Many students take exercise science classes because they like to play sports, or because it sounds like fun, but they don’t always know what the major is, or what they can do with it after graduation. While exercise science is fun, and much of it is about sport, it’s so much more than that. 

The Exercise Science Program here at Salem provides a study of physical activity and how it affects the health and wellbeing of individuals and communities. We approach our study of human movement holistically through the life sciences, social sciences, and humanities. Since students study such a broad range of topics, exercise science majors can work in numerous fields – everything from fitness and wellness to sports medicine. The program prepares students for exercise science related fields including strength and conditioning, exercise physiology, and personal training, or you can also complete a graduate school path that prepares students for health-related programs such as physical therapy, occupational therapy, physician assistant, and athletic training. Regardless student’s paths, girls’ and women’s experiences in physical activity weave throughout the curriculum, preparing graduates to be advocates of healthy movement for women at all life stages.