Exercise Science
Whether you dream of becoming a personal trainer, physical therapist, or wellness coach, we'll equip you with cutting-edge knowledge of human movement, anatomy, and physiology. Dive into hands-on learning that prepares you to improve lives, promote longevity, and inspire others to achieve their best. Exercise science is the first step toward a dynamic career that combines science, health, and real-world impact.
- Degrees & Offerings
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- B.S.
- Location
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- Bloomsburg
- Lock Haven
- Department
- Program Contact
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Chair of the Department of Rehabilitation Sciences / Professor of Exercise Science
Unlock the Science of Human Performance
Exercise Science Program Overview
- Our exercise science bachelor's degree program prepares you for a wide range of careers in the dynamic field of wellness and fitness. This challenging and demanding program leads you to a future in corporate wellness, cardiac rehabilitation, health care, sports medicine, and research environments.
- Emphasis is on the interpreted aspects of wellness and fitness, gerontology, nutrition, stress management, alternative medicine and therapies and cardiac rehabilitation in a rapidly evolving professional field. Major national corporations and graduate programs actively recruit Commonwealth University students from this program.
- Upon completion of the program, you'll be eligible to take health and fitness certification examinations including the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) and the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA), as well as applying to graduate degree programs, such as the M.S. Athletic Training or M.S. Sport and performance Psychology Program.
- Commonwealth University provides exceptional, state-of-the-art facilities for the exercise science program. There are athletic training facilities, an exercise physiology lab, rehabilitation center, and gross human anatomy (cadaver dissection) lab.
- The Exercise Science program is accredited from the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education (CAAHEP), the Committee on Accreditation for the Exercise Sciences (CoAES), and is a National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) Education Recognition Program.
Courses and Curriculum
Our curriculum includes prerequisites for further education in many allied health fields such as Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Public Health, Chiropractic Medicine, Medicine, Strength & Conditioning, Physician’s Assistant, Accelerated Nursing, and Cardiovascular Technology, as well as further graduate study in all Exercise Science based programs. Our program is an interdisciplinary program based on the medical sciences. Required courses outside the department include those from biology, chemistry, physics, and mathematics.
Why Commonwealth?
Accreditation
The Commission on Accreditation of the Allied Health Education Programs is the largest programmatic accreditor of the health sciences professions.
Awards and Recognitions
NSCA Recognition
ERP distinguishes schools with standardized, approved strength, and conditioning or personal training curricula in undergraduate and graduate settings designed to prepare students for the NSCA-CPT® and CSCS® certifications.
Licensure and Certification
This program provides the theoretical background and practical experience needed for students pursuing national certifications offered by the American College of Sports Medicine and the National Strength and Conditioning Association.
ONWARD AND UPWARD
Careers
The versatility of exercise science enables you to direct your abilities and commitment to Cardiac Rehabilitation, Corporate Fitness and Wellness, Personal Training, Strength and Conditioning, Clinical Exercise Physiology, Health and Fitness Promotion, and many other careers dedicated to Health and Wellness. However, you cannot work as a physical education teacher, nutritionist, or dietician after completing this program. nutritionist or dietician after completing this program. You can meet the pre-requisite classes to go onto further study in these areas, but you will not be qualified to work in these fields with a Bachelor of Science in Exercise Science degree.
Potential Job Opportunities
- Personal Trainer
- Strength and Conditioning Coach
- Cardiac or Pulmonary Rehabilitation
- Physical Therapist
- Clinical Researcher
- Clinical Exercise Physiologist
- Health and Fitness Instructor
- Exercise Specialist
- Athletic Trainer
Exercise science grad reaps invaluable lessons from Buckeyes’ championship run
Experiencing the behind-the-scenes work of Ohio State’s strength and condition program gave Nolan Michaels '23 a plethora of lessons and key takeaways for his upcoming professional pursuits. Michaels admits though, the foundation for his career path — whether it leads to personal training, strength and conditioning, coaching, or physical education — was laid at Bloomsburg, where he also played four years as goalkeeper for the Huskies men’s soccer team. “From anatomy to exercise technique, continues to influence my daily coaching responsibilities,” Michaels said. “I often find myself going back to the fundamentals I learned in those classes when working with athletes, whether it’s understanding biomechanics, applying proper movement patterns, or designing effective training programs.”
Exercise Science Faculty
Andrea Fradkin
- Chair of the Department of Rehabilitation Sciences / Professor of Exercise Science
- Bloomsburg
Wendy Hoyt
- Clerical Assistant to the Exercise Science faculty
- Bloomsburg
Joseph Andreacci
- Exercise Science Graduate Program Coordinator, Professor of Exercise Science
- Bloomsburg
Kelly Dauber
- Assistant Professor of Exercise Science
- Bloomsburg
Brett Comstock
- Assistant Professor of Exercise Science
- Bloomsburg
Luke Haile
- Associate Professor
- Bloomsburg
Curt Dixon
- Professor of Health Science
- Lock Haven
Ashley Lesniak
- Associate Professor / CU-IRB Chair
- Lock Haven
Noah Wasielewski
- Assistant Professor of Exercise Science
- Bloomsburg
Brian J. Wilt
- Assistant Professor
- Lock Haven
Patricia Lally
- Professor
- Lock Haven
Applying to This Program
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Application Process
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