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Curriculum Details

Curriculum Details

124 TOTAL SEMESTER HOURS REQUIRED

EIGHT WEEK TERMS

TWO TERMS = ONE SEMESTER

Methodist University’s 100% online BS in Exercise & Sport Science offers a comprehensive exploration of topics including wellness, fitness, injury prevention, rehabilitation, nutrition in sports and health, strength and conditioning programs, human development and motor skills, and health promotion programs. Students benefit from asynchronous courses that allow them to study when and where it is most convenient for them.

In this program, students complete two required internship courses to gain practical experience in exercise and sport science under the guidance of field experts. To complete MU’s BS in Exercise & Sport Science, 124 credit hours are required. This includes 57 hours in the major.

Core Courses

This course is designed to provide students with the underlying principles of basic resistance training program design. It will also address proper resistance exercise techniques utilizing free-weights, variable resistance machines, body weight, elastic bands, and other forms of exercise to increase muscular endurance, strength, hypertrophy and power. Emphasis is placed on safety and effectiveness of movements.

This course is designed to expand student understanding about professional organizations, certifications, development opportunities and careers in the field of health sciences. Students will explore what is required to obtain certifications or degrees and gain insight into various regional and national organizations and conferences. This course will encourage students to create a plan for optimizing their college experience in and out of the classroom (i.e. clubs, majors, and minors) to put them in the best position for a future career.

This course aims to prepare students to read and understand research and the process required to investigate information prior to conducting their own research studies. Students practice combining information from existing research studies and properly citing those studies to effective reveal what is known and unknown about a topic.

Introduction and practice in immediate and temporary care of injuries and sudden illness. Emphasis is on CPR and management of common sudden illnesses such as asthma, allergic reactions, burns, joint and skeletal injuries, and bleeding and wound management. Students seeking First Aid/CPR/AED certification will be asked to pay a small additional fee.

This course introduces students to the fundamental concepts of nutrition, including, but not limited to: (a) the functions of macronutrients and micronutrients, (b) daily recommendations (c) impacts of nutrition on body composition, (d) the importance of hydration and electrolyte balance, (e) how to create and sustain healthy diets throughout a lifespan, and (f) health and performance complications associated with unhealthy eating patterns.

This course investigates tissue, healing, mechanisms of injury, immediate injury care, the need for referral for various orthopedic and non-orthopedic conditions, and the need for planning for emergency and non-emergency events.
Prerequisite: KIN 2170

This course is part of a two-course sequence designed to prepare students with basic knowledge of human anatomy and body systems. The emphasis of this course will on identification and description of the body’s internal and external structures and their relationships.

This course is part of a two-course sequence designed to prepare students with knowledge of human physiology and body systems. The emphasis of this course will be on the interdependent nature of our anatomic structures and their various processes.
Prerequisite: KIN 2850

This is a foundational course designed to teach students how anatomy affects movement of the human body. The course will emphasize surface anatomy and the musculoskeletal system including various structures, functions, and mechanics of the human body.
Prerequisite: KIN 2850

Each student, in consultation with the instructor will arrange an internship at a departmentally approved venue. A minimum of 100 hours in the field will be required (Juniors or above).

This course will examine the effects of both acute and chronic exercise on basic physiological processes. More specifically the course covers (a) basic metabolic processes occurring at rest and during exercise; (b) dynamics of muscular contraction and circulation; (c) the relationship of nutrition to physical performance; and (d) effects of age, environment, and gender of physical activity.
Prerequisite: BIO 2110/3060 and BIO 2120/3080, or KIN 2850 and 2860, or permission of the instructor

This course prepares students to effectively participate in the process of measurement and evaluation with regards to their respective fields. Students will emphasize characteristics of reliable and valid measurement and evaluations processes in the psychomotor, cognitive, and affective domains. Students will participate in learning opportunities that develop their abilities search for credible sources of assessments, administer protocols and procedures to promote quality data collection efforts, descriptively analyze quantitative data utilizing Excel, create cognitive tests, and understand how the incorporation of technology improves the measurement and evaluation process.
Prerequisite: Completion of MAT 1050 or higher or permission of the instructor

In this course students examine how thoughts and emotions impacts performance and how performance impacts thoughts and emotions. Students will explore personality, motivation, confidence, fear of failure, burnout, injury, decision making, team cohesion, leadership and more. We will delve into theories that best explains individual choices, responses, and behaviors, as well as practical strategies for improving performance and satisfaction in sport and exercise.
Prerequisite: Recommended junior level standing

In this course students will learn the application of anatomy and mechanics in relation to the human body. They will also learn the kinematic and kinetic principles and be able to apply these to sport and exercise. Students will have the opportunity to analyze the biomechanics of movement.
Prerequisites: MAT 1050 and higher and KIN 2900 or instructor permission

The purpose of this course is to gain an understanding of the fundamental processes underlying learning and performing motor skills. Students will gain an understanding of how practice and experience can have a relatively permanent improvement on skill acquisition.
Prerequisite: Recommended junior level standing

Students will learn the philosophical and methodological bases for organizing and administering exercise science, recreation, athletic, and sports related programs, including introduction to the use of relevant computer applications.

This course involves evaluation of health behaviors and risk factors, conducting fitness assessments, writing appropriate exercise prescriptions, and motivating individuals to modify negative habits and maintain a lifestyle that promotes personal health and fitness. This course is also intended to cover the essentials of personal training to prepare a student who is interested in becoming an ACSM Certified Personal Trainer.
Prerequisite: KIN 3040 or permission of the instructor

In this course students will be taught the following: (a) proper lifting techniques; (b) how to strengthen major muscle groups; (c) how to develop speed, agility, and endurance; and (d) how to obtain and maintain a high level of fitness while executing quality workouts. This course is intended to cover the essentials of strength training and conditioning to prepare a student for becoming a NSCA Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist.
Prerequisite: KIN 3040 or permission of the instructor

This course covers the scientific foundations of conditioning, utilizing a life-span approach to help students promote exercise for all population. Students will be exposed to tests generally performed in both clinical and applied fitness settings.

A focus of this course is on the impact certain chronic diseases have on one’s ability to be physically active and how exercise can be prescribed to treat such conditions.
Prerequisites: KIN 3040 or permission of instructor

This course is designed to address intersectionality in exercise and sport. The content of the course will aid students in gaining a greater understanding of psychological and sociocultural constructs and their application to coaching, health, exercise, and physical activity settings.

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