Exercise Science
Like a lot of students, Morgan Webber had dreams of going to medical school. So, she automatically chose to major in biology. Then, a friend introduced her to the exercise science major and she realized how appealing those classes were. “I checked it out, made the change and it’s been amazing ever since.”
“When I first got into this major, I was still interested in medical school, and I knew the curriculum would give me all the courses I needed to be a competitive applicant,” Morgan explains. “But gradually, my focus changed, and I’m more interested in nursing or perhaps physical therapy.”
That change came about in part due to a couple of courses that Morgan took in exercise science – physiology and human anatomy. “Those are both challenging courses, but they’re really interesting as well, and studying that material made me reconsider my future. I’ve learned that with this background, I’ll be able to help people almost as much as I could if I were to go to med school.”
Morgan – who is also a stalwart on the College’s Division I golf team – took a class on sports nutrition. “I really loved that class. Actually, so many of the classes I’ve taken in this major have been great. One of the cool things is that it’s a relatively small program so you tend to get to know most of the people who are in it, and that includes the professors. It’s sort of a family atmosphere.”
Working with one professor, Morgan set up an independent study that enabled her to combine her sport and her major. “Another athlete and I are monitoring our caloric expenditures and our heart rates during a round of golf. This project is cool because there’s not a lot of research that exists regarding golfers. Also, I love that we get to go into the lab and actually see what our VO2 max is (maximal oxygen uptake). It seems like we’re always learning something new in this program. And it’s much more diverse than anyone would imagine. For me, it’s really the perfect major."
Contact Information
Susan Rozzi
program director
Department of Health
and Human Performance
843.953.7163
Our program provides a broad background in exercise science, including opportunities for hands-on experience in the field. Many majors enroll in graduate or professional school and pursue exercise physiology, biomechanics, motor behavior, sports psychology, physical therapy or occupational therapy. Others ultimately work in medicine, dentistry, massage therapy, nursing, and medical equipment and pharmaceutical sales.
❱❱ Faculty expertise ranges broadly from biomechanics to exercise physiology, strength and conditioning, exercise immunology and kinesiology.
❱❱ Students participate in independent studies and mentored research.
❱❱ 2,500-sq.-ft. human performance lab with state-of-the-art equipment