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Undergraduate Catalog | 2015-2016 
    
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Undergraduate Catalog | 2015-2016 Previous Edition

Exercise Science, B.S.

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The Exercise Science major offers preparation for employment as Exercise Science practitioners in business and industry, healthcare agencies, hospitals, physical fitness centers, sport medicine clinics, sports performance centers, and colleges/universities or any other setting which utilizes exercise and physical activity to promote healthy active lifestyles and outcomes.

This degree program offers preparation for employment as Exercise Science practitioners in: health agencies, hospitals, fitness centers, business and industry, research laboratories, or any other setting which provides physical fitness enhancement programs for clients and patients. The courses in this major prepare the student to sit for the American College of Sports Medicine Health Fitness Specialist certification. The Exercise Science program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP).

Additional Admission Requirements

Minimum criteria for application to the Exercise Science major are:

  • A GPA of 2.5 or above
  • A grade of C or above in the required Foundation Courses

Students can be admitted to the Exercise Science major in either the Fall or Spring semester, and admission is competitive.  Admission decisions are made by the Coordinator of the Exercise Science major within the Department of Kinesiology.  Selection into the program is based on the satisfactory completion of the minimum requirements but does not guarantee program admission.  After evaluating the credentials of all applicants meeting the minimum academic requirements, the Coordinator of the Exercise Science major will make offers for admission to students whose credentials demonstrate the highest level of academic achievement.

Degree Requirements

General Education Courses (37-43 credit hours)

For details on required courses, refer to the General Education program . 

Foundation Courses (20 credit hours)

Notes:

* KNES 2150 ; KNES 2294 ; and STAT 1220 , STAT 1221 , or STAT 1222  are recommended to be completed before entering the major but are not necessary to make application; however, the courses do need to be completed before registering for KNES 4490 .

** Students transferring to UNC Charlotte with credit for CHEM 1251  and CHEM 1251L  are not required to take CHEM 1200 .

Major Courses (54-63 credit hours)

Concentration Courses (15-16 credit hours)

Students must also complete 15-16 hours of coursework in a specific concentration of study. The concentrations are designed to provide students with the opportunity to pursue more extensive study in exercise science context most relevant to their professional and social goals. Two concentrations of study are offered:

Aquatics Leadership Concentration (minimum 15 credit hours)

Note:

*The internship is taken during the Senior year and must be 100% involved in aquatics.

Outside Certifications

Student must complete one of the following:

  • American Red Cross Lifeguard Instructor
  • American Red Cross Lifeguard Management
  • American Red Cross Safety Training for Swim Coaches
Grade Requirement

Students must have and maintain a 2.5 GPA or above for the Aquatics Leadership concentration.

Strength and Conditioning Concentration (minimum 16 credit hours)

Note:

*The internship is taken during the Senior year and must be 100% involved in strength and conditioning.

Outside Certifications

Students must complete the following:

  • National Strength and Conditioning Association’s Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialists (CSCS) Certification
Grade Requirement

Students must have and maintain a 3.0 GPA or above for the Strength and Conditioning concentration.

Elective Courses

Students must complete three activity courses of their choosing. 

Unrestricted Elective Courses

As needed.

Degree Total = 120 Credit Hours

Grade Requirements

All of the required courses for the Exercise Science major must be completed with a grade of C or above.  All of the required courses may be attempted only twice.  Withdrawing from a course after the Add/Drop deadline constitutes an attempt, as does receiving any letter grade.  Exercise Science majors having more than three grades of D or below in required upper-level courses cannot remain in the Exercise Science major and must change their major.  Students must receive a grade of C or above in all pre- and corequisite courses in order to be deemed successful. 

Honors Program

For details about the Honors Program in Kinesiology, visit the program page .

Suggested Curriculum

For a suggested curriculum progression toward completing the major, please see the Academic Plan of Study available online at academics.uncc.edu.

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