Exercise Science Major
Format: In person on the Statesboro Campus
Credit Hours: 124
Georgia Southern University’s Exercise Science degree program focuses on the study of how exercise relates to the body anatomically, biomechanically, neurologically, physiologically and psychologically.
Complete your degree in as little as 4 years!
The Exercise Science program prepares you for employment in fitness centers, research laboratories or as an exercise technician in a cardiac rehabilitation center. Our curriculum provides an excellent foundation for students who are interested in pursuing graduate degrees in movement-based fields as well as for those students who wish to pursue a professional degree in medicine or in the rehabilitation sciences, such as physical or occupational therapy.
Through guided electives, students can personalize their course of study in allied health and graduate school, inclusive physical activity, fitness and wellness management, sport performance, and/or tactical strength and conditioning.
Interested in a minor in Exercise Science?
The Exercise Science minor is open to any student interested in exercise science.
Ready to Apply?
Or, you can:
Exercise Science Internships
Internship Resources
- HSK Exercise Science Types of Experiential Learning
- HSK Exercise Science Internship Manual
- HSK Exercise Science Internship Roles and Responsibilities
- Where to Obtain CPR/AED Certifications
Appling for an Exercise Science Internship for Academic Credit
- Internship Application (Completed by Student)
- WCHP Current Student Resources (Student Liability Insurance)
- Internship Placement Agreement (Completed by Site Supervisor)
MOU Information
This list includes all sites for which GS Waters College of Health Professions currently has an active, fully executed Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) in place to facilitate student internships and clinical rotations. The list is intended to be used by students as a resource to identify a potential site of interest for their internship hours. For example, a student from Atlanta may wish to locate a site within the Atlanta area. After reviewing the list, students should discuss the options with their program coordinator for planning purposes. Students should NOT contact a site directly.
MOU Request/Renewal Form
MOU Request/Renewal Form (Faculty and Staff use only)
Faculty and staff please contact Jennifer Hoopes at 912-344-2565 with any questions regarding the MOU Request/Renewal Form. Students needing access to the form need to contact their clinical coordinator.
Student Learning Outcomes
Upon graduation, exercise science students will be able to:
- Demonstrate basic knowledge of human movement
- Demonstrate knowledge of effective analysis of kinesiology concepts
- Demonstrate skill in applied kinesiology
- Demonstrate tolerance and understanding of diverse populations
- Demonstrate a responsible sense of citizenship, professional attitude and ethical behavior
Ultimately, you’re able to exercise effective problem-solving techniques and intelligent decision-making skills in the classroom, clinical settings and the real world.
Exercise Science Careers
Exercise Science B.S.K. career opportunities can include:
- Performing fitness evaluations and exercise prescriptions in private or corporate fitness centers
- Working in industrial fitness settings
- Assisting with cardiac rehabilitation in hospitals
- Working as a strength and conditioning (CSCS) assistant with athletic populations
- Serving as tactical strength and conditioning assistant with the military, local law enforcement and related agencies.
Students at Georgia Southern are prepared for diverse career opportunities. After completing our curriculum, you can pursue your interests in the real world. Additionally, you will be prepared for graduate or professional school training. Our exercise science major supports applications to physical therapy, occupational therapy, physician assistant and medical school.
For more information, please see the American College of Sports Medicine’s career guide.
Meet Our Board Members
Purpose
The purpose of the Exercise Science Advisory Board is to help direct the evolution of the curriculum to meet better or exceed the evolving needs of the workforce and our academic accreditors.
External Advisory Board Members
| Hannah Beggs Statesboro Family YMCA  | Hannah Beggs grew up in Lincolnton, GA, but adopted Statesboro as home after attending Georgia Southern where she studied Exercise Science. She started at the Statesboro Family YMCA teaching Group Fitness in 2017. In 2020, Hannah was promoted to Fitness and Membership Director where she started programs such as: Women on Weights, Livestrong, and Parent’s Night Out. In 2022, Hannah was promoted to Executive Branch Director. Hannah is passionate about the community of Statesboro and works hard to do everything that she can to help make the community the best it can be. She has been in the Dancing with the Statesboro Stars in 2021 and 2022. Hannah has also won the 20 under 40 Leadership award in 2022 with the Statesboro Herald. Hannah says that she loves to meet others and establish partnerships with the community alongside the YMCA. She is married to Ben Beggs and has two dogs at home. In her free time, she enjoys lifting weights, reading, baking, and playing the ukulele. Hannah is ecstatic for her new role at the Statesboro Family YMCA and is planning a lot of growth that will impact the Statesboro Community. |
| Bryan Realiza East Georgia Regional Hospital  | Originally from the Philippines, Bryan Realiza (RE-uh-LEASE-uh) is the Centers of Excellence Accreditation Manager at East Georgia Regional Medical Center. He is currently pursuing his Ph.D. in Healthcare Administration. He obtained his Bachelors of Science in Kinesiology from Georgia Southern University and his Masters of Business Administration and Masters of Healthcare Administration from South University. He is also a graduate of Ogeechee Technical College’s Cardiac Ultrasound Echocardiography program, where he currently serves as secretary of the Echocardiography Program’s Advisory Board. This is Bryan’s eighth year working at East Georgia Regional Medical Center and his fifth year working in Quality Management and Survey Readiness Team. Bryan has successfully assisted over 13 hospital inspections and site surveys throughout his career. In 2019, he led the hospital’s efforts in obtaining their inaugural Chest Pain Center designation through the American College of Cardiology. In 2020, he successfully led the hospital in achieving their in inaugural Primary Stroke Center certification through The Joint Commission. In 2022, Bryan led the hospital to achieve their inaugural designation as a Level 2 Emergency Cardiac Care Center through the Georgia Department of Public Health. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Bryan also took on the role as PPE Conservation and Development Coordinator where he coordinated creative efforts to protect staff from COVID exposure. Bryan is also southeast Georgia’s stroke councilman for the Georgia Department of Public Health’s Region 9 Trauma & EMS Council. In 2018, Bryan was recognized as an “up and coming” young professional in the “Statesboro Herald’s 20 Under 40” and alumnus of the Leadership Bulloch class of 2022. Outside of the hospital, Bryan volunteers for a few local charities. He is the current Board Chair for the Statesboro YMCA. He has also volunteered his time at Safe Haven, as a choreographer and professional dancer for “Dancing with the Statesboro Stars.” Bryan is a former Head Coach of the Georgia Southern University Dance Team from 2011-2015. He also travels across the nation as a judge and emcee for Fusion National Dance Competition. |
| Colin Butler Aquila Fitness Consulting/Foxy Grandpa Fitness, LLC  | A Double Eagle (2013, 2019), Colin Butler completed his Bachelor of Science in Nutrition & Food Science and spent two years as a food scientist making products for Dunkin, Publix, and Panera before returning to Georgia Southern University and earning a Master of Science in Kinesiology with a Sports Nutrition Concentration. While teaching physical education classes at Georgia Southern, he was a volunteer Strength & Conditioning Coach with the football team and helped start the GATA Fuel program. Following graduation and further employment in Atlanta, he moved to Salem, Massachusetts where he continued working as a food scientist making cookies for Whole Foods. While in Massachusetts, he started working as a personal trainer at the local YMCA in his spare time. He quickly realized that personal training was his passion and moved back to Atlanta to pursue it full time. He has stayed with Aquila ever since and simultaneously worked as a Wellness Coordinator with NextEra Energy in Jupiter, Florida. Currently, he is the Assistant Health & Fitness Coordinator with Aquila Fitness Consulting Systems, Ltd. in Atlanta, Georgia where he oversees the Personal & Small Group Training Program and internship program with the federal government. He is the owner of Foxy Grandpa Fitness, LLC where he trains active-aging clients and writes fitness content for the BreatheStrong+ program with the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. He is currently a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist with the NSCA, a certified Group Exercise Instructor with credentials in “Exercise Is Medicine” through ACSM, and a Schwinn Indoor Cycle Instructor. His advice to current exercise science students is to get as much “time under the bar” as you can, learn to coach and give verbal cues as early as possible, and practice relationship building while you’re still in school. Lifestyle Program Internship The Lifestyle Program Internship is a 150-hour internship with an emphasis on practical programming, relationship building, and learning how to effectively coach resistance training exercises during personal training sessions. You will also learn how to put together and conduct group exercise classes, work with the three most common special populations: active aging, obese, and pre- and post-pregnancy. Our program also covers resume writing and establishing your own business. |
| Jason Wolfe Fit Statesboro  | Jason Wolfe is a certified Strength and Conditioning Coach, graduating from Georgia Southern in 2011 with a Master’s in Exercise Science. Jason interned at Southern’s Strength and Conditioning facility during his two years in the graduate program and opened Fit Statesboro upon graduating. Jason has experience in training himself and others in Olympic Lifting, Powerlifting, Crosstraining, and Athletic Development. Jason has hosted 20+ Exercise Science interns and routinely provides space to Georgia Southern’s Powerlifting Club. Jason routinely holds powerlifting and strength competitions at Fit Statesboro in addition to credentialing workshops (e.g., USA Weightlifting). |
| Vic Zuege Federal Law Enforcement Training Center  | Vic Zuege is a retired Special Agent for the United States Air Force Office of Special Investigations (OSI). During his 22-year career, he served in several fitness and control tactics roles for U.S. and foreign military/police entities. In 2016, after retirement, Vic remained at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC), serving as a Senior Instructor within Physical Techniques Division (PTD). Vic earned his master’s degree in Sports and Health Science in 2020 and incorporated methodologies, programs, and theories from academia into the PTD curriculum. |
| Daniel Wedding Savannah Christian Preparatory School  | Daniel Wedding is the Director of Strength and Conditioning for Savannah Christian Preparatory School athletics. Coach Wedding is in his ninth year as a strength and conditioning coach. He had spent numerous years at NCAA Division I and II universities as well as the highly competitive high schools in the states of Ohio and Georgia. Daniel’s academic background includes a Bachelor’s in Sports Science and a Master’s in Sport Management. He holds the CSCS from NSCA, USAW Level 1 Sports Performance coach, FRC from Functional Range Conditioning. He also taught part time in the Kinesiology department at Youngstown State University while serving on their Exercise Science Curriculum board. He is currently an internship supervisor with Georgia Southern University and serves on their Exercise Science advisory board. His advice to upcoming students in the Exercise Science profession is to take pride in your profession. Pour in time outside of the classroom to develop themselves physically and mentally to serve others through their chosen avenue of Exercise Science! |
Internal Advisory Board Members
| Justine Coleman (Undergraduate Exercise Science Co-Coordinator) |
| Rebecca Collins (Undergraduate Exercise Science Co-Coordinator) |
| Nick J. Siekirk (Undergraduate Exercise Science Co-Coordinator) |
| Samuel Wilson (Graduate Exercise Science Coordinator) |
Want more information? Contact us!
Justine Coleman
Telephone: 912-478-0775
Email: jbcoleman@georgiasouthern.edu
Becca Collins
Telephone: 912-478-2543
Email: rriggs@georgiasouthern.edu
Professional License Disclosure
The Department of Health Sciences and Kinesiology anticipates that graduates of this program will be eligible to seek professional certification by American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) as a Certified Exercise Physiologist (EP-C) plus additional certification(s): ACSM/NCPAD – Certified Inclusive Fitness Trainer (CIFT); ACSM – Certified Personal Trainer (CPT), and ACSM Group Fitness Instructor; NSCA – Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS), USA Weightlifting Level 1 Certification, ASEP – Coaching Principles Certified, and/or ASEP – Sport First Aid Certified; NCSA – Tactical Strength and Conditioning Facilitator (TSAC-F).
The Department of Health Sciences and Kinesiology has determined the required classes and educational activities of this academic program will qualify a graduate of this program to take the exam for the ACSM as a Certified Exercise Physiologist certificate in Georgia. The department has not determined whether this program satisfies the requirements of all states and territories for the ACSM as a Certified Exercise Physiologist certificate. Visit the American College of Sports Medicine to determine the requirements of your state or territory.
The Department of Health Sciences and Kinesiology has not determined whether this program satisfies the license requirements of all states and territories for the ACSM/NCPAD – Certified Inclusive Fitness Trainer (CIFT). Visit the American College of Sports Medicine to determine the requirements of your state or territory.
The Department of Health Sciences and Kinesiology has not determined whether this program satisfies the license requirements of all states and territories for the ACSM – Certified Personal Trainer (CPT). Visit the American College of Sports Medicine to determine the requirements of your state or territory.
The Department of Health Sciences and Kinesiology has not determined whether this program satisfies the license requirements of all states and territories for the ACSM Group Exercise Instructor. Visit the American College of Sports Medicine to determine the requirements of your state or territory.
The Department of Health Sciences and Kinesiology has not determined whether this program satisfies the license requirements of all states and territories for the NSCA – Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS). Visit the National Strength and Conditioning Association to determine the requirements for your state or territory.
The Department of Health Sciences and Kinesiology has not determined whether this program satisfies the license requirements of all states and territories for the NSCA-USA Weightlifting Level 1 Certification. Visit the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee to determine the requirements for your state or territory.
The Department of Health Sciences and Kinesiology has not determined whether this program satisfies the license requirements of all states and territories for the ASEP – Coaching Principles Certified. Visit the Human Kinetics Coach Education Center to determine the requirements for your state or territory.
The Department of Health Sciences and Kinesiology has not determined whether this program satisfies the license requirements of all states and territories for the ASEP – Sport First Aid Certified. Visit the Human Kinetics Coach Education Center to determine the requirements for your state or territory.
The Department of Health Sciences and Kinesiology has not determined whether this program satisfies the license requirements of all states and territories for the NCSA – Tactical Strength and Conditioning Facilitator (TSAC-F). Visit the National Strength and Conditioning Association to determine the requirements of your state or territory.
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Last updated: 2/29/2024