2022 Best Online Exercise Science Bachelor's Degrees

Online Exercise Science Degree Overview

Colleges offer online exercise science degrees at the associate, bachelor's, master's, and doctoral levels. Curricula for these degrees provide increasingly deep and specialized courses that build on the fundamentals of human physiology, kinesiology, nutrition, and sports psychology. Below are some examples of what students might encounter at different levels, along with careers that each degree can prepare them for.

Exercise Science Degree Levels

Associate	Students take general education courses and introductory courses in anatomy, physiology, and nutrition. Two-year programs can provide a foundation for students to pursue a bachelor's degree or earn licensure as a personal trainer or physical therapy aide. Those who graduate from an accredited physical therapy assistant program can go on to earn their PTA license.
Bachelor's	Students take advanced courses in exercise physiology, human biomechanics, and nutrition — see Common Courses below for more details. Some programs offer concentrations such as strength and conditioning, kinesiology, or coaching. Degree holders have become general or program managers at fitness clubs. They've also secured jobs requiring licensure such as personal trainer, nutritionist, teacher, or coach.
Master's	Master's programs are generally more specialized than bachelor's degrees. Depending on the specialty, they might contain advanced courses in health psychology, epidemiology, sports psychology, or applied kinesiology. Most programs feature a class on research methods and culminate in a research paper or project. Many programs require students to complete an internship.
Doctoral and professional	Ph.D. programs aim to create professors and researchers. They contain courses in advanced statistical and scientific research methods and culminate in a dissertation on an original topic. Faculty design professional degrees to train students for specific careers. For example, students enroll in a Doctor of Physical Therapy program to become physical therapists. Professional degrees usually require students to complete hundreds of clinical hours. During these assignments, they work under the supervision of a licensed practitioner.

Online Bachelor's Degrees in Exercise Science

An online bachelor's in exercise science can be a good educational foundation for individuals who want to help others achieve their fitness and sports goals. In addition, it can lay the groundwork for further education in a graduate degree program.

Typical Program Requirements

Online exercise science programs usually take four years to complete, and require 120-128 semester credit hours or 180 quarter credit hours. This may include an internship or other hands-on field placement to gain practical experience. Applicants need a high school diploma or GED. Many schools have minimum GPA requirements for admission.

Online classes are usually asynchronous, which means that students aren't required to attend live sessions. Instead, they sign in to a virtual learning platform at their convenience to complete coursework and watch recorded lectures.

The Importance of an Accredited Online Exercise Science Degree

Accreditation is a stamp of approval from an independent organization that indicates a high level of educational quality. Colleges can be either nationally or regionally accredited. Most strictly academic programs seek regional accreditation, while trade and professional schools tend to earn national accreditation. Regionally accredited schools only accept transfer credits from schools with the same type of accreditation.

In addition, some professional organizations accredit individual programs in a specific discipline. For exercise science, this organization is the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs.

Common Courses for an Exercise Science Degree

Exercise science graduates learn to use body movement to improve people's physical and mental health. There are several subdisciplines within the broad category of exercise science, and students may choose to major in one of these or study it as a concentration. We've selected several courses below that are common to most bachelor's degrees in exercise science, regardless of specialization.

Careers Available with an Exercise Science Bachelor's Degree

Students can pursue several jobs with only a bachelor's on their resume. Many of these careers involve coaching or instilling discipline in others, which requires an understanding of motivation. Because of this, students may find it beneficial to take psychology electives beyond the introductory sports psychology course.

Below are a few job possibilities for exercise science graduates. Unless noted otherwise, salary and job outlook data come from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

• Clinical laboratory technologist: This career may appeal to students who enjoy the lab portions of their exercise science degree. Under the supervision of a senior scientist, technologists test and monitor lab equipment, perform experiments, analyze chemical and tissue samples, and keep meticulous records of their findings. They can apply to jobs at corporate or university exercise research labs. These professionals earn median annual salaries of $54,180. The BLS expects the job field to expand by 11% through 2030.
• Exercise physiologist: Exercise physiologists prescribe exercise programs for patients recovering from serious illness or injury. Their training and certification is less stringent than that of physical therapists, because they don't diagnose medical or movement problems. Two organizations certify practitioners, which can bolster employment prospects: the American Society of Exercise Physiologists and the American College of Sports Medicine. Physiologists make a median wage of $50,280 per year, and the field is growing at a 13% rate through the end of the decade.
• Health and wellness coach: These professionals use empathy and motivational coaching to help clients meet their personal health and wellness targets. They take a holistic view of wellness that includes stress management, sleep, and other forms of self-care. Prospective coaches can earn certification through the National Board for Health and Wellness Coaching. Because this is an emerging profession, salary and job growth data is limited.
• Personal trainer: Trainers work one on one with clients to improve their physical fitness. They usually meet clients in a fitness facility to assess their performance on exercise equipment and often consult on a nutritional plan. Most personal trainers work for fitness centers or sports complexes but about 18% are self-employed. Fitness trainers can choose certifications from a variety of organizations, such as the National Academy of Sports Medicine and the National Council on Strength and Fitness. Certified personal trainers earn a median yearly pay of $40,510. Available jobs are growing at a very fast rate of 39% through 2030, with most positions found in populous states like California and Texas.