Careers in exercise allow professionals to work with clients in a group or individual setting. Exercise professionals use tools to lower health risk, rehabilitate patients from injury, and improve muscular function. The United States Department of Labor expects a 29 percent increase in employment for fitness trainers and aerobics instructors from 2008 to 2018. Schools throughout the country offer study in exercise science ranging from bachelors to doctorate level programs.
What Is Exercise Science?
According to the American College of Sports Medicine, exercise science is the study of movement and the associated functional responses and adaptations. The exercise scientist has the job of understanding the scientific basis behind exercise-induced responses in the body. Exercise science is a broad field and scientific study ranges from the effect of certain diseases on the body during exercise to the factory worker and how he/she can work more efficiently while avoiding injury. Exercise scientists often partner with dietitians, physicians, and other health professionals to improve the performance of the individual as a whole.
Bachelor's Degree in Exercise Science
A bachelor of science in exercise science is a degree program that focuses on anatomy, physiology, kinesiology, and biochemisty of human movement. These principles are also applied to exercise and it's relation to therapeutic rehabilitation. Some programs of study require a three-month or longer internship at a health or fitness facility. Upon completion of the bachelors of science degree program, individuals can work as personal trainers, group fitness instructors, and in corporate fitness settings.
Master's Degree in Exercise Science
Students that pursue a master's degree program in exercise science hold bachelors degrees in varied fields. Master's degree programs build on bachelors level study with the goal of teaching students to promote physical wellness in a variety of settings. Length of master's degree programs range from one to two years of study. Most programs require completion of a thesis or non-thesis option. Individuals with a master's degree in exercise science often work in clinical settings such as cardiac rehabilitation, hospitals, and exercise stress testing clinics. Personal trainer, exercise science teacher, group fitness instructor, and public health professional are also viable career options after obtaining a master's degree.
Doctoral Degree in Exercise Science
The PhD program in exercise science prepares students for research careers in exercise science. Graduates of doctoral programs are trained for entry into university, college, research institutes, research-oriented governmental settings, and research-oriented clinical settings.
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