2020-2021
Bachelor of Science: Health, Physical Education and Exercise Science with a concentration in exercise science
VCU
Community college:
Associate of Science: Health Sciences (Brightpoint Community College (program-specific pathway))
Associate degree
Program description
The Department of Kinesiology and Health Sciences offers programs that prepare students to pursue careers that utilize exercise interventions for both healthy and diseased populations and/or careers designed for students who wish to enter a health care-related field (that does not require licensure, certification or registry status). The department offers one undergraduate degree program; the Bachelor of Science with either the exercise science concentration or the health science concentration.
Career opportunities
Career paths include exercise physiologist, corporate fitness director, cardiopulmonary rehabilitation specialist, strength and conditioning specialist and wellness director. Additionally, the exercise science concentration prepares students for graduate study in exercise science or athletic training and offers an excellent option for those students who want to obtain the pre-requisites for post-graduate study in physical therapy, occupational therapy and medicine.
Bachelor-level job titles
- Exercise Physiologist
- Fitness and Wellness Coordinator
- Fitness Trainers and Aerobics Instructors
- Health Educator
- Recreation Worker
- Recreational Therapist
- Sports Coach or Scout
- Strength and Conditioning Coach
Graduate and professional level job titles
- Chief Executive Officer
- Occupational Therapist
- Physical Therapist
- Sports Medicine Doctor
Contact information
Telephone: (804) 827-1349
Email: transferinfo@vcu.edu
VCCS Transfer Planning Checklist
Telephone: (804) 828-1222 or (800) 841-3638
Email: ugrad@vcu.edu
Apply Here.
Guaranteed transfer admission requirements
Completion of associate degree
Minimum GPA of 2.5
All courses must be completed with a grade of "C" or better
Degree requirements in Bulletin
Plan of study in Bulletin
Requirements
Highest level of math required
- MATH 151
Science required
- 5+ additional science courses
Foreign language requirements
- Yes
Additional tuition/fees
- Yes
GPA requirements (to progress/graduate in the major)
- 2.0
Transfer major map
2020-2021
Bachelor of Science: Health, Physical Education and Exercise Science with a concentration in exercise science
Brightpoint Community College (program-specific pathway) (Associate of Science: Health Sciences)
| MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING | GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY | DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY | EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS | PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE | ||
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| Explore | Year 1 |
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| Experience | Year 2 |
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Explore
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
- Log into Navigate and view its features to help you on your pathway.
- Register for SDV course.
- Be prepared for academic challenges in your classes. Visit the Academic Resource Center on either campus.
- Schedule an appointment with your academic advisor each semester and cultivate relationships with your professors.
- Meet with VCU STEM Transitions Transfer Coordinator to discuss options and create a plan for a successful transition to VCU.
- Attend Tyler Orientation.
GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
- Get involved with student clubs and organizations.
- Volunteer for service learning or community service projects.
- Learn about the transfer admission process for VCU.
DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY
- Attend diversity-focused events on campus or in your community.
- Identify a mentor in a diversity organization.
EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS
- Create LinkedIn profile.
- Get involved with a student or professional organization.
- Explore the community college’s iGrad Job Genius Search Engine to look into building a career and financial future.
- Visit career services to begin cultivating your own virtual brand across all social media profiles.
- Browse careers related to exercise science through the career coach.
PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
- Understand how you will fund your education. Take advantage of free Financial Aid counseling.
- Take a career assessment through the career coach.
- Assess your preparation for a career by completing a Gap Analysis.
- Use SDV 100 to create a weekly and monthly budget.
- Develop personal and career goals and create SMART steps for 2-3 "dream jobs."
- Create, upload and update your resume to the College Central Network.
Experience
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
- Meet with your academic advisor.
- Use Navigate to remain on your pathway.
- Be prepared for academic challenges in your classes. Visit the Academic Resource Center on either campus to get ahead.
- Explore your eligibility for the Two-Year College Transfer Grant.
- Meet with VCU STEM Transitions Transfer Coordinator to discuss options and create a plan for a successful transition to VCU.
GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
- Visit the VCU campus and attend a transfer admission session.
- Join a professional organization related to exercise science: American College of Sports Medicine, National Strength and Conditioning Association.
- Participate in the STEM Transitions: Transfer Success Program after you’re admitted to VCU.
DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY
- Attend diversity-focused events on campus and in your community (i.e. international festival).
- Consider learning a foreign language to open doors to international organizations and future study.
- Learn about short-term, semester and year-long study abroad options.
- Continue to partner with diversity leader/ facilitator/ mentor to move towards cultural competence.
- Get involved with service-learning opportunities.
EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS
- Find out about VCU REAL.
- Attend Career & Internship Fairs throughout the year.
- Acquire career related experience (e.g., job, internship, organization involvement).
- If your GPA is 3.5 or higher, consider applying for the VCU Honors College.
- Run for leadership in your student organization.
PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
- Use the cost calculator to estimate your tuition/fees as an upperclassman at VCU.
- Take advantage of free Financial Aid counseling.
- Conduct informational interviews or shadow someone in a field of career interest.
- Consider who you would like to have serve as professional and academic references for future letters of recommendation.
Recommended courses
2020-2021
Bachelor of Science: Health, Physical Education and Exercise Science with a concentration in exercise science
Brightpoint Community College (program-specific pathway) (Associate of Science: Health Sciences)
| Course | Title | Equivalent course | Credits | Requirements |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SDV 100 or 101 | College Success Skills/Orientation to Discipline | UNIV 101 | 1 | Elective |
| ENG 111 | College Composition I Note: students with credit for AP English Language and Composition will only receive credit for UNIV 111 at VCU and should take ENG 112 to fulfill the VCU composition requirement. | UNIV 111-112 | 3 | General education |
| MTH 161 | Precalculus I | MATH 141 | 3 | General education |
| CHM 111 | General Chemistry I | CHEM/Z 101 | 4 | Major |
| PSY 230 | Developmental Psychology | PSYC 304 | 3 | Major |
| ENG 112 | College Composition II | UNIV 200 | 3 | General education |
| MTH 162 | Precalculus II | MATH 151 | 3 | Major |
| BIO 101 | General Biology I | BIOL/Z 151 | 4 | Major |
| BIO 141 | Human Anatomy and Physiology I (both BIO 141 and BIO 142 must be taken to receive credit for the VCU equivalents) | BIOL 205 + PHIS/Z 206 | 4 | Major |
| BIO 142 | Human Anatomy and Physiology II (both BIO 141 and BIO 142 must be taken to receive credit for the VCU equivalents) | BIOL 205 + PHIS/Z 206 | 4 | Major |
| CST 100 | Principles of Speech Communication (or Foreign Language 101) Note: Foreign Language 101 class is required if student does not have 3 years of same foreign language in high school | VCU equivalent | 3 | General education |
| HLT 143 | Medical Terminology | HPEX 250 | 3 | Major |
| PHI 101 or 220 | Introduction to Philosophy or Ethics | VCU equivalent | 3 | General education |
| PSY 200 | Principles of Psychology | PSYC 101 | 3 | Major |
| ART 101 or ART 102 | History and Appreciation of Art I or II | ARTH 103 or ARTH 104 | 3 | General education |
| HLT 230 | Principles of Nutrition & Human Development | BIOL 217 | 3 | Major |
| PHY 201 | College Physics I | PHYS 201 | 4 | Major |
| ENG Literature | Select one of the following: ENG 241, ENG 242, ENG 243, ENG 244, ENG 251, ENG 252, SPA 102, FRE 102 Note: Students who did not take 3 years of foreign language in high school should take Foreign Language | VCU equivalent | 3 | General education |
| SOC 200 | Principles of Sociology | SOCY 101 | 3 | General education |
| John Tyler Credits Transferred to VCU | 60 | |||
| Course | Title | Credits | Requirements |
|---|---|---|---|
| Foreign language through the 102 level. (This requirement can be fulfilled by means of completion of the 102-level of a language or waived if the student completed up through the third level of a foreign language in high school. Additionally, language waiver and placement testing options are available for native or heritage speakers of a non-english language.) | 0 to 8 | General education (not waived by associate degree) | |
| STAT 210 | Basic Practice of Statistics | 3 | Major |
| HPEX 300 | Healthcare Delivery in the U.S. | 3 | Major (HPEX Core) |
| HPEX 310 | Fitness and Health | 3 | Major (HPEX Core) |
| HPEX 395 | Clinical Experience I | 3 | Major (HPEX Core) |
| HPEX 495 | Clinical Experience II (fulfills senior capstone) | 6 | Major (HPEX Core ) |
| HPEX 350 | Nutrition | 3 | Major (Exercise Science Core) |
| HPEX 371 | Psychology of Physical Activity | 3 | Major (Exercise Science Core) |
| HPEX 374 | Musculoskeletal Structure and Movement | 4 | Major (Exercise Science Core) |
| HPEX 375 + HPEZ 375 | Physiology of Exercise and Laboratory | 4 | Major (Exercise Science Core) |
| HPEX 380 | Resistance Training for Health and Performance | 3 | Major (Exercise Science Requirement) |
| HPEX 440 | Chronic Disease and Exercise Management | 3 | Major (Exercise Science Core) |
| HPEX 441 | Assessment and Exercise Intervention in Health and Disease | 3 | Major (Exercise Science Major) |
| HPEX 470 | Exercise Programming and Leadership | 3 | Major (Exercise Science Major) |
| HPEX 475 | Cardiovascular Pathophysiology and Pharmacology | 3 | Major (Exercise Science Core) |
| HPEX 480 | Professional Certification Seminar | 1 | Major (Exercise Science Core) |
| Approved electives (check with VCU advisor) | 12 | Elective | |
| Credits Completed at VCU | 60 | ||
| Bachelor's degree total | 120 | ||