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Exercise Science, B.S.

College of Arts and Sciences
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Do 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

Exercise Science – Pre-Professional

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
Exercise Science – Strength and Conditioning

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
Exercise Science – Applied Exercise Physiology

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

Career Outlook

A B.S. in Exercise Science from Indiana Tech prepares you for a wide variety of in-demand careers. Below, you can explore career fields, salary information and employer demand from our partners at Lightcast, the leading labor market and career data provider in the U.S.

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

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…

Read full story

Dawn Anderson

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

Faculty Profile