Exercise, Health, and Sport Sciences

Overview

Chair of the Department: Deborah Van Langen

Professors: Graves; Associate Professors: Ross, Van Langen; Assistant Professors: Dangi, Madden; Lecturer: Foley; Principal Lecturer: Bean; Senior Lecturer: Neptune

The Department of Exercise, Health, and Sport Sciences offers undergraduate degrees in exercise science, health sciences, and recreation and leisure studies with a concentration in therapeutic recreation. The Department also offers a master’s degree in athletic training. In addition, there are minors in disabilities studies, holistic and integrative health, nature tourism, and recreation leadership, and a certificate in foundations of holistic health.

The Department’s athletic training program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education (CAATE). Upon completion of the curriculum, the athletic training student will be eligible to challenge the Board of Certification (BOC) examination leading to national certification as an Athletic Trainer (ATC) and licensure as an Athletic Trainer (LAT) in most states, including Maine.

The Department’s exercise science program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) and the Committee on Accreditation for Exercise Sciences (CoAES). Upon completion of the exercise science curriculum, students are prepared to take a variety of national certification examinations including the American College of Sports Medicine’s (ACSM) Certified Personal Trainer® and Certified Exercise Physiologist® certification examinations and the National Strength and Conditioning Association’s (NSCA) Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist® (CSCS) examination.

Health sciences graduates are prepared for careers in general health science fields and for admission to graduate professional programs. For highly motivated undergraduate students who are already looking ahead to graduate school, USM offers an Accelerated Graduate Pathway from the Health Sciences major to the Athletic Training program that allows students to complete both the B.S. in Health Science and the M.S. in Athletic Training degrees in five years. In addition, Health Sciences majors may choose the Accelerated Graduate Pathway into the Master of Occupational Therapy (M.O.T.) program.

Graduates in recreation and leisure studies are prepared for careers as a recreation therapist, recreation staff in a variety of municipal or nonprofit environments, activity coordinator, or recreation generalist. Students who complete internships under the supervision of a Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist will be eligible to sit for the National Council for Therapeutic Recreation Certification examination.