2025-2026 Academic Catalog 
    
    Aug 04, 2025  
2025-2026 Academic Catalog

Exercise Science, B.S.


Degree Planning Sheet

To print the degree requirements for this program, use the paper icon above (Print Degree Planner), the printer icon (Printer Friendly Page), or the following hyperlink:

Exercise Science Pre-Graduate Track Degree Planning Sheet with Full-Time Sample Course Plan  

Exercise Science Strength Track Degree Planning Sheet with Full-Time Sample Course Plan  

Exercise Science Wellness Track Degree Planning Sheet with Full-Time Sample Course Plan  

This sample plan represents a full-time pace. Part-time options are available; please connect with the recruitment team to learn more.

Pursuing Your Passion for Exercise and Physical Activity

Maryville University’s Exercise Science program is designed to prepare students for positions in the fast-growing, ever-changing realm of health, wellness and human performance.  As interest in fitness and health continue to grow, people turn to exercise professionals for expert guidance.  Professionals in exercise science work with clients to optimize goal setting and behavioral change, exercise, physical activity, sports performance and/or lifestyle management. 

An Exercise Science degree will open the doors to a variety of careers in the growing health and fitness industry or lead to graduate studies focused on a rewarding career in research, application of science or healthcare. 

Maryville’s Exercise Science (EXSC) program explores the latest scientific concepts and applications of exercise, fitness, and human performance, preparing students to teach and model a healthy, active lifestyle. 

Maryville’s Exercise Science program offers three tracks: Strength and Conditioning, Wellness Management, and Pre-Graduate school.

  • The Strength and Conditionioning track was designed to prepare students for a career in either personal training or strength & conditioning with an emphasis in facility management.  Coursework is focused on applying the fundamentals of exercise science and exercise physiology in a fitness or strength & conditioning work environment, while focusing on evidence-based practice.
  • The Wellness Management track was designed to prepare students for a career in a corporate wellness or health coaching setting.  Coursework is focused on applying the fundamentals of exercise science and exercise physiology in a corporate wellness or health coaching work environment, while focusing on evidence-based practice.

  • The Pre-Graduate school track was designed to prepare students for the rigors and requirements of graduate school for Physical or Occupational Therapy, Athletic Training, Human Performance, or Exercise Physiology.  Coursework includes additional levels of science, math and research methodology.

Mission Statement:

Maryville’s Exercise Science program applies an evidence-based, practical approach to the multidimensional study of human movement, while engaging students in hands-on experiences to promote critical thinking, effective communication, and a comprehensive understanding of the exercise science discipline.  Students will gain the knowledge, skills, and abilities to be successful in careers or graduate studies in the growing fields of health & wellness, fitness, human performance, rehabilitation, and medicine.

 

Disclaimer: The program requirements outlined in this catalog are applicable only to students who enroll in this degree program at the university during the academic year specified in this catalog.  Please be aware that program requirements and offerings are subject to change in future academic years. Dual-enrolled students are not admitted to a degree program, but upon admission to a degree program, they will follow the degree requirements that align with their start term.

MCORE


(36 credits)

Social Discovery


Courses in this area will focus on the study of human behavior, its ethical and moral dimension, human societies, the requirements of civility, and social science theory and practice which undergirds such study.

(6 credits)

Civic Discovery


Courses in this area will focus on the study and purpose of human institutions and systems, the historical and contemporary forms of power, authority, governance and citizenship, and the distribution and use of resources.

(6 credits)

Cultural Discovery


Courses in this area will focus on significant systems of thought, contributions made by significant historical and cultural figures, philosophical and historical movements, and ideas which have shaped history, culture and human institutions.

(6 credits)

Creative Discovery


Courses in this area will focus on the nature of the creative imagination, the philosophical underpinnings of human creativity in music, the visual arts, the narrative arts, and philosophical invention, and innovation in a variety of human endeavors.

(9 credits)

Scientific Discovery


Courses in this area will focus on the nature of scientific reasoning, the history and variety of the scientific endeavor in culture, and the nature of scientific process and exploration.

(9 credits)

Major Requirements


(91 credits)

Tracks


(21-23 credits)

Students should select one track.

Graduation Requirements - MCORE


  • 120 credit hours minimum
  • Last 30 hours of the degree taken in residency
  • A minimum of half the major credit hours in residency
  • A minimum of half the minor credit hours in residency
  • ​60 credit hours must be completed at a 4-year institution