Exercise & Sport Science - ESSs
The mission of the Exercise & Sport Science (ESS) Program is to prepare students for careers in fields focused on promoting healthy lifestyles and enhancing performance in exercise, sport and physical activity settings. Students with a major or minor in ESS can pursue entry-level careers in teaching, fitness, sport, and wellness in both private and public sectors.
Additionally, our students often pursue a graduate degree in areas such as doctor of physical therapy (DPT), exercise physiology, athletic training, cardiac rehabilitation, teacher education, sport administration, or other fields.
ESS Majors & Minors
The Exercise & Sport Science Progam Includes The Following Majors:
- Exercise Science: Clinical
- Sport & Fitness Management + Minor (outside of ESS)
- Standard ESS Program + Minor (outside of ESS)
Exercise & Sport Science Minors:
Read a detailed description, including course requirements and total credit hours, for each of the above majors and minors by clicking on the appropriate link in the left hand column.
Exercise & Sport Science Trends
According to the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), exercise is medicine. Therefore there is a push to include a person's exercise history as a vital sign during all routine, medical physicals. Recording exercise history is just as important as monitoring individuals for high blood pressure; abnormal heart rhythms; unusual shortness of breath; and high concentrations of cholesterol, triglycerides or other risk factors found in the blood.
According to the U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of health and fitness workers is expected to "increase much faster than the average for all occupations through 2014" due to the rapid growth in the fitness industry.
The American Heart Association recently reported that over 136 million Americans are classified as overweight. Even more disturbing is the fact that nearly 9.2 million children and adolescents are considered overweight or obese. Our nation is in the midst of a health epidemic, and there is a growing need to have more individuals educated in the fields of health-fitness, physical education, and clinical exercise physiology.
Take a look at our Youtube video about the High Altitude Performance Lab and VO2max + Lactate Threshold test on a professional endurance athlete from Crested Butte, CO.
