Health and Exercise Science

The Health and Exercise Science major provides foundational scientific knowledge and clinical applications enhancing wellness, quality of life, and physical activity across the lifespan. The curriculum encompasses a biopsychosocial model of health with an expanded emphasis on understanding the role of physical activity and exercise to improve health and optimize human performance.

Our program prepares students to enter careers in the health, fitness, or wellness industries. Additionally, with the selection of prerequisite coursework, graduates may pursue admission to graduate programs including athletic training, behavioral and mental health, chiropractic medicine, nursing, occupational therapy, physical therapy, physician assistant studies, and public health programs.

FEATURED COURSES

In this program, you have the opportunity to work with a member of the Health Professions Advisory Committee (HPAC) who will help design a course of study that is suited to your career goals.

Athletic Conditioning and Performance
Exercise Programming for Special Populations
Health, Physical Activity, and Aging
Human Nutrition
Principles of Human Performance
Physiological Adaptations and Management of Stress

Image of student using exercise equipment.

This image is of exercise science students.

This picture is of the Knowlton Center entrance.

Students running on the Centennial Field House track.

What's Happening in Health - Dr. BC and 2 MSJ Students

Program Concentrations

Clinical Exercise Science

Please follow this link for a list of courses and more information: Clinical Exercise Curriculum Guide

This concentration prepares students for entry-level careers in clinical exercise settings. In addition, students have the opportunity to prepare for graduate programs in a health-related field. Common careers include cardiac rehabilitation specialist, clinical exercise physiologist, or exercise specialist in a medical fitness facility. Common graduate programs: athletic training, chiropractic, medicine, nursing, occupational therapy, physical therapy, or physician assistant studies.

Sport Performance and Active Aging

Please follow this link for a list of courses and more information: Sport Performance and Active Aging Curriculum Guide

This concentration prepares students to design and implement exercise programs across the lifespan. Common career industries: Community and corporate fitness, group exercise instruction, personal training, strength and conditioning, sport coaching, or wellness coaching. Common graduate programs: Athletic training, exercise science, exercise physiology, kinesiology, and public health.

Health Promotion

Please follow this link to for a list of courses and more information: Health Promotion Curriculum Guide

This concentration prepares students to promote protective and negative health behaviors and risk factors, the social determinants of health, and interventions to promote well-being across the lifespan. Common career industries: Healthcare facilities, nonprofit or public health organizations, corporate fitness, or geriatric settings. Common graduate programs: health education, public health, behavioral and mental health specialists, social work, healthcare administration, and health-related law and policy.

3+2 Master of Athletic Training

Please follow this link for a list of courses and more information: 3+2 Master of Science in Athletic Training

This concentration combines sports, medicine, health, disease and injury prevention, health behavior change, and exercise prescription allowing students to earn both degrees in 5 years. Students complete the first three years of the curriculum at Mount St. Joseph University in order to apply for a combined degree program with universities offering a CAATE accredited graduate degree in athletic training. Application and admission to the graduate program is required to declare this concentration.

“ I had my co-op at Oxford Physical Therapy. I really enjoyed being there. It made me realize that physical therapy is truly what I want to do. The people and patients were so welcoming and nice. I will miss the people that I met and the connections that I had with the physical therapists there. My advice for freshmen is to never give up and always do your best. Classes will be hard and will push you to the limits but I promise you it is all worth it. Makayla Carroll Oxford Physical Therapy Centers

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Where can I work with a BS in Health and Exercise Science?

Careers and Co-ops

Careers and Co-op Placement:

Common career paths: Athletic programs, student wellness centers, outpatient rehabilitation clinics, military, and tactical medical services, performing arts, worksite wellness and occupational health settings, family medicine, and orthopedic physician practices, and the fitness industry.

Our students and alumni have pursued opportunites at the following organizations:

Clinical Exercise Science	Sport Performance and Active Aging:
Bayley Fitness & Wellness (Delhi) Beacon Orthopedics and Sports Medicine Cincinnati Children’s Hospital and Medical Center Physical Therapy Cincinnati Recreation Commission – Therapeutic Recreation (Bond Hill) Cincinnati Sports Club (5-mile Road) Delhi Township Fire Department (Delhi) Drake Rehabilitation Hospital – University of Cincinnati Mount St. Joseph University Athletics – Sports Medicine Physical Therapy: Rehabilitation and Balance Centers (formerly Howell Rehab) Special Olympics of Hamilton County	BLOC Ministries Sports Performance (Price Hill) Cincinnati Kettlebell Cincinnati Recreation Commission – Therapeutic Recreation (Bond Hill) Elder High School (Price Hill) Griffin Elite Sports and Wellness (Erlanger, KY) Mercy HealthPlex (Queen City) Mount St. Joseph University Athletics – Strength and Conditioning ProForce Sports Performance
Health Promotion	Health and Exercise Science – 3+2 Master of Athletic Training
BeConcerned (Covington, KY) Wesley Chapel Mission Center (Over the Rhine) Cheviot Elementary School (Westwood) Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Infectious Disease City Gospel Mission (WestEnd) CTI – Clinical Research Center (Cincinnati) EarthConnection (Delhi) Findley Market (OTR) The Health Collaborative (Avondale) Price Hill Will (Price Hill) Our Daily bread (OTR) The Recovery Center (Avondale) St. Francis Seraph (OTR) Thomas More University – Student Life (KY) Working in Neighborhoods (South Comminville)	Xavier University

Graduate School Admission

Graduate School Admissions

Doctor of Physical Therapy – Mount St. Joseph University, Bellarmine University
Master of Science in Athletic Training – Xavier University
Master of Occupational Therapy – Walsh University
Master of Public Health – University of Cincinnati School of Medicine

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Launch Centennial Field House

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Climb Higher Series | Health and Exercise Science - Hear directly from our faculty about course offerings, program-specific details, and professional development opportunities.