Undergraduate Degree: Minors Offered: Pre-PT, Pre-OT, Sports Medicine, Corporate & Community Fitness |
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Program Overview: MSUM's undergraduate degree in exercise science is regarded as one of top programs in the country. The program emphasizes student-acquisition of scientific foundations and competency-based clinical skill preparation for a variety of fields in exercise science and sports medicine. Students can select from a series of ancillary courses supporting various minors and pre-requisites for allied health graduate programs. The program also prepares students for certifications offered by the National Strength & Conditioning Association and the American College of Sports Medicine. Outcome-Based Laboratory Experiences: All laboratory experiences were conceived using the most up-to-date research and technology in exercise science. Sample experiences include: HP 348 Structural Kinesiology & Biomechanics: comprehensive set of laboratories exposing students to the principles governing skeletal muscle contractions along with a series of assignments where bony segments are digitized in the human performance computer laboratory to produce linear and angular kinematic and kinetic analyses (shown below). |
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| HP 414 Physiology of Exercise: comprehensive set of laboratories exposing students to metabolic, cardiovascular, and thermoregulatory responses to exercise. Several laboratories also expose students to concepts in skeletal muscle physiology. | |
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Clinically-Relevant Courses: The curriculum includes a series of courses specifically designed to train students in the practical applications of exercise science. Sample courses include: HP 439 Nutrition for Physical Activity and Sport: this is course conceived and team- taught by professors from the Departments of Human Performance and Family Consumer Science. Students learn the skills for conducting and interpreting computerized dietary analyses, assessments of resting energy expenditure, and techniques of body composition analysis. |
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| HP 456 Athletic Testing & Conditioning: this course prepares students in the procedures for conducting comprehensive testing of athletes and evaluating test data with computer spreadsheets. The course prepares students on how to teach explosive lifts and conditioning drills and how to structure a periodized exercise program. Throughout the course, students complete a study notebook preparing them to challenge the Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist examination offered by the National Strength & Conditioning Association. | |
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HP 466 Graded Exercise Testing & Exercise Prescription: this course trains students on the procedures for conducting a health appraisal along with how to properly administer a variety of graded exercise testing protocols. The course prepares students with the knowledge and skills to develop exercise prescriptions in accordance with guidelines established jointly by the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) and the American Heart Association. This course prepares students for the ACSM Health Fitness Specialist certification. |
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Course Bulletin and Suggested Sequences: The following course sequences are suggested guidelines; however, students are responsible for completing all requirements as described in the course bulletin (Click HERE for pdf). Students occasionally deviate from recommended sequences based upon course time-conflicts, outside obligations, and requirements for minors. Typical interest areas for majors in exercise science include: Pre-PT/Pre-OT: Physical therapy (PT) and occupational therapy (OT) are common career goals for students in our program. Our graduates have an ongoing reputation for gaining admission to the top PT/OT programs in the region. The program supports a Pre-PT/Pre- OT student club and interested students should contact the club adviser, Dr. Mary Visser (mary.visser@mnsu.edu). Click HERE for an advising sheet. Pre-Clinical Exercise Physiology: Students of our undergraduate program have an excellent opportunity to prepare for advanced training and graduate study in clinical exercise physiology given our department offers two different graduate tracts in exercise science. As a result, students have access to advanced clinical-related courses that are normally unavailable at the undergraduate level (e.g., HP 483 Cardiac Rehabilitation, BIOL 417 Biology Aging and Chronic Diseases, BIOL 433 Cardiovascular Physiology). Students have access to internships with the university's adult fitness program ( Heart Plus ) along with local facilities (e.g., ISJ-Mayo Health System). Students interested in a career in clinical exercise physiology should contact Dr. Lance Dalleck (lance.dalleck@mnsu.edu). Click HERE for an advising sheet. Strength Training & Conditioning (Sports Medicine Minor): Strength & Conditioning professionals attain employment with Health Clubs, Speed and Strength Training Facilities, High School/College Sports programs, and with various professional sports teams and organizations. The University's Exercise Science program is one of the few programs regionally that is officially recognized by the National Strength & Conditioning Association as meeting all of it educational standards. Students interesting in a career in strength training & conditioning should contact Dr. Bob Pettitt (robert.pettitt@mnsu.edu). Click HERE for an advising sheet. Corporate & Community Fitness (Minor): The minor in corporate & community fitness is tract designed for individuals not majoring in exercise science who envision being employed in a corporate and community fitness facilities. The minor is typically declared by majors in athletic training; sports management; family consumer science; community health; or recreation, parks, & leisure studies. Student interested in this minor should contact Dr. Mary Visser (mary.visser@mnsu.edu). Internship Requirements: Internships are a required integral component to develop students for professional careers in a variety exercise, fitness, and wellness-related fields. Students should identify a prospective internship venue and supervisor including contact information. The student should then draft two to four learning objectives they seek to gain from their internship experience. This information is then brought to a faculty member in exercise science, and pending approval, the student will be given electronic access to register for either HP 492 or HP 496 in their schedule. Corporate & Community Fitness/Wellness Exercise Science Major 50 hours = 1 credit hour Pre-PT and Pre-OT minors Students minoring in Pre-PT or Pre-OT may use observations hours toward their internship experience; however, experience in a separate field is strongly encouraged. |
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Facilities: We proudly offer one the top human performance research laboratories in the region. Our laboratories are equipped to conduct comprehensive metabolic, cardiovascular, body composition, and biomechanical analyses. Key equipment includes: |
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Metabolic Analysis Cardiovascular Analysis Body Composition Analysis Biomechanical Analysis
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Scholarships/Research Support: Our department has a long tradition of supporting student learning through research. Numerous scholarships and funds have been established to support scholarly work. These include: Endowed Scholarships Colonel Emma E. Vogel Scholarship Vi Holbrook Scholarship Wendy and Kent Kalm Exercise Science/Athletic Training Scholarship Undergraduate Research Support Fund |
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Research: Our laboratories support several lines of on-going research in exercise science and sports medicine. Faculty have published recently in such journals as: International Journal of Exercise Science
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Faculty (2009-10) Lance Dalleck, PhD Theresa Mackey, EdD, ATC, ATR Robert W. Pettitt, PhD, ATC, CSCS Patrick J. Sexton, EdD, ATC, ATR, CSCS Mary F. Visser, PhD Graduate Assistants |
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