Exercise Science, B.S.
College of Arts and SciencesDo you have a passion for personal health and wellness? Do you have a desire to help others pursue that same sense of well-being? If this quest for health and helping others resonates with you, Indiana Tech will help you cultivate it with our degree in exercise science.
Our curriculum provides an effective mix of classroom knowledge with hands-on experience, utilizing professional tools, to prepare you well for a successful career. Graduates will be ready to enter positions in a variety of fields or continue their pursuit of a graduate degree in physical therapy, occupational therapy, athletic training and more.
Why choose Indiana Tech?
- You will work with contemporary tools of the trade in our state-of-the-art exercise science laboratory.
- You will learn from current exercise science professionals from the start of your very first semester.
- Once you graduate, you will be prepared to sit for a certification exam from the American College of Sports Medicine or the National Strength and Conditioning Association.
- You will have several opportunities to attend various professional conferences to start developing their professional network.
- Indiana Tech fosters an active learning environment, enriched by instructors who possess years of experience in their respective fields.
Tracks
Students who choose the Pre-Professional concentration take classes to prepare them for more intensive study in a variety of graduate programs including chiropractic, dietetics, medical school, physical therapy and occupational therapy.
What You Can Do With This Degree
Below are potential career opportunities available to graduates with this degree. Some opportunities listed may require additional education or certification. Consult your academic advisor for clarification.
- Chiropractor
- Exercise physiologist
- Dietitian
- Physical therapist
- Occupational therapist
- Physician assistant
Students who choose the strength and conditioning concentration will be prepared to use evidence-based programming to enhance athletic performance and reduce injury. These students will have the opportunity to gain practical experience in the field working with athletes in a variety of settings. They will also be prepared to sit for the National Strength and Conditioning Association Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialists (CSCS) exam and Personal Trainer (NSCA-CPT) exam.
What You Can Do With This Degree
Below are potential career opportunities available to graduates with this degree. Some opportunities listed may require additional education or certification. Consult your academic advisor for clarification.
- Strength/conditioning coach
- Tactical strength coach
- Combat fitness coordinator
- Sports performance coach
- Personal trainer
Students who choose the Applied Exercise Physiology concentration will be prepared for careers in fitness-related settings with both healthy individuals and those with acute or chronic illness. In addition, this degree track could prepare students for graduate study in chiropractic, dietetics or cardiac rehabilitation.
What You Can Do With This Degree
Below are potential career opportunities available to graduates with this degree. Some opportunities listed may require additional education or certification. Consult your academic advisor for clarification.
- Exercise physiologist
- Personal trainer
- Fitness instructor
- Chiropractic
- Dietetics
- Cardiac rehabilitation
Exercise and Sports Performance Lab
Located in the Zollner Engineering Center Room Z254, this lab is used for student education and student-faculty research. Students have the opportunity to learn exercise physiology procedures and assessments, including anthropometric measurements, blood pressure, body composition, cardiorespiratory fitness, flexibility assessment, metabolic rate, power assessment and strength assessment.
Lode Valiant II XL Sport Treadmill
This treadmill is specifically designed for sports medical applications and had a larger running surface in order to provide more space when running at high speeds.
Vertec Jump Trainer
This tool is used to determine standing reach or vertical leap reach from 6′ to 12′ in half-inch increments.
Excalibur Sport 3000-Watt Ergometric Bike
The bike is designed for heavy duty sports medicine ergometry and has been considered the gold standard in ergometry since 1985. It will allow for testing of all types of athletes and may be adjusted to fit a wide size range of individuals. This will expand the ability to assess individuals from younger to older populations, as well as sedentary to competitive athletes.
Shiller EKC Monitoring System
This machine is used to monitor heart rhythms at rest and during exercise.
Aerobic Step Platforms
These platforms may be adjusted for various heights and used for a variety of fitness testing and training.
Lode Corival CPET Ergometer
This machine is one of the most popular ergometers worldwide. It can be easily controlled by all known stress ECG and pulmonary devices in the world.
Monark Ergometer 894 E
This machine is the golden standard for Wingate and anaerobic tests. The unique weight basket enables instant loading and the calibrated weights vouch for unmatched accuracy, repeatability and reliability. The weight basket can be controlled manually or automatically with the Monark Anaerobic Test Software, which also enables multiple different test analysis tools.
Monark Ergometer 828 E
This is the world’s most widely used test bike for fitness tests and work tests.
BOD POD
The BOD POD is the world’s only Air Displacement Plethysmography (ADP) system using whole body densitometric principles to determine body composition (fat and fat-free mass) in adults and children. The BOD POD is ideal for assessing the body composition of special populations such as elderly persons, people with disabilities, subjects weighing up to 551 pounds and young children from 2 to 6 years of age.
Scale/Stadiometer
A tool used to determine weight and height.
Stadiometer
A tool used to determine height.
Pavo Medics TrueOne 2400
This is a compact, integrated metabolic measurement system for cardiopulmonary stress testing, indirect calorimetry and maximal O2 consumption measurement.
Trackmaster TMX428CP Treadmill
This heavy-duty, medical treadmill is specifically designed to be interfaced with and controlled by a wide variety of cardiac and pulmonary stress testing systems.
Career Outlook
Job Outlook
Below are some potential career opportunities available to graduates with this degree, with national statistics for average annual salaries and projected job growth (as identified by BLS.gov). Salaries can vary based on the market in which you live and your prior experience. For some opportunities listed, additional education or certification may be required. Discuss options with your academic advisor for clarification.
- Personal trainer $40,510/year
Job outlook through 2030: 39% increase
- Exercise physiologist $50,280/year
Job outlook through 2030: 13% increase
- Physical therapist $90,010/year
Job outlook through 2030: 21% increase
- Occupational therapist $86,280/year
Job outlook through 2030: 17% increase
Warriors in the Workplace
Indiana Tech’s Bachelor of Science in Exercise Science launched in 2016. Since then, 26 have graduated from our program.
Internship Opportunities
Indiana Tech students pursuing this degree have interned with:
- Parkview Sports Performance
- Turnstone
- Indiana Physical Therapy
- Indiana Tech athletic training
Savannah Emaus
B.S. Excercise Science, 2023
Success Story
Savannah is well on her way to earning a doctorate in physical therapy, thanks to the exercise science education she received at Indiana Tech. She cited out-of-classroom learning opportunities at regional health facilities and hands-on lab work as experienc…
Dr. Dawn Anderson
Program Lead
With over 35 years advancing innovations in classrooms, research laboratories and program designs, Dr. Anderson is an established expert in sports nutrition and exercise physiology with a focus on strength and conditioning. She is a certified sports nutritionist through the International Society of Sports Nutrition and has served as a scientific advisor on the International Society of Sports Nutrition Advisory Board. She is a certified strength and conditioning specialist, re-certified with distinction. For the past eight years, she has served a as senior associate editor for the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research and received the 2019 Journal of Strength and Conditioning Association Research Editorial Excellence Award. Dr. Anderson recently served on the research committee and on the executive board for the Nutrition, Metabolism and Body Composition Special Interest Group. Her primary areas of research are martial arts training, nutritional ergogenic aids and body composition assessment methods. She is a head instructor, competitor, referee and judge in Shito-Ryu karate and Okinawan kobudo.
- Ph.D. Human Bioenergetics, Physiology & Chemistry, Ball State University
- M.S. Exercise Physiology, Iowa State University
- B.A. Mathematics, University of Minnesota