the basis for assessment of physical capabilities and exercise prescriptions.