Exercise and Sport Science Major: Standard Program

Program Requirements

All standard majors require a minor in a second discipline or a second major.

Exercise and Sport Science Emphasis

A  minimum of 41 credits is required, including the 15-credit Exercise and Sport Science Nucleus:

To graduate, all exercise and sport science majors must complete ESS 181 Foundations of Exercise and Sport Science and ESS 185 Lifetime Wellness with a minimum grade of “C-”:

Exercise and Sport Science Nucleus
ESS 181Foundations of Exercise and Sport Science3
ESS 185Lifetime Wellness3
ESS 320Psychology of Sport and Physical Activity3
ESS 490Sociology of Sport and Physical Activity3
Select one of the following ESS Capstone courses:3
Senior Seminar in Exercise and Sport Science
Internship in Exercise and Sport Science
Total Credits15

First Aid/CPR competency, and the following:

ESS 201Essentials of Human Anatomy and Physiology (with Lab)4
ESS 275Human Motor Development and Learning3
ESS 282Principles of Sport Management3
ESS 330Exercise Physiology3
ESS 331Exercise Physiology Lab1
ESS 363Inclusive Physical Activity3
Nine upper division ESS elective credits9
Total Credits26

Capstone Course Requirement

Students can choose to take either ESS 495 Senior Seminar in Exercise and Sport Science or ESS 498 Internship in Exercise and Sport Science to fulfill the Capstone Requirement. 

Western Watershed General Education Requirements

Students must complete all Western Watershed General Education requirements to graduate. 

Graduation Requirements

Undergraduate programs require a minimum of 120 semester credits for graduation.  Of those 120 credits, 40 credits must be in upper-division courses (those marked 300 and above).  Fifteen of these 40 upper-division credits must be earned in courses that are part of the standard or comprehensive major program being pursued. 

Students are expected to review all graduation requirements, which can be found in the Western Undergraduate Catalog: Graduation Requirements

"C-" or better required for both ESS 181 Foundations of Exercise and Sport Science and ESS 185 Lifetime Wellness to receive credit toward ESS degree. 

Sample Plan

Plan of Study Grid
Year One
FallCredits
ESS 181
Foundations of Exercise and Sport Science
or Lifetime Wellness
3
ENG 102 Writing and Rhetoric I (GT-CO1) 3
Gen Ed General Education Courses 9
WWGE 101/102/103/104 Headwaters (select one) 2
 Credits17
Spring
ENG 103 Writing and Rhetoric II (GT-CO2) 3
ESS 181
Foundations of Exercise and Sport Science ("C" or better required to receive credit toward ESS degree.)
or Lifetime Wellness
3
MATH 140 College Algebra (GT-MA1) 3
Gen Ed General Education Courses 6
 Credits15
Year Two
Fall
ESS 201 Essentials of Human Anatomy and Physiology (with Lab) milestone course & prerequisite for ESS 330 & ESS 380 4
ESS 282 Principles of Sport Management 3
Gen Ed General Education Courses 9
 Credits16
Spring
ESS 275 Human Motor Development and Learning 3
Gen Ed General Education Courses 7
Elective Elective/Minor/Certificate/2nd Major 6
 Credits16
Year Three
Fall
ESS 320 Psychology of Sport and Physical Activity 3
ESS 330 Exercise Physiology 3
ESS 331 Exercise Physiology Lab 1
Elective Elective (upper division) ESS/Minor/Certificate/2nd Major 9
 Credits16
Spring
ESS 363 Inclusive Physical Activity 3
Gen Ed General Education Courses 3
Elective Elective (upper division) ESS/Minor/Certificate/2nd Major 9
 Credits15
Year Four
Fall
ESS 490 Sociology of Sport and Physical Activity 3
Elective Elective (upper division) ESS/Minor/Certificate/2nd Major 12
 Credits15
Spring
ESS 495
Senior Seminar in Exercise and Sport Science
or Internship in Exercise and Sport Science
3
3
Elective Elective (upper division) ESS/Minor/Certificate/2nd Major 9
 Credits15
 Total Credits125

Western is committed to doing our part to provide each student a clear path to graduation. This four‐year degree plan is a sample map for fulfilling requirements in the major and General Education. The pathway that you take to your degree may differ somewhat from this illustration, depending on where you start and the detours and side trips you may take along the way. You are responsible for ensuring your overall, upper division, and major‐specific credits as well as GPA requirements are fulfilled for graduation.