2025-2026 Undergraduate Catalog
Sports Medicine and Human Performance
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Department of Sports Medicine and Human Performance
The Department of Sports Medicine and Human Performance (SMHP) offers a Bachelor of Science degree in Movement Science, with four concentration options: Exercise Science, Sports Medicine, Physical Education Teacher Licensure, and Preventive Health and Physical Activity (PHPA). These pathways are designed to align with students’ academic interests and evolving career goals in health, wellness, education, and public health.
Students complete a 27-credit major core alongside their chosen concentration. The program is supported by a diverse range of courses, including theory-based and activity-based general education and elective courses, that develop both foundational knowledge and applied skills.
SMHP programs are nationally recognized by leading professional organizations, including the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA), American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA), Association for Advancing Quality in Educator Preparation (AAQEP), and the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (MA-DESE). Our Exercise Science and Physical Education Licensure concentrations hold professional accreditation, ensuring rigorous preparation for the workforce or graduate study.
Future-Ready Curriculum: Meeting the Needs of a Changing World
Aligned with the University’s mission, the SMHP Department is preparing graduates for a rapidly changing health and education landscape. With the continued shift from reactive, illness-based care to preventive, wellness-focused systems, and the growing demand for inclusive, movement-based education, our graduates are well-positioned to thrive.
In Massachusetts, the newly updated Comprehensive Health and Physical Education Framework (2023) emphasizes physical literacy, social-emotional learning (SEL), equity, and lifelong wellness-all core components of our licensure and non-licensure programs. Physical educators are being called to support students not only physically, but emotionally and socially, using evidence-based strategies and inclusive practices.
In the public health sector, state and national trends point to increasing investments in community-based prevention, mental health promotion, and health equity. Our PHPA and Sports Medicine concentrations directly address these needs by equipping students to lead programs that promote access, wellness, and culturally responsive care in schools, clinics, nonprofit organizations, and community agencies.
National initiatives such as Exercise is Medicine (a joint project of ACSM and the AMA) and legislative advocacy like the Athletic Trainers’ Equal Access to Medicare Act highlight the expanding role of movement professionals in both healthcare policy and delivery. Our students gain the interprofessional communication skills and clinical insight necessary to thrive in this context.
To ensure continued relevance, the SMHP curriculum also integrates:
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Emerging technologies in fitness tracking, health monitoring, telehealth, and digital teaching tools
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Environmental and community health perspectives, including the role of green spaces, safe recreation access, and sustainable health promotion
Concentration Highlights
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Exercise Science: Prepares students for careers in performance training, cardiac rehabilitation, community fitness, and personal training. Includes a capstone internship and advanced standing benchmark for hands-on learning.
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Sports Medicine: Provides pre-professional preparation for graduate study in Athletic Training, Physician Assistant Studies, Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, and related health fields. Emphasizes injury prevention, movement science, and interprofessional collaboration.
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Physical Education Teacher Licensure: Prepares students for Massachusetts licensure (PreK-8 or 5-12). Students complete all program requirements-including MTEL exams, Advanced Standing, and a full-semester school-based practicum-to become inclusive, reflective physical educators.
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Preventive Health and Physical Activity (PHPA): Equips students for careers in public health, with an emphasis on wellness promotion, health education, and community engagement. Students gain the flexibility to pursue credentials such as Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES) or leadership roles in Physical Activity Programmming.
Career and Graduate Success
Graduates pursue advanced degrees in exercise science, physical therapy, occupational therapy, athletic training, public health, physician assistant studies, nursing, and education. They also work in diverse settings, including:
Minors
The department also offers minors in Coaching and Adventure Education, as well as an interdisciplinary minor in Commercial Recreation and Tourism, in collaboration with the Departments of Economics and Management and Geography, Planning, and Sustainability.
ProgramsMajorMinorCoursesMovement Science/Physical EducationSkills in Movement Science
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