Exercise & Sports Studies

D'Youville's Exercise & Sports Studies program builds on a tradition of educational excellence in the liberal arts and allied health professions.

Pursue your love of sports and fitness with a bachelor's degree in Exercise & Sports Studies.

D'Youville's Exercise & Sports Studies (ESS) program prepares students to understand the various dimensions of the health professions, fitness industry, and/or competitive athletics. With a degree in ESS, you can enter directly into the fitness industry or pursue advanced graduate degrees in a number of fields.

The program builds on D'Youville's tradition of educational excellence in the liberal arts and current strengths in the allied health professions such as nutrition and, dietetics, chiropractic, and physical therapy.

Meet Our Exercise & Sports Studies Faculty

Pathways to Earn a Degree

D'Youville offers 4-degree pathways to earn a Bachelor of Science degree in exercise and sports studies:

Exercise Studies Track

  • Learn the health and fitness aspects of the exercise sciences. Prepare for a career in the fitness industry such as strength and conditioning, or personal training.

Sports Studies Track

  • Learn the social, psychological, business, and management aspects of the sports and fitness industries. Prepare for a career in sports and fitness management and administration, or coaching.

Pre-Physical Track

  • Enter the combined degree program as a freshman and graduate in six years with a bachelor's degree in ESS and a doctor of physical therapy degree. This track features direct entry into the Physical Therapy program upon successful completion of the B.S. in ESS. You will not need to compete for entry into the doctoral program as long as you maintain an overall GPA of 3.0 and B or better and a 3.2 GPA in all DPT prerequisite courses.

Pre-Chiropractic Track

  • Enter the combined degree program as a freshman and graduate in six years with a bachelor’s degree in ESS and a doctor of chiropractic degree.  This track features direct entry into the Chiropractic program upon successful completion of the B.S. in ESS.  You will not need to compete for entry into the doctoral program as long as you maintain an overall GPA of 2.5 GPA and 3.0 GPA in all Chiropractic prerequisite courses.

 

Four-Year Bachelor's Degree

Our online application is free and easy to submit.

Mission

The undergraduate Exercise and Sports Studies (ESS) program prepares students with the necessary academic knowledge and skills to excel in careers in the health and fitness industry, the allied health professions, and the multifaceted sports industry.

Through a comprehensive and diverse portfolio of courses that encompass the liberal arts, specialized content-specific coursework, and applied internship experiences, the ESS program prepares each student to excel in careers that are meaningful and stimulating. 

Above and beyond professional career preparation, the ESS program is also designed to prepare students for graduate-level study in academic areas encompassing the Exercise Sciences and Allied Health Professions. The ESS program is tailored to prepare students for various credential exams.

Student Learning Outcomes

Student learning outcomes for the four-year B.S. degree in ESS are as follows:

  • Understand ESS credentialing, certification, and career options available upon graduation.
  • Demonstrate an understanding of human anatomy, physiology, and metabolism within the physically active population.
  • Understand basic principles of human biomechanics and its relationship to exercise selection, execution, injury prevention, and athletic performance.
  • Understand acute responses and chronic adaptations to exercise stress, and the implications for health and athletic performance.
  • Explain how nutritional factors affect health, fitness, and athletic performance.

  • Understand the role that physical activity has on chronic, lifestyle disease prevention, mortality, and morbidity.

  • Identify contraindications and risks to exercise among the physically active, as well as methods for screening and identification.
  • Describe, execute, and evaluate resistance, cardiovascular, flexibility, and plyometric exercises.
  • Demonstrate knowledge of commonly administered physical fitness and exercise tests
  • Design individualized and specific training programs that maximize performance and health through various methods of exercise prescription and program design.
  • Understand the components of safe and effective exercise and/or athletic facilities.
  • Understand the basic legal principles of sport and physical activity and develop risk management strategies aimed at increasing safety and minimizing liability

  • Apply basic theories of exercise psychology, behavior modification, and leadership within exercise, sport, or fitness settings.

  • Explore the degrees offered at D'Youville. Find a program that will lead to your success in the classroom and after graduation.

  • Visit to learn more about our exceptional academic programs. Take a campus tour and meet faculty and students. Maybe sit in on a class.

  • With our centrally-located student centers, answers are always nearby — whether you're ready to enroll are about to enter your career.

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