Graduates in Exercise Science will have the knowledge to prescribe exercise to a wide variety of populations and instruct the proper mechanics and techniques of movement. Students explore exercise and motor behavior form an interdisciplinary perspective both from within the Exercise Science program, the Wellness and Human Performance Center and across campus with courses in Anatomical Kinesiology, Biomechanics of Human Motion, Exercise Physiology, Nutrition, Biochemistry, Cell Biology, Sport Psychology, and Motor Learning. Practical application of the curriculum is enhanced through the Lab assignments, field work, and internship experiences.

Majors in the Exercise Science program are encouraged to gain additional experience through work-study jobs in aquatics, athletic events, intramurals, the weight room, and the SMSU Fitness Center and the Wellness and Human Performance Center. Our Exercise Science Club hosts conferences, and regional/national speakers. Students may also participate in state and national conventions, student research projects, and faculty-student mentorship.

Exercise Science students will develop skills in analyzing, assessing, and enhancing the aspects of human performance. In the biomechanics? lab, students learn about movement by using motion analysis software to record and store video sequences of human movement.?The computer then allows students to view the movement and analyze body positions frame-by-frame in addition to calculating specific joint angles and time-space relationships within the sequence. This technology greatly enhances the students? understanding of the laws of physics applied to the human body and the teaching implication to improve peak performance.

?In the exercise physiology labs students will gain valuable insight to the body?s response to exercise using treadmills, bicycle ergometers, and metabolic gas exchange technology. The Human Performance Lab focuses on cardiorespiratory assessments such as maxVO2 resting metabolic rate, and blood lactate response to intense exercise. These experiences will provide students with the knowledge to design effective training programs in strength, explosive power, cardiovascular endurance, and anaerobic capacity.?