Kicking off in the fall of 2025, the new undergraduate degree has been designed to meet the growing demand for professionals who can guide and support healthy lifestyles. The program’s diverse curriculum supports a range of health promotion careers dedicated to improving human health through the science of exercise and creates a pathway for graduates seeking advanced training in clinical healthcare fields.  

Interim Dean Jeffrey McCubbin said he’s excited to see the opportunities provided by this new major emerge within the School of Health Sciences.

“Exercise Science, often called Kinesiology, is an academic discipline which involves the study of exercise and physical activity and its impact on health, society, and quality of life. It includes, but is not limited to athletic training and sports medicine, sport and exercise psychology, fitness leadership, and pre-professional training for physical therapy, occupational therapy, medicine and public health. This new major will attract students to Quinnipiac University and create new opportunities for community and research partnerships,” McCubbin said.

The BS in Exercise Science program is co-directed by professors of athletic training and sports medicine Stephen Straub and Susan Norkus. Straub said the program builds on the preventative care aspect threaded into all School of Health Science programs.

“It’s a major with an emphasis on staying well and staying healthy, as well as performance enhancement,” said Straub. “We have opportunity to use our exercise science program to focus on preventing injuries, illnesses and maintaining health and wellness.”

With a focus on reducing health risk, managing chronic health conditions and disabilities and improving quality of life, students will be prepared to tackle major challenges inherent in 21st-century patient care and medical research.

Whether a student’s career goals are improving human performance, preventing or combating disease through exercise, conducting research or preparing for a clinical professional degree, the program’s customizable and flexible academic experience allows students to explore areas of interest and support career goals. Students are encouraged to declare a minor which will help broaden their foundational knowledge and further prepare them for their future careers or graduate programs. Associated minors include health equity, human movement, nutrition and sports medicine.

“The curriculum has been designed very thoughtfully, and in a way that provides flexibility for students to supplement their degree in exercise science with a minor in an area that interests them and will support their next steps, whether it’s going out into the world or applying for a graduate program,” said Norkus.

The program features international faculty-led courses, faculty-mentored field and clinical research, community engagement courses, and purpose-driven, required internships. Students will have access to the School of Health Sciences’ state-of-the art labs and clinical settings as well as a new Exercise Science teaching lab to be developed specifically for the degree program. Three new faculty positions will deepen the range of expertise offered by the program’s exceptional instruction team.

“The administration has been incredibly supportive in helping us develop this new BS in Exercise Science the right way, so that we can offer our students the best possible outcomes. That’s the Quinnipiac way,” said Norkus.