Kinesiology and Integrative Physiology

Exercise Science Bachelor's Degree

Exercise Your Passion for the Health Sciences

Empower others. Restore physiological health. Promote overall wellness. Manage chronic conditions. Advance preventative care.

Michigan Tech’s Bachelor of Science in Exercise Science will provide you with a strong scientific foundation with an eye toward disease and injury prevention.

There is a critical need for healthcare providers trained to help people manage chronic conditions and address lifestyle-related epidemics, such as obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and cancer. The professionals on the front lines of advancing preventative care include physical therapists, chiropractors, physicians, and personal trainers.

As an exercise science major, you will be exceptionally prepared for any health or allied health career pathway. Our versatile degree supports a wide range of professional interests, including coaching people in achieving their individual fitness, nutritional, or athletic goals; rehabilitating patients with injuries or physical conditions; treating and preventing disease through traditional or alternative medicine; and many other career aspirations.

Pre-Health Professions Pathway for Exercise Science Majors

Approximately 70 percent of our exercise science graduates go on to a professional program in graduate education within the health sciences. Our exercise science graduates have a 95 percent placement rate into physical therapy school and a 90 percent placement rate into medical school. Allocate your free electives to a pre-health minor and prepare for admission into health professional programs.

Exercise science majors with a pre-health minor can take advantage of Michigan Tech's many professional program partnerships. For instance, you can earn your Doctorate in Physical Therapy from Central Michigan University. If medical school is your goal, you can receive an earlier decision when you apply to Michigan State University's College of Human Medicine through Tech's Early Assurance Program.

Some of the career options our exercise science graduates pursue are:

  • Athletic Training
  • Chiropractic Medicine
  • Medicine
  • Occupational Therapy
  • Physical Therapy
  • Physician Assistant
  • Sports Psychology

Earn a Master’s Degree in Just One Extra Year

Highly motivated students can earn an accelerated master’s degree in kinesiology in as little as one additional year of study beyond their bachelor’s. Accelerated master’s students graduate prepared for various careers in kinesiology that require advanced training, such as in industry, teaching, independent research, or continued graduate work.

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  • 95%
    placement rate for graduates into physical therapy school
  • 90%
    placement rate for graduates into medical school
  • 15
    maximum class size in advanced level major courses
  • Top 20
    Best Public College in the US (The Wall Street Journal, 2024)

Tomorrow Needs Exercise Science Professionals

Kick-start your career. Healthcare professionals on the front lines of advancing preventative care include physical therapists, chiropractors, physicians, and personal trainers. A bachelor's degree in exercise science from Michigan Tech opens doors. In our rigorous program—oriented toward science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education—you will explore the disciplines that underpin human physiology, the mechanics of human movement, motor learning, and more. After graduating, you'll be ready for what tomorrow needs.

Be Career Ready

Career Opportunities for Exercise Science Majors

While most students majoring in exercise science go on to health professional programs after graduation, approximately 30 percent of our exercise science graduates go directly into the workforce after completing their bachelor's degree (additional certification may be required). Some of the careers open to you with a BS in Exercise Science include:

  • Athletic Coaching
  • Cardiac Rehabilitation
  • Fitness Coordination
  • Massage Therapy
  • Medical Technology
  • Personal Training
  • Respiratory or Cardiopulmonary Therapy
  • Sports Nutrition

Companies Hiring Michigan Tech Exercise Science Majors

This is just a few of the companies who have hired our graduates:

  • Aspirus Medical Group
  • Centura Health
  • Concordia University-St. Paul
  • Denver Nuggets
  • Detroit Red Wings
  • Lake Superior State University
  • Mayo Clinic
  • Medical College of Wisconsin
  • San Diego State University
  • University of Connecticut 
  • UP Health System

Ready to take the next step?

Learn more about studying exercise science at Michigan's flagship technological university.

Watch Ella House video
Preview image for Ella House video

Ella House

Undergrad, Exercise Science
"Tech is great because it's big enough that you're always meeting new people, but it's small enough that you get to see familiar faces on a day-to-day basis. ... There's an activity for just about anyone here, with all of the clubs that we have and everything in the surrounding area."Ella House

Study Exercise Science at a Technological University

As an exercise science student at Michigan Tech, you will build knowledge and research foundations required to succeed in kinesiology and exercise science. Our human health, body-centered curriculum integrates rigorous learning with high-impact clinical and applied experiences to prepare students for advanced health-professional education.

  • Get personalized attention: With a student-to-faculty ratio of 5:1, our smaller department ensures your academic advisors and professors know you and understand your interests and needs.
  • Engage in research: Become involved in a research project under the direction of a faculty member. Whether you are planning to go to graduate school or pursue a graduate health career, one of the factors that gives our undergraduate students an edge is the opportunity to engage in research and gain hands-on experience with state-of-the-art instrumentation. 
  • Jump-start your career: Working one-on-one with your advisor, understand how to develop your career path, from student internships to post-graduation employment. Develop a network of professional contacts and presentation/interview skills at industry conferences and events. Our undergraduates also complete an internship before their senior year—and it’s another reason why our graduates' placement rate into physical therapy and medical school exceeds 90 percent.
  • Get engaged: Pursue your interest in exercise science by getting involved with the Enterprise Program—teams of undergraduate students working on real-world products and research for industry (the H-STEM Enterprise is popular with exercise science majors!). Or, get involved with any number of student organizations—including over 70 sports clubs, the Pre-Health Association, and more.

Undergraduate Majors in Kinesiology and Integrative Physiology

Not sure which major is the right fit? No problem.
Just declare the General Sciences and Arts major, give yourself time, and decide when you arrive on campus. To learn more speak to an academic advisor.

Undergraduate Minors and Certificates

Want a future career in medicine? A minor in Pre-Health prepares you for graduate school. Want to find out how everyone's health is interdependent? A minor in Public Health is available for our students across many disciplines. Want to become a coach? Gain practical coaching experience through our coaching fundamentals minor or coaching certificate. You can declare a major anytime, but it is recommended you begin your minor studies as early as possible in your academic career. To learn more, speak to an academic advisor.

Student Learning Goals

When you complete our Bachelor of Science in Exercise Science degree program, you can expect to graduate with the following:

  • Fundamental knowledge of the sciences which comprise the field: motor behavior, biomechanics of human movement, exercise physiology, and exercise psychology.
  • Fundamental knowledge in the scientific areas of biology, anatomy, physiology, and biomechanics.
  • Cultural awareness of differences and sensitivity to varying cultural beliefs, learning styles, cultural backgrounds, and diverse physical, emotional, and personal goals and needs.
  • Well-developed critical-thinking and problem-solving abilities.
  • Well-developed oral and written communication skills.
  • Understanding of the rules of scientific writing, plagiarism, citation, and literature review.
  • Fundamental knowledge of current technologies and the ability to adapt their uses in a lab/classroom setting.
  • Knowledge necessary to address and act on moral, ethical, and legal questions.

Tomorrow Needs You

Supercharge your human health skills to meet the demands of an increasingly active and aging society at a flagship public research university powered by science, technology, engineering, and math.