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Bachelor of Science in Exercise Science

Students learn to use equipment in American International College's Human Performance Lab, a state-of-the-art exercise science learning area.

Program Overview

Discover the powerful potential of fitness and exercise through a hands-on exploration that takes you inside Springfield’s premier human performance laboratory.

Program Format

On Campus

Degree Options

Four-Year BS Program

Time to Complete

  • Full Time: 4 Years
  • Transfer Pathways: 2 Years

Why Major in Exercise Science at AIC?

Exercise science explains why some fitness and weight loss plans work—and others don’t. This intersectional view of physiology, biomechanics, diet, and psychology enables professionals from coaches to physical therapists to deliver actionable, data-backed results—whether for improving an athlete’s time, avoiding injury risks, or connecting weak muscles with unexplained pain.

In preparation, students in American International College’s Bachelor of Science (BS) in Exercise Science program investigate how the body moves and responds to physical activity. You’ll learn about its structures and systems, conduct fitness tests, and assist our own NCAA Division II teams.

Our rigorous, liberal arts-rooted instruction turns you into a strategic thinker, confident doer, and adaptable communicator. With your knowledge, you’re ready to guide individual fitness, team training regimens, and corporate wellness programs. Or pursue graduate education in the allied health professions to introduce patients to the clinical and rehabilitative benefits of exercise.

What to Expect

  • Train on advanced physiological equipment: Get familiar with the tools and tests used by professionals in our rehabilitation and human performance labs.
  • Expert instruction: College athletics trainers and influential fitness and clinical scholars guide your introduction to exercise science.
  • Internships: Test your recommendations in our Athletic Department’s Strength and Conditioning program. Then, enter the field as an intern for private practices, universities, or pro sports organizations.
  • Get certified: A majority of Exercise Science students earn National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) and other widely recognized personal training certifications.
  • Start in the sciences: Lab-based courses in biology, anatomy, physiology, biomechanics, motor development, research methods, and sport psychology allow you to observe fitness and movement from all angles.
  • Pre-professional preparation: Work with your advisor to fulfill application prerequisites for graduate programs in physical therapy, occupational therapy, athletic training, chiropractic medicine, physiology/applied exercise science, or strength and conditioning.
An athlete undergoes a VO2 Max test at the Center, used by AIC Exercise Science students
The Colaccino Center for Health Sciences, home to several of AIC's School of Health Sciences programs.

Members of the Greater Springfield community can access a full picture of their health at the Center for Sport Physiology and Exercise Testing, outfitted with state-of-the-art equipment like the BOD POD. Here, Exercise Science majors administer testing for resting metabolic rate, aerobic capacity, and body composition.

Explore the Lab

You’ll practice assessing future patients and clients in the Colaccino Center for Health Sciences, a 20,000-square-foot facility equipped with simulation, rehabilitation, and human performance laboratories.

Where You’ll Learn

Program Details

Guide and educate the AIC community before you promote positive health and wellness outcomes wherever you go. To plot your next move, understand how to apply, program expectations, and ways to get involved once you’re here.

  • Apply physiological and biomechanical concepts related to movement, fitness, and health-related issues.
  • Demonstrate knowledge of how the human body moves by relating its different structures/systems to one another: musculoskeletal, nervous, and connective tissue.
  • Apply motor development theories to a developing adolescent with regard to skillful movement and physical activity.
  • Perform fitness-related tests independently.
  • Design and implement exercise programs for normal healthy individuals.
  • Evaluate and prescribe proper exercise prescriptions to special populations by using foundational concepts of exercise physiology and nationally recognized guidelines.
  • Demonstrate knowledge of injury prevention through therapeutic exercise techniques related to different athletic populations.

Major Courses: In addition to AIC Plan for Excellence (APEX) requirements, students must complete all courses listed here to receive a BS in Exercise Science:

  • EXS1100: Introduction to Exercise Science
  • EXS1200: Health Science Professions
  • EXS2100: Research Methods
  • EXS2300: Motor Development and Learning
  • EXS2400: Sport and Exercise Nutrition
  • EXS3100: Human Biomechanics
  • EXS3300: Physiology of Exercise
  • EXS3050: Foundations of Strength and Conditioning
  • EXS4100: Therapeutic Exercise
  • EXS4200: Exercise Testing and Rx
  • EXS4300: Exercise for Special Populations
  • EXS4450: Senior Seminar
  • EXS4500: Research Seminar
  • EXS4800: Practicum/Internship

Other BS in Exercise Science requirements:

  • BIO1400/1401: Biology I + Lab
  • BIO1500/1501: Biology II + Lab
  • BIO1200/1201: Human Anatomy and Physiology I + Lab
  • BIO1210/1211: Human Anatomy and Physiology II + Lab
  • PSY1401: General Psychology I
  • PSY1501: General Psychology II
  • PSY2302: Statistics
  • SRM1600: Management of Sports Industries
  • SRM3203: Sports Psychology
  • BIO3200: Human Functional Anatomy

Elective courses in Exercise Science (when offered):

  • BIEXS3200: Injuries and Evaluation of Lower Extremities
  • EXS3400: Injuries and Evaluation of Upper Extremities
  • EXS4400: Gerokinesiology
  • EXS4600: Therapeutic Modalities

Please reference the current catalog for all course descriptions.

Additional Program Requirements

A minimum grade of “C” must be achieved in all EXS courses, as well as BIO1200, BIO1210, and BIO3200. A minimum overall cumulative GPA of 2.7 must be maintained to remain in the program. Students must fulfill the Professional Development Point (PDP) requirements upon graduation (reference the program handbook for details).

General Education Requirements

See page 70. General Education requirements may be fulfilled by major requirements where applicable.

Additional Program Notes

BIO1400, BIO1500, PSY1401, PSY1501, and PSY2302 also count toward 17 credits of General Education requirements.

To receive a minor in EXS, 18 credits must be taken/completed from the lists below:

  • EXS1000: Intro to Exercise Science
  • EXS1200: Health Science Professions
  • EXS2100: Research Methods
  • EXS2300: Motor Development and Learning
  • EXS2400: Sport and Exercise Nutrition
  • EXS3100: Human Biomechanics
  • EXS3050: Foundations of Strength and Conditioning
  • EXS3300: Physiology of Exercise
  • EXS4100: Therapeutic Exercise
  • EXS4200: Exercise Testing and Rx
  • EXS4300: Exercise for Special Populations

When offered (EXS electives), students may include these in their minor:

  • EXS3200: Injuries and Evaluation of Lower Extremities
  • EXS3400: Injuries and Evaluation of Upper Extremities
  • EXS4400: Gerokinesiology
  • EXS4600: Therapeutic Modalities

Other courses accepted for EXS minor:

  • BIO3200 Human Functional Anatomy

Please reference the current catalog for all course descriptions.

In addition to AIC’s admission requirements for first-year, transfer, and international students, interested Exercise Science majors must also earn:

  • A 2.7+ GPA (overall)
  • A “B” or better for all high school sciences

AIC’s transfer partnerships with Holyoke Community College (HCC) and Springfield Technical Community College (STCC) provide an uninterrupted path from community college to our bachelor’s in Exercise Science program, as well as a $4,000 per year joint admissions scholarship.

If you have questions on transferring from one of our partner schools, please contact the admissions office at 413.205.3201.

All around you, you’ll find that AIC is an active campus. Head straight to the goal posts, get your heart racing, or empower through exercise in any of these opportunities:

Have a Question?

You’ll never find a closed door at AIC. We welcome your inquiry, so reach out today to determine if the Exercise Science major is the right fit for your future.

Susan Lachowski, PhD, CSCS
Executive Director and Associate Professor, Division of Health and Human Performance | Core Faculty, Division of Physical Therapy | Founding Director, Center for Sport Physiology and Exercise Testing

Location: Room 110, Colaccino Center for Health Sciences
Phone: 413.205.3014
Email: susan.lachowski@aic.edu
Hours: 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

American International College Director of Exercise Science Susan Lachowski, PhD, CSCS

Academic and Career Support

AIC gives you the space to explore your interest while preparing you for life after college. Throughout, you’ll work with advisors and mentors to define your academic and professional goals and the ways to achieve them.

An AIC student talks course selection for the Psychology major with their academic advisor.

Student Success Advising

Saremi Center for Career Development

Accessibility Services and Academic Accommodations (CASAA)

What Can You Do with an Exercise Science Degree?

Job Titles

Students with a BS in Exercise Science from AIC have embarked on careers including:

  • Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach for Bowling Green State University
  • Personal Trainer
  • Health and Wellness Specialist

Salary Expectations

Based on the level of education attained, you might earn:

According to 2024 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics median salary data.

Where Our Graduates Work

Whether with their bachelor’s or following graduate studies, Exercise Science majors find jobs with:

  • Youth, college, and pro sports organizations
  • Human and athletic performance centers
  • Health and wellness centers
  • Gyms and fitness centers
  • Fitness brands and equipment designers
  • Hospital rehabilitation centers
  • Industry research laboratories
  • Government agencies
  • Corporate wellness programs

Related Programs

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Health Systems Administration students attend class in AIC's Colaccino Center for Health Sciences.

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Ready to Take the Next Step?

By fusing Exercise Science with intensive liberal arts instruction, AIC equips you to translate the exhilaration of every goal scored into a fast-paced, performance-driven career.

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