Exercise Science Programs - Strength, Conditioning and Fitness
The M.S.- nonthesis specialization in strength, conditioning and fitness is a professional program designed to provide advanced training in the scientific basis of strength and motor skill development, conditioning and fitness (human performance) capabilities across the lifespan. This program is designed for students interested in professional careers as (1) a strength and conditioning specialist or coach who trains athletes for improvement of athletic performance; (2) a group exercise instructor, personal trainer, or health-fitness specialist who works with individuals to improve health and fitness or who manages a health club, YMCA, university recreational, corporate or community exercise/fitness program; or (3) an exercise specialist who works with individuals with special needs or disabilities to provide adapted or therapeutic exercise programs. Students learn to administer appropriate tests and assessments, design and implement safe and effective training and conditioning programs, and provide guidance regarding nutrition and injury prevention. Practical experience through practicum or internship experiences that involve working with a strength and conditioning or fitness program (university, professional team, high school, private club, etc.) is required. A research project may be conducted by enrolling in KINS 7650. The program is designed to provide the knowledge, skills and experience needed to qualify for certification by the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA), the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM), or the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM).
Faculty:
Drs. Bud Cooper, Michael Horvat, and Ted Baumgartner are the primary advisors for students in the program. Dr. Cooper is an NSCA Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist. His interests are in conditioning programs, rehabilitation, injury prevention and athletic training. Dr. Horvat’s primary interests are strength and conditioning for improvement of athletic performance, and exercise for special needs and disabled individuals. Other faculty in the Department who teach or may advise students in the program include: Drs. Kevin McCully, Michael Schmidt, Ellen Evans, Lesley White and Kirk Cureton (exercise physiology), Dr. Kathy Simpson (biomechanics), Dr. Phillip Tomporowski (exercise psychology and motor behavior), Drs. Bryan McCullick and Paul Schempp (pedagogy), Drs. Patrick O’Connor and Rod Dishman (exercise psychology), and Dr. Cathy Brown Crowell (athletic training).
Admission:
Admission to the program is based on the student’s prior academic record, graduate record exam (GRE) scores, recommendations and prior experience. Minimum requirements include a GRE score (verbal plus quantitative) of 850, an undergraduate grade point average of 2.6 on a 4.0 scale, and, in the case of international students for whom the primary language is not English, a score of 80, with at least 20 on the speaking and writing portions, on the Internet Based Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL).
Prerequisites:
A bachelor’s degree with a major in athletic training, exercise science, kinesiology, or physical education is recommended. Undergraduate courses in anatomy and physiology are required prior to admission.
Curriculum:
The curriculum is designed to be flexible to accommodate individuals with different backgrounds and career goals. Thirty-six hours of graduate-level course work are required.
Required Foundation Knowledge:
Foundation knowledge, skills and competencies in the exercise sciences; in physical fitness assessment and development; in strength, conditioning and fitness program design; and in nutrition are fundamental to this specialization, and are required for each of the qualifying certification exams. At least one course at the undergraduate or graduate level must have been taken prior to entering the program or as part of the program in: biomechanics, exercise physiology, scientific principles of fitness assessment and conditioning (exercise prescription), fitness and conditioning program design, and life cycle or sport nutrition. UGA undergraduate courses that fulfill these requirements are listed below. Comparable undergraduate courses at other institutions may fulfill this requirement. Undergraduate courses are not counted as part of the graduate program of study. Additional graduate courses on these topics may be taken. Graduate courses taken at UGA to fulfill this requirement should be selected from the courses listed under electives.
| Biomechanics: | KINS 3600, Applied Biomechanics (3); KINS 4200, Biomechanics (4) |
| Exercise Physiology: | KINS 3700, Applied Ex. Physiology (3); KINS 4630/4630L, Ex. Physiology (4) |
| Physical Fitness: | KINS 4640/4640L, Scientific Principles of Conditioning and Fitness (4) |
| Program Design: | KINS 4310, Physical Fitness Programs (3) |
| Nutrition: | FDNS 4050, Nutrition and the Life Cycle (3) |
Required Courses:
KINS 7150 Research Methods in Kinesiology – 3
KINS 7800 Practicum in Kinesiology and/or 3-6
KINS 7450 Internship in Kinesiology – 3-6
KINS 7140 Seminar in Strength, Conditioning and Fitness – 2
Elective Courses:
Elective courses should be selected to fulfill the required foundation knowledge, and based on the career goal and competencies required for professional certification.* For those interested primarily in strength development and associated issues, a course in neuromuscular exercise physiology is important. For those interested in sport skill development and improvement of athletic performance, courses motor learning and control, and exercise and sport psychology are important. A course in performance-enhancing drugs in sport may also be of interest. For those interested in working with children, individuals with special needs and the disabled, courses in motor development, therapeutic exercise and instructional strategies are important. For those interested in personal training, improvement of health and fitness, and working with diseased individuals, courses in metabolic and cardiorespiratory aspects of exercise, clinical exercise physiology, advanced exercise prescription of individuals with chronic diseases and exercise epidemiology are important. Those who elect to do an applied research project should enroll in KINS 7650 and may want to take a course in advanced measurements or statistics. Recommended courses are listed below:
FDNS 6050 Nutrition and the Lifecycle -3
KINS 7140 Exercise and Sport Nutrition** – 3
KINS 6300 Exercise Epidemiology – 3
KINS 6310 Physical Fitness Programs – 3
KINS 6320 Exercise and Aging – 3
KINS 6400 Exercise and Sport Psychology – 3
KINS 6630 Exercise Physiology – 3
KINS 6640 Scientific Principles of Conditioning and Fitness*** - 4
KINS 6690 Neuromuscular Exercise Physiology - 3
KINS 7040 Instructional Strategies in Physical Education – 3
KINS 7100 Motor Development in Movement and Physical Functioning – 3
KINS 7160 Advanced Measurements in Kinesiology – 3
KINS 7310 Adult Fitness and Cardiac Rehabilitation (Clinical Ex Phys) – 3
KINS 7330 Metabolic and Cardiorespiratory Aspects of Exercise – 4
KINS 7340 Exercise Psychology – 3
KINS 7350 Biomechanics of Human Movement – 3
KINS 7360 Motor Learning and Control – 3
KINS 7440 Performance Enhancing Drugs in Sport – 3
KINS 7610 Therapeutic Exercise – 3
KINS 7650 Applied Project in Kinesiology – 3
KINS 8630 Program Design in Physical Education – 3
*Certification by NSCA, NASM or ACSM is required as a culminating experience (final written exam) unless student is already certified with a qualifying certification, in which case a final oral exam is required. Qualifying certifications include:
NSCA: Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist, Certified Personal Trainer
NASM: Certified Personal Trainer
ACSM : Certified Group Instructor, Certified Personal Trainer, Certified Health-Fitness Specialist, Certified Inclusive Fitness Trainer
** Split-level class to be proposed
*** Graduate section of split level class to be proposed
Print PDF of Program Description
Print PDF of UGA Courses Covering Content on the NSCA Personal Training Certification Examination
Print Strength, Conditioning and Fitness Program Worksheet
Information on NSCA Certification
