Within this major, you will gain hands-on experience through coursework and internships in the area’s finest hospitals and training and fitness centers to prepare you for employment in the exercise science field. As people become increasingly aware of the benefits of good health and fitness habits, the demand for trained practitioners in the field of exercise science will continue to expand.

Exercise Science Tracks

Movement Science
This interdisciplinary track will help you pursue a career in fitness and wellness, personal training, or strength and conditioning. This program will prepare you for graduate work in exercise physiology, biomechanics, athletic training and related disciplines. This curriculum will prepare you to assess a patient or client’s fitness/wellness status and create exercise programming. The flexible curriculum allows you to choose courses to meet your career goals or prepare for certifications in exercise physiology and strength and conditioning.

Pre-Occupational/Pre-Physical Therapy
Occupational and Physical therapists are in high demand to help the aging population, to support people with special needs or disabilities, and to assist people as they recover from illnesses or injuries. Immaculata’s pre-occupational/pre-physical therapy curriculum provides students with a solid foundation in anatomy and physiology, chemistry, kinesiology, genetics, biomechanics, nutrition, and physics to prepare for graduate studies. You will learn how to assess patients, create exercise programming, prevent and care for athletic injuries.

You may also choose to pursue a five-year, combined bachelor’s and master’s degree in occupational therapy through Immaculata’s partnership with Thomas Jefferson University. You will spend your first three years at Immaculata University and then proceed to Thomas Jefferson University (TJU) for the final two years of graduate occupational therapy coursework. Admission into this partnership program requires dual acceptance through an interview process and specific guidelines set forth by both universities.

Pre-Physician Assistant
Immaculata’s Bachelor of Science in Exercise Science with the pre-physician assistant track will give you a strong foundation in human movement science while also allowing you to pursue a career as a physician assistant or a related medical profession. This interdisciplinary program includes math and science courses that will give you the foundational knowledge you need for applying to graduate physician assistant programs. We encourage you to meet with IU’s advisory committee for the medical professions, made up of faculty who will provide information, advisement, and services to help you with your graduate school and professional plans. Students studying in the Pre-PA track must begin observational hours by their sophomore year in order to complete the observational hours requirements for most graduate programs.

Sport Management
Immaculata’s Sport Management program provides a unique combination of exercise science and business courses to develop an understanding of the organizational and administrative concepts of sport and business in this highly competitive field.

“I get to go to work every day and find different ways to make people happy through sports, which is exactly what sports did for me, and exactly the reason why I went into sports management. The one-on-one attention, the relationships that I’ve had with my teachers, and their network is the reason why I’m in the roles I’m in today. I am doing what I love, and my classes in leadership dynamics, event management, and marketing prepared me for my job.” —Bridget Welz ’12, Manager, Philadelphia Union Community Relations & Philadelphia Union Foundation

Internships

At Immaculata, you can get an internship within a specialized area, providing you with invaluable training. With our close proximity to Philadelphia’s hospitals, rehabilitation centers, fitness centers, sport training centers and professional sport teams, you will have excellent learning opportunities.

Our students have completed internships at the following organizations:

• National Institutes of Health
• NovaCare Rehabilitation
• Endurance Physical Therapy
• Lightning Fast Training Systems
• United Sports Training Center
• Future Stars Camps
• Ed Snyder Youth Hockey Foundation
• YSC Academy
• Leukemia and Lymphoma Society
• NFL Films
• Philadelphia Eagles
• Philadelphia Flyers
• Philadelphia 76ers
• Camden River Sharks