Exercise Sports Sciences (ESS) is a graduate program designed for students interested in gaining both the practical knowledge to work with individuals and provide hands-on support in coaching and rehabilitating, while also gaining the research skills needed to become an exercise physiologist.
You’ll have the opportunity to work beside highly trained professionals and receive their guidance as you work towards becoming an exercise physiologist. Marian University’s Exercise and Sport Science program offers three different degrees to cater more specifically to your interests and career goals.
The Master of Arts (M.A.) in Clinical Exercise Physiology will lead to certification as a Clinical Exercise Physiologist. As with the Master of Science degree, the M.A. track teaches you to assess, plan, and implement fitness programs intended to improve cardiorespiratory function, body composition, muscular strength, endurance, and flexibility for a range of adults between those in need of rehabilitation to competitive athletes needing training. This degree is designed to prepare graduates to take and pass the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) Clinical Exercise Physiologist certification exam.
The Master of Science (M.S.) in Clinical Exercise Physiology (CEP) pathway puts you on track to sit for the certification offered by the ACSM and makes you admissible to Ph.D. programs in any related field.
The M.S. in CEP teaches you to assess, plan, and implement fitness programs intended to improve cardiorespiratory function, body composition, muscular strength, endurance, and flexibility for a range of adults between those in need of rehabilitation to competitive athletes needing training. The M.S. is a thesis-based program and can be used as a standalone research-based degree or can be used to qualify to sit for the CEP certification exam.
The M.S. in Physiology of Exercise is a science-based curriculum that combines classroom instruction with research to prepare you with the theory and skillset to be a practicing scientist or physiologist or to work directly with athletes. This degree provides you with similar options to the M.S. in CEP but goes beyond preparing you for CEP certification; it provides a stronger emphasis on research. It is common for students pursuing this degree to continue to a Ph.D. program.
Learn MoreThe market is expanding for exercise physiologists, and many of the higher-paying positions in medical clinics and hospitals prefer applicants who show evidence of advanced coursework, training, and certification. Job applicants with only bachelor's degrees are typically offered entry-level positions, whereas those with a master's degree often qualify for supervisory-level positions. Earning a master's in exercise sports sciences is a shortcut to eventually earning a Ph.D.
Students who wish to become more competitive for doctoral programs, including Ph.D., Physician Assistant, Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine, Medical Doctor, and Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) programs, will also be well-suited to this program. DPT jobs are expected to grow by 18 percent over the next 10 years. Applications for orthopedic residency positions increased by 63 percent between 2008 and 2018. A master’s degree and substantive research experience dramatically increase an applicant’s competitiveness to specialize in these fields.
Understand the biochemistry and physiology of the acute responses to exercise;
Understand the biochemistry and physiology of the adaptations that result from chronic exposure to exercise;
Understand the ways that both the acute responses and chronic adaptations can be components of the practice of modern medicine;
Apply this understanding to the assessment of common exercise programs;
Analyze the relationships between different organ systems in the setting of acute responses to exercise and the setting of adaptations that result from chronic exposure to exercise;
Evaluate the biomedical and scientific validity of modern publications in the field of exercise physiology;
Evaluate the biomedical and scientific validity of common nutritional and exercise prescriptions;
Design an independent research project;
Conduct an independent project;
Create enough new research data that it can support the production of a publication-quality research article;
Write and defend a thesis.
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Marian University does not discriminate on the basis of race, ethnicity, color, sex, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, creed, national origin, age or disabilities in the selection of administrative personnel, faculty and staff, and students.
*Placement rates are gathered from data collected from graduates within six months of graduation.
Students may make a complaint to the Indiana Commission of Higher Education.
Marian University is sponsored by the Sisters of St. Francis, Oldenburg, Indiana.
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