Exercise and Sport Science Major
Degree: Bachelor of Science

ESS Major Requirement Summary | ESS Major and Concentration Requirements | ESS Physical Education Teacher Education Requirements | Introduction | ESS Course Index | ESS Physical Education Teacher Education | ESS Transfer Students | Sport Coaching Minor

Available Concentrations and AOS Codes:

Required: 122 semester hours, to include at least 36 hours at or above the 300 course level

Exercise Science and Sport Studies: ESSS Fitness Leadership, U412
Exercise Science and Sport Studies: ESSS Aquatic Instructor Leadership, U423
Exercise Science and Sport Studies: ESSS Aquatics for Therapy/Rehabilitation, U424Exercise Science and Sport Studies: ESSS Sports Medicine, U421

Required: 125-128 semester hours, to include at least 36 hours at or above the 300 course level

Physical Education Teacher Education with K-12 Licensure, U409

Descriptions of ESS Concentrations

The Exercise Science and Sport Studies Fitness Leadership concentration is designed for students preparing for fitness leadership as a career and those preparing for graduate and professional programs related to exercise science, including occupational or physical therapy. A 6 semester hour internship, designed to provide practical experience in community settings appropriate for each student's career goals, is required.

The Exercise Science and Sport Studies Aquatics Leadership concentration is designed to provide entry-level professional preparation for students who will be competent to design, deliver and improve effective aquatics programs for a wide-range of community settings. There are two options in this program, Aquatic Instructional Leadership and Aquatics for Therapy/Rehabilitation. An internship placement, appropriate to each student's career goals, of either 3 or 6 semester hours, is required. There is a minimum overall GPA standard for entry into the aquatics internships.

The Exercise Science and Sport Studies Sports Medicine concentration provides a preprofessional program of study with a focus on exercise and sport science that also encompasses other fields of science (biology, chemistry, physics, health, nutrition, and pharmacology). This concentration is a first step toward a career in the field of sports medicine. After completing this program students will have the necessary academic and clinical experience to allow for future study in allied health fields. Examples include, but are not limited to, athletic training, physical therapy, occupational therapy, physician's assistant, podiatry, dentistry, and medicine.

The Physical Education Teacher Education concentration leads to licensure for teaching in North Carolina and most other states. The licensure program prepares a student to teach grades K-12. Throughout the program there are opportunities for observation, participation, assisting and "mini-teaching", and coaching experiences with public school students, including those with special needs. Also see Teacher Education Programs.