Health and Exercise Science (BS)

Make it your goal to help others achieve theirs.

Available as
Major
Degrees/Options
Bachelor of Science
Length
4 years
Locations
Fort Wayne
2 Concentrations
Kinesiology | Strength and Conditioning*
(*further admission requirements) 
Health & Exercise Science Students demonstrate blood pressure cuff

Why Study Health and Exercise Science?

Physical therapy, strength and conditioning, athletic training, chiropractic care, nutritional coaching, occupational therapy, and other movement sciences are among the fastest-growing sectors of patient care. The healthcare industry’s renewed focus on preventative and rehabilitation medicine through a spectrum of care is creating a surge of interest in wellness programs from families, individuals, communities, academic institutions, and organizations. With this, there’s a growing demand for personal coaches, health educators, sport performance specialists, corporate wellness program managers, and other related preventive and rehabilitative roles.

A degree in Health and Exercise Science gives you the foundation for these rewarding and exciting fields that help others achieve their personal best.

10-14%


Projected growth in employment opportunities for sport performance coaches, fitness directors, athletic trainers, physical therapists, and related fields from 2022 to 2032 (much faster than the average for all occupations) 

BLS.gov

$60,250

Median annual wage for athletic trainers in 2024

BLS.gov

$68,089-
$98,564


Range annual wage for Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialists and Sport Scientists in 2025 (varies with education and setting) 

NSCA.com

$58,160-
$77,180


Median annual wage for exercise physiologists and fitness club managers in 2024 

BLS.gov

Why Saint Francis for Health and Exercise Science?

Beyond the science and skills. Rooted in the liberal arts and built on Catholic values, our program develops you into a reflective, ethical professional ready to provide compassionate care and service to others.

With activity- and project-based courses, you’ll see today’s best practices in action… and then practice them yourself. You’ll learn how to apply science-based evidence in real-world situations and hone valuable communication, coaching, and organizational skills.

Saint Francis’ strong reputation in the regional healthcare community gives our students access to quality internships, opens doors for health and wellness jobs with top employers, and provides meaningful service-learning opportunities.

CASCE Accredited ProgramSaint Francis’s Bachelor of Science in Health and Exercise Science Strength and Conditioning Program is now the first in Indiana to be accredited by the Council of Accreditation of Strength and Conditioning Education (CASCE), a recognized authority in quality strength and conditioning education. 

Personalize Your Path: Expand Your Opportunities

Our breadth of programs in health sciences and beyond allows our students to combine majors, minors, and concentrations. Your faculty advisors can help you personalize your academic path within the academic program to meet your goals.

Kinesiology Concentration

The Kinesiology Concentration focuses on the study of movement and is the foundation of the Health and Exercise Science degree. Students prepare to work directly out of college while meeting the prerequisites for graduate programs in physical therapy, occupational therapy, athletic training, chiropractic care, dietetics, physician studies, biomechanics, and many others.

This concentration prepares graduates for careers in fitness training and consulting, community health education, personal coaching, rehabilitation services, corporate wellness, or health-related marketing and management roles. Students in this concentration complete 200-hours of internships to build hands-on experience. 

Graduates can pursue further studies and/or sit for national certification exams including, but not limited to:  

Strength and Conditioning Concentration

The Strength and Conditioning concentration prepares students to become successful sport performance specialists and to sit for the National Strength and Conditioning Association Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (NSCA-CSCS) exam. (CSCS | Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist). The goals and learning objectives ensure graduates are knowledgeable and able leaders in the field of strength and conditioning. While preparing for the CSCS certification, students can also complete the pre-requisites for graduate programs in sport science, athletic training, and physical therapy. 

Students complete an application process after completing pre-requisite coursework including anatomy, physiology, and exercise physiology to be fully admitted into and must maintain good academic standing to remain in the Strength and Conditioning concentration. The concentration includes an additional 100-hours of internships and practicums with our local partners including Parkview Sports Performance, Optimum Performance Sports, Purdue Fort Wayne, Mad Apple Sports Performance, and Ruoff Health and Wellness. 

As an accredited program by the Council of Accreditation in Strength and Conditioning Education (CASCE) Professional Standards and Guidelines, students are prepared and eligible to sit for the NSCA-CSCS exam. Starting in 2030, registration for the CSCS exam requires a degree from a CASCE accredited program. Learn more about the value of choosing a CASCE program at www.nsca.com/casce

This accreditation demonstrates our commitment to upholding the highest standards of quality and excellence in our strength and conditioning program. Our curriculum, faculty, and facilities have undergone rigorous evaluation to ensure that we provide students with the knowledge, skills, and practical experience necessary to excel in the field of strength and conditioning and keep athletes safe. 

Two Degrees, Four Years

Students in our two-year physical therapist assistant associate degree program can simultaneously work towards a bachelor’s degree in health and exercise science.

Double Major

Add a second major in a related or complementary field to boost your opportunities. Popular choices include biology and psychology. Other majors may give you a chance to earn an associate’s degree along the way, such as surgical or radiologic technology.

Minors

Gain more marketable skills when you complement your health and exercise degree with a minor like nutrition, athletic coaching, psychology, business, or marketing.

Transition to Teaching Pathway 

Begin working towards a teaching certificate through the early pathway in the Transition to Teaching program. Upon completion of a bachelor’s degree students can continue with graduate studies to complete a teaching certificate. 

Hands-On Learning: Active From the Start

At Saint Francis, you’ll start learning through hands-on experiences from day one. You’ll connect with peers in your degree program through collaborative courses and department seminars.

Your final year culminates with a 200-300 hour internship. Recent internship sites include:

  • Catalyst Fitness 
  • Charge Chiropractic 
  • Fort Wayne Orthopedics Hospital 
  • Fort Wayne Tin Caps 
  • Goebel Chiropractic 
  • Indiana Physical Therapy 
  • Mad Apple CrossFit and Sport Performance
  • Parkview Sports Medicine 
  • Purdue University Fort Wayne
  • Ruoff Mortgage Corporate Wellness 
  • Steppin’ Up Physical Therapy
  • Turnstone Fitness and Aquatics
  • YMCA of Greater Fort Wayne

Your internships might even serve as a pathway to your first employment position after graduation.

On-campus experience with Saint Francis athletics, health services and related offices also provide valuable practical experience.

Faculty and Facilities

All of this hands-on learning happens in places like our cadaver lab and an exercise physiology lab stocked with state-of-the-art fitness assessment equipment. You will learn from a faculty with a wealth of expertise and professional experience across the health and exercise science discipline.

Campus and Community

Saint Francis offers many opportunities for you to serve others through campus ministries, service-learning projects, and student groups.

What You Can Do With a Health and Exercise Science Degree

Health and wellness jobs abound in Indiana and beyond. You will join a network of Saint Francis graduates helping their communities stay healthy, get active and be well in roles such as:

  • Personal trainers
  • Athletic coaches
  • Strength and conditioning coaches
  • Community health educators
  • Lifestyle coaches
  • Health and fitness managers
  • Graduate students pursuing advanced degrees 

Additionally, entrepreneurial health and exercise science graduates are known to start their own health, wellness, or fitness businesses.

Where You’ll Find Our Graduates

With plenty of real-world experience and a degree in health and exercise sciences in hand, our graduates start their careers at places like:

  • Catalyst Fitness
  • Charge Chiropractic
  • Fort Wayne Community Schools
  • Indiana Physical Therapy
  • Parkview Sports Medicine 
  • Parkview Health
  • Purdue University Fort Wayne
  • Turnstone Fitness and Aquatics
  • University of Saint Francis 
  • YMCA of Greater Fort Wayne

Graduate and Professional School

Whether you’re looking to become a practitioner, professor or healthcare leader, Saint Francis will prepare you well for advanced studies. Our students have pursued master’s and doctoral programs in a variety of areas, including:

  • Sport Science
  • Kinesiology
  • Biomechanics
  • Exercise Physiology
  • Cardiac Rehabilitation
  • Physical Therapy
  • Chiropractic Medicine
  • Recreational Therapy
  • Occupational Therapy
  • Athletic Training
  • Sports Medicine Doctor
  • Healthcare Administration
  • Business
  • Education
  • Physician and Physician Assistant

Accreditation Status 

CASCE Accredited ProgramThe University of Saint Francis Health and Exercise Science program is fully accredited through the Council on Accreditation of Strength and Conditioning Education (CASCE).

Program outcome data, such as student enrollment, graduation rates, NSCA-CSCS exam pass rates, employment rates, and graduate placement rates, will be posted here as soon as it becomes available.

The University of Saint Francis is seeking accreditation from the Council on Accreditation of Strength and Conditioning Education for the Bachelor of Health and Exercise Science Strength and Conditioning Concentration. 

The following data is shared to maintain external accreditation through the Council on Accreditation of Strength and Conditioning Education (CASCE). This process focuses on the overall program assessment plan as part of our assessment of our program’s success. 

Learn more about what makes life at Saint Francis so special.

Outcomes

In the 2023 graduating class,

passed the CSCS Certification Exam.

In the 2023 graduating class,

graduated on time.

In the 2023 graduating class,

were employed or enrolled in graduate school after graduation.

The University of Saint Francis Health and Exercise Science program is seeking accreditation through the Council on Accredited of Strength and Conditioning Education (CASCE). Program outcome data including student enrollment, graduation rates, National Association of Strength and Conditioning Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (NSCA-CSCS) exam pass rate, employment rates, and graduate placement rates will be published below.

Employment/Graduate School Rate

Class of 2022Class of 2023Class of 20243-Year Aggregate
Students Graduating
Students Employed in Strength and Cond
Students Admitted to Graduate School (Likely GA position)
Percentage of Students Employed or Placed in Graduate Programs at 6 mo.

CSCS Certification Exam Pass Rate

Class of 2022Class of 2023Class of 20243-Year Aggregate
Students taking CSCS Exam
Students who PASSED CSCS Exam
Students who PASSED CSCS Exam on First Attempt
Percentage of Students who PASSED CSCS Exam on First Attempt

On-time Graduation Rate

Class of 2022Class of 2023Class of 20243-Year Aggregate
Students Entering Program in Cohort
Students Graduating from Cohort
Percentage of Students Completing Program
Number of Students Graduating ON-TIME from Cohort (3-Yr Matriculation)
Percentage of Students Graduating ON-TIME (of those graduating)
Students who graduated the following academic year (<150% of normal time)