As you’re reading this, you’re probably scrolling through on your computer or phone. Chances are that you’re not thinking about your hand movements to make this happen — at least until now. Whether it’s scrolling through an article or running a marathon, the human body allows us to do a lot. If this interests you, a major in exercise science may be for you. You’ll study the science of human movement and learn how to help people live healthier lives through exercise, rehabilitation and nutrition.
Education
An exercise science program is most often offered as a bachelor’s degree. It helps to be interested in math, science and health, while having an interest in exercising and taking care of your body. An exercise science major learns everything about the human body including nutrition, conditioning, injury, illness and how diet can affect a body’s performance. You’ll take courses in physical education, exercise physiology, motor development, biomechanics, fitness assessment and exercise prescription, statistics and sports management and nutrition. Helpful high school classes include health, biology, chemistry, statistics, psychology and physics.
Questions to ask
When looking at different programs, make sure you find out how many professors are in the department. It’s important to make sure you’ll get enough attention. Can you choose a concentration like sports management, athletic training for kinesiology? You can only learn so much about exercise science in a classroom or lab — will the department help you find an internship? What graduate programs or careers have recent grads chosen?
Salary
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, an exercise physiologist made an average of $42,690 a year.
> For more career and major information, visit NextStepU.com.
